Starting out in the car hauling business...

Discussion in 'Car Hauler and Auto Carrier Trucking Forum' started by double yellow, Dec 13, 2011.

  1. claydcousta

    claydcousta Bobtail Member

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    Nov 16, 2011
    Folsom
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    I was a car hauler for 3 years they are right you have to be out there 300 days out of a year to see 30k a year profit and local run you can forget unless you live where there is at least two cities very close to eachother.
     
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  3. The Truckist

    The Truckist Medium Load Member

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    Sep 11, 2010
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    Claydcousta,

    You are a busy guy around the forum world.

    If you are for real and actually spent 3 years in the car haul biz...you were not charging enough for the service you provided.
     
    scorpiorias Thanks this.
  4. 1tondually

    1tondually Bobtail Member

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    Jan 3, 2012
    Nashville, Illinois
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    Iam currently pulling RV's with My 1 ton . Yeah i know , non-profit ! I have been thinking about car hauling , Wondered if I would be better off leasing to a company or trying to start My own and use central dispatch or some company like theirs ? I do have 35 years exp. driving semi trucks , just sick of that , and I do already own a 2011 dodge 3500 crew cab dually 4X4 .I live in southern Illinois, any and all replies appreciated !
     
  5. The Truckist

    The Truckist Medium Load Member

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    Sep 11, 2010
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    Central Dispatch has it's place in the biz...but anyone working off CD or load boards exclusively is just spinning wheels in this biz.

    The plan has not changed no matter what your hauling. Calculate, cipher, compute or figure your operating expenses. Determine what you think is going to be added to that figure to pay your bills and make a life for you and those that you provide for along with maintenance fund, charitable offerings, etc. <--- Don't take "etc" lightly either. That's the part that the "it looked good on paper" statement originates from. Decide how hard you want to work, i.e. how many miles you want to run, how many days you want to be away from family or ?, how many holidays you are willing to sacrifice, etc., then begin refusing the loads or units that do not add up. It's called bottom line. And it's your choice. If leased to a company, don't matter. If their rates for loads or units don't add up, don't haul it. Automatic firing if you refuse a load? So what? It's either the company fire you or your situation will fire you.

    Don't haul the cheap stuff. Let them sit. Don't even look at them anymore. There are a couple folks operating in the area I run currently that I have watched their approval ratings go from 100% to now 70%. Almost every feedback is non-payment, late payment, etc. Brokers. Brokers pretending to be dealers. Change name and have another go at it. Thankfully there is a pattern of refusal to move cars for these crooks and cheap rates. Let them hire individual drivers. They only do that one time. After the expenses incurred and the treatment at the destination for non-compliant identification, tolls, gas/fuel, etc, I have heard directly from them..."I'll never do that again." Those cars have to get to the destination somehow.

    You're providing a needful service...get paid for it. You will appreciate that fact when you yank that 40 foot 1/2" main return/supply hydraulic hose out of the trailer rails to make repairs and find the manufacturer doesn't care enough about simple consideration for the guys that buy their $80,000.00 trailers to place a very inexpensive amount of protecting sleeve over it...and this one hose costs you over $200. to replace. And you've got 5 miles of this stuff on your trailer that at any time could pop and waste a roof on a $40K vehicle...or worse. Poor Jeff up @ Manheim comes to mind...I've known of several over the years that were crushed by crazy stuff around these carhaulers. Jeff's case was not hydraulic but it was related to the biz.

    This is a specialized niche of the industry. Not everybody can do it or is willing to make the sacrifices to do it. OK..we are crazy to do it but we might as well get paid for doing this crazy job.

    Just a note...it is not a bad thing that you will eventually begin to gain a reputation as "not the cheapest guy" on the block. It's also not a bad thing to be soaked in the reputation of those that are proficient at their craft. Specialized means something...not just a word to deter people. It is very special that anyone can move thousands of cars and never have a damage. It is special that someone can have a 100% on-time reputation. It is special that you show up on time and be where you're supposed to be every single time. It is not special to come up with the idea that a hat and a handful of business cards and you're going to take over the biz. I've seen a multitude of individuals, companies and brokers come and go. And they all went the same way. They bypassed the the second paragraph /\ up there. It's the tortoise and the hare again...or the race to the finish...or whatever analogy you choose to compare it to.
     
  6. truckon

    truckon Swamp Thing

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    Dec 16, 2011
    Like I'd tell you!
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    so your saying you want to pull a wedge? or go to a big truck?
     
  7. 1tondually

    1tondually Bobtail Member

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    Jan 3, 2012
    Nashville, Illinois
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    pulla wedge , I still want to use My 1 ton
     
  8. grrump

    grrump Bobtail Member

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    Feb 11, 2012
    lee city, ky
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    I'm somewhat in the same boat there 1tondually. I tried the RV hauling but auto transport always interested me. I live around Cincinnati/Dayton area and think there has to be alot of cars moving in it through this area. I've been looking at wedge trailers but a fee hotshot haulers I've talked to said a 40ft flat would be very versatile. They said some areas you get into just won't have any cars coming out. I'm still a little more interested in a wedge to pull with my dually. Good luck to you.

    Sent from my HTC ThunderBolt using Tapatalk
     
  9. j50wells

    j50wells Bobtail Member

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    May 23, 2011
    Williamsport PA
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    I think he's one of the car haulers that's makin' the big bucks and wants to discourage othere wanna be car haulers from gettin' into the business. Guess I don't blame him none.
     
    DrDieselUSA Thanks this.
  10. Poker Guy

    Poker Guy Bobtail Member

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    Mar 4, 2012
    Austin, Texas
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    Amen to all of the above. It sounds like you have just broke ground and found yourself a gaggle of excellent Car Haulers for advice. Like one post said "You will learn something NEW all the time", thats if you pay attention. Good Luck with your venture...........
     
  11. Nikki/

    Nikki/ Bobtail Member

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    Mar 15, 2012
    Greensboro, NC
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    hey, what do you think, can ram 3500 cummins manual pull Kaufman mini 5 car trailer? is it safe? or EZ 4 ?
     
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