Why...

Car hauler drivers glamorize it. Sometimes they belittle freight haulers for working for poverty wages when they could be car haulers and making huge paychecks in the 6 digit category every year. That's why there's so much interest. I was never interested in it after seeing so many car haulers hobbling around like they're 90 years old due to bad backs and aching joints.

 

Some ask why, other ask 'why not'. Do you know the difference between the two kinds of people?

 

A) Because it's an easy way into driving some kind of truck
B) it's a crummy job and turnover is excessive
C) most of the "fly-by-night" outfits, with terrible reviews, are always looking for drivers
Now that I think of it, that could apply to most trucking jobs today.
There are some sweet gigs in car hauling, but starting out, you won't see them. Most car hauling jobs today are the 3 or 4 car ones driving a dually. They run those guys ragged for peanuts.

 

@Hammer166

 

It's my understanding that truck owners with connections and conscientious drivers can do very, very, very, very, VERY well in the car hauling business.

Most who have lots of interest in getting into the business may be suffering from delusions of grandeur by thinking that they can do very, very, very, very, VERY well in the business despite not having the proper connections and conscientious drivers?

 

I think that if states continue down the path of actually enforcing the overhang regs on the high-mounts and wedgies, we'll eventually see things turn around. It's just too easy for someone with no clue to get in. It's a huge step to go from buying a ratty old high-mount to getting into a stinger. If carhauling isn't working out, the highmount guys can be pulling something else and making money next week. (Not that all the highmount guys are idiots, some of them are top-notch, but I've personally never understood why you'd develop a business that depends on non-enforcement of existing laws.)

And someone with decent credit can get a new dually and wedge up and running quickly, even if they haven't a clue about properly tying down cars. (It doesn't help that the fleece outfits churn out idiots who couldn't cut it in a stinger who now think they're carhaulers.)

But you're right, Central Dispatch has become a joke, with cars posted everyday for driveaway rates. I can remember making a good living off Central POVs and dealer trades, but that ship sunk long ago.

It doesn't help that emphasis on the bottom line rather than service level now drives most new contracts. That's an issue related to the current philosophy taught to MBAs, and effects all our industries, not just carhaul. Strategic thinking is punished by the markets, so every decision has to be made considering the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately line of thinking. The manufacturers seem to have largely excepted #### service to make a few dollars more profit, and the quality of who hauls cars has dramatically fallen as a result.

There's more and more guys who haul cars, and fewer and fewer carhaulers. Part of that is cultural, constructive criticism isn't often accepted, and public shaming of inadequate personal standards results in 50 idiots defending some ####### who shouldn't be loading HotWheels, much less a pristine vehicle. And that's unlikely to change until there's a cultural shift back towards personal responsibility and away from everyone-gets-a-trophy.

Not that the Fleece mills and the sheer number of guys they churn though have helped. The low rates they offer has left speed as king, and proper tiedown a dying art, as they have to slam loads on and off to even hope to make a living. The number of guys who have no problem with 1 or no straps on loads is unreal, and it's a sad fact that it's more acceptable than actually meeting contractual obligations and four-strapping.

So yeah, a lot of words to say, "I hear ya!"

 

Heck, all you need is a Dually and it take three car trailer. Couldn’t be any easier.

I just love picking up at my warehouse in Fontana off of Elm and Slover next to the car auction.
All the car haulers parked in the street, middle of the street everywhere!
Loading, unloading or transferring from one truck to another, it’s crazy. One of these days I’m gonna run one of them over.

 

Well, most car hauling jobs, you aren't that fortunate to have your cars sitting ready to go. Truth is, most of these jobs include dealing with the public, not home, car isn't there, flat tire or 4 cars in and none of them start. That's the reality of car hauling.