Going rates for fleet trucks

Aplus

New Member
What is the going rate for twice a month cleaning of basic fleet trucks. No sleepers, no excessive chrome, just a basic company owned rig. Just the outside, no engine or undercarriage.

Are there any real advantages to use hot water, or is it maybe more of a marketing advantage? Just wondering if I could charge more because of washing with hot water. It is a fleet of 30 trucks.
 

Dan S

New Member
why would you charge more if you use hot h20? they really dont care what you use to get 'em clean just as long as you GET 'EM KLEANNN.....

as far as rates check out your area and find out what the rate is . check into trk. stops that has a wash bay......
bace your rate on that.. and remember if you become to much of a money hog they wont even let you wash. they like the fact that someone shows up every weekend and cleans 'em ... but you have to really clean 'em b/c if ya dont someone else will.....

good luck and find you self some good all around soap..... dont let it dry on the trks.......
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
<b><font color=green>8,12 to 15 as to your basic no sleeper,no chrome,no under carriage,no motor.

Are there any real advantages to use hot water,.....I think they are(bugs come off easier and faster as one advantage +.Don't want to get into a debait over hotwater but I want wash without it.
 

Aplus

New Member
The reason I bring up the pricing issue is this: A good friend of mine is a shop foreman at a local freight company, truck repair facility. He tells me the guy doing the cleaning now, uses cold water, and some detergent, and only does a so-so job. My buddy tells me I can have a test run there, wash a couple trucks, to see if I can do a better job then the current guy. If so, the yard foreman would probably want me to take over cleaning the whole fleet. There are thirty trucks, and they get washed about twice a month. The current guy charges $15 per truck. Can I use the hot water wash as a selling point to charge a couple more bucks? Or do they truly not care about how the wash is done?

I don't currently have a hot water rig, but would get one if needed. The h/w rig will need to pay for itself on this one.
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
<b><font color=green>yes you can use hotwater as a saling ponit as to cold water washing now but you can clean them with cold water even tho you have hotwater,get the picture.

15 dollars is a fair price for those kind of trucks and the amount(30),I'd leave the price along and shot for doing a better job as to the so so..Did the yardman tell you where this so so was as to what he's talking about when he says so so,,,,yardman hmmmmm no motor or flame just basic hmmm.The other powerwasher is probabily doing a ok job on the basic,sounds as tho the yardman wants the fifth wheel washed off alittle which would be ok with the price(15).If this is the case all he has to do is ask the other powerwasher to do it, he may not know it doesn't go with the wash.Also if the other powerwasher is doing a so so job they may not be washing every two weeks as the reason for the so so..............are these trucks cabovers,short nose,long nose?
 

Aplus

New Member
They are short nosed, painted bumper, your basic no frills trucks. (like a Roadway truck) It seems these would be much easier then the big chrome rigs.

Do you guys use step ladders, or portable scaffolding, or what, to get to the tops of the bigger trucks? I've been using a little two footer, attached to a piece of plywood, for stability. Actually, I used it for getting to the top of a couple motor coaches I cleaned.

I'm also not convinced that I really want to pick up fleet washing. I've been focused more on wood restoration, with residential building washing filling in the rest.

But just like I tell my kids to try different foods (veggies) before saying you don't like them, is akin to saying I don't like washing trucks, when I haven't tried one yet. It is merely fear of the unknown.

Thanks for the input.
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
<b><font color=green>Depends on what color if they would be easy to clean up but if white or red they'd be sorta easy.

I climb up on top of the motors to wash the top heck with a ladder hadn't got time to be placing it around or falling over it.I get up there where the action is,dare devil stuff man you want fall off but twice before you realize its not the way to get down,want be a third time:)------> FOCuSED.

This is where you need to make your mind up as in what trade or you'll be a so so it takes special breeds to wash trucks as it does in all trades.Its hard to learn all the hidden area's in doing several trades to where if ONE You find them and can out clean so so.

I'd say jump in if you think you can get them,you'll near know you may just LOVE washing fleets,I don't,I like washing single owners as to one or no more then 15.I wash all kinds of trucks as to where fleets most are hmm will just fleets nothing,same O same O.
OR go wash two or three of them to see if you like doing it,wouldn't you like to see why the yardman says just so so.

This is a Alumn trailer rig with no brush-e which just got a so so wash job b/c its been awhile sents last wash as to the one setting beside it will get a so so job,these or not reg. customers but wash maybe 2 or 3 times a year but I like washing different kinds of dirty trucks as the reason I wash them,fleets is easy if washed weeky or every two week,try and see,lol LOL,chicken.
 

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Dan S

New Member
big boy why do you go around to the new trk. lots and snap your pic.s and say hey i 'll tell every one i washed that?...............................

sorry man i had to say that good thing you got a great sence of humor...............
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
<b><font color=green>I just glad you have a sence of humor,,SHORTY....

Miss with me I'll send this guy after you.,he watched me wash a truck while setting watching for speeders.When he pulled up he turn on the serin,scared the ---- out of me,lol.
 

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Craig Knight

New Member
I know the feeling Bigboy. Had been washing the other day for a few hours and was really concentrating since i was in a hurry cause i was running late, when a truck pulled in behind me and hit that dadgum air horn. I litterally had to sit down and catch my wits again. The ole boy in the truck dang near fell out on the door laughing so hard. I didnt see nothing funny about it, till i had drove off and thought about what i must have looked like.

At least he didnt run over my hoses, but he dang near had to haul me to funny farm, i about lost it.


Craig
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
<b><font color=green>*LOL* you most be a good truck washer,concentration as in speed.
I'm a little jumpy as it is,I had several walk up on me while washing and I never see them coming,if they say something or tap me on the back I almost have run always'lol'.I keep my eye on what my wands doing as you.They have learned to stay or set by my rig until they see that I see them.As you said they think its funny but after I turn them down as I cann't get to you this weekend they learned not to scare the ---- out of me while washing,I don't mind it if not washing.A good blood rush is o K if your not working..could get hurt or hurt somebody.I want do nobody that way if working but if not watch out,I'll get ya.
 

Craig Knight

New Member
I bet if i would have left it like this he wouldnt have thought it was too funny...lol....

Ok, guess i need some of those infamous fishing lessons your handing out. Son (6 years old) out fishes me every time, doesn't matter if we are fishing for crappie, catfish, largemouth, or whatever, he shows me up. I love it, would rather him catch 10 to 1 the fish i do, well he already does that..

Your holding all the info, come on man, let me inside that head.
 

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Craig Knight

New Member
Tony,

By the way, i have two small contracts for the local, single axle, no sleeper trucks with painted wheels and bumpers. One is 25 per week, and other is 30 every other week. I charge $14.75 for the weekly trucks and $17.50 for the twice a month trucks.


Craig
 

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Aplus

New Member
Craig,

The pic you attached, not including your son, is very similar to the trucks I am speaking of. They are Volvos, & Top Kicks, I think. So I guess 15 per truck is right in the ball park.

Looks like in a few more years you will have a nice helper. My 11 year old is already helping me unload, setup, and is gophering for me. No p/w operation yet, but this year he has started doing staining, and a good job I might add. He is proud to be able to earn his own money, and I am proud that he is developing a good work ethic.

Thanks for the info!
 

Larry L.

PWN TEAM - Moderator Emeritus
<b><font color=green>Sorry Graig but when it comes to giving out secerts on to catch more than your son I cann't help you in anyway out of repect of another great fisherman.
I took the grandsons to a small hill creek where it crossed the road and had a sorta deep little hole on one side,it was full of little perch about 2 to 4 ins. long lol they had a ball telling me they where the best fisherman of all even you pa,the passer byers also stopped and enjoyed watching for awhile *LOL*.

Yel man I didn't think about washing half of the trailer and taking a picture will I did want it was after.....C-ya
 

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