How far are your jobs?

[happy]

I was wandering how far your jobs are from your base location? Most of mine are within 10 miles of my base location, so I can provide great service(ie. knowing that it is snowing on customers lot because it is close to me). I am looking at taking on a large around the clock lot that is 24 miles away,(approx. 28 min. drive time) What do you guys think? Should I take it on? The wife says with it being a 24/7 operation she doesn't think it will be a good idea. Please help me on this one!!

[Chuck Smith]

If it is what I think is large, and open 24/7, you'll need a truck there, that stays there. 28 minutes now is usually alot longer when the snow is flying. If you can pick up a couple of more accounts near it, the second truck deal works out even better.

~Chuck

[happy]

Looking at taking on a lot that is a 24/7 operation. It is 24miles, 30min drive from my house. Most of my other lots are within 10 miles of my house. I am a little worried about giving them good service. What do you guys think? Need some opinions here, other than my wife's. She thinks that it is too far to drive for a place that has around the clock operatioins with trucks coming in and out all the time. Haven't measured it yet but it would be probably about 5-10(roughly) truck hours with plow. Very little sidewalk work to do. Any input would be helpful. Thank you.

[Wizard]

Depends on how profitable the account is I guess. You could pay me to drive to service a lot that far, but I'd be getting paid the same as if the blade was on the ground at the lot next door (doubling the time to account for road conditions). Truth is, by charging $400 above your standard per time rate for the lot, you will not be competitive. This doesn't even consider the other potential problems with variations in snowfall and other weather conditions, the potential of a breakdown that far from your shop, etc. Also, I've found from my own experience that your other nearby customers pay the price for trying to service a far away lot during a heavy storm, because it's difficult to keep on top of a storm when you're stuck in traffic trying to get between accounts that are far away. My furthest customer is 12 miles away and is serviced by a sub, and I have 3 others all right next door to each other, 6 miles away. The rest are all within 2 miles. Best way to make money is to have a tight route, only you can answer the question on whether or not its feasible for you to service a far away account. I know that I would probably pass on something like that and persue another account closer by.

[Wizard]

Dupe... http://www.letstalksnow.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17728
Wanna merge 'em Chuck?

[happy]

The lot in question is about 7.5 acreas and is 90% tractor trailer traffic. Basically it is a warehouse where goods are delivered from and to.

[Mick]

My opinion: If you're planning on driving to it - absolutely not. If you can dedicate two trucks and operators to it during any storm - then yes. If this is a delivery operation, you'll have to get it open at odd times, even if deliveries are supposed to be scheduled. That's 50 miles of driving - round trip - potentially through driving snowstorms or unplowed roads. Are you prepared to stop whatever you're doing (like sleeping) at 1:00 AM to go over and make sure it's open for the truck coming in 3:30? Then go back and start plowing your other driveways that are POd cause you didn't get to them before they need to leave for work? Then go back and finish the warehouse - and they upset cause you didn't do it all while you was there the first time.

How about ice control? With sloping docks, you'll need something.

[happy]

Thank goodness the docks are not sloped. The building is higher elevation than the lot and the pavement to the docks is level.

[snowmizer]

our lots are 45 minutes from our base but all other accounts are withing 5miles of the biggest lot we have, so it works out

[T-Zab]

Personally I would not pass that up if it includes salt.
7.5 acres should pay enough to park a truck there and put an employee in the truck. You could try to pick up something else in that neck of the woods to add to the pot if you dont think it is enough. I would probally just dedicate a truck for that site with a salter, even a tailgate unit with a couple skids stashed there could get you threw till you can get there with the bigger salter.
When just salting at night a 30 minute ride to salt is not the end of the world and you will be droping plenty of salt to make it worth your while. I dont have a problem driving to go salt, heck I actually enjoy it ! :cash