Independent Contractor Delivering New Trucks Boasts Great Pay But Is It Worth It?

Do a Google search for "Horizon Transport", from Wakarusa, IN . I've known a few people who worked for them. They have both a driveaway division, and a division that uses pickups, etc.

 

I am a newbie and have also looked into the independent contractor thing with Bennett DriveAway out of GA. Just got their application today as a matter of fact. I was up till 3 AM this morning trying to find info on them and other companies like them. What I found,but no direct mention of Bennett, and somewhere on this site but I can't seem to find it now, is that these co. don't care about their drivers at all because there are always "newbies" to take their place. do some more research on this site to see if you can find it, it was very informative. The posting I read said that this driver had worked for them for a short while and found that the out of pocket expense outweighed the pay. He also said that getting paid was slow and the fuel surcharge kept going down. Yes, you have to pay for fuel and keep track to write it off at the end of the year, and they may not let you sleep in the truck,which means you have to get a motel or if weather permitting, tow a car behind you and sleep there. They may not have another pickup at the time you deliver or it may be half way across he country. I was told they insure their trucks, but not the drivers so that is something else to consider. Being a new driver I am skeptical on what the insurance covers and the person I spoke with seemed to be in a hurry to get off the phone. when I asked about training, I was told that there wasn't any. Now, I graduated 3rd in my class from the oldest school in the world and I think they are great but, there is only so much they can teach you in 3 months. So, I said, you just verify that I graduated from NC truck driver training school and you hand me the keys of a brand new tractor and say, here, deliver this? She said YES! When I was going to school this past summer I took a job for 2 months as an independent contractor for a courier using my own car. I would average over 900 miles a week, average over $115 a week for gas, averaged 40 to 50 hours per week, and averaged $250 a week pay BEFORE TAXES! I think these driveaway or independent contractor jobs are a scam (which is too bad because what they promise sounds great, no forced dispatch, work as much as you want and make as much $ as you want,take time when you want,the perfect job. I am finding out there is no such job!)but I am not positive. It just seems to me to be too close the what the courier co. said that I could make $1,000 a week! I hope this helped and I don't think I will send the application in, at least not until I have more information.

Good Luck!

 

Again, if the prospective driver treats the operation as a business and not as a "job," s/he can and will make good profit.

There are several key elements to sucess in the endevour:

1) Equipment:
a) Hitches; One hitch does not (nessesarily) fit all. You may have to carry several hitches, drawbars and other associated hardware. You really need to have several U bolts as the frame area near the rear suspension tends not only to be different from brand to brand but from application to application. Volvo and mack frames are at a different width than the rest of the field.

b) the tow vehicle; You really need to tow vehicle to make it happen. This is not to say it can't be done without one, but without one it is really not worth the effort because similar if not better money can be made as a company driver. It would also be more practical to use a van and or small pickup as motels on a daily basis would be impractical. Also, the carrying of a auxillary diesel fuel tank makes using the above vehicles the clear choice.

i will attempt to PM with more information to all the interested parties when time permits.

 

Id also like further info on Tractor delivery companies, like Truckmovers and such.
All the skinny, the good, bad and OMG....
Im applying for TM now and have a Chevy Astro I will use as a tow vehicle, and to sleep in.
I have a spotless and perfect driver record, with almost 4 years of CDL experience, and nearly 470,000 miles of spot free driving, (Both CDL and nonCDL) no tickets, DWI, drugs, or anything, not even a parking ticket.


Thank you,
Kimmyskunk

 

Quality Driveaway is a company that does some of the trucks too.

Horizon is another.

Both are located in the Goshen Indiana area, 574 area code.

Both have web sites too.

 

I'd like to here somebody else substantiate that . It sounds doubtful to me .

 

1) NO, it's true; At least when i did it 5 yrs ago. In fact, one of the companies i contracted to had every single vehicle with a full tank. This does not mean i did not have to fill up during the trip, it just means that i started off with a full tank.

2) Kimono, i contracted to TM also. They were ok ( i guess?) in terms of work available. You probably know that you will need to find a way to disconnect the driveshaft on the astro if your going to tow it? i can give you more info if you're serious about this kind of work.

i made ok money doing this style of work and i went company because i wanted to learn about decking/hauling more than one truck at a time on someone else's dime----auto truck transport.

 

Oh I am very serious about this...
I am selling my Astro at the momment, but may consider getting another van or mini truck or station wagon that I can sleep in during the warmer months.
I was looking up some of the RV sites and they have a fitting for the driveshaft to be disconnected somehow, but still bolted to the trans and the rear.

I have questions on the vehicles that are best for Toads? I was thinking of FWD ones but hear that I may need to dolly, and the tire straps break far more than often.
So I might stay with something RWD, like a Chevy s10 Blazer or another Astro.

You can IM or note me in here any time i am on.

ANY info at all you can share with me would be like gold to me.
Thank you for your valuable time,
Kimmyskunk

 

1) i wouldn't screw around with a dolly mainly because you have to tow it to your next truck and they don't ride very well when empty. This is just my opinion because they do work well otherwise.

2) Some newer FWD's don't need to have anything disconnected. The advantage with RWD is you can just disconnect the driveshaft if you're not using that special fitting.
Using manual transmission is risky right now because i've heard too many stories of it somehow getting into gear when being towed and that's immediate disaster. If, however, you can find a way to physically prevent the shifter from moving while being towed, this is a viable alternative.


i'd personally stay with a mini van because you can sleep in those at anytime. S-10's are ok, but will you be able to sleep in one?

a) You, technically, got to be disconnected from the truck if the sleeping in your tow vehicle can be counted as "off duty" line one.

If i do this again, and there's a big possibility i will, i'm thinking of astro, or fullsize silverado with diesel (this way i won't have to buy much if any fuel). And, also with crew cab so i can use the rear seat section as the "sleeper."