New to Car Hauling

True but you will have far less parts and repair bills for write offs...
Plus you won't get every other day off because your truck wont be broken down every other day.
So having the right equipment does have its downfalls.

 

Nobody here is trying to bust your bubble, deflate your ego or rain on your parade. We do however have something you have zero of and that's experience.

Every one of us that has "rained on your parade" has seen more people than we can count (some that actually had at least some real experience) try to do what your wanting to do and after loosing thousands of dollars, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars fail in months.

Back in the 30s and 40s young kids like you that wanted a career would go apprentice somewhere with an older experienced mentor to teach and guide them. Sometimes for 5 or 6 years before they would move up to the next step. Frequently apprenticeship was not a paid position and sometimes you even paid for the privilege of being allowed to serve as an apprentice.

Now days where everyone, even the worst player on the worst team gets a trophy people think they don't need any skill, training, experience or general knowledge about whatever it is they think they want to do and can't even begin to understand why any of that junk I mentioned is necessary.

No disrespect but of that list of items I mentioned in my previous post to you how many of those items have you taken care of? How many of them that you didn't even know you need to take care of? And I never even listed any of the additional stuff you'll need if you plan to take that pick up truck across state lines..

Things like UCR, IFTA, BOC-3 and more.. have you even heard of those things?

And don't forget about your Drug consortium membership. Did you even know that you have to have a pre-employment drug test before you can even drive your own truck for your own company? I bet you didn't.

Do you know if your required to have a city business license? Maybe a county or even state business license all depending on where you set up your business. Again, I bet you don't even know who to call to get an official and correct answer.

Yet your ready to jump in your "new to you" pick up truck and be a professional car hauler....

This sounds contrite but it applies 100%... "Those who fail to plan are planning to fail."

You came here and asked for advise and overwhelmingly the advise was first actually get your CDL and then go get some experience. Unfortunately that's not what you wanted to hear. Really sorry but there are no participation trophies given here.

Do you even have any idea how much your proper commercial insurance is going to cost you? 24 y/o brand spanking new CDL (once you actually get it) new venture company.. likely over $20,000 annually.. that's about $4,000 down and around $1,600 a month. Plus fuel (easy $300-500 a WEEK), rent, food, truck note, trailer note... you have a girl you want to take out ocassionaly? Better save some $ for that too..

You really ready for that?

PERHAPS, working for someone else for a few years putting in your time and learning some about what your wanting to do while somebody else pays you to learn might not be such a bad thing?

No participation trophies in the real world. Just hard work and bankruptcy if you get it don't get it perfectly right the first time. With no, none, zero experience that's going to be a huge mountain to climb.

Whatever you do, best of luck and by all means, please keep us posted.

Tell you what, if you do decide to go for it and if your actually successful at the end of 18 months and your books are black and not red show us that and I'll send you a gift certificate for a nice steak dinner at the Outback Steakhouse to help you celebrate success...

How's that for encouragement?

 

This is a great post but I will add one thing, and that is you can do all your research, buy the perfect setup, do everything by the book and still be a victim of bad timing. There is basically a recession in carhaul right now and you would be starting in the worst of times. Guys that were around back in 2008 are telling me that it is worse now than back then.


PS, I have said the same thing in other posts and what usually follows is some clown who has high volume customers or who works for one of the megas saying that "there's plenty of work out there". Good for you but your situation doesn't apply to a new venture or any business that gets most of it's business from load boards

 

I suppose I am that clown, but when I post I speak of my experiences. When others post it is of their experiences. That's one thing valuable about this forum. You can generally get a view of all segments of this industry by hearing different points of view.

I realize that generally I may have a different take than most which is something I usually try for. The reason being is that no matter how bad things can be. Some one or some company will always prosper. It may not be hauling from load boards. It may not be hauling new. There could even be another time In our lifetime when the new car market takes a nose dive. But there is one thing for certain without a doubt. Someone will always be making money thru the good times and the bad.

If it turns out later in life that watermelons pay more than new cars, guess what I will be hauling. I have hauled them before.

 

Haha. You were making a case on the benefits of being leased on to one of the largest companies which is a valid one. I'm talking about guys with established businesses or even a few company drivers(who run the NE as well) that commented before. None of that applies to a new guy who's only source of work will be the embarrassing low rates of Central dispatch

 

Whoever that is that is telling you about 08 is far from the truth. I was around for that. Yes I'm leased to a "mega" but it hurt them as well. $4.00 a gallon diesel, few new and used cars to move. H&A, Centurion are 2 that I know dropped mostly all over their O/O's back in that time. No way shape or form is that happening now. The megas are still brokering loads to outside guys so the work is there.

 

Guess that goes to show that nothing is true across the board. Although you are the first I think to say that it's better now than 08.

 

Hi!
I wonder how many of you guys make appointments with p/u and delivery locations personal? Does it help you to avoid detention time? As for the auctions it is impossible for sure...

 

Personal owned vehicles, always. Some repo yards as well. Average car dealer it is a waste of time, although if it is somewhere I have not been before I will call to check hours, availability, and truck directions as many have off-site storage or specific truck loading areas.

I never trust the dispatcher or broker has made the contact, so if it is anything unusual I always confirm.

 

Brian, thanks for your reply.
There are guys out there who may simply forget about the apointment anyway - and you have to wait... When you make an appointment you do it within 24 hours before actual pick-up, right? Or there are situations when you have to plan your trip way before the actual pick-up. In regards to delivery it is clear - get in contact with person ASAP or 24 hours before delivery.