So you want to hot-shot? (Will be updated/edited frequently)

Discussion in 'Expediter and Hot Shot Trucking Forum' started by HOTSHOTTER432, Apr 29, 2015.

  1. singlescrewshaker

    singlescrewshaker Road Train Member

    4,478
    38,067
    Dec 31, 2017
    Little Havana, FL
    0
    So far, my fuel is virtually the same. I averaged around 9mpg on my IFTA's with a '12 dodge 3500, & have had a high of 9.2- a low of 7.76 in this Shaker. That's no idling in the pickup, yet some idling in this one. Also just had the overhead adjusted, so it should come back up some..

    It's more comfortable, powerful, paper logs, insurance is cheaper, tolls are usually half for 4axle vs 5, roadside inspections are less frequent, air ride adds more available freight, & I could buy 8 of these for the cost of a new pickup. I've also got 48' of deck vs 40', & I can deck 28k lbs vs maybe 20k lb in a pickup. Still under 2290, no KYU, but shoot if i tag for 72k, i can deck 45k on this setup. There is also no difference in the hoops I jumped through to run a 36k lb hotshot, vs. this rig..

    Is it limited, sure somewhat. Less limited that a hotshot. Before I ditched the hotshot, lots of brokers began telling me no to loads that would work for a hotshot, but won't use one again because of a bad experience they had with a previous jabroni running one. Most the freight I see that weighs 48k pays worse than the lighter oddball stuff that I like to take anyway..

    Will I add a pusher, or do a twin screw cutoff, or just buy a tandem tractor in the future.? Its a possibility. Just working my way up the ladder I guess..
     
    clausland, RStewart and Lite bug Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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

  3. RStewart

    RStewart Road Train Member

    3,152
    4,978
    Aug 21, 2015
    Norman, OK
    0
    Makes sense. I figured when you include all the dead heading the 1 ton would be better than any tractor in MPGs.

    I can see brokers not wanting to use hot shots anymore. Too many guys that don't have any business hauling freight jumped out and bought trucks.

    I haven't ran a hot shot in about 12 years but the ltl freight on the load boards doesn't seem to pay as good as it did back then or as good as it did in 97 when I started my trucking career in a hot shot.

    You can pull longer than 40' with a 1 ton as long as you pull the truck bed off, which I'm sure you knew. My first hot shot was I pulled the bed and put a full size 5th wheel on it and pulled a 48' flat that was made for 1 tons. I miss those days. Lol. Although my 86 in sleeper is much more comfy. Lol.

    I do agree about the cost of the truck though. Lol. I have a 2014 KW T660 tractor now that I bought used for less than a new 1 ton.

    I was just curious how it benefited you to run that truck as a single axle vs a tandem axle tractor.
     
    singlescrewshaker Thanks this.
  4. singlescrewshaker

    singlescrewshaker Road Train Member

    4,478
    38,067
    Dec 31, 2017
    Little Havana, FL
    0
    Yep, I'm also in full agreement with everything you say. :thumbup:

    I may have partially miss understood the original question.

    Really I guess the only advantage to a tandem tractor would be a little better fuel economy, cheaper registration fees, less in tolls, & one less axle to maintain.. The disadvantage is a little harder to load, less traction in snow, ice, mud.. I was looking at it more as advantage over a hotshot, which is were I came from. For me may have been more of a stepping stone. I still pulled a gooseneck with this truck till I saved enough to buy my stepdeck outright..

    That sounds pretty neat, a 48' flat for a 1ton. I've seen little stepdecks for class 3-5trucks, but never a flat. What was the deck height on that wagon, & do you have any pics of it..?

    I thought about switching to a 4500 or 5500 & having an aluminum 48'-53' stepdeck built, but the cost would have been astronomical. This was the cheaper way for me to go, yet I believe more versatile, & durable than the class 4-5 setup would have been. Some shippers may have still seen the small truck & called me a hotshot & turned me down..

    I miss it a little bit, small trucks are fun to wip around in. But now, even my little 40" bunk is Buckingham palace compared to the homemade backseat bunk I crammed my 6'3" frame into. I do still take 34's in a motel, because I like too..
     
  5. RStewart

    RStewart Road Train Member

    3,152
    4,978
    Aug 21, 2015
    Norman, OK
    0
    I can't find any pics of it but it was a steel flatbed just like a semi truck flatbed. The main frame was 19lb/in I-beam which is little smaller than a semi trailer. Had 2 12k lb axles with a 6ft spread. Deck height was 36".
     
    singlescrewshaker Thanks this.
  6. singlescrewshaker

    singlescrewshaker Road Train Member

    4,478
    38,067
    Dec 31, 2017
    Little Havana, FL
    0
    That a great deck height for being 48' of straight loadable deck. My gooseneck was built of the same, 12" 19lb per foot I-beam, with 33" deck height, only 48" spread on dexter 12k lb EoH disc brake axles. But less deck to load obviously..

    I was thinking you'd of wound up with more like a 42"-48" deck height to clear the trucks frame, 5th wheel, fenders & all. Pretty cool..
     
  7. larry2903

    larry2903 Heavy Load Member

    786
    983
    Oct 18, 2009
    On the trails
    0
    @flatbedcarrier , thanks for all the info you’ve posted in this thread, very informative. I’ve always drove and owned class 8, but hot shots have always interested me. Might have give a serious look a few years ago, but in 17 I started pulling a conestoga and don’t think I could go back to tarping again. Very spoiled now.

    Thanks again for taking the time to reply for so many years though, great read.
     
  8. nathanel2k

    nathanel2k Bobtail Member

    7
    6
    Apr 30, 2020
    0
    This has been finny to me
     
  9. Randr

    Randr Bobtail Member

    3
    2
    May 21, 2019
    0
    If you cross state li es carrying commercial freight ,you need all of the things you said you dont need except a cdl...ifta mc and dot. Even a physical
     
    Lite bug Thanks this.
  10. Lite bug

    Lite bug Road Train Member

    1,362
    20,139
    May 3, 2014
    Columbus Ohio
    0
    Been doing under 26,000 lbs since 2008
     
    Xray4, singlescrewshaker and clausland Thank this.
  11. 24kHotshot

    24kHotshot Heavy Load Member

    801
    874
    Feb 19, 2019
    New York
    0
    Was going through facebook hotshot groups and someone put up a post doing very bad math about earnings and expenses. Decided to try and get an idea of cost of operating. It is not perfect and just avg to get a picture of more or less what goes on.

    I'm running a 2019 Ram. I expect no more than 3 years/300,000 mile lifespan out of it. Some will run longer some will barely leave the lot. I am not accounting for repairs at all.

    So very basic/avg costs and not including any breakdowns, blowouts, ect...

    Truck and trailer $80,000 - $0.27 (My cost for example, 60k truck,20k trailer)
    Insurance $45,000 - $0.15 (Spitballing, Seen 10-35k a year)
    Fuel ($2.50/8mpg) $93,750 - $0.32
    Tires $ 3,300 - $0.02 (My 19.5 tires should last 100k. 1 set p/yr)
    Maint. ($400/month) $14,400 - $0.05 (Basic filters/fluids)

    So basic expense is 0.81 cents per mile. I'd put away at the least the remaining 0.19 cents a mile on the side for unexpected expense so about $19,000 a year on the side. If nothing breaks down then yay!

    So expense before food, loadboards, tools, dispatch, tolls and other very variable expense is $1.00 a mile. If your run for $1.50 a mile you are working for free. For $2.00 a mile you are earning about $50,000 before taxes which isn't much for the immense investment of money,sweat, blood and tears.

    Hope this helps any newcomers understand what they are getting into.

    Feel free to correct me if anything seems wrong.
     
    WOT and Lite bug Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

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