Looking for more information about running an expedited freight company? Talk with hundreds of other drivers in our Hot Shot Trucking Forum.
Hauling expedited loads and hot shot freight is a choice job for many truckers. Loads may be somewhat hard to find, and the loads that do get booked usually require the truck driver to run hard to meet the schedule, but the reward is premium rates and higher per mile pay. Hotshot and expediting often get used interchangeably, which leads to a number of people getting confused and asking us for an explanation.
RickG kindly explains what it all means on the truck driver forum:
Expedite was sometimes referred to as hotshot. Currently expedite refers to vans, straight trucks and T/T’s delivering time sensitive freight. There are no set lanes. The trucks are on standby for immediate response. However, with the state of the economy expedite carriers are accepting regular LTL shipments to keep their trucks busy.
True hotshot is like flatbed expedite, mostly one ton or medium duty trucks pulling trailers and hauling time sensitive loads. There are many O/O’s with rigs like this running freight that pays lower rates and is not hotshot by the true definition.
jtrnr1951 shares his personal definition of hotshotting:
Hot Shot used to be-standing around Texas Iron Works, waiting for the drill part to be manufactured, then throwing it on the bed of the truck or trailer- and driving straight out to the [oil] well. NON-STOP !!!!
Made good money in the 1970′s running them 454 chevys !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ask your questions about driving expedited freight and get answers on our Hot Shot Trucking Forum
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
this is great information but i wish i could fine load boards for hot shots , expedited, and power only freight if you know of any that you would recommend please e-mail me the cost has got to be low or better yet free for i am only a dispatch that is getting started in this business Thank Ahead of Time Shirley
I am trying to get some information on Hot Shot loads and equipment requirements. I have a Dodge Ram 2500 diesel. I am looking to purchase a 32 to 40 gooseneck trailer. Most of the trucks I see pulling these loads are duallys. I wanted to find out your opinion about using a regular truck or if I should purchase a dually instead and if it makes a difference when obtaining loads. I have been driving big rigs for about 5 years but am wanting to start a hot shot business instead. I can’t decide between pulling car loads or pipe/lumber etc. Also, I am used to looking for loads on the boards for big rigs but can’t distinguish between the loads that would allow a regular truck and trailer. I have been searching the web for this information but can’t find anything specific. I would really appreciate your help. Thanks, Alex
Alex, you really need a 1 ton dually at a minimum to safely haul a load. Reason being is that dually has a higher capacity, plus if you lose a tire you still got 3 to limp on til you can pull over safely. Can’t do that with a single rear wheel truck. Keep searching for hotshot brokers and flatbed brokers, they’re out there!
I have a similer problem like Alex from Nov 4, 2010. I have a good friend who also has a Dodge 2500 and he to wants to know what it takes to get started on these HotShot loads. My buddy has a brother who is already haulin, in fact he is doing so well he has already purchased another truck & trailer. When my buddy ask him to help get him started into it, his brother said he would for 1/2 the profits. This is where I come in, if we can got all the information we need to get started, I’ll be the one doing all the driving. Me & my buddy are currently driving coal trucks in Ky right now and its gitting a little hard right trying to make our ends meet. So if you could, get me as much info as possible, I would greatly, GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. Thanks for listening, Troy (Dogg)
Thanks for sharing information with us. Are there any load boards, or brokers who only deal with expedite freight.
I have almost completed building a refrigerated 24′ box truck with a small sleeper. I gathered most of the components from auctions.
Thanks
If you’re going to be doing hotshot loads get a 3500 DRW, or better, 4500 or 5500. You’ll *need* the extra VTW (rear axle weight rating) provided by the DRW. A 3500 SRW has a 6500lb Rear GAWR, a 5500lb Front GAWR. Unloaded my 2011 3500 4×4 SRW Long Box Crew cab hits 4900 on the steer axle, and 2860 on the rears, with 3/4 a tank of fuel and two people onboard (~350 lbs or so, me and the GF) for a grand total of 7760 — certified cat scale weight. So 6500-2860 = 3640 available payload on the rear axle in my SRW. The reason this is more than the stated 2890 payload is because Dodge gives a 20% safety margin. This could be a limiting factor for your load weights, GCWR is 21k for a 3.73 rear end, and 24k for a 4.10. I think dodge might be testing based on SAE J2807 so the 4.10 gets higher ratings for being able to accelerate heavier loads or something.
3.73 rears and Dodge gives you a 13650 tow rating on the ST 4×4 Crew, 16650 ST 4×4 Crew w/ 4.10 (SRW) — go to DRW and you get a 9350 Rear GAWR, giving you a LOT more payload.
For more information go to the Dodge Ram Trucks site, click Owners, then find the Body Builders Guide from there (center section). For at least 2010/2011 Dodge has very detailed capacity charts, and has quite a good bit of detail for older years too.
Oh we are all seeking, but few answers.
I also have been OTR on/off for 30years, now want to settledown and purchase a new HotShot Ford F450/550 DRW Power Stroke Super Duty with 40′ Gooseneck, but need to understand my rear axle ratio?
Second, Is their real corporations or legitimate companies to lease onto? Most won’t even answer your calls or e-mails! If needed I’ll go alone with my own authority, but I have found it difficult to find all these claimed loads also!
Lay it out straight to us drivers!
We are supposed to be brethren of a different cloth, but I see too much Jealosy and Descrimination in these Hot Shot drivers & companies. I am tough enough to endure, so if I can get some info under my belt, then I’m out of here with my own loads, because if there is no real men/women in this industry, then we must make it alone without friends and survival of the fittest will endure!
Somebody got real factsand info. , write me: randy@angelsinternational.us
Yes having a duelly vs having a 1 ton truck is pricing and the load you can carry but at the same time having a 1 ton you can drive without a cdl for the fact your can only handle under 26001 pending on state to were with a 2 ton truck you normally have to hold a class a license ithout air brakes but loads can be bigger pay out is better. considering oilfield stuff is heavy and won’t destroy your truck and be safer hauling and your variety of runs ate allot more. If you have any other questions let me know hope this was helpful
I will do my best to help since I can’t sleep.
First, if you call your business hotshot or expedited in the name your insurance premium is higher, so Manny’s trucking would of been better then what it is now.
Second, there is a reason there is dodges on the road and almost no fords, cheaper truck better fuel milage less breakdowns, if ur going to purchase a truck purchase the correct one the first time, the correct truck is a dodge 4500/5500, brakes last between 180-220k miles unless u have a heavy service bed then only 100-120k on the rears and 200 on the front, tires go 60-70 with rotation, set back is 410/444/488 rear ends try to get the 410 or 444. If u can only buy one trailer buy a 40 with ramps, also be aware that the quad cabs 84″ca are over 65ft when hooked up to a 40ft trailer, most officers don’t realise this and you can fit 4 pallets in front of gooseneck, getting loads, HOPE YOU ARE ALL READY.
STOP BEING SO FUCKEN LAZY WAITING FOR LOADS TO COME UP ON SOME SORT OF LOAD BOARD OR SOME PLETHERA OF LOADS TO MAGICLY APPEAR . HOT SHOT LOADS LTL THAT MAY PAY SOMETHING DIRECTLY FROM THE SHIPPER TO THE BROKER PAY NOTHING TO THE HOTSHOT DRIVER.
I WAS AT AZZ GALVENIZING IN FT WORTH 2 DAYS AGO AND THERE WAS 5 DODGE 3/4 TON AND 1TON TRUCKS WITH 40FT TRAILERS AND NO DOT MARKINS, AND THATS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN U USE LOAD BOARDS PEOPLE HAVE TO RUN ILLEGALLY IN ORDER TO MAKE IT.
THE ANSWER.
GO TO BUSINESSES URSELF AROUND UR OWN AREA WALK IN INTRODUCE URSELF TALK TO THE PERSON THAT HANDELS THE SHIPPING AND GIVE HIM OR HER A REASON TO CALL YOU.
U WILL GET FULL RATE AND 100% CHANCE OF GETTING PAYED,
I HAVE 4 TRUCKS 7 TRAILERS AND 66 CUSTOMERS PAYING ME DIRECT NEVER USED A BROKER IN 7 YEARS GROSSED 383K 2012
TURN KEY OPERATION FOR SALE INCLUDING TRUCKS AND TEAILERS 300K EVALUATED BY APPRAISAL COMP BASED ON WHAT A BANK WOULD LOAN FOR MY BUSINESS. GROSS 33K UR FIRST MONTH IN BUSINESS MANNY POULIS 512-567-0381 I STAY ON TO INTRODUCE U TO ALL SHIPPERS.
REASON IM SELLING…BECAUSE A BANK SAID THEY WOULD FUND IT
I am trying to relocate to Colorado somewhere around Colorado Springs or the denver area. I have always leased my equipment to a trucking carrier and i am presently leasedto a Hotshot company in Houston. I have a one ton dually and a 25ft. dove tail. I have over 21 years of experince from General manager to Safety director to driving for the last5 16 years . Very good refedrences and clean mvr . But i am having a hard time finding any companys that lease trucks on in the small ltl business any suggestions or leads would be appreciated
Thanks Darrell