Options compared
Marketplace post, trucking company, or haul it yourself?
An honest comparison, including when one of the others is the better call. We'd rather send you the right way than have you post a job that doesn't fit.
| Post a haul here | Facebook Marketplace post | Trucking company | Haul it yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | 1–60 bales around the county, pickup-and-trailer size jobs | Small, odd jobs; people you already know | Hundreds of bales, long distance, out of province | Short hauls when you already own the gear |
| Price up front | Yes. The formula is public, and bids are side by side | No. You wait for messages | Usually a quote by phone | Your fuel, time and wear |
| Who shows up | An approved driver with ratings from past hauls | Whoever answers | A commercial carrier | You |
| Vetting | Phone verified; insurance, licence and securement attested; admin approved; rated after every haul | None | Licensed commercial carrier | N/A |
| Status updates | Texts at accepted, en route, loaded, delivered | Whatever you arrange | Varies | N/A |
| Payment | You pay the driver directly (no payments on the site yet) | Direct | Invoice | N/A |
| Weak spots | New, so fewer drivers in some areas; no super B; no guaranteed same-day | No accountability; hard to compare | Minimums and big-yard access; overkill for 10 bales | Your risk, your straps, your Saturday |
A Facebook Marketplace post is better when…
You already know someone local with a trailer, or the seller will deliver. It's free and it's fast in a busy area. The trouble starts when nobody answers, three people answer with three different prices, or someone shows up with a trailer that can't take the weight. There's no record of who did a good job last time.
A trucking company is better when…
You're moving a lot of hay. A super B hauls a volume no pickup can match, and at hundreds of bales it wins on price per bale. Same if the hay is leaving Alberta, or you need a commercial carrier's paperwork and cargo insurance. Pickup-and-trailer drivers here don't run super Bs yet.
Hauling it yourself is better when…
You own a truck and a trailer rated for the load, you know how to strap and tarp rounds, and it's a short run. Be honest about the weight: ten 1,000 lb rounds is 10,000 lb of hay before the trailer. Check Alberta’s licence classes and Alberta’s cargo securement rules before you hook up.
Posting here is better when…
You want a number before anyone calls, you'd like more than one driver to compete for the job, and you want to know who's coming: their trailer, their capacity, and what past shippers said about them. It fits the 1-to-60-bale jobs that are too small for a semi and too big for a favour.
Is it cheaper to post on Facebook Marketplace?
Posting there is free, and sometimes a neighbour will haul for less. What you don't get is a price structure, any way to compare offers side by side, or ratings from past hauls. If you already know someone with a trailer, call them first.
When should I call a trucking company instead?
When you're moving a lot: hundreds of bales, full semi or super B loads, long distances, or anything leaving Alberta. A commercial carrier with a semi is cheaper per bale at that scale and carries commercial cargo insurance.
When does hauling it myself make sense?
When you already own a truck and a trailer rated for the weight, you know how to strap round bales, it's a short run, and your time is cheap that week. Borrowing or renting a trailer for one small haul usually costs more than hiring it out.