Monday 27 August 2012

DO YOU YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE YOU START HAULAGE BUSINESS

It is good to be back again this week. I decide to change my posting tactics to be on Mondays because we really don’t get busy on Mondays till 2pm. Therefore you can always check on Mondays for new postings. But wait, we shall be discussing about a very crucial and important issue that has to do with your prospects and passion about haulage business. But wait, I need to tell you today that a lot of people are coming out today to say that haulage business can make you 1million Naira per month. A lot of people will say haulage will make you N700,000 per month. Of course if you are not hauling containers, you must be hauling sand or granites, or maybe oil(diesel and petrol). Be very careful about this matter. Learn to force out the truth from who you are dealing with. If you have just one truck or perhaps two, you will never make 1 million naira per month or N700,000 from haulage.take it or leave it. The people who make such amount from haulage are the ones called (TRANSPORTERS). These set of people have fleet of trucks ranging from 10 trucks to 20 trucks. They have the requirements that it required of them to be called a (TRANSPORTER). One of the requirements is having (GOOD IN TRANSIT INSURANCE POLICY) known as GIT. It is a mot of money that a people that have just one or two trucks don’t have. Of course haulage business will pay your bills. It will buy you a car in time. It will buy you a land in time. But it will not turn you to a billionaire.(For people who have just one truck or two). It will not make you have Hundreds of Millions in Naira. Many guys come to Internet forums and hoodwink you to believe that haulage is a short cut to wealth.HELL NO. HAULAGE IS JUST LIKE PAYING YOU A SALARY THAT A MULTINATIONAL FIRM CAN PAY YOU. DON’T LET PEOPLE DECEIVE YOU. From my experience over the years, haulage can make you N350,000 to N400000 monthly, but wait.don't be aroused. Save money for maintenance, Let me break it down. Imagine you have to overhaul your tyres after 5 or 6 months and do monthly maintenance.Now calculate and check you net profit monthly. Be wise and do diligent research. THE SECRET OF THE BUSINESS IS THE CONSISTENCY IN IT THE BUSINESS. THE REGULAR JOBS AND THE FREEDOM OF YOUR TIME. PERIOD. More Info: haulagemover@yahoo.com 08185208688. 07065149588

Thursday 23 August 2012

KNOWING YOUR SHIPPING LINES IN YOUR TRUCKING BUSINESS

Hi readers, i am deeply sorry for going offline for the past one week. In fact i will like to share with you that this period is always our hottest period in the container business.

This is the time manufacturing firms import a whole lot of raw materials for their production because of the year is running to an end. Anyway i hope i was able to reply the mails as usual.

Today, i want to help you to know the shipping lines that operates in the container business. It is also important that you know them because nowadays,you might be asked to drop your empty container at a particular location different from the ports and if you don't know the line that you are carrying, you will driven your truck to the wrong location instead. This implies that you will have wasted the time you are supposed to be using carrying a loaded container. Don't you know that in Logistics operations, time is money.

Below are the list of the shipping lines.I will give the prefix associated with the shipping lines, that whenever you see the prefix written on the container, you will know the shipping line that own the container.

1. (Maersk Shipping Lines) Prefix written on their containers are as follows:PONU,MSKU,NEDU,TCKU,ETC

2 (Mediterranean Shipping Lines) Prefix written on their containers are as follows:MSCU.

3 (CMA CGM) Prefix written on their containers are as follows: CMAU,TCKU,FCIU,ETC

4. (Zim International Lines) Prefix written on their containers are as follows: ZIMU

5. (Hanjin Shipping Lines) Prefix written on their containers are as follows: HJCU, ETC

6. (Nile Dutch Shipping Lines)

7. Pacific Shipping Lines) Prefix written on their containers are as follows: PIL,MOLU,FCIU,MOAU,ETC

8. (China Shipping Lines) Prefix written on their containers are as follows: CCLU

These Shipping Lines are the major ones doing business in Nigeria.With Maersk Line the biggest of the among the shipping Lines.

I hope i have been able to educate you today. OK,if there is an instruction that all some containers are to be dropped at a particular location, if your truck was carrying a container such as MSKU0000000 or PONU0000000, you need to be told that it is a MAERSK LINE CONTAINER. Have a wonderful day. i have to go back to work, Busy period earnestly.

More Info.haulagemover@gmail.com 07065149588,08185208688

Saturday 11 August 2012

SUB-DIVISIONS IN HAULAGE BRING UNENDING JOBS FOR TRUCKS DAILY

Once again, i will like to say hello to you guys this week. I hope i was able to answer your questions on the phone and through mails as you all expected. Today we shall have an overlook of the division of the haulage especially in the containerized type of haulage in Nigeria.

The containerized haulage business is divided into 3 types and this is why trucks are needed on a regular basis for this business. A lot of people concentrate or rather focus on one section only thereby having a feeling that the competition will be too much for trucks.

But i tell you today, rather than pitting your focus on a section alone, there are others you should look into . Below are the divisions in details: 1.IMPORTS:Yes,as you know, our economy is based on the importation. Vessels come into the country everyday.Remember that we have many ports and bonded terminals where people clear their goods everyday. Imports into the country alone amounts to over 200,000 containers monthly.

2.EXPORTS: If you truck is not carrying imports from the ports from the ports,then it must be carrying exports into the ports. Exportation is also a big business nowadays if you know how to go about it. Your trucks can also be assigned to carry exports from a particular location to the ports. We have over 200 export boxes going into the ports on a regular basis.Believe me, i am talking from experience. I have worked in the ports for 6 years with APM Terminals APAPA, so i know what i am saying. You will make money just carrying export boxes every week.

3.EMPTIES:After the imports have been discharged from the container, we call the container "empties". Now many times, the empties are discharged at some bonded terminals and there is a special request for the truckers to help bonded terminals to clear the empties to the ports for the vessels to take back to Europe. Ofcourse, the bonded terminals will pay for the delivery to the ports.

You see why you need not worrying yourself over jobs in container business. IF YOUR TRUCK IS NOT CARRYING IMPORTS, IT MUST BE CARRYING EXPORTS, IF IT CARRYING EXPORTS IT MUST BE CARRYING EMPTIES. NOW IMAGINE SHUTTLING THE 3 DIVISIONS EVERY WEEK.

SO WHO SAID THERE ARE NO JOBS FOR YOUR TRUCKS? OFCOURSE THERE IS. i hope to see you again next week. More Info:haulagemover@gmail.com 07065149588 08185208688

Sunday 5 August 2012

TIPS ON HOW TO MANAGE YOUR TRUCK INSIDE THE JOBS

As an experience hauler or lets say a trucker business operator, i have studied overtime that the lifespan of a truck is 6 to 7 years in Nigeria. There is every tendency that your truck can last more than 5 years if it is properly maintained.But inside the job, it is very important that you know how to maintain the usage of your truck any day anytime. I will be sharing some tips below on how to maintain your truck as it goes about during its daily work routine. 1. Always ensure that you know the tonnage of the job offers you see for the truck everyday. When you collect a Pick-up ticket from your agent, crosscheck the bill of Lading and confirm the tonnes of the job you are pick up. Remember that most times your truck does not weigh more than 30 to 35 tonnes. Then, why carrying goods more than 40 tonnes.

2.It is not advisable that you carry reefer containers most of the time. Infact i will advise that you don't carry reefer containers more than 3 times in a month. Reefer containers are used in carrying perishable goods. It is like a refrigerator used in preserving the goods. These containers weigh more than 35 tonness. And carrying them always will burst your tyres regularly.

3.Ensure that you advise the driver to inflate his tyre regularly especially after each job delivered. It is very important.

Saturday 4 August 2012

SIMPLE TIPS TO BUY A USED TRUCK FOR YOUR TRUCK BUSINESS

Hello Readers. i like t share with you a very simple tips to use in buying a used truck anywhere in the world. It is very simple. I received a lot of calls last week from prospective clients asking me the price of a truck. Some get scared when they hear the price from the dealers or from the internet. Please i want to tell you that you don't need the latest model of MACK truck or DAF truck for you business.

If you are looking for a Mack truck, be it R model or Ch613 model don't look beyond the 1980s model. If you are looking for CH model, don't look beyond the 1999 model. you will get a good price for it. Let me explain this better. Now a new model of a new truck will cost your pocket.In fact it will cost you all your life savings. If you are starting with just a single truck,the same cash a new model of Mack Truck will make is the same profit an old mack will make. The specifics of the post is that when you approach a dealer selling used trucks,explain to the dealer that you need a Mack R model or probably a CH model truck and get to know the year of manufacture.

The year of manufacture is always writing boldly on the engine block where you find the chassis number. Always look for the 1980s Model. If it is 1980, 1981, 1982. 1983 etc, start your bargaining like that.Just a the price of a 1999 Toyota Camry will be more expensive than a 2001 Toyota Camry. Knowing this, the dealer will soft pedal and give the room to negotiate. Because you don't always know the year of manufacture, the dealer will try to pull a wool over your eyes. In summary, i am saying that most times, the year of manufacture most times determines the price of machinery. Therefore, my brother be smart. Till we meet again next wk. More Info:07065149588 08185208688

Saturday 28 July 2012

REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR TRUCKS TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE PORTS.

Hello Readers,i will give a you a brief post on how your truck can gain access into the ports before it can start having job offers from agents, logistics companies and middle men. Over the years, i have learnt that doing the needful in business no matter the cost will give me rest of mind than trying to do some short cuts. Getting prepared to do truck business is a must otherwise be prepare to fail and have hypertension. Below are the requirements for your trucks to gain access to the ports:

1.SPARE TYRES:Ensure that you buy spare tyres for your truck. It should be tied somewhere around the flatbed or the truck. What i mean is that, the security officials of NPA(Nigerian Ports Authority) must see it so that the truck can be given direct pass immediately it is on sight. 2.PPE(Personal Protective Equipments) Ensure that your driver is putting on his equipments such as safety boots, helmets and reflective jackets. These are demanded because of the nature of the work. Safety first is the watchword of the work.

3.TYRE JACKYour driver must be equipped with a tyre jack to assist him to remove a punctured tyre or fix a good one. We know quite well that a tyre can puncture anytime, so be prepared before time

Till we meet again next time. 07065149588 08185208688 haulagemover@gmail.com

Monday 23 July 2012

THE TOP 4 ROOKIE MISTAKES OF A TRUCKER/HAULAGER

Many people who start businesses, including me, have little or no experience and just jump in. Thank God that I was able to learn very fast. But over the years, I have seen people make the same mistakes over and over again in the trucking business. I recognize them because I have made them all, too. Mind you, you will make mistakes but never try to make mistakes that will be tantamount to the destruction of the business or to a situation whereby you will have to go back to square one or Zero. Have you heard people saying “oh I want to sell my truck, oh I want to look for a new driver, oh I want to look for a new manager”? It was all bore down on mistakes that keep on repeating itself. That is why I ask people to go for entrepreneurship courses so that they can learn how to handle business. Trucking business or haulage business is not different from other businesses, just that they have different approaches to them. Here is my list of the biggest rookie mistakes:

1. Keeping your rent as low as possible. Never try to rent a battery from all these battery chargers. For goodness sake, what is the rationale behind the renting of a truck battery that is not fully charged? No 24hrs electricity supply in Nigeria, Therefore never expect a battery charger to give you a fully charged battery for your truck. Remember that the battery charger needs money, if he puts a battery on charge for just one hour and you come to rent, if that is the only available battery, he will give it to you. By the time he is gone, you will face the problems all by yourself. But ehh, your money is gone. Simply ask yourself, what the turn around time of your truck is. In trucking business, time is money

2. Hiring someone you know and trust. Competence is more important. While hiring drivers that you know and relatives can work, it severely limits the pool from which you choose. Friends and relatives can also carry baggage. They can also be very hard to manage, which leads to my ultimate advice: if you can’t fire ‘em, don’t hire ‘em

3. Buying used equipment to keep expenses down. This, too, works sometimes, but it is often shortsighted. For example, buying used tyres will guarantee that you will spend valuable time and money fixing the truck when it should be out taking care of customers. Can you really afford downtime with any your truck? This is why truckers have problems with the law enforcement agencies.

4.Saving money on professional advice. It is very important that you save money once you have started your trucking business. Please I beg you, look for a good bank that will help you that have a tenacity to loan you to move to greater heights. See all the transporters with 20 trucks or 50 trucks, they are been supported by the banks. They never walk alone. That is my dream. That is my long term goal; to be a transporter.

I hope this list gives some new truckers or haulagers a little insight, or even keeps some wanna-preneurs from getting in over their heads. And one more thing. In sports, you are a rookie for one year. In entrepreneurship, it can last many years. When you learn from your mistakes, you are no longer a rookie. Better yet, learn from someone else’s. Learn from me The special One “lol”. 08185208688 07065149588