Howdy builders and makers of Montana!

Welcome back to the Bozeman Build Report where we cover blue collar/build topics around the Northern Rockies! Today we are talking MT trucking rates, more Bozeman annexations, USPS shipping out, and EV infrastructure. Enjoy the next 4 minutes of our blue collar commentary covering both local Montana and National trade updates.

Keep the saw sharp,

Daniel

When, what, and who is the Bozeman Build? The BB is a 1x/week free email newsletter delivered every Monday morning focused on mountain West trades with an emphasis on Montana. The author is Daniel Z who has a background in accounting, commodities, construction, trucking, and has a small business called blockbiome. Daniel is not a financial or building advisor.

Block Biome + Bozeman Build research

Truck and pup rates SW MT

Hourly rate for truck and wagon (aka pup)- appx 30 ton per load - quotes as of May 2024

• Yellowstone County -$135

• Gallatin County - $150

• Park County - $165

Source being phone calls - one call per county. Please note these rates can vary per company and that these quotes are for truck and pup by the hour not including materials.

Montana commodities

Prices as of Friday May 3rd 2024. WoW = Week over Week

Hard

• Copper - $4.55/lbs -0.37% WoW

• Crude Oil - $77.99/Bbl -6.84% WoW

• Natural Gas - $2.15/MMBtu +11.80% WoW

Soft

• Wheat - $622.50/Bu +.04% WoW

• Live Cattle - 176.80/Lbs -4.25% WoW

• Lumber - $501/1000 board feet -2.27% WoW

Big swinging commodities

Winners

• Coal up +8.25% last week

• Natural gas up +11.80% last week

• Milk up +18.56% last week

• Indium up +25.88% last week

Losers

• Propane down -13.67% last week

• Eggs down -15.73% last week

• Cocoa down -24.85% last week

Weathering the storm

Anyone here into weather? I recently discovered Eric Snodgrass a meteorologist who works for Nutrien Ag Solutions, his landing page is by far the best collection of weather patterns i’ve ever seen, check out ag-wx.com for more.

Local, State, US Wide Trade Pulse

Bozeman trade pulse

SW Bozeman development video

A quick film capturing the development taking place around SW Bozeman.

Proposed Bozeman Developments Near Harper Pucket, Hidden Valley and Valley Center Road

Right now, a few sections of land along Valley Center Road, Hidden Valley Road, and Davis Lane have applications with the city for annexation and zoning changes. Read about this on the Bozeman Real Estates blog

• Turnrow

• Project Eighty-6

• Harpers Corner

Bozeman Happy Hours

This doesn’t have much to do with trades however most people here probably look forward to a post work treat. Here is an appetizing breakdown of Bozeman’s happy hour put together by dontcometomontana from Reddit 

Brigade 3-6 Everyday, Bourbon 4-6 Everyday, Devils Toboggan 4-6 Everyday, Revelry 3-5 and 9-Close Everyday, Copper M-F 3-5 and all day Sunday, Old Chicago 4-6 and 10-11:30 Everyday, Bay 3-6 Everyday, The Club 5-7 M-F, Bacchus 3-6 Everyday

Remodel of the week

*4 new projects added to the city of Bozeman Document Viewer within the last week.

Montana trade pulse

Montana Logging Association annual meeting

Taking place May 17/18 at the Copper King in Butte. MLA

MT DOT Announcements

20240503-134942 | Big Mountain Road Pavement Preservation Project Resumes - released May-03-2024

Oscar Meyer spotted in Missoula

USPS confirms outgoing mail processing moving to Spokane

The U.S. Postal Service finalized its plans Tuesday to move outgoing mail processing from Missoula to Spokane.

Sen. Steve Daines said “I have serious concerns about mail delivery and potential job losses in mt as a result of this decision and will be pressing the Postal Service for answers and urging them to reconsider this decision.”

Sen. Jon Tester called the decision “shortsighted,” saying it shows Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is out of touch with “the challenges facing rural America.”

NBC Montana

DOT other projects Spring and Summer

Montana 2023 Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Plan

Read about Montana plans to facilitate EVs here . Below is a table laying out new EV station projects and a map visualizing where these stations will be located.

SW MT Mining Jobs

Anyone want a job in mining? The Stillwater mine located near Nye/Big Timber has 29 open positions. See Sibanye-Stillwater job listings here 

Crane dismantled as construction stops on Rocky Mountain Building

In a setback for the anticipated $29 million-dollar Alluvion full-service clinic in the Rocky Mountain Building on Central Avenue in downtown Great Falls, the towering crane overseeing construction activities was dismantled on Wednesday, May 1st, due to a halt on construction. 3KRTV Great Falls

USA wide highlights

Bozeman Builds top 5 picks from the Construction Dive

5 big build announcements announced last week articles dated 04/29-05/05.

• The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas to undergo $1.5B renovation

  The project, which the Venetian claims is “the largest and most expensive hotel renovation in history,” will touch every aspect of the resort, from its logo to its suites.

• JV kicks off $4.3B San Francisco hospital build

  Herrero Builders, The Boldt Company and Webcor broke ground on UCSF’s new health care facility in the city’s Parnassus Heights neighborhood.

• Long-vacant Las Vegas lot poised for multibillion-dollar resort

  Developer LVXP is planning an entertainment and lifestyle venue, anchored by an “ultra-luxury” hotel and sports arena, at a site where a similar project failed just months ago.

• Skanska awarded $861M offshore wind development job

  Sweden-based contractor and developer Skanska has won a $861 million contract to transform the 73-acre South Brooklyn Marine Terminal into one of the biggest dedicated offshore wind ports in the U.S., the company announced.

• Amazon plans $11B Indiana data center campus

  The Hoosier State put up more than $100 million in tax credits and training grant incentives to lure the tech giant to St. Joseph County.

Ag, Mining, and Transport

Ag

Most Consumers Just Don’t Like “Fake Meat” The concerns about meat alternatives killing the livestock industry appear to be greatly overblown, however, as most Americans still prefer the real thing.

Lower Sioux Turn to “Hempcrete” to Create Better Homes and Secure Community Future Construction is nearly complete on a 20,000-sq-ft manufacturing campus that will process hemp into a construction material known as “hempcrete.”

Mining/Oil

Biden Nominates Danna Jackson To Montana Federal Judgeship (Jon Tester Senate, April 24, 2024)

EPA Finalizes Rules To Clamp Down On Pollution From Power Plants (Montana Free Press, April 25, 2024)

US States Sue Over Rule Curbing Oil And Gas Methane Waste (Reuters, April 25, 2024)

Transport

• FedEx charges ahead with emission-reduction plan with 150 new EVs FedEx has ordered 150 electric trucks to add to its pickup and delivery fleet in the United States in an effort to reduce carbon emissions, specialty vehicle manufacturer The Shyft Group (NASDAQ: SHYF) announced Thursday.

• 137 Chemical Companies Earn UP Safety Awards The annual award is presented to companies that implement release prevention protocols, corrective action plans and have zero non-accident releases of regulated hazmat shipments, according to UP.

• USDOT Alerts Passengers That Starting Today, Southwest Airlines Must Provide Compensation for Delays and Cancellations Within Their Control DOT’s historic enforcement action against Southwest earlier this year requires the airline to provide $75 transferrable vouchers to passengers affected by delays and cancellations within the airline’s control that cause passengers to reach their destination three or more hours after their scheduled arrival time

• ICYMI: Safety Advocates Voice Support for Biden Administration’s New Car Safety Rule That Will Save Hundreds of Lives Each Year U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finalized a new Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard that will make automatic emergency braking, including pedestrian AEB, standard on all passenger cars, SUVs, and light trucks by September 2029.

Blue collar history - Touring Yellowstone by Rail

A brief timeline of the railroad that entered the West gate of Yellowstone

• 1872 – Yellowstone National Park established as the world’s first national park.

• 1905 – E.H. Harriman, an executive of the Union Pacific Railroad, is invited to tour Yellowstone. Construction of the Union Pacific’s Yellowstone Branch began in the fall of 1905.

• 1907 – The “golden spike” is driven November 12th.

• 1910 – Union Pacific’s construction of a generator building, installation of the generator, and construction of the water tower brought electricity and a new source of water to West Yellowstone.

• 1915 – On August 1st, Yellowstone National Park begins officially allowing automobiles to enter the park. Stagecoaches were phased out in 1917.

• 1959 - Hebgen Lake earthquake

• 1960 – Following years of declining passenger service, the Union Pacific ends regular passenger service to West Yellowstone after the 1960 tourist season.

• 1988 – Historic, unprecedented fires sweep through the park.

• 2022 – Begin construction of the Yellowstone Shortline Trail.

Yellowstone Shortline Trail Organization

Quote and Song of the week

Heads Carolina, Tails California - Jo Dee Messina

Thank you for reading,

Daniel - NaFBA - Not a Financial or Building Advisor

The best compliment you can leave is a referral or feedback!

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