Big boy truck Vs Truck

Go for it. You only live once.

 

If you have the talent and experience in a semi why would you want to run a hot shot? I think you would be better off running a single axle with a goose neck or short flat bed if you do not want to haul 80k pounds.

A used day cab single axle can be found pretty cheap. Just be sure it is geared correctly to run highway miles.

I do not see a lot of steel loads that are light enough to go on a 3500 unless you have an "in" somewhere who can line them up for you.

 

I bought a single axle day cab for the last place I worked. I did NOT find one single axle that was less expensive than a similarly equipped tandem axle. It was crazy. The owner was dead set on a single so that's what I got. But found a lot of better deals on tandems. Part of the reason was there are not as many singles to chose from on the market. Even old single axle beverage trucks were expensive and not really suited to running the highway.

 

I have never understood the whole hot shot thing. If anyone does an honest cost per mile comparison I don't see a 5% difference in operational cost. I can see a huge difference in the revenue potential. After 40 years in the biz, if I were you go the flatbed route, I would get a good used standard issue tandem tractor, a step deck with ramps and be available for the widest available cargo stream, if I was running 48.
Single axles are used for regional use where there is a lot of turning and delivery stops, and a logistics plan where the origin and dest loads are consistent.

 

I think that a new dually, costs about 6 times what I paid for my first tandem axle big truck - a good used one maybe 3 or 4 times.

Always thought it was a lower entry level deal . . .