Only Experience Can Answer This...

No. Just got the truck 5 days ago. Had it inspected, ordered a few things for it, and scheduled some upgrades to be installed starting tomorrow morning.

Second, I didn't "dislike" any of the responses; quite the contrary - I REQUESTED experienced opinions.

And to be honest, there is nothing to "not like" about any of the replies. For example, the comment about "hoping you're not trying to undercut the already declining prices" - it doesnt apply to me. I have contracts with my existing clients that have a matrix denoting the pricing. I really dont plan on getting many loads off of places like CentralDispatch...just like I dont really post many loads on Central either. I used to have to do that dor the first 1-2years...but then I built my own database and system which works MUCH better. And every carrier who has pulled a load I sent them has never had a complaint about pricing or how I got them from AtoB.

 

Weight and cost. Sorry I've been MIA for a bit. I'm actually sitting at the install place now having the gooseneck hitch put in.

To go from 96" wide to 98" added a negligible smidge of weight. Going to 102" added a significant amount of weight. The fabricator I am working with is one hell of a guy. We have gone back and forth with design tweaks for almost 6 weeks now. Today or tomorrow I am signing off on the final dimensions, sending him the deposit, and telling him to spark up the welder.

 

Dexter 8k's

 

Sorry I was MIA. I'll try to stay focused answering a couple points here.

I dont think I am reinventing the wheel here or pioneering anything new with the non-CDL route. What I am trying to do is go down that route the most effective way possible for my unique situation which I will get into below.

Something I should clarify regarding why I designed the trailer the way I did, chose the truck I did, etc. This F250 needs to be able to serve as a 2nd family vehicle option in addition to its work load. I know. Crazy. Add another variable in there that has no business being there! Strangely enough, we just got the truck, and my very "city-raised" wife is suddenly in love with it. Go figure.

Back to the trailer design and truck. You're not going to like this, but once you hear the explanation I believe you will conclude I went the right route. I have a handful of dealership clients all within 75 miles of the big auctions here, most of them under 30miles, my home, and the storage lot (where my HOA is forcing me to store the trailer 2miles away) included. I strictly wanted the ability to load 2 vehicles, regardless of what they are, and move them myself. Mostly we are talking F150 size pickups, Jeep Grand Cherokee size SUVs, and Camry size cars. The average of averages. But should he buy 4x F-150s, I wanted to be able to get them all in 2 trips. For example, he is paying $75/vehicle, at 30 miles away, that's $5/mile the truck is loaded at ($2.50/mile if factoring in deadheading back). If I am smart about it, I can find 1-2 on the way down to start the load, maybe 1-2 in-between so I am not deadheading in between his 4 units, and maybe even 1-2 on the way back home at the end of the day. Just the 4 vehicles pays $300 for 120 total miles, round trip. So gas cost is under $40, load/unload + trip time = 4 hours (and that's waaaay overestimating). And that's a short trip with no other loads except his 4 units. If I snag one vehicle down, and one vehicle home, it makes a ton of sense to do this. The occurrences of him only buying pickups is extremely rare, its always a mix. He has never purchased more than one dually at a time. I was planning for worst case scenarios.

And here is where this plan starts really making sense. My entire family is moving here. They are all following us to GA. My father, who owned a business in FL for 35 years sold it, sold his house, is packing up his toys, and built my mother and him a house RIGHT NEXT DOOR to where my sister is building her home....all of this happening 2 towns over. My dad is no bum. Even though he is setup financially for life, he wants to work a few days a week. He loves vehicles and has WAY more mechanical knowledge than me. He actually wants to drive 2-3 days a week. He is giddy with excitement. Between the 2 of us, that truck will be running around Atlanta almost every day. Keep in mind

In all of my research, and in finally purchasing the truck, I have become extremely friendly with a local mechanic who happens to specialize in Super Duty 6.7L Turbodiesels. It's all he works on. He inspected the truck Friday once it finally gotnhere and said it is in spectacular shape. Had a turning signal light out. That's all he could find. Didnt even charge me to fix it.

If you're following the thread, you'll read that I am sitting at the hitch shop now having the gooseneck installed. I was showing the owner here the plans for the trailer I'm having built and he stepped back, took his hat off, and said "now THAT is something! You #### well better promise to let me service this when you get it, I want to see it in front of me!"

One last thing that has come up that I spent a considerable amount of time accounting for was legality issues. I dont want any. The law is the law and I intend to follow them. GA happens to be a pretty "intrastate-friendly" place to do this. I am a broker, I've explained this before, and I proudly say that because I am not anything like the stereotypical brokers....especially ones coming out of FL which is where I came from. Drivers LOVE me. Some of you probably have pulled for me and I would wager that you would agree I am a solid broker to get loads from. I pay well, and I hold everybody's hand, client and driver. This may give away who I am, but on large volume moves, I go out to the site and help. I'll stage cars at dealerships. I'll pull cars at the auctions. My job is to make sure the job is done on time and on budget, for all parties. I'm not the guy who sells you a $0.28/mile unit and pockets $300 for a phone call.

I have been talking with every hotshot I have had show up and I ask them all the same set of questions; what works? What doesnt? What should I look for? What do I avoid? How do I quickly prove my legality to an itchy-assed officer? It doesnt seem like weigh stations will ever come into play for me, so I am open to anything anyone can think of that will help me prep for avoiding problems.