Need driver with CDL ASAP for emergency situation.

He will be back or he wont.

Some people thrive on being fed. Or maybe a good fight. I don't like to be negative all the time or any of the time. But If there is something there to pick on I'll do it. Most of you tend to bite me back, and usually for a good reason I wager as well. I have it coming. I love all you guys. But sometimes I wonder...

If he is not back then... I guess he will be making some decisions that may or may not be smart, digging deeper? Or stop digging and get out from under the load? OR maybe just abandon it and let it rot?

The devil is in the details as far as I am concerned. If I can see something coming I can fight it. But I work really hard to stay away from the small boys and their pickup trucks. I cannot think that small on top of a million different conflicting rules, licensing, weights etc by the states. Gives me a headache.

Sometimes I think hot shots should buy a big tractor, cut the rear axle off, trim the gingerbread and tack on the little gooseneck or something and pray for the best. It has to be better than trying to be a little truck accidently loaded with too much.

 

A single axle semi isn't more economical then what we run here, it's the exact opposite.

I ran semi trucks for many years, had nice peterbilts, Kenworth, etc with 48 and 53 foot stepdeck trailers. I switched out to these smaller rigs about 14 years ago, fuel prices were going up, and I could see strict emmision laws coming down the pipe (I'm based out of California). I put my semi trucks and trailers up for sale and put my new Dodge dually on the road. Right away I seen that I was able to take a lot more money home running my Dodge truck than I ever had with my semi trucks. This is why you're seeing more and more hotshot style trucks on the road these days.

I've been moving lite weight LTL freight for 34 years and these small rigs work well for my company. Making the switch, the only thing I was changing is truck size. We don't have a lot of break downs here with these smaller trucks. In the last 14 years I've only had to rescue 4 Owner Operators do to trucks breaking down. We're loading 20 to 25 of these trucks every week here.

There's more that plays into this type of Trucking than most people think though. For instance if you're trying to get all your freight from load boards it's gonna be a struggle. One of the reasons we do well in it is I have Brokers and Shippers that I've been working with for many years. Most of the freight we move is offered to us from them. When it's busy here we can have many of our trucks pre planned on loads for the entire week.

 

It's seem from the outside looking in. That a single axle would be more comfortable, last longer, and get equal fuel mileage. I would imagine 8 to 10 mpg is all you guys see out of your trucks. I would think that the maintenance cost would be lower as well. All other expenses i.e.: ins and such would be the same. All I can see saving on a hot shot type deal would be on the 2290. That's only 550 a year. And even then with a single screw you'd still be below the 55,000 lbs threshold.

 

If his equipment has a manufacturer's rating totaling up to more than 26,000#, it doesn't matter if he's running around EMPTY, he's out of class if he doesn't have a class A CDL. If his equipment comes in under, but he's loaded beyond that, then he's overweight with ANY driver, even a properly licensed one. So, if the OP is telling the full story, he's simply operating more truck & trailer than he's licensed to operate...and he should've known better. He can drop the trailer and leave with the truck, go to the DMV and take the written tests to get his class A permit, and then find a licensed driver to ride shotgun until he could get to the DMV with his trailer to take the road test. Of course that works if he's close to his home state. If he's not, well, it's more difficult. Find another hotshot to pull the trailer until you are properly licensed, because even empty you'll have the same problem if you're caught and haven't upgraded to the proper license yet.

 

Well a lot of assumptions being made, the op left us all in the dark with his really brief and incomplete drive by posting, so we will never know the truth.

 

I wonder how many guys come on here and their first post ends up being their last post
We do have a big problem with hotshots running class c around here.At our auction here (Adessa) probably half of the hotshots are running a class c.They also havent been in the business very long.I go out there each week to do repairs on something and like to BS with the guys.Seems like many use this as a bridge or transition because their normal job didn't work out and they come into this half assed and half funded.

 

Although it might depend on the State, around here we can hire folks on a temp basis to help work the farm, but only up to $1,500, over that they're considered an employee and everything that goes with that.

Of course, in the instant case, the temp driver must be properly licensed and be insurable, likely something the OP was not. It sounds like he got caught driving OOC. I'm sure by now he found someone with a Class A to help him out, at least I hope he did.

Years ago, before photo D/L, Class A's, Med Cards, CPAP, MD's from hell, FMCSA, DAC, and miles and miles of additional "Red Tape" many a hand simply & temporarily became "Sleepy Martin" with the Class1 just to get some experience, get truckin, and get on down the road. I mean really, how could a small town have so many guys named Sleepy Martin anyway, but I digress.....