Those pick-up-truck-trying-to-be-semi things...

Maybe someone mentioned this. .I didn't read the entire thread. .

If I were to do "hot shot" ..I'd buy one of those little freightliners or internationals that I see at RV dealers. . Not as BIG as a big truck and BIGGER than a pick up.

And can pull a 5th wheel. . Goose neck. .or tag along trailer.

 

I have been reading through the comments on here, and some responses are correct, and others are in no way near correct. My father in-law and I run a Hot shot service. We do quite well and enjoy what we do with the company. Just like any other business out there you have over head, but your over head is less expensive than a full Semi. but you replace your equipment more frequently. You dont want to buy a used truck, also always go for the cab and chassis model, the frames are built differantly and are made for more abuse than a regular truck. We run dodges, and replace them about every 300,000 miles. I suggest making double payments as well, you will be replacing the truck before it is paid off, you dont want to keep rolling the differance over to the next one, it raises your payments and paying interest on the differance is costly. YOu still have to pay road taxes, Insurance etc etc etc. In fact you insure the truck and loads just like a full semi, you pay for the same tags and apporitionment. You purchase IFTA stickers, and file fuel tax quarterly. In fact there is no differance other than your size in running a hot shot rig, verses a full Semi. You do have to conform to HOS rules, and honestly Hot Shot rigs are targeted more frequently by random inspections. I have been driving trucks for 18 years and have been running this company with my Father inlaw for over a year now. I have been pulled over and inspected three times in the past year in Kansas alone. Pulled behind MO, Scales 4 times. and had my paperwork checked in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, more times than i care to count without the benefit of a Offical inspection paper. Just like any business, your contracts are your bread and butter. Our main contract is running slow att he moment and I am searching for some temporary freight to make up for lost revenue while our main contract gets things in line. Our normal runs take us from Oklahoma to Colorado. We make 2.75 a loaded mile, when things are running we dont worry with backhauls, we will return home empty. Here is a Mock break own of what we would normally make on a Colorado run.


728 loaded miles @ 2.75 per mile.

Gross revenue 2002.00

Tolls: 19.50
fuel : 675.00
Hotel: 68.00
+_________
762.50 in total expenses

2002.00
762.50
-______
1239.50 Profit.

Now i must point out before someone goes crying BS on my expenses, I over shot the total fuel costs, and the fuel cost where for round trip so double the miles. I also averaged the fuel costs, i actually averaged it high. Also the hotel costs I must point out we go into Colorado two to three times a week per truck, and have negociated lower Rates for ourselves than most people are going to get there.

Our Customers use us becase we give a speacilized service. We have carved our own piece of the market, the places we deliver are unaccessable by full semi's most of the time. The trick to any business is servicing your customers needs. We make HOt SHot rigs work for us, and provide a personalized service to ensure continued business. If this is not something your willing to do, then it is best to stay where you currently are at in this market. We are Licenced for up to 40,000 gross weight, we run 3500 Dodge Rams, and 30 foot gooseneck trailers. We unload our own freight by hand a lot of the time. We work hard, and suffer through slow times of the year just like most other Independants out there. I personaly get offended when some driver calls me an Amature simply cause i drive a Hot Shot. I have a lot of experience behind me. 18 plus years so far, and to say i am a amature is a insult. I am lucky, without my Father inlaw, i wouldnt have the contacts for this freight, and i make more money doing this than i ever made in a 18 wheeler. I have owned 4 differant trucks over the years before i got into this, 5 if you count the one i leased, and honestly this is the best job i have ever had.

 

I'm curious about your comments.

what does this all mean, "Just like any other business out there you have over head, but your over head is less expensive than a full Semi."

I don't see much of a difference in the costs of running the rig, especially if your life cycle is at 300k, opposed to say 1M miles. Assuming that you are driving 100k a year, that's three years so your trucks aren't fully depreciated in that time, you won't get the advantage of a full write off.

Don't you break down the cost per mile for maintenance?

If so what is the difference between the two?

Your numbers are good, but it is the cost breakdown, the tax liability and other related costs that are important.

 

If your running dodge 3500 cab and chassis I believe the frames no different than if you got one with a box on it. Now, if your talking 4500 that's a different story..

 

And, I'm not sure about Dodge's but Fords f450 and f550's engines are retuned because there commercial vehicles. Unless your hauling really heavy I would stick with the a one ton truck.

 

Will someone please tell me if the 2015 ford f350 is considered a class a truck?

 

All by itself an F350 doesn't require a CDL at all. Hooked up to a trailer it could. If your truck has a GVWR of 13,500 and your trailer has a GVWR of 15,000 then it puts you over 26k and requires a CDL A.

 

Really appreciate the feedback!

 

There is certainly a market for them, but line up your accounts first. They can not load the same weight as a big truck, bu I certainly see them toting containers up the freeway, they would have to be empty containers because of weight but still someone is payng the bill.

The hotshot markey is primarily an extension of the courier market. Like car dealers do dealer trades. so they may have 1 car going from LA to Phx. To make money you need something to go with it, and a load back.

Really a speciaized a market. Maybe do go in the oilfields where time is big money, less than truck load may be able to pay.

Look before you leap.

 

What's the point of fully depreciation if you have to recapture it when you get rid of the truck?