Go to Trucking School to Hot Shot Dually?

**bondsman601** · 03.22.2010

As some of you may know from a previous post, I am a wanna be thinking about buying a dually and getting into the hot shot business. A local community college has a trucking program that I could pay cash for and get a CDL. I spoke with one of the instructors in the program and told him what I was trying to do. He told me that I did not have to go to school to get a Class A CDL. I thought the school would help me because I don't know anything about backing, turning, and towing a trailer, log books, etc. I found a program that makes log books simple that I could learn myself but I would still have to have some type of truck to take my test in to get my license. I don't know how I would do that without going through a school. This is the second time I have heard this. Why would it be a bad idea to go to a trucking school and get a CDL to drive big rigs even though I am only planning on driving a dually? I think it makes me flexible and gives me options.

**ka5pfb** · 03.22.2010

From what I have learned so far bondsman601 is that you will need a CDL for commercially driving a dually. I believe that any commercial truck with axles over 10000# requires a CDL. Most duallies have 12000# axles. This also applies to trailers as well.

I have a friend driving for a hotshot company. He can't pass the DOT physical and thus not able to get a CDL. He got around this by running a 3/4 ton Chevy truck with a 9750# axle. He is operating just like other hotshot drivers but doesn't have to follow the DOT regulations such as stopping at weight stations and doesn't have to keep a log book.

He's getting ripped off by his agent because they keep 35% of the load revenue and he pays all expenses. But, it's the only way he can run a truck so he hasn't much of a choice. Most major Hotshot companies require a class A CDL.

That's what I have learned so far.

**strat24** · 03.22.2010

You can get a Class A to drive your dually with a trailer without wasting your money to learn how to drive a semi. Check out your local CDL testing site and ask them about borrowing a truck / trailer and the guy who does the test. There is a test site by me that will let you rent a truck and instructor for $65 an hour... Sure beats $2500 - $6000 some of these schools charge.

I would borrow any kind of trailer and get a feel for how it will react then start paying to pass the test.

**thanatos** · 04.19.2010

There are nearly as many regs on the hotshots now. I would do the school myself. Opinions are cheap though.

**BIG RIGGER** · 04.19.2010

Originally Posted by strat24

You can get a Class A to drive your dually with a trailer without wasting your money to learn how to drive a semi. Check out your local CDL testing site and ask them about borrowing a truck / trailer and the guy who does the test. There is a test site by me that will let you rent a truck and instructor for $65 an hour... Sure beats $2500 - $6000 some of these schools charge.

I would borrow any kind of trailer and get a feel for how it will react then start paying to pass the test.

Very good advice.

**Spock** · 04.26.2010

You might think about going to school and driving big trucks for 6 months or a year. Any respectable hot shot outfit will want a class a cdl and at least some experience pulling the bigger trailers. Ive known people who could drive a big truck with no problem but no company would touch them without at least going to school. Lack of experience is what your going to be running into. You can get your CDL easy enough but landing a good job with no experience will be tough.

**grimesjm1** · 04.27.2010

Originally Posted by ka5pfb

From what I have learned so far bondsman601 is that you will need a CDL for commercially driving a dually. I believe that any commercial truck with axles over 10000# requires a CDL. Most duallies have 12000# axles. This also applies to trailers as well.

I have a friend driving for a hotshot company. He can't pass the DOT physical and thus not able to get a CDL. He got around this by running a 3/4 ton Chevy truck with a 9750# axle. He is operating just like other hotshot drivers but doesn't have to follow the DOT regulations such as stopping at weight stations and doesn't have to keep a log book.

He's getting ripped off by his agent because they keep 35% of the load revenue and he pays all expenses. But, it's the only way he can run a truck so he hasn't much of a choice. Most major Hotshot companies require a class A CDL.

That's what I have learned so far.

Alsmost ever single thing in the above statement is false.
1. You don't need a commercial license to run a dually commercially until your trailer gets too big.
2. If you can't pass a physical, you aren't hotshotting anything legally, even if your using an s-10.
3.If your legally hotshotting your s-10 or anything else, you have to stop at weigh stations and you have to keep a logbook. If you only have one truck you don't have to log a pre-trip, but you still gotta keep a coloring book.

This guy may get away with it for awhile, but they really come down hard on hotshot trucks vs. big trucks.

**ka5pfb** · 04.27.2010

That's good to know. I'm still learning more every day. I talked to a hot shot terminal manager yesterday and found out that I could drive a flatbed for them but couldn't pull a trailer until I had a year experience driving commercially. Since they are the one I want to drive for I guess I'll start out with a 1 ton with a 11' flatbed.

**Aljay** · 04.27.2010

Originally Posted by ka5pfb

That's good to know. I'm still learning more every day. I talked to a hot shot terminal manager yesterday and found out that I could drive a flatbed for them but couldn't pull a trailer until I had a year experience driving commercially. Since they are the one I want to drive for I guess I'll start out with a 1 ton with a 11' flatbed.

I hauled a bunch of things on a flat bed might look at a mono rail also.

**BIG RIGGER** · 04.27.2010

Originally Posted by ka5pfb

That's good to know. I'm still learning more every day. I talked to a hot shot terminal manager yesterday and found out that I could drive a flatbed for them but couldn't pull a trailer until I had a year experience driving commercially. Since they are the one I want to drive for I guess I'll start out with a 1 ton with a 11' flatbed.

I started out in 1973 driving hotshot for Red Lewis owner of Lewis Transport of Morgan City,LA.hotshot driving for pretty decent money bets the hell out of paying 5,000.00 bucks to a ripoff trucking school.

Be patient you will get old sooner than you think.Hotshot and make a hand you will be suprised how much help you will get getting in a big truck if you can prove you are dependable.