lease-on deal I was looking at

Discussion in 'Expediter and Hot Shot Trucking Forum' started by Brandonpdx, Aug 24, 2022.

  1. buddyd157

    buddyd157 Road Train Member

    13,439
    34,299
    May 25, 2017
    under a shade tree
    0
    6 of one, half a dozen of another.

    continence plays an important part for the inexperienced person. however here is where the company can take advantage of the newbie.

    being on your own, lends itself to success, or failure, but then too, so does leasing with someone.

    you can control your own destiny, income, and customer growth, being on your own

    when someone has control over you, and your equipment, well, they got you by the "short hairs"

    keep searching, something better may be out there, if not, well good luck, i do wish you well.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Brandonpdx

    Brandonpdx Road Train Member

    4,075
    3,835
    Dec 27, 2007
    Elkhart, IN
    0
    Fair enough.

    I'll see what my impression is after meeting the guy...possibly tomorrow. He lives in the next county over about 50 miles from me, so close enough to be worth the trip to go figure out who I'd be dealing with. Again would be looking at this as a "feet-wet" opportunity. I did that for 6 months 10 years ago working for 25 cents a mile at my first rodeo out of driving school. It was valuable experience even if a crap deal.
     
  4. Brandonpdx

    Brandonpdx Road Train Member

    4,075
    3,835
    Dec 27, 2007
    Elkhart, IN
    0
    I wish there were more options for these types of outfits to call around on like there are with the RV haulers around here. CDL or even non-CDL small truck outfits are pretty niche market to begin with. He said he used to mess around with CDL/class A equipment but decided not to any more, in favor of 26k and under flatbedding mostly around the upper midwest. He said bumping around in PA, OH, IN, IL, IA, MO, WI, MN is kind of the money sweet spot and that venturing off into Florida, the northeast, or out west past the rockies is a waste of time because the rates coming back are bad. He said he has a guy that turns Dallas or Houston regularly.

    He's not looking for any money up front and said he's had a lot of guys try it for 2-3 months and walk away after deciding it wasn't for them. With a new guy starting out he said he advances the week's fuel, insurance and trailer rental fee and deducts it afterwards on the week's settlement, so no money comes out of my pocket. Fuel is on a company Comdata card that reloads back to $400 daily and some places have discounts. He said he had a tarp I could use and would get a kingpin adapter for the trailer so I could use my 5th wheel. We had a bit of an argument as to whether you'd still have to use the safety chains if the gooseneck coupler is swapped out for a kingpin/5th wheel coupler. I said I don't think so...that's only for ball or pintle hook connections right?

    Rest of the flatbedding gear needed to get going is looking like a $500-600 bill I get to foot. (Anybody have chains, binders and 2" straps to sell?) Also I have to park the trailer somewhere when not being used, but I think I've got a solution for that...30 foot trailer isn't realistically going to be parked at my house and he doesn't have a yard or anything I can leave it at.
     
  5. Lite bug

    Lite bug Road Train Member

    1,362
    20,139
    May 3, 2014
    Columbus Ohio
    0
    The guy is right about where to run and not to run. Look around Craigslist, for used equipment, Rural King has some gear straps etc. to get started. The guy has to make a profit and have enough left over to keep personal leased on. Are you able to determine how long some of the guys have been with him. Run with them until you are ready to move on your own. The only difference than running on your own is negotiating the load amount, having enough cash or credit to run while waiting on payment to hit your account. Sometimes the waiting can be long for direct accounts and some brokers can take time. He is asking a large % but his knowledge of markets in the Midwest may be enough for you to make some money while you learn.
     
  6. bad-luck

    bad-luck Road Train Member

    3,017
    5,394
    Nov 16, 2013
    Baltimore, Maryland
    0
    I can't advise you on whether you need a chain on the gooseneck. I haven't hauled flatbed exclusively since 1990ish, not only do I not remember much but I am sure the laws have changed. I did buy a flatbed in the beginning of 2019 when the reefer rates tanked, but I was hauling bags of Quikrete. Sold the trailer the same year and gave away most of what I had. But I will look, if I have any straps or anything else, you can have it.
    If this is really what you want to do then give it a shot and get some experience.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2022
    Lite bug Thanks this.
  7. Brandonpdx

    Brandonpdx Road Train Member

    4,075
    3,835
    Dec 27, 2007
    Elkhart, IN
    0
    I think it's looking more like an opportunity I probably shouldn't pass on and then hope for some luck after that. There's always that "what the hell have I gotten myself into" feeling that hits you any time you consider venturing out into something new and intimidating where there's some amount of risk involved. First time I hooked onto a brand new travel trailer to deliver in my little truck that I built it was one of those moments. That first time I pulled out onto a busy public roadway by myself with a Fuller transmission and a loaded 53 footer or the first time a paying customer climbed into the cab when I drove taxi in New York, there is always that surreal "oh crap" moment that happens when it's your first rodeo and you're wondering how obvious it is. Another one of those moments is coming since I don't have a lot of open deck experience. Have hauled some bundles of steel and plastic culvert pipe on a gooseneck a few times at a seasonal job I had once at an agronomy company but that's about it.
     
    Lite bug Thanks this.
  8. Brandonpdx

    Brandonpdx Road Train Member

    4,075
    3,835
    Dec 27, 2007
    Elkhart, IN
    0
    His take is a little high and also his insurance co-payment he might be making a few bucks on, but other than that he struck me as a straight shooting, low BS cranky old fart who snowbirds in Florida. He said one guy had been with him over 8 years. He said he has direct shippers and also does broker loads. I would probably look to buy my own trailer as a next step if works for me. We talked some numbers and they were pretty close to my theoretical ones in the opening post (but those were halfway educated guesses) On a slow week it should leave in my pocket about what the best week I ever had hauling RV's did, and even then I did fine because I live cheap and simple.

    I've been looking around for prices on gear. Lot's variation there on price. Menards had 20 ft 5/16 transport chain with the hooks on the end for $54.99 each and that about the best I've seen on those. Straps are funny...the 2" 27 footers I've seen as cheap as $11.99 each but add that extra 3 feet on for a 30 footer and for some reason the price goes up to $25-30 each which seems high considering I'd need 10 of them. Racheting binders I've seen nowhere on local shelves but I bet I know where I can get those. I'm guessing those are $40-50 apiece and I'd need 4.
     
    Lite bug Thanks this.
  9. Lite bug

    Lite bug Road Train Member

    1,362
    20,139
    May 3, 2014
    Columbus Ohio
    0
    I just seen a PJ in Valparaiso 32ft $ 9000 two 7000lb axles looks like he hauled pontoon boats had a extra beam coming off the frame to strap on to. Also on Craigslist some used strap $4 but located in Chicago. You never know what you see on Craigslist. I have two tarps I got for $175 plus a boat load of bungees most never been used and repair kit maybe 30 blank BOL sheets
     
  10. Brandonpdx

    Brandonpdx Road Train Member

    4,075
    3,835
    Dec 27, 2007
    Elkhart, IN
    0
    If it's a 14k or better trailer that would likely be a problem since I have a 12.5k truck. 13.5k would be the limit for non CDL. (He has a 12k and a 13k unit he said). Not sure what his attitude about a CDL setup would be. Probably wouldn't want to deal with it because of the extra paperwork and random drug testing required. I can understand it not being worth the trouble on a rig that's only 500-1000 lbs over the CDL threshold. I know some trailer mfgs will de-rate or re-rate a trailer after it's in service, and possibly PJ is one of them. decent price though and pretty close to me. Craigslist?

    More than likely I will end up just shopping hard for the best price on new stuff so I know there's nothing sketchy going on there. If his tarp is okay to use that would save me a least a couple hundred bucks though.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2022
    Lite bug Thanks this.
  11. Lite bug

    Lite bug Road Train Member

    1,362
    20,139
    May 3, 2014
    Columbus Ohio
    0
    You have a 450 ? With that 99.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.