Need Hot shot advice

Thank you so much. I heard renting was an option. Tryn to keep cost at a min. Gettn a f350 2015 in a few weeks. Dont wanna shoot myself totally in the foot. Thanx again!

 

You bet. I drive an 05 Dodge (paid 14,000) and bought a 45ft trailer on craigslist for 3500. Watch your expenses. I worked about 4 months and was completely out of debt on equipment other than maintenance and break downs. Whether you drive a 15' or a 02' breakdowns are a part of it. Most of the guys I have seen go under is because of expenses. They buy 60 thousand dollar trucks and 18 thousand dollar trailers. They eat out every night and stay in hotels nightly. It is a great living and good luck. When I was thinking about getting into this I went to our local Pilot and Loves travel plazas and talked to the hotshot drivers. They are great sources of info. Good luck man.

 

Will do Thank you Texas4k for the info. Was considering leasing out just to get used to the whole process. Any thoughts on doing that?

 

Unless you have a client list ready to go I would absolutely lease on with someone. Learn the trade. Sure you will pay them up to 25% of the load but if you are operating under their authority then you eliminate tons of hassle. They pay all the insurance cost and licensing fees. (Also some of these companies lease trailers which would be the only way I would lease a trailer. Most are 6 or 7 percent for lease but they are responsible for all maintenance.) Not to mention finding the freight. I have leased on with several companies. Each a little different. I know if I would have jumped in trying my own authority and finding the clientele I would have gone under. I keep my truck loaded. I am not picky on what I haul or the price they pay per mile to get home. Anything at that point just mean what you earned on the outbound load is pure profit.

 

Outstanding!!!!! Thank you for the info and confirmation! !

 

Good luck. Keep us informed on how it goes.

 

Will do Texas4k!

 

Good thread.
Enjoying the reading.

 

Thanks for having me trucker report, I am new as of today. I wanted to reach out to you Semperfi Services reading your post and helpful hints from 2012. Is what mad me join I have been trucking for over 15 years, and now I am looking into getting into the business of just trucking for myself. I love the cab over set up you have, I live in California the High Desert and I will be sure to watch out for Gary in Phelan. I wanted to know if I should start out with a 06 f350 6.0 dually pulling a 3 car goose neck or just go staright to a flat bed.

 

MrMagic1, having been running now for a WHOLE year, (sarcasm), I read everything that I could before getting started. To do it over again? I would not buy a 1 ton truck, it is to small. You will make more money with the flatbed than the car hauler. Do not do the travel trailer thing, I wore out a set of tires on my truck and was able to replace them after 2 months while pulling my flatbed. Gary and Danny are very helpful people. I work with them, they work for me. The lease on thing seems to be a great way to cut expenses. My insurance is a killer, IFTA taxes quarterly, and my plates. I have seen cars that wanted to pay 12 cents per mile and I have seen cars at $1.01/mile. Setting up a good flatbed with straps, chains, binders, tarps (2-3), tire chains, winch, bungees, rope, etc., costs $. Would I go back and have somebody control my income again? No.

Want to buy a truck sleeper to put on the back of your truck? I have 2 for sale!