hauling with my pickup

[CumminsWill82]

Hello, i recently lost my job and i'm thinking of haulling cars or trailers. I am not familiar with the requirements or prices that you charge for the service and how to start off. I'm located in Miami, fl. and do see some ram and ferds pulling car trailers, but i have no clue on how to start.

 

[dieseldude]

horizon trucking is the company that I have looked into here in california but as far as I know they haul all over the country. I believe you must be 25 with a newer truck and comercial license and other things like multiple hitches. not to bad of pay the guys in this area can afford to have nice new trucks.

 

[bmoeller]

Do a search on hotshots/hotshotting on the forum. Been talked about many times here.

 

[R C Cola]

What to haul ?

Take a serious look at buying a wedge, 3 car, new or used trailer. Very few empty miles per year and good enough pay to make money. In so-east texas these trailers sell used for $3000 - $ 5000 . If I were starting out with what I know now that is definitely the way I would start. Other road that pays good is so-east texas/La area Oilfield Hot Shot. Medium length runs pays enough to deadhead home and still make money. $2. 00 - $3. 00 per loaded mile. You need to live in the oilfield area to make it work. One of the good ones I talked with wants you to live within 45 minutes of the dispatch office in Houston to get hired on. Additional reading, do a search on hauling on these boards. Best of luck... . R C

 

[jnelson]

Dont get into oilfield hot shot. It doesnt pay. Thats what Ive been told.



For instance I picked up a Schlumberger Mudlogging trailer last night in Lynn,TX.

I delivered it this morning in Warton TX. It was 274 loaded miles and paid $948. 00. That included line haul, insurance and fuel surcharge.



Out of the $948 I will recieve $627 in line haul and $112 for fuel. Thats $739. 00.

$739. 00 minus $108. 00 for fuel left me $631. 00 for 10hrs work. If you ask me thats really not worth the effort.



Saturday I drove 550 miles from Corpus to Ruston La. and back. It paid me $1,287. 00 cash. $1287. 00 - $236. 00 fuel gave me $1051. 00.



So since friday afternoon I've made $1682. 00. I know this may sound like pretty good money for 2 1/2 days work. Ive tried to tell some people you can make a good living doing this but they have always proved me wrong. There is no money in hot shot.



Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

[ropinfool2]

jnelson, I hope there is sarcasm in your post as that's a heck of a lot better money than I'm making. Maybe I'm in the wrong business??? Are you pretty steady? Are you counting depreciation and maintenance on your truck? John

 

[CumminsWill82]

That does not sound bad, Ques is how to start??

 

[MMeier]

Dont get into oilfield hot shot. It doesnt pay. Thats what Ive been told.



For instance I picked up a Schlumberger Mudlogging trailer last night in Lynn,TX.

I delivered it this morning in Warton TX. It was 274 loaded miles and paid $948. 00. That included line haul, insurance and fuel surcharge.



Out of the $948 I will recieve $627 in line haul and $112 for fuel. Thats $739. 00.

$739. 00 minus $108. 00 for fuel left me $631. 00 for 10hrs work. If you ask me thats really not worth the effort.



Saturday I drove 550 miles from Corpus to Ruston La. and back. It paid me $1,287. 00 cash. $1287. 00 - $236. 00 fuel gave me $1051. 00.



So since friday afternoon I've made $1682. 00. I know this may sound like pretty good money for 2 1/2 days work. Ive tried to tell some people you can make a good living doing this but they have always proved me wrong. There is no money in hot shot.



Sorry to burst your bubble.

So $63/ hr is chump change?

 

[jnelson]

Yes, thare is much sarcasm.



Go out and find your customer base. Dont wait on dispatchers to make your living, you will starve.



See what is prevelant in your area - car hauling, oil field, machine shops, pipe companies, supply houses, boat manufactures etc... . Dont take everyones advice. They'll tell you theres no work and its slow, that to help eliminate any competition.



You may need to start with a pre-existing company such as ACE, Acme etc. . to get your foot in the door. You might try talking to an established hot shottter to see if he needs another truck. Then again you may need to relocate. You will allso need all the basic Federal CDL requirements except air brakes. You can say about 30% of your earning will have to be put back into your truck and trailer annually. If your busy one can gross $150,000 annually. I'd stay away from places like Horizon. Youll wear out your truck and . 99 per mile is chump change.



The reasons I like it - I'm self employed, I work when I want to, I go on vacation when I want to, and I dont punch a timeclock. But most of all I get to drive my truck all day.



Have a great day, gotta go get an oil change.

 

[EB]

I agree totally with jnelson on his last post. I run hotshot, 99. 9% oilfield related. I also am a leased on driver, an owner/operator and there is good money in it. I don't make $150k a year, but it is close, in the six figures, and have for the past several years and this year looks to be better yet. The company I'm with keeps me on the road as much as I want, I usually work every day unless I tell them I am going to take off. Right now the oilfield is really hopping, so we stay busy.



EB

 

[PatrickCampbell]

150K "Gross" is vague. 150K gross pre or post deductions... ... ... (e. g. fuel)?



I just past up a job towing cars around Phoenix. The pay was $40 on hook, $2. 50 per mile, you give 33% back to dispatch.



I decided that I don't want a dispatch and I don't want to pull in the city. Stop and go picking up broken down cars all day is not my idea of fun. My ideal would be pulling for used dealers, running vehicles, a 2 or 3 car wedge. I am working for the man in the meantime.



You should not need a CDL under 26,000 to my knowledge...

 

[jnelson]

150K "Gross" is vague. 150K gross pre or post deductions... ... ... (e. g. fuel)?

Notice I put "gross" not "net".



As defined by the Random House Dictionary -

gross - adj. total before deductions (opposite of net)

 

[MMeier]

exactly... .

 

[PatrickCampbell]

I understand the difference. I was trying to figure out if you meant gross or adjusted gross.

 

[EB]

In my case, it's what is on the "1099" you get for tax purposes at the end of the year. That, to me is gross.



EB

 

[CumminsWill82]

Thanks for all your imputs ,fellas