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Hotshot/under 30,000lbs trucking?

Discussion in 'General' started by casjoker, Feb 8, 2022.

  1. casjoker

    casjoker Refusing middle age

    Not sure if this is the right term for the guys running 1-ton trucking business but I have seen a lot of 1 ton dually's on the road with gooseneck or small 3-4 place car haulers on the road lately. They all have DOT numbers on their trucks and hauling commercially. I have talked to a couple of guys transporting RVs out of Indiana and they are operating with chauffeurs licenses but it seems like you would need a CDL to do more than that.

    Is anyone on here running this type of business? My kid is looking at getting out of the army and is interested in the smaller regional loads this type of business is geared to.

    My thought is he would need to go to a truck-driving school and do a couple of years of over-the-road stuff before being able to start a smaller operation.

    Guessing the cost for this type of setup would be in the $130-150k range with a truck, trailer, school, and licenses?
     
  2. pickled egg

    pickled egg Tell me more

    You need a Class A for any combination unit with a combined gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 lbs or higher. Air brake endorsement for any vehicle with air brakes. School bus endorsement for carrying over 12 passengers (IIRC).

    If crossing state lines, will need a Motor Carrier number in addition to a DOT number, and all the paperwork and insurances that that entails.

    It was a lot easier to get away with hotshotting without the paperwork back before the surveillance state and in-transit weighing. Now, you’d be a fool to go that route without having your eyes crossed and tees dotted.
     
    Ducati89 and ToofPic like this.
  3. ToofPic

    ToofPic Well-Known Member

    ^^What he said.Definitley get a class A and take a school.
    I've noticed DOT Really harassing the hotshot guys,at least in my area.You will most likely get called into scale house more than not too.
    Good money in it,if you can land a dedicated account.I would definitely run a tight ship if he goes that route.Most hotshot guys don't and DOT know it's a quick financial hit .
    My 2 cent's only
    He can also get government assistance for most schools instead of spending 4 k out of pocket.
    I also believe the government is or has changed how and where your can take CDL school just recently,so it may cost more now
     
  4. YamahaRick

    YamahaRick Yamaha Two Stroke Czar

    I see lots of driving schools state they can accept payment via GI Bill (or whatever it is called these days).

    I'd have him do some research on what school to choose, as some can be a bit slimy.

    Here is another option to consider: "Drive Away" service. A recent Uber passenger told me about it. He has a CDL and moves trucks around.

    A great success story, this guy: he was in jail at 17 for ten years for doing something really stupid (his words). Got out, started working in a warehouse. Talked to truck drivers, realized he could make more. Goes out and gets his CDL, and drives OTR a bit. Discovered the world of Drive Away, and has done it for the past three years, pulling in $100,000.00+/year.
     
    ToofPic likes this.
  5. tony 340

    tony 340 Well-Known Member

    The DOT cops get those guys in Michigan all the time.

    We have scales in the driving lanes in the concrete here on the highway that go right to the troopers car computers in the middle of nowhere.

    You go right over a scale in the concrete at 65 and dont even know it was there....the only way to notice it is the conduit and control box on the side of the road if you are smart enough to spot it.

    The trooper is 1/2 mile down the road waiting for you.
     
  6. ChemGuy

    ChemGuy Harden The F%@# Up!

    Anything trucking right now is crazy. And it will probably be this way for a while. Unless the economy goes full on 1929 crash on us.

    Like mentioned he should get a cdl and drive for someone else for a while before going on his own. Lots of paperwork and crap involved and if you mess up...ouch.

    If he can the OTR big rig stuff get hazmat/tanker certified. We have a huge issue finding drivers to move loads right now. Has been for awhile and probably will be the same in a few years. To many younger guys want to be rappers, youtubers or develop apps instead of making $$$ doing man-well labor like this.
     
  7. Ducati89

    Ducati89 Ticketing Melka's dirtybike

    Get your cdl and drive for smaller company when you get experience with a bigger one.

    Hotshots can make money but like owning your own rig, if it takes a dump, your paying.
     
    dtalbott likes this.
  8. Montoya

    Montoya Well-Known Member

    Just to throw it out there, Amazon just launched a Delivery Partner program that’s only requiring $10k upfront and $30k liquid assets. Although it somewhat came across to me that they’re just outsourcing the headache of local hiring and route management.
     
  9. evakat

    evakat Well-Known Member

    There are all kinds of YouTube videos on starting out as a hot shot business. Tow Piglet is one that comes to mind right now. He states his cost and revenue on some of his videos.
    I also watched one recently that had a lady showing every penny she spent getting into the hot shot business. From schooling to what she paid for in tie down straps.
     
    ToofPic likes this.
  10. Ducati89

    Ducati89 Ticketing Melka's dirtybike

    Ill bet. Actually paying workers and truckers aint cheap anymore.
     
  11. ToofPic

    ToofPic Well-Known Member

    Our company is so desperate, we've actually just hired two guys fresh out of school to drive locally.
    When I started out,there was no way in hell to get local work.
    I had to stay out and sleep on a truck for weeks at a time.
    Neither one of these new guys have any backing experience.Should be interesting to see how it goes for them.
     
  12. tony 340

    tony 340 Well-Known Member

    They will fuck up. It's just a matter of where and what....and when.

    Amazon gigs don't make much sense to me. You're still an employee of Amazon only, you just get brainwashed into believing you are a business owner. You take on all the debt and responsibility.

    Any dumb shit can get a loan and start a LLC.

    That's 8th grade level intelligence for that.

    Operating it daily without problems and turning profit is an artform.
     
    Montoya likes this.
  13. Mongo

    Mongo Administrator

    Why would you be an employee? Would make way more sense on their end to have contractors, same setup as FedEx Ground.
     
  14. tony 340

    tony 340 Well-Known Member

    If you work for them and only them, I have news for you.
     
    Montoya likes this.
  15. ToofPic

    ToofPic Well-Known Member

    And you never go home..That's the issue with being an o/o unless you paid for everything in cash.If You not moving making money,those big payments keep coming.
    I have a friend in Tennessee that has two trucks and get home maybe two or three times every 6 months.Says he can't afford to be home.
     
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  16. ToofPic

    ToofPic Well-Known Member

    They get to pick how and where you run as your contractor to them exclusive
     
  17. Mongo

    Mongo Administrator

    Yep, that's how it works. Smart on their end. Could be good or bad on the driver end.
     
    ToofPic likes this.
  18. BC

    BC Well-Known Member

    Here's a trick for ya. You can get a Class A with airbrake endorsement by testing with a dually and a 14K trailer.
     
  19. Ducati89

    Ducati89 Ticketing Melka's dirtybike

    Air brake is a separate test altogether. There is no skipping a step to get it.
     
    ToofPic, Montoya, RRP and 2 others like this.
  20. tony 340

    tony 340 Well-Known Member

    Accurate.

    In Michigan if you don't do a CMV road test in a stickshift your license will say "automatic only" on it.
     
    TurboBlew and Ducati89 like this.

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