Peter Jomides manages job sites for Tally Construction, based in Tenafly, N.J. An affluent and heavily populated area just a few miles from New York City, the remodeling business continues to thrive here as people invest in their homes instead of moving.
Tally does every type of renovation imaginable: entire houses, floors or individual rooms. Jomides’ brother-in-law, Bert Tallaksen, started the business more than 20 years ago. It has since grown into a $12M a year operation with more than 50 full-time employees and a fleet of 23 pickup trucks.
As the construction projects increased, so did their need to dispose of waste materials. So, as more people were hired and more vehicles purchased, Tally also invested in seven Bri-Mar dump trailers.
“We can’t work without them,” Jomides admitted, referring to his Bri-Mars.
Tallaksen bought his first Bri-Mar trailer five years ago after he saw one on the road. It quickly became indispensable. Within the span of a few years, six more identical trailers were purchased from Lima and Sons in Upper Saddle River. The Bri-Mar trailers work every day of the week. Jomides estimated that each paid for itself within six months to a year.
Simplifying the Liability of Doing Business
Return on investment is important, but ongoing costs and liabilities can make or break a construction business. Dump trucks are expensive to insure, register and fuel. Plus, most require a CDL license to drive. Federal law requires drivers to have a CDL license for commercial vehicles; the different classes of license depend on the GVWR of the primary vehicle and that of the vehicle being towed, if any. The deciding weight factors are a GVWR of 26,000 lbs. (11,793 kg) for the towing vehicle and 10,000 lbs. (4,536 kg) for the towed vehicle.
CDL licenses require training and retesting that varies by state. But all CDL drivers must have and maintain a clean record because violations carry more stringent penalties. Employers also can be held accountable.
A driver who violates the CDL requirements receives civil and criminal penalties with fines of up to $5,000 and as many as 90 days in prison. An employer also is subject to a penalty of up to $10,000 if they knowingly use a driver to operate a commercial vehicle without a valid CDL.
The FHWA also has established 0.04 percent as the blood alcohol concentration threshold that disqualifies a CDL license; most states maintain a level between 0.08 and 0.10 percent for non-CMV drivers.
In New Jersey, dumpsters also require CDL licenses to deliver, remove and empty. Tally’s drivers only need regular driver’s licenses for the pickups in their fleet and the cost to register and insure the dump trailers is nominal.
“Tally learned a long time ago that it’s much less expensive to use dump trailers than maintain dump trucks or rent containers,” Jomides said.
“Eliminating the need for a CDL license means that any one of our 23 trucks is always available to pull a Bri-Mar for me. It simplifies things.”
Tally has one man and one truck dedicated to swapping out full trailers with empty ones every day, all day long. The GVWR of the Bri-Mar DT714LPHD is 14,000 lbs. (6,350 kg) and has an empty weight of 4,480 lbs. (2,032 kg). This becomes a critical factor when dumping debris. The payload range must remain below 10,000 lbs. to avoid requiring a CDL or extra charges at the dump. Tally’s driver makes seven trips to the dump each day using just a pickup truck. The time and money saved by the Bri-Mar trailer quickly adds up.
Benefits That Work Overtime and Wear Many Hats
Jomides called Bri-Mar service, “Just great. These hold up no matter what we do to them.”
All seven trailers are 14LPHD: 14 ft. (4.2 m), low profile heavy-duty dumper. The earlier ones have a 6 ft. (1.8 m) width bed, the more recent have 7 ft. (2.1 m) width.
All have the optional wireless remotes as well as 44-in.-high (111.7 cm) sides and split barn door gates that extend the capacity to 12 cu. yd. (9.2 cu m). Twin 3.5-in. (8.9 cm) telescopic cylinders, electric brakes, Dexter EZ lube axles, slipper spring suspension, radial tires and 6-ft. ladder ramps under the bed are all standard features.
Maintenance issues are minimal due to ongoing Bri-Mar enhancements. To prevent discharge, marine batteries are now offered. Jack stands have been improved to withstand heavy tongue weights when parked.
Despite the fact that none of the seven trailers gets a day off, Jomides thinks they are underused. He loves the double life a Bri-Mar dump trailer leads. Not only does it transport debris away from the job site, it delivers and eventually removes all the necessary materials. This includes lumber and sheetrock as well as small power tools to very large scaffolds.
High Class Dumping
Bri-Mar trailers have actually helped sell Tally Construction services in upscale neighborhoods. Some customers make the work conditional on any type of dump vehicle not being there during off hours. A dump container would be totally out of the question. Bri-Mar trailers can be easily moved and parked without damaging paving stones, sprinkler systems or lawns. These are just more Bri-Mar benefits in Jomides book.
“Our Bri-Mar trailers help close deals, go where we need them, work 24/7 and do more for less money. What’s not to like?”
This story also appears on Truck and Trailer Guide.
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