New but Ready to work!

Discussion in 'Expediter and Hot Shot Trucking Forum' started by Nationwide Transport, Nov 26, 2015.

  1. Nationwide Transport

    Nationwide Transport Bobtail Member

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    Nov 26, 2015
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    Hey guys, I've spend the past hour looking up random questions I've had so I didn't waste anyone's time or look stupid.

    First off, I have a 2013 Ram 3500 dually set up for bumper pull, gooseneck and companion hitch. I have a 24ft enclosed car hauler and a 20ft deckover flatbed.

    I've formed an llc, obtained an MC number and just got insurance for $1200 down $500 a month.

    I have yet to put my numbers on because I'm not sure the procedure for weight station and comercial inspection sites.

    Running "NOT FOR HIRE" is sure to get me in a mess and since I'm legal anyway, I want to start walking the line.

    My route consists of running to Chicago for a day trip from Indianapolis to pick up USHIP loads and loading them all up for a haul to Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Dallas dropoffs. I average $1700 a load there, and $1200 back profit and I keep my receipts for fuel and matinence.

    Just wanting to know if I'm doing this correctly. Wanting to expand, just bought another Ram and a cargo van.
     
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  3. StrongArm

    StrongArm Light Load Member

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    Apr 2, 2014
    New York, NY
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    Under 26000 lbs. you can run commercial plates, no IFTA, but still need to follow FMCSA regulations. You need to run a log book if your traveling outside of a 150 air mile radius from your home terminal. You need a medical examiners certificate from a DOT certified doctor. You need to have lettering on each side of your vehicle, font at least 3 inches I believe(correct me if i'm wrong), noting your company legal name, address, and DOT number. You need to stop at weigh stations if there open. If you are over 26000 lbs. gross vehicle weight you will need to run apportioned plates and file/pay IFTA. You will also need a CDL.

    How is U ship working out? I never find much general freight on there and most of the time people are just "phishing" and never accept a bid.
     
  4. Not_Here_Long

    Not_Here_Long Medium Load Member

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    Sep 7, 2015
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    LLC for a sole owner you lose good pre tax deductions
    Enclosed trailer no one hardly will pay the added cost and they suck up fuel worse than an 80K rig.
    Hauling U ship loads waste of time mostly.
    Going to Texas for 1.50 @ mile you'll go broke quick not many return loads.
    Loads out of Texas pay less than an dollar a mile.
    20 Ft. deck over going to be near impossible to get a load except less than a dollar a mile crap
    40 footers are hard enough to load.
    Doesn't matter what dims are most brokers to stupid to measure and use
    the all encompassing "legal load".
    Sounds like you watched to much "shipping wars" ?
    They lied been doing this nine years and money is really tight now brokers can smell a new MC number and
    will take full advantage of it along with the "I steal your money" dot police.
     
  5. Not_Here_Long

    Not_Here_Long Medium Load Member

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    Sep 7, 2015
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    Signs need to visible from 50 feet and magnetic is the best that way when you've had enough of the hotshot business you sell trailer and take them off and truck is still good.
    Not to mention when empty you remove and zoom past the scales.
    U ship sucks and then you have some brokers like DAK who partial crap out they get there.
    They have a nice pretty page with al the trucks shown That they own none of.
     
  6. Nationwide Transport

    Nationwide Transport Bobtail Member

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    Nov 26, 2015
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    With cargo I've been max 25k and I haul anything from household goods/furniture/artwork, vehicles, atvs, construction equipment and even a dog if it will be alright in my cab. Hell, a dog alone usually pays for my fuel one way.

    Uship has been very easy to book loads, great people to work for, and they have some pretty good disposable income.

    My doctor that did my flight physical can do my DOT but had to schedule 3 weeks out. Just seems like alot of paperwork.

    But what do they do when you pull up to an inspection site? I only see semi trucks there. I don't want to look like anew idiot pulling my truck and trailer up to obe having no idea what's going on. I see other marked pickup trucks passing them up too.
     
  7. StrongArm

    StrongArm Light Load Member

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    Apr 2, 2014
    New York, NY
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    Magnetic signs are not legal in New York City, not sure about other states/cities. You may get a ticket for not having permanetly affixed lettering.
     
  8. Not_Here_Long

    Not_Here_Long Medium Load Member

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    Sep 7, 2015
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    Household goods like furniture fall under a different category than freight and a different set of rules.
    You've already made the first mistake with your statement "a dog alone usually pays for my fuel one way."
    Paying foe fuel does nothing for your income. Anytime you open the hood one of these trucks eats 100 dollar bills
    like peanuts. After the first good repair or two you will see buying fuel means nothing.
    Or a 12-18 months form now you be counting your money and realize you worked for near nothing with all the time you have invested. With the business model you presented I'd never put signs on a truck and run outllaw as long as you can.
     
  9. Nationwide Transport

    Nationwide Transport Bobtail Member

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    Nov 26, 2015
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    Thank you guys for the info, I really appreciate it. I'll admit I did watch the show but I know it's dramatized and that's not why I decided to get into this industry. I like to travel, I like making money and it's been a pretty interesting couple months meeting different people.


    Like I said on an average load there and back, I make on the average $2900 profit. I sleep in my truck, and do everything out of cash from my own pocket. Once I got my MC I had 80 different factoring companies call and I had to ask them if they can beat immediate payment. My expenses other than fuel consists of $500 a month insurance, $250 a month for servicing parts(fluids,filters,tires), and I set back $500 a month for a new truck.

    I'll be honest, on uship it takes about 2 weeks to book loads to make it worth it, but if it was easy every Tom, Dick and Harry would get a pickup, trailer and start hauling.
     
  10. Not_Here_Long

    Not_Here_Long Medium Load Member

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    https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/390.21
    Magnetic ok and traveling interstate into the city would still be ok.
    NYC not paying enough now to go anyway the toll even going the free routes is till about 100 to get on the island.
    using mainly free bridges. unless you have time to drop in from the Tampon ZEE bridge.
     
  11. Nationwide Transport

    Nationwide Transport Bobtail Member

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    Nov 26, 2015
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    I understand that it's not the expense of just the fuel, or insurance and general wear and tear. I'm a mechanic by trade, I service my truck myself, even better than the service guide. I use premium everything, and I bought a truck thato is slightly overkill.

    I have an MC number, I have insurance, I have a perfectly maintained clean rig with cargo securely strapped down and distributed. I can get from home base to Texas in 17hrs. I'm just not sure what I would need at a comercial inspection site.
     
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