2 TYPES OF JOBS IN THE CONTAINER HAULAGE BUSINESS

Today, we shall discuss about some terminologies in container haulage business. Before you go into container haulage business, there are two popular terminologies you should have learn before going into it. I shall be explaining how to go about it and how it is been done below.

(1). ICD TRANSFER: ICD is known as INLAND CONTAINER DELIVERY. The popular and local name known for this kind of work or job for trucks is known simply as TRANSFER. This kind of delivery services is the movement of container from the APAPA MAIN PORTS to the various BONDED TERMINALS across Lagos State. The proximity of the BONDED TERMINALS makes the truckers to go at least two trips per day. What can actually be the constraints of the two trips could as a result of heavy traffic between the BONDED TERMINALS and the APAPA MAIN PORTS.

What is required of you to start or get these jobs is to get a PICK UP TICKET from one of the assigned transporters outside the APAPA PORTS. The driver will drive in and pick up a 2x20ft containers or 40ft container. Immediately the truck driver loads, he goes to the OUTBOUND GATE of the PORTS and exchange the PICKUP TICKET FOR what is known as EIR (Equipment interchange Report). He will tender this report at the BONDED TERMINAL. The receiving clerk minutes on the report that he has received a particular container e.g(MSKU0000000) Thereafter, the driver goes back to the APAPA PORTS and tender the EIR to the assigned transporter that gave him the PICK UP TICKET and he gets paid immediately or at an agreed time.

The advantage of the ICD TRANSFER is that a driver can go for as many trips if he knows the traffic situation before he leaves the terminal. He can then look for alternative routes. On a Sunday, the driver can run three trips or four trips, if he is ready to work. The disadvantages is that sometimes the bottlenecks of custom officials and heavy traffic can affect the truck’s movement thereby limiting the driver to a single trip. Also, Not all the vessels coming into the country are meant for ICD TRANSFER. Therefore,it is fluctuates. There can be transfer this week . There might not be next week. You cannot determine the weight of the container until the truck is loaded. The Operator might refuse to offload you because of the time wasting.

(2) Normal Delivery: Normal Delivery is picked up from the APAPA PORTS and can be delivered to main suburbs, street and metropolis or interstate. You can also get this type of work of Job from the BONDED TERMINALS. The difference between the TRANSFER and the NORMA DELIVERY is that the TRANSFER is restricted to be delivered to BONDED TERMINALS ALONE while the NORMAL DELIVERY is delivered to ANYWHERE THE AGENTS SAYS THAT THE CONTAINER IS GOING. The advantage of the NORMAL DELIVERY is that you can charge the agents for a price equivalent for a money of two trips of TRANSFER. You have direct control of the truck . You can check the tonnage of the container before you go for the Job. That means you manage the truck eye to eye.

The disadvantage of the NORMAL DELIVERY is LASMA and CUSTOMS and DRIVERS. I will explain let. But you can beat just two of them.That is LASMA and YOUR DRIVER simply by doing the right things explained in my previous posts. Thanks so much for the visiting my blog as usual. Please i will answer all pending mails during the weekend. Calls can only be received from (9am to 9pm)Nigerian time. 08185208688 07065149588 haulagemover@gmail.com

The 10 TRICKS OF A SUCCESSFUL HAULAGER

When we think of a trick, we think of pranks we played on unsuspecting individuals when we were young (, but the context in which we want to talk about ‘Tricks’ here is techniques or actions that can improve a person’s life. Trucking tricks are kept under wraps because of the solitary nature of the business—a trucker is provided with a truck, a set of keys, a product or item to haul, a place to load and a location where he needs to deliver the load. All of this creates an atmosphere where the ability to share knowledge with others is limited. So here is a list of ten tricks which can help make the job of picking up, driving and delivering, simpler and more financially beneficial to the trucker, the shipper, the receive and the trucking company. Ten Tricks of a Successful Trucker:

1. Always have a plan. This includes the obvious route and time plan to pick up and deliver loads. You also need to include plans for maintaining your equipment, plans for staying healthy on the road, and plans to get the right amount of home time. And most of all, a plan on how to reach your goals, both personal and business.

2. Know what it costs you to operate on a daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly basis. You can’t control what you don’t know. Reducing unnecessary expenses is necessary for any trucking operation regardless of whether it’s a lease operation or you’re a company driver.

3. Develop a program where you pay yourself first. This means including a salary as one of your fixed expenses, which helps you create a visual goal which you can achieve. If you wait for the leftovers on the financial side of your operation, what you’ll end up with is the crumbs. If you’re a company driver, you still need to set daily and weekly income goals, because company drivers are usually paid by the mile, like lease operators. Since most trucking companies don’t guarantee company drivers a specific set salary each week, it is up to the driver to be sure he’s maximizing his earning potential through setting and achieving financial goals.

4. Schedule Preventive Maintenance. Remember a truck or trailer whose maintenance needs are ignored will stop your forward progress at the most inopportune time. Making sure your equipment is in top-notch condition at all times means you can achieve your other goals. Ignore its maintenance and the truck will make sure you’re driven to financial failure.

5. Stay with it! The biggest problem in the trucking industry is the excessive driver turnover situation. There are many contributing factors to the problem, one being truckers expecting too much too soon when coming on board with a new motor carrier. Be sure and do your homework on any carrier with which you are thinking of aligning yourself. Spend the time investigating the trucking company’s way of doing business, and ask questions during the recruiting process—lots of tough questions. Then, once you’ve made your decision which company to go with, stick with them for a minimum of one year. It’s all in the investigation and effort you apply in the beginning before you’ve signed on the dotted line.

6. Communication, communication, communication. This is not just what is said or heard. You need to maintain a paper trail on all aspects of your trucking business. If it’s said and it’s important, write it down: who you talked with, when you talked with them, what was said by all parties, what was the final agreement, and if it’s extremely important, have everyone sign the document. Just because it’s spoken doesn’t mean it will be remembered. Don’t assume everyone is on top of any situation. If circumstances change, whether it’s concerning delivery or pick up times, repairs required on equipment, solutions to situations, or a personal dilemma, be sure it’s communicated to anyone with a need to know.

7. Teamwork is multi-tiered when it comes to trucking. There’s the obvious team of driver, dispatch, maintenance department and safety, where team work can make everyone’s life more financially rewarding and less stressful, working to provide the best logistics service to the company’s customers. But don’t forget the other team members, the major reason you’re out there doing what you do: your family.

8. The trucker is king when it comes to Customer Service. Treating ‘your’ shippers and receivers as royalty is the first step to your success. The second step is to remember whether you’re a company driver or lease operator, the trucking company is the ‘Other Customer’ to which you need to provide stellar customer service.

9. Personal care means take care of yourself, in mind, body, and soul. Take the time to stop and smell the roses. Don’t allow yourself to become isolated from others by the sheer nature of your work. Be sure to exercise, even if it’s nothing more than a good brisk walk. Think twice, eat once; look at what you’re about to eat. Is it going to be nourishing? Is it something that will cause you problems later? If the answer is yes to the first question and no to the second, enjoy it; if not, consider something else. Each day spend a few moments in spiritual contemplation to refresh your soul.

10. Recreation is needed too. All work and no play makes for an irritable trucker. Schedule a hobby or activity which has nothing to do with trucking. This is your escape from your day-to-day responsibilities as a trucker. Make a plan to do this at least once a week.

More Info :08185208688 07065149588 haulagermover@gmail.com

GREED GRED GREED (PART 2)

Hello Readers,  the last time i was writing about greed and how it affect haulage business. If you remember, i mentioned that the three parties involved in the haulage business are drivers, truck managers and truck owners. And i mention specifically the attitudes of everyone as regards their greedy attitudes.
This is the concluding part of the topic about GREED.
Now, how do we manage a greedy driver?How do we manage a greedy manager and how do we manage a greedy truck owner.
(a) Managing your driver.: How is your hiring process when recruiting a driver for your haulage business. Is your driver recommended to you? Do you just give the truck to a driver because you know him by chance.
Now I will explain to you on how to get the best and a fearful driver. Nigeria is a country where we spanked to work. Let me tell you the truth, You will agree with me that we know what to do. We know what is right and wrong. It is just that we like to take advantage of the WRONG STRUCTURE in place in this country.
I like to interview drivers a lot. I like to invite about 4 or 5 drivers for interview on the same day. I let them know that they are there with me for the same purpose. Let me let you know that i like to hire married men.
It shows a level of responsibility a little bit. You just have to work on the rest after the hiring. Let me let you know that i get a guarantor from the drivers and i carry out a research at the background immediately. Therefore i pick the one with most responsible guarantor. I interact with the guarantor immediately.
If feel i am going to the extreme. YES. because the success of the haulage business start with hiring the best driver. I have a Driver called MOSES. The guy is the best thing that have ever happen to me in haulage business. Then i have to know the driver's experience.

(b)Managing a Truck Manager: Always ensure that you get the best available manager around. Get to know how long he has been in the business? His experiences over the years; Get to know his marital status as well. What is his career goals (That is something most have led or push him to go into the business. (N:B) His answers most be related to his career goals. When you are satisfied, ensure that there is contractual agreement by law that bind both of you as partners. Get a responsible guarantor from him and do a background research.  Lastly, use the advantage of GPS technology by tracking your truck. Learn to track the movement online. You can get trackers all around Lagos environs. Once installed, the monitoring of the managers start. This is known as Supervision and Monitoring.

(c)Managing a Truck Owner: Well let me explain here that truck owners can only manage themselves. Listen up Truck owners, the price you get your truck will determine the monthly returns you will be comfortable with. That is why I advise that you get your truck at a cheap rate from individual listings on tradestable, dealfish, googletrader and abroad (America or Europe) .If you see a consistent manager, it is better you stick to him. I don’t need to tell you what consistency in business means.

Truck managers it is important you know your lanes. Never agree to what you cannot deliver. If you do, remember, you will be prosecuted because you are signing a contract that is bounded by law. Let the law of nature takes it place. Don’t get in trouble because you want business. If a prospective truck owner doesn’t agree with what you can offer, let him leave. It is a win- win situation. Nobody is doing anybody a favor. Other business will come. People come and people go. That is life.

I hope I have dealt extensively with the the greed issue. If you can stick to all these advise, I bet you will sleep with your two eyes closed. Hope to see you next week. Have a lovely week and I will be expecting your mails and calls as usual.

N:B I have gotten an MTN line as I have agreed to get one because of the MTN subscribers.

The line is 07065149588

Email still remains (haulagemover@gmail.com)

GREED GREED GREED NUMBER 1 KILLER IN HAULAGE BUSINESS IN NIGERIA.

As promising as haulage business greed is a factor that militates against the success of the business, especially when Nigerians have the attitude of making money in a short time. Infact one of the main reasons why a lot of people are discourage to invest in the business is because of greedy attitude of the persons involve in the business. It is not that people don’t want to invest their money but why should people lose money after saving for a lengthy time to invest in the haulage business.

Greed and corruption today is one reason why foreign investors are discouraged to invest in Nigeria. BOKO HARAM is also a threat to the foreign investment. How do we account for lives of the foreign expatriates that were kidnapped and killed in Sokoto state this year?

Anyway lets live BOKO HARAM today and lets face the main topic GREED. Let us remember that there are three parties involved in the haulage business

a)      The driver

b)      The manager

c)       The owner

A GREEDY driver is one who fails to deliver money on time as at when due. A greedy driver is the one who bargains with your technician or mechanic to extort money from you. A greedy driver is one who claims that he needs 75 litres of diesel to a particular location but in actual sense he needs just 50litres.

A greedy manager is the one who fails to remit to the owner monthly returns as promised. A greedy manager will not maintain the truck as at when due. A greedy manager loves second hand tyres and second hand batteries. A greedy manager will therefore be a victim of LASMA officials every week.

A greedy truck owner is the one who tries to make his investment back in less than a year. A greedy truck owner will be a victim of high blood pressure if he listens to side talks. A greedy truck owner is not comfortable with a consistent manager and wants to earn more.

All said and done, but how do we curb all these practices. How do we help to make these businesses succeed? What must be done to checkmate a greedy driver, greedy manager or greedy owner or how do we help ourselves not to be greedy. WATCHOUT FOR PART 2

More Info: 08185208688
                  07065149588

WHY YOU NEED A DOUBLE AXLE TRUCK FOR YOUR HAULAGE BUSINESS

Hello readers,
Today,i want to revisit thie issue of buying a truck for your haulage business. This time around, we shall enlighten ourselves about a particular specification which i term as double axle. Double axle trucks are also termed as tandem axle trucks. Some people will say trucks are trucks.I want to come out today today to say not all trucks are trucks because not all trucks are trucks in Nigeria. This is simple to say that not all trucks are made for the Nigerian Roads in terms of maintanance, driving expertise and durability.
Yet some people will say " you said i should buy DAF truck, you said i should buy MACK trucks, which one is SINGLE AXLE or which one is DOUBLE AXLE again". (which kind wahala be this)that means what kind of problem is this.
But listen to me, if you are planning to buy a truck for your haulage business today, a long as the truck is meant for Tipper Business or Container Haulage business. Please simply go for DOUBLE AXLE TRUCKS.
DOUBLE AXLE TRUCKS  tow better and help to keep the driver in control on the road. Technically speaking, a truck must weigh up to 30 tonnes before it can start a tipper or container haulage business in Nigeria. This is because the stuffing of these containers most times weigh more than the truck. I doubt if you have seen a 20ft container weighing more than 30 tonnes. Yes i have seen it more than a thousand times. People wonder why the 20ft weighs more than a 40ft container, It is simple. These is a lot of space in the 40ft container. by the time your goods are put in the 40ft container, there seems to be space left at the top .But for the 20ft, it is stuffed from the beginning to the end.Hardly will you be able to climb into the container when the offloading of the goods start. If you are using the single axle truck, i bet you that your tires will keep bursting all the time. Tyres are the most expensive of all the trucks spare parts that i know. If you don't save for the rainy day in haulage, it will come back to hunt you seriously.
When i print out the delievry order for truck drivers in the Ports, you will see a 20ft conatiner weighing up to 33 tonnes. what do you make out of that when you have a truck that doesnt weigh more that 30 tonnes. These are some of the technical experise i have learnt over the years. Now let me tell you that i have not see a 40ft container weighing more than 30 tonnes. Whenever, i go to the examination ground where CUSTOMS OFFICIALS use to inspect the imported goods, you will see the reasons why there can never be a 100% inspection of goods in our Ports today. It is all because the containers are stuffed from the edge of the boxes to the end,especially the 20ft containers.
Keep in mind that you should get a truck weight from 30 tonnes upward and remeber that it should be DOUBLE AXLES. The DOUBLE AXLE trucks have many tyres that helps the balancing of the trucks no matter the weight of the container.
Infact, what do you say about the tipper haulage which is even worse. We cannot even ascertain the weight opf the sand or the stones. But tobe on the safer side. Please look out for DOUBLE AXLE TRUCKS.

I will attach pictures of double axle trucks and single axle. please note that the double axle trucks have more tyres to help the balancing and also helps to support the  the truck

For more info:haulagemover@gmail.com

GPS TECHNOLOGY, A MUST FOR YOUR HAULAGE BUSINESS

Hello Readers, i am sorry that i have noT update my blog since two weeks, it was due to my busy schedule.
Today, i will like to discuss with you about GPS TECHNOLOGY. Without making too much brouhaha of this issue, i will use our local language or term that we call it, especially in Nigeria. You know  we have discussing  haulage in Nigeria, not in Asia, America or other continents. Too cut it short, it is called TRACKER.
Gone were those days when drivers and truck owners fight one another on different issue about the working capabilities of their buses or truck. They argue and quarrel over location of the trucks, freight rates and other issues that had to due with the truck. But today, thanks to GOOGLE MAPS for coming to rescue us from these recurring issues. Little did GOOGLE know that they were helping to solve these type of problem own haulage business in Nigeria.
With a TRACKER install in your truck today, you can sleep with your two eyes closed in your haulage business. The tracker helps to reveal location and live movement of your truck. You will be able to determine your freight rates without asking your driver how much he was paid for the job (NB:sometimes driver gets the jobs before you,and you wont be able to resist it as long as you have not be briefed by your own customers that a job is  readily available).
There is a lot that the tracker does for you. The tracker safeguards against theft.Although this is not common. In fact i can say that it is 0.8 percent. The tracker also alerts you when the engine of the truck is on for a certain period of time. Oh love this. i can feel that you are getting excited with this. But that is the truth.
To be sincere with you, i won't collect or manage you truck if it is not tracked.Dont see me as a guru today as you see me write on my blog. My past experiences and mistakes is the one writing. i never brought all these from heaven. Believe me honestly, the management of truck nowadays start from you. Your manager comes second and the driver comes third. Just with the help of your TRACKER, you will be able to log on to the internet with your username and password and see the live movement of the truck.
You will be anywhere.America, UK, Germany, Spain. Name it. You know what is going on.
With these little secret.Oh!!! You call it little now because i exposed myself, You will not be able to here "oga no work today". "oga motor breakdown for ojuelegba and i come use my money quickly do am" oga na Oshodi i dey"(if it is true that the idiot is in oshodi).

Till we meet next week. Have a very lovely weekend and think about all this . CATCH YA.
More Info: haulagemover@gmail.com
Tel:08185208688
      07065149588

SECOND HAND TYRES VS BRAND NEW TYRES IN YOUR HAULAGE BIZ IN NIGERIA

hello readers, thanks for the appreciation i have gotten so far as regards to information i am giving out. The bottom line of this information is that i want everyone in this business to succeed and for intending investors to the beauty surrounding this business.
Today we will discuss about TIRES for our trucking/haulage business. As we all know, let me say as all entrepreneurs know, we all want to to cut cost when it comes to procurement for our business. But then as we try to cut cost, sometimes we forget to consider the efficiency, cost benefits and risks when it comes to procuring spare parts for our business.
Second hand tyres will put you out of business gradually. It doesn't last more than one week or 2 wks. it bores down on luck to get a good second hand tyres,
Brand new tires will last you up to 5 months. i am telling you based on my professional experience.  when you have efficiency in your business, you will earn more and save more.
Many times, tokunbo tires known as second hand tires don't even last a week. when this start to happen, you will earn less and this will lead you to borrowing beacuse your truck will have laid idle for many days while you sort for money everywhere.. PLS BEWARE OF THIS, TRUCK MANAGERS. It will lead to problems between truck owners and you.
Learn to understand the rudiments of this business here. i will give updates every 3 days. When you continue to buy second hand tires, you are putting the business into high risk, the driver is at risk, the motor boy is at risk, innocent life is at risk and lastly your own career, integrity, pedigree at risk.
So please i beg u. STAY AWAY FROM SECOND TIRES IN YOUR HAULAGE BUSINESS AND YOU WILL SUCCEED