A way to earn some extra profit

A happy New Year to everyone in transport. It's another year and maybe a time for some new ideas?

One of the early tasks we have this year is to help a customer determine if he has an axle overloading problem or not.

Note that we're specifically checking the axle weights as the gross weight is not an issue.

This is something we get asked about several times a year and is proof that here is profit to be made from installing an axle weighbridge. We have an Approved system in our yard and it generates between £6-£10,000.00 every year just from hauliers turning up and paying us to use it. We charge £6 per vehicle.

The sheer volume of vehicles that use our system and the number of times we get asked to help weigh axles means there is a market out there.

One of the noticeable things is how many vehicles visiting our axle weighbridge have come from a site which already had a traditional plate weighbridge. This type of weighbridge can very accurately provide the gross weight but is not much use for checking axle weights.

There are though situations where a plate weighbridge is essential such as where the vehicle is being weighed as it's being loaded. But for every other application an axle weighbridge is a much better option.

With so many hauliers need to check axle weights there is scope for operators to install their own systems and charge for its use.

How many can afford to turn down the opportunity to earn and extra few thousand a year? And have an axle weighing facility in their yard for their own use whenever they want.

Could you profit by charging for the use of an axle weighbridge?

It's not just the charging for using the axle weighbridge though.

One of the defences against an overloading charge is that the vehicle is on its way from the weighbridge to the nearest practical place to correct the problem. The key word in that sentence is 'nearest'. If your vehicle is overloaded and you drive past several places where you could correct the problem then that defence will fail.

If you are a transport operator, the chances are you will have forklifts, storage and your own vehicles. With an overloaded truck in your yard you have all the means to correct the problem available at your fingertips.

Does the load need redistributing? Hire them a forklift and operator to move it.

Does some load need to be removed and stored? How about unloading it and charging for temporary storage.

Is there too much load to be stored? How about quoting them a rate for moving the extra on one of your own vehicles?

We know there is a need for this service around the country and yet so few operators take advantage of it.
From our own experience we know there is profit to be made from it.

Perhaps it's your turn to join in making some extra cash?