Calling All Hot Shots

Discussion in 'Expediter and Hot Shot Trucking Forum' started by SMBdriver, Sep 6, 2011.

  1. mcgoo422000

    mcgoo422000 Medium Load Member

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    You mean the ones who really don't want to work and pretend they are?
    I blow by the scales when empty I had my last empty inspection about 18 months ago.
    They can chase me down when I'm empty if they want to bother me I done had enough of them for two lifetimes.
    Empty = off duty personal use to me let them prove otherwise.
    My hope will be they'll abuse my rights good and proper then possibly I'll retire wealthy.
    running this truck isn't going to make me more than a living so I need some help.
     
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  3. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    Mine is simple.

    Explain the definition of Commercial Motor Vehicle and how it applies when empty.
     
  4. KANSAS TRANSIT

    KANSAS TRANSIT Road Train Member

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    What they (the dot) will try and imply is that falls under the realm of "continuance of an interstate move".

    Basically what they try and say is that if you were loaded to a point and delivered, then in order to get back to your "terminal" to get reloaded you are continuing your move.

    I use to just have my guys get a PO box, so in effect, they weren't coming back to the terminal, but instead coming back, "home".

    A lot of the guys had RV's set up in or around the office. I seem to remember Iowa dot being the worst about it.

    Stan
     
  5. Roadmedic

    Roadmedic Road Train Member

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    Would love to hear them try that.

    Just like when Minnesota stated that we were not allowed to go off duty until we returned to a terminal of the company or home.
     
  6. mcgoo422000

    mcgoo422000 Medium Load Member

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    I would say ohio is the worst followed by in. and ia. Oh, and Ia. are the reason I learned to fight them all.
    Time is ripe for the peasants to storm the Bastille and free us.
     
  7. Foxcover

    Foxcover Medium Load Member

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    So I looked at two trailers today, one was a 4 tire 16k GVWR and the other was a 8 tire 24k GVWR.
    Yes everybody is thinking the 24k but I had a very interesting conversation with a dot cop at the scale today that got me thinking otherwise!
    In California they are only interested in the GVWR of the trailer (not the truck) but the axle and tire ratings must support the weight you scale. I thought to myself, well I have an F350 single rear wheel, it says on the door jam 6k front axle 7k rear axle, the tires currently on the truck support 3200lbs each which restricts my rear axle capability by 600lbs but adds 400lbs to the front as in CA they will let you slide if the weight is greater than the stated axle rating once the tires are capable.
    My pickup on its own weighs 7k and if tires mached the axle ratings the truck can gross 13k.
    I hope the gooseneck hitch is in the correct place to distribute the weight correctly! If so I can have a toungue weight of 6k. The total combined vehicle weight of the pickup (truck trailer & load) is around 24k, it does not state that on the door jam, the cop told me his 2003 F350 srw according to his owners manual is 24k and thought mine being a 2008 would probably be a bit more.
    I asked him does that mean I should get a 10k trailer thinking if I add 13k for the truck would bring me to close to the 24k total gross my truck would be maxed out at?
    He said hell no! We are not manufacturers or engineers! We don't care what your total gross is so long as you can axle it and the tires support.
    Awesome I'm thinking to myself! I'll get a 30k GVWR trailer being as the axle and tires on it would support 30k, I'll just load the front lite as not to overload the pickup.
    Seemed fine till I looked closely at the 24k trailer (28' long, 23' bed and 5' bever tail with flip over cheese wedge ramps). The axles were so far back on the trailer I figured I'd never keep enough weight off the tongue. I asked him would the manufacturer build one for me with the axles about 3 feet more forward under the trailer? He called them and they wouldn't change where the back axle was but would move the front one more forward like a spread axle to help take some toungue weight.
    I thought about it for a while and without any scientific calculations figured I still wouldn't keep enough weight off the toungue, I may however go back and take a closer look at this.
    Hope I'm not making this too confusing.
    When I looked at the 16k trailer which was a bit shorter I realized not only were the axles closer to the center of the trailer but the trailer itself was much lighter, so I'm loosing GVW but gaining payload in comparison to their respective weight ratings.
    Technically I could scale 16k LBS payload on the 16k trailer with a total gross weight of 29k LBS.
    Unladen weight of 13k LBS.
    I could scale 20k LBS payload on the 24k trailer with a total gross weight of 37k LBS.
    Unladen weight 17k LBS.

    We have plenty of semi's to haul heavier loads in our company, so with that said running a pickup at 37k vs 29k just for a 4k extra payload doesn't seem to make as much sense to me.

    I have no doubt one day I'll be wishing I had that extra little bit of payload but for the most part I really want to stick with light stuff as that's what we are getting a lot of right now.

    Any thoughts or constructive criticism welcome.
    Rob.
     
  8. KANSAS TRANSIT

    KANSAS TRANSIT Road Train Member

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    If it was up to me, and I have said this before to other hotshots, I would buy a used medium duty truck, I have seen them as low as 15,000 with decent HP, stretch the frame, with a 12,000 f/a and a 20,000 r/a you will have a total gross cap. of 32,000.

    That medium duty truck chassis will weigh about 10,000# put a 2,000# 24' aluminum bed on it, you are now good for 20,000# cargo. You only have ONE unit to reg. ONE unit to insp. ONE unit to put tires on, ONE unit to maintain, ONE unit to insure, ONE unit drive (lot easier to get around).

    JMHO.
     
    truckon and Foxcover Thank this.
  9. mchlshltz

    mchlshltz Bobtail Member

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    I have been searching through all the forums and have not found anywhere yet where people are talking about Hotshot work in Alaska. I am hoping to get any information/advice/experience with finding loads in Alaska < 26,000lbs total weight for truck and trailer. Specifically, how to find the loads, are there any load boards that have brokered loads for Alaska? I am moving up to Alaska and would love to have some advice on where to look for loads when I arrive. I will be mainly running a Dodge 3500 with a 40' flatbed.
     
  10. Midwest1

    Midwest1 Medium Load Member

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  11. mchlshltz

    mchlshltz Bobtail Member

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    Midwest1

    Of all the load boards I have checked such as get loaded, 123 loadboards, DAT and so on. I have not found any load boards so far that list available loads for Alaska. I am trying to reach out to see if anyone on these threads have any luck or can point me in the right direction as far as finding loads in Alaska.
     
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