Feasibility of pulling for profit with a tow built 2500.

[Darkbloodmon]

This guy (Tow Piglet) is a TOTAL buffoon and idiot. All he does is make videos to simply hear himself talk.

Personally......I’d rather slash my wrists with a rusty, disposable utility knife than listen to his opine.

I do hear about his content in passing described as such lol. I've watched a lot of CP Steve Millers videos, Humble Hotshot and High mileage helper.

 

[DHayden]

This guy (Tow Piglet) is a TOTAL buffoon and idiot. All he does is make videos to simply hear himself talk.

Personally......I’d rather slash my wrists with a rusty, disposable utility knife than listen to his opine.

You always hide your feelings, your among friends...how do you really feel?

 

[Darkbloodmon]

You always hide your feelings, your among friends...how do you really feel?

Got a good laugh, reminds me when I see people with excessive camo cloths in public. I always think about going up and asking "Hey... Are you ok at home or work? Who are you hiding from? I know a number you can call"

 

[gsbrockman]

You always hide your feelings, your among friends...how do you really feel?

I really feel like this, if I had to watch TP.
#ad

 

[NIsaacs]

This guy (Tow Piglet) is a TOTAL buffoon and idiot. All he does is make videos to simply hear himself talk.

Personally......I’d rather slash my wrists with a rusty, disposable utility knife than listen to his opine.

A million dollars in 9 months, is an idiot? Saying so, implies I am too, since I posted it. I assure you, I sure as hell am not.

 

[Timd32]

So after some feedback is it safe to say as a full time gig it's a No, part time gig Yes.

A million dollars in 9 months, is an idiot? Saying so, implies I am too, since I posted it. I assure you, I sure as hell am not.

Nick Uship has raised $68M in venture capital and investment, I posted that one up, I'm not offended by the comments by others. I have no skin in the game with those folks, it's a decent sized platform where maybe someone with limited resources could pick up a few loads.

There is no one answer here for sure its a constant grind in all ventures. Enjoy what you do for a living, it makes the day go by much faster.

If I had a set up the OP shared I would be on multiple sites and get working on picking up decent customers, as most of us know business is alot about building relationships and if you have a decent rig, folks will come back to you and search you out when the time comes and not too much haggle about pricing.

 

[GAmes]

A million dollars in 9 months, is an idiot? Saying so, implies I am too, since I posted it. I assure you, I sure as hell am not.

A million dollars? Nick, where did you get that figure? I watched one of his videos. He doesn't even know when a CDL-A is required which is pretty basic information in the hotshot business.

 

[Darkbloodmon]

Before this derails. In all seriousness I do sincerely appreciate the advise and recommendations. I have alot more reading to do into this venture and a lot more questions to ask and calls to make. One of them being a member of my State 4x4 forum I've been put in contact with, He's and older gentleman with a wealth of experience in RV hauling and hotshoting industry and has delved into these ventures extensively.

There's also a local dump trailer startup company I wanted to pick their brains on DOT, MC and CDL requirements for their operation that they run with 2500 trucks.

Safe to say I should at least be getting a CDL A to give me a better edge and more options on the table.

 

[NIsaacs]

A million dollars? Nick, where did you get that figure? I watched one of his videos. He doesn't even know when a CDL-A is required which is pretty basic information in the hotshot business.

Yes. Did your "one" video of TP tell you he is running 14 trucks? Not going to de-rail the OP's thread anymore, it is a good thread. Have a good day Gary.

 

[bcbender]

My only comment would be to consider that when things go south, Lawyers will look into GVWR and equipment, licensing etc.., and anything else they can get their hands on to make (take) money.... I have always stayed very near the GVWR with what I tow with and where I tow. Smart men before me said to me " You can pull it fine but can you STOP it?? " Not saying that is your intention, but a 2500 (on the door placards and according to the mfg ) is going to limit what you can tow and be "within the GVWR"... many of us have exceeded the limits from time to time but there is a difference I believe if your a commercial driver doing for profit vs. someone on vacation or making a quick singular trip.

 

[GAmes]

Yes. Did your "one" video of TP tell you he is running 14 trucks? Not going to de-rail the OP's thread anymore, it is a good thread. Have a good day Gary.

Since it is on subject I don't feel it is a derail. Grossing a million dollars with 14 trucks is pretty easy with the current trucking rates. That is only
$71,428.57 per truck. I could gross that much even with transport pay if I stayed on the road in less than 200 days a year. As you fully well know, gross income isn't the measure of success. I can't put much faith in someone who puts out inaccurate information.

 

[GAmes]

My only comment would be to consider that when things go south, Lawyers will look into GVWR and equipment, licensing etc.., and anything else they can get their hands on to make (take) money.... I have always stayed very near the GVWR with what I tow with and where I tow. Smart men before me said to me " You can pull it fine but can you STOP it?? " Not saying that is your intention, but a 2500 (on the door placards and according to the mfg ) is going to limit what you can tow and be "within the GVWR"... many of us have exceeded the limits from time to time but there is a difference I believe if your a commercial driver doing for profit vs. someone on vacation or making a quick singular trip.

"Lawyers will look into GVWR and equipment, licensing etc.., and anything else they can get their hands on to make (take) money..." is a scare tactic that members of the "weight police" have been spouting for a long, long time. The fact is that with the tort laws it doesn't matter if you were under every manufacturer's recommended weight published and totally within the law, you are subject to being sued regardless. A friend of mine was involved in a head-on collision with an uninsured, illegal alien who was passing an 18 wheeler on a hill that had a curve in the road. The guy not only died, but also his 7 year old son and his brother. My friend had only enough time to steer toward the ditch before impact. The illegal's car bounced off my friend's Suburban and went under the trailer, then caught on fire. It wasn't the fault of the truck driver but his company's insurance paid off the family (who were residents of Mexico) to avoid the expense of a court battle. My friend wouldn't agree for his insurance company to do the same and ended up spending his life's savings on lawyers. The suit went on for years before being dismissed.

"Can you stop it?" makes little sense. Trailers have brakes. I recently pulled a 5th wheel that weighs 18.600 pounds from WA to southern CA. It's hyd/elec brakes slowed the combo down better than the hyd/disk brakes on my 3000 pound bass boat & trailer.

Here in Texas, and probably in every state, you can take a CDL-A driving test with a pickup and trailer that have a GCWR over 26,000. We can also register for as much as we are willing to pay for. There are far too many hotshot rigs on the highway that are loaded over the manufacturer's weight ratings for me to believe it isn't legal. I have a AZ permit for 26,000 pounds that was issued to me for my pickup. Those things tells me that manufacturers ratings are not a limit according to law. Some states do recognize the steer axle weight rating as being a legal limit, but not all. MT is one, and is where I received that info from an LEO at the scales near Billings. Other than that the axle limits are the same as class 8 trucks.

 

[SnoKing]

Other than that the axle limits are the same as class 8 trucks.

I think you mean the Federal Bridge Weight Laws!!

 

[Tuesdak]

I hear the rumor that hauling cars had some money left in it vs. hauling RV's. Keep in mind we hauled during The Great Depression V2.0 and were seriously hurt by diesel hitting $5.00 a gal while competing with older Non-DPF pickups. Be Warned: The same people are in power now that were in power then. For a long time now you can't haul into CA without a DPF equipped Diesel.

So what's the largest trailer your 2500 can haul while staying within all it's ratings? Yeah, your broker will throw loads at you that are too heavy and you find out when you get there. One example 3 axle bunkhouses for a traveling show ... like a mobile home in weight. Ask the attorney (not the internet) that will be defending you what happens if you are overloaded: Mine cited a case of an GN trailer that was overloading the tow vehicle (non-commercial use). The insurance company walked away from covering the truck and trailer. Only a single vehicle involved. Used the "AZ Stupid Law" like driving into a flooded wash, not wearing your seatbelt, gross negligence... Don't make it easier for them. I changed from a path of overloading my 2003 SRW 3500 with a slide in camper to a 5th wheel within the ratings of that 3500. Yes, because my family attorney explained how he wouldn't represent me if I knowingly overloaded my 3500.

Some "commercial" pickup/SUV towing lawsuit examples:

https://www.hardworkingtrucks.com/trucks/pickups/article/15046073/towing-accident-lawsuits

If I had to do it over I would have started with a used MD (4500/5500) truck as the 19.5" tires last longer than LT tires. The price for the MD truck would have been lower than the new 2500 we bought to start with.

 

[bcbender]

In NC you can title a truck to legally pull a GCVW of up to 26k and its tiered in three levels.. (10k-13k) (13k-17k) (17k-26k) with different associated cost. My point was I have a 2012' 2500 CCSB that is rated for 12.3k lbs and there is no way on god's green earth I would tow much more than that with it... Good truck, HO engine but the suspension, stability, etc. is nowhere even close to the 3500(s). At a minimum it would need suspension enhancement but there are a whole lot of folks running around with their HD trucks that are grossly overdriving the capabilities. (this is not directed at the OP).

 

[NIsaacs]

Since it is on subject I don't feel it is a derail. Grossing a million dollars with 14 trucks is pretty easy with the current trucking rates. That is only
$71,428.57 per truck. I could gross that much even with transport pay if I stayed on the road in less than 200 days a year. As you fully well know, gross income isn't the measure of success. I can't put much faith in someone who puts out inaccurate information.

Okay, then did you know he did not have 14 trucks at the start of the year? This growth is new for him. He only stopped driving about 10-12 weeks ago to run his operation full time from the office/shop. Since he has been on the road all these years as non-cdl hotshot, I am pretty sure he knows what license he needs. I consider him a success at what he does. Transport and videos. Inaccurate information? Maybe with some of his mechanical skills, but he is learning that too.

 

[GAmes]

I don't know how he managed to operate a non-CDL hotshot business. Just as the trailer I delivered to you put me over 26,000 GCWR just about any gooseneck usable in a hotshot business would put him over 26,000 GCWR. My little 24 ft deckover gooseneck flatbed (GVWR 14,000) puts me at 24,500 GCWR. I wouldn't be legal to pull it with a new duelly. If his drivers don't have CDL-As they are either breaking the law or hauling loads that aren't very large.

 

[GAmes]

If I had to do it over I would have started with a used MD (4500/5500) truck as the 19.5" tires last longer than LT tires. The price for the MD truck would have been lower than the new 2500 we bought to start with.

I advise people who want to pull huge trailers to get Class 7 trucks. Even used class 8 trucks can be bought for less than a new 4500 or 5500 and with a paltry 17 or 18k trailer will last a lifetime.

 

[NIsaacs]

I don't know how he managed to operate a non-CDL hotshot business. Just as the trailer I delivered to you put me over 26,000 GCWR just about any gooseneck usable in a hotshot business would put him over 26,000 GCWR. My little 24 ft deckover gooseneck flatbed (GVWR 14,000) puts me at 24,500 GCWR. I wouldn't be legal to pull it with a new duelly. If his drivers don't have CDL-As they are either breaking the law or hauling loads that aren't very large.

See, you have questions because you don't know. I watch his videos so I do know. His personal preference is a 14k dually with a 12k, 40' trailer, a de-rated 16k. His loads average 10k, usually several partials. Even when he is broke down in a snow storm he is cheerful. He seems to have a good work ethic and seems honorable. I don't know him at all, just watch the movies

He does not have all the answers but he has a bunch of them. That is why I posted the video, I figured the OP might have a few questions answered. Then him and I get the third degree, jeez!

 

[GAmes]

............a 12k, 40' trailer.

I don't believe for a second that there is a 40 ft trailer built that has a GVWR of 12k.