Change of plan

I've never heard of a hotshotter going to school . Many stay under 26,000 lbs. GVWR and don't require a CDL .
You can't make any money part time with your own authority . You might make a little delivering RV's .

 

I'm a hotshotter who did go to school. I recommend it since you never know what you'll be doing later on, and that Class A CDL is a valuable asset. There are so many regulations in this business that it helps to learn some of the stuff from the ground up and make it second nature.

It also doesn't hurt to drive a big truck to get the feel of things. As to the 26K GVWR thing, I have had loads up to my max permitted weight of 45K, so that 26K is a bit unrealistic. Most hotshots in my area are permitted for 34K minimum.

As far as working part time, most hotshotters in my area do. The catch there is that the time off is random and you can't really do this as a second job. When it's busy, you'll run like a bad dog, and when it's slow you'll sit home and wait for the phone to ring.

RickG is right though, you might be able to get a little part-time work hauling RVs but that is not hotshotting and doesn't pay much.

 

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating . 1 tons are now 12,000 lbs or more GVWR . The Dodge 4500 and 5500 are 26,000 , obviously to avoid CDL requirements . Ford F550's are over 26,000 . GCWR is the rating for the truck pulling a trailer with max towing capacity .

 

26K is very realistic depending on freight in your area . I know a family that ran 3 hotshot trucks . One was under 26k and turned more profit than the 2 over 26k . What isn't realistic is 3 car wedges expecting to stay under 26k .