Anyone with experience/knowledge re: using a dually to make money.
I am thinking of trading my ram 2500 sholrt bed for a 3500 dually long bed (diesel of course), but buying a trailer could be a problem.
how expensive is insurance?
I am looking to make a decent living not to become wealthy. and I dont mind the time away from home.
just wondering if this would be a better option than going to work for a trucking company (not as O/O- i cant afford that)
dually hauling info
Discussion in 'Expediter and Hot Shot Trucking Forum' started by borderlineagain, Feb 6, 2011.
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people do it. I looked into it and it seems like as much work as running a big truck, you have to run by most of the same rules but can haul much less and the 1 ton duallys are just not built like a big truck. IE (ware out faster more brake downs ect)
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If you take care of the truck and keep up with the preventive maintenance, they are no problem.
However, you should watch any of the new vehicles and their engines.
I have a 5.9 2007 with 560,000 on it and very routine maintenance costs.darthanubis, Lite bug and bullhaulerswife Thank this. -
If you want to earn a living using a 1 ton dually you need to have freight to haul. I see that you're in SC. You need to get on the load boards ,craigslist, greensheet , newspaper and talk to shippers and make some contacts to get freight.I live on the edges of Houston,TX oil and gas related freight. I've been doing hotshot for over 3 yrs. now.It can be done.I think using a 1 ton dually is more to our advantage in these times because you don't use as much fuel as the big rigs do.
darthanubis Thanks this. -
thanks for the input, my biggest concern would be that this area is not as "user friendly" for this type of work. If I was 20 years younger it would be not problem. I could not afford a new truck and out of pocket expenses would be problem if I had to bring a high mileage older one ton (most I have seen on craigslist are close to 200000 miles) up to the condition I would like, I just spent $2900 on my 2500 ram for new injectors so I know it could get expensive.
Besides the big draw for working for myself would be that I could work when I wanted to, as I am already getting my SS. Dont get me wrong, I need to make some money but I dont need to work everyday. I can hope that I will be able to get my former and supposedly future employer to get busy with setting up the equipment and buying the semi-tractor.
Thanks again for the responses -
If you want to pull a dually, you need to get a 3500. The suspension is heavier and you can haul more weight. You will need a trailer unless you want to deliver RV's. If you decide on that route you could get by with the 2500. Rates are not bad going out, but you will need to deadhead back to your origination point. Most who pull a dually pull either a flat bed, step deck or car trailer. You can pull a 3 or 4 car trailer with a 3500. You will burn less fuel pulling a dually, but you will need to spend money on motels. Your insurance runs about the same as with a big truck. Rates will vary according to a number of factors such as your credit rating, experience and MVR. You should expect about $7,500-12,000/yr for cargo and liability. Where you live will also impact your rates. You should be able to buy a new trailer for about $5,000-12,000.
Rates can be as good as in a big truck. It can be challenging to find loads that are light enough to put on the trailer. You learn how to deal with the limitations. There are some brokers and loadboards that specialize more in this type of freight.darthanubis Thanks this. -
Thanks for reply, I have my 2500 ram for sale now. not only is it only a 3/4ton but a short bed also. it is a "heavy duty" but that wont cut it when hauling the type of loads we are talkin about. I have been looking at some 3500 duallys but when I look at the whole picture I can see expenses vs earning potential need to be studied a good bit more. I am supposed to have a job when I get my CDL with my former (current but laid off actually) employer but he has to buy the semi-tractor and flatbed trailer and then porbably some new equipment to be ready to start by april, I have been asking about hotshot work or other CDL jobs just in case the deal does not work out with my job. Would still consider the dually if I can find a local broker or hauler that I can work with.
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Jones has a hotshot division. You can check with them to see what they require. They also broker freight to outside carriers. Before you go too far, I would spend some time checking freight availability and rates. You don't want to buy a truck and trailer until you make sure of what you need.
darthanubis Thanks this. -
I could go on about this for days hot shot is really a down south thing "oil field" pays big $$$ the best way i know how to explain what a hot shot is . is to first explain what a hotshot is not .
1st . a hot shot doesnt necessary have a size regulation - it can be from the smallest to the largest truck .
2nd. also . it doesnt have a weight restirction -it can be any weight from 1 lb. to 48,000 --or any weight
3rd. a hot shot is not a ltl carrier - [by rule of thumb] - but he possibly could be at times .
what is a HOTSHOT ?
1ST - it's a type of bussiness that hauls necessary freight
explaination*** absolutely needed --essential ----indispensable--
2nd - mover or freight that has a time limit - such as a soon as possible set time .
3rd . freight that must be delivered ASAP - .
4th - usaly a smaller light load but not necessary ***so weight is not the issue
5th - a time limit is what makes a hotshot a hotshot
6th - got to have it now freight - is what a hotshot hauls -
this is the service that we as hotshotters offer . asap - It is a 24/7/365 job. Miss a few runs, & you're marked as undependable, income drops severely. Like any job, it's what you make of it. even though sometimes we haul regular and ltl freight also . but the hotshot simply says what in means . NOW ! got to go now and needs to be there now . that my friends is where the money is at , and that is the service I offerdarthanubis, Rick_C and Coonass Thank this. -
I have no idea who makes, & I have only seen the 2 around here. but thought I would throw that your way.
Randy
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