Cost to run hotshot truck

Litebug, I am not up on the specific purpose of paying a BOC Agent, but i am aware I need one in order to do my own authority. I am home, finally. Can't wait to start putting things in motion. I would appreciate the information. Could you PM me the info? I am sure once I go on public record there will be lots of people calling. I want to get my business phone set up so I can screen them all. I am sure there will be some crooks in the midst as well. Thanks for the help.

 

Join OOIDA, ~$45/yr, then have them register as your agent. They will do this at no additional charge, and you are covered in all 50 states. They also have a drug testing consortium. Seems like it may cost around $250/year for everything involved. Call them up, very nice people to deal with.

 

Thanks, Chattduck. Looking into it.

 

What I don't understand is why people don't include what they want to pay themselves.. I.e. Wages/salary when calculating cost per mile. How can you get your true cost to operate when your not including all the necessary numbers. Especially, for new guys starting out and there reading on here .55 to .85 cpm.

 

Good point. Most of us talk about op cost when we're breaking everything down.

When I'm bidding a job, or hearing a rate It's a combination of things needed, Op cost, decent driver pay, and a modest company profit. That's the very minimum any of us should be working for.

 

I don't include my pay because I consider that profit. My cost per mile is just that - cost per mile. When I accept a trip, it is because the profit per mile suits me on that day.

 

I am considering getting into this (also considering OTR flatbed), and I am just curious what you are primarily hauling with a 20ft flatbed. From other threads, I was under the impression that I would probably need to have a 40' trailer. I currently have a Dodge 1 ton and a 20' + 5' dovetail gooseneck. Ideally, to keep startup costs to a minimum, I would prefer to find a niche using the equipment I currently have and then add a trailer or two for flexibility as I become profitable. I would appreciate your feedback based on your experiences. Others feel free to chime in also. Thanks in advance.

 

Unless you have a customer who is going to keep you busy with your current 25' trailer I don't see there being enough loads for that size trailer. I have a 40' trailer and I wouldn't buy anything else.

 

Not to be a smart aleck - I haul anything that will fit on a 20' bed and is within my weight limit (about 9000 lbs).

Much depends on the characteristics of the market you are serving. I'm in an area where there is a lot of small manufacturing, and there is usually a fair selection of loads. I haul machinery, machinery parts, raw metals (in shorter lengths), coils of metal (once in awhile), coils of wire, landscaping supplies, and so on. Almost all loads are posted as partials, and many times I see lots of loads that just don't pay enough to be a stand-alone full load. I have also had weeks where there was just nothing out there for me.

I don't think that there is a magic truck/trailer configuration that will get you all the business. I am also a fan of using what you have to its best ability before you go spending money on something else - especially if you are just starting out.

It's true that a 40' trailer on a truck that can tow 44,000 lbs will get you the ability to carry a large number of loads. And it should give you the ability to stack loads for multiple drops and multiple paydays. The other side of that coin is are you willing to be out for weeks at a time? Or would you prefer to do day trips - out and back the same day. Hard to do multiples with those.

If I had it to do over, knowing what I know now, I would have bought a longer trailer, aluminum, dovetail, with air ride and a tarp system. Keep in mind, though, that I paid $6500 for my trailer and accessories and that fancy one would cost way more than twice that.

My advice would be to get started with what you have. Once you have some experience in your market, you'll be better able to judge whether you need a different trailer and what kind would be suitable.