Looking at a car hauler job

Then I guess you need to decide if you want to work hard for less than this until you learn the trade. Probably a couple months or so. I love it now, but it sucked for me at first. I was driving junk, worn out equipment at first and this made me like it less. If I had a good rig from the start I probably would have liked it sooner. Some people never like it and others won’t do anything else.

 

I started in one of these single tank, worn out 5 drivers before it got to me! Was definitely a challenge. When they gave me an International with a Teal I didn't know how to act with 2 huge tanks! Equipment makes a big difference that and a lot of patience!

 

I would have gladly traded you the Baby Blue Rocket for that! Just when I figured it out after a week or two I would get bumped out of it. At Allied I got permanently assigned a well seasoned freshly refurbed Volvo strap truck and I learned how to become a good carhauler. I know I am crazy, but I really didn’t mind the Volvo. I wouldn’t want one now that I am spoiled with my Pete but once I got it cleaned up I enjoyed driving it.

 

Oh that picture isn't the one I had. That one is way nicer!! I kinda liked the Wah64! Drove this one at H&A refurbed chassis hauler!!

 

A flatter never have to load and unload. Climbing and tasking the body car hauler style. Walk around for hours at the auction looking for cars. Nor pay 1200 for a scratch x6 rim missed on inspection. Not always runing 80k+. Every care hauler load is high value. Insurance. Aero dynamics and mpg. Equipment costs. Years its takes to master the job. Risks and injuries. (There's actually warnings posted on trailers by manufacturerers. to cover their rears and lawsuits on record to prove loss of limbs). And more. Not saying cars aren't paying more, . how much more? You get the point?

 

Plus maintainable. Every stinger car hauler eats tires for breakfast and dinner. Always something to weld. Some dealers have seperate pricing for work on car hauler. Just like they do to the RV guys. Multiple pickup multiple stops. Long dead heads.....and more

 

Thank you for all that. I already know the point and all of the things you mentioned. I don't touch auction cars for that reason. And I have done both. I've tarped machinery and chillers. I'll take backing a car on and throwing straps any day. Obviously everyone has their own opinion. If it doesn't work for you that's fine it works for me and a lot of other people. You don't think flatbed has the same issues? I'm not sure what the point of all that was? I don't own my truck. I'm a company driver. And do very well. I've looked into a lot of flat bed company jobs and none that I've spoken with can come close to what I make now. If you have the inside track please share.

 

Thanks again. I don't do auction cars and don't own mine. But another guy on here does and enjoys it and does very well. You don't think a flatbed going in and out of jobsites eats tires? Not to mention the mud the dust and the gravel and all the other hazard's on a construction site.. Really?!

 

I don’t ever sit for hours waiting on a crane or waiting to get unloaded. Every job thus far I have had in the last 40 years had some kind of issues. I also won’t haul auction cars unless it paid double what new cars does to allow for the extra time to find and start the cars. This job isn’t perfect but I won’t trade it for anything at this point. If I get in the mood next week to buy a drop deck and haul for Landstar I already have an inside track, but I probably won’t be doing it just yet.

 

Without straying to0 far away from what the original conversation is about.

pardon me, but if you may not, the disjoint here is looking at it from a business owners perspective as opposed to that of a company driver.

An owner gave his insights on flats vs cars earlier in the thread of which I assumed led to your comparison even to the tone of mentioning not tmc, or hunt but lanstar and mercer which are more of owner operator/ contractor oriented companies than otherwise. Apples and oranges on your part.

Even at that, Obviously the man pays whatever you let him pay you. I emphatically believe income should be based on not only but revenue generated also. With effective revenue comes those costs I mentionEd. If the man is constantly paying for damages, maintainables, tires or you get hurt etc, you will make less. with less daylight between rates in car hauling and flatbeding, including but not limited to other traditionally lower paying sectors of the industry which is well documented, its only realistic that there should be a closer income gap between company drivers working in car hauling and their counterparts in flatbeding and general commodity sectors.

Furthermore, I assert there might even be little to a negative advantage for a car hauler when the opportunity cost of working in either sectors are part of the equation.