Heavy haul as part time business?

The insurance company get wind that’s not his machine they will deny the claim. Also premiums are higher for a for hire carrier. They take in consideration how often you are moving these machines. Just stop while you’re ahead

 

Here is the problem with this idea of part time, a lot of hh companies and brokers will not deal with you because if you tell them "oh and the truck needs to be back here in two days" they will tell you to take a hike.

I have trucks that are scheduled for two days that may end up being used for a solid week. I just had an issue with one that broke down, it is a new truck with 45k on the clock and it went into derate mode for no reason, it cost me a bunch of money to get another truck out there and have a driver baby sitting with the first one at the dealer.

So part time?

No this isn't part time work.

 

I think i will stop. Im pretty confident youll say anything to defend your initial accusation of a person you dont even know, and continuing with this is a waste of my time.

 

Its not just @Humblepie that has a problem with it... I think most people do. It's one thing to bend a rule once in a while, but its quite a bit different to bend it so far and often that it breaks. If you can't understand that most people trying to play by the rules would have a problem with it.... If you think that its okay to build a business that you can only compete in because you are breaking the law... Then you need a much bigger rear end whipping than the mods here will allow...

 

I am a customer of our local dealer, and have my MC number as well. If I am renting equipment my insurance covers the equipment as if I own it. I got my MC number just so that I could legally haul their equipment for them when the occasion arose. They are more than happy to let me haul for them at the same rate as their primary outside carrier (whom I also hire to haul for us on occasion) when they are swamped, but like you say, they will not call on the chance that we might be available.

Typically I just call them when I am going somewhere empty to see if they need anything moved that direction, and occasionally it works for them to have us haul it, but nine times out of ten it doesn't work out. Honestly, for the additional cost of cargo insurance required for an MC number, and the fact that unless I own or am renting equipment my company insurance does not cover cargo, I probably don't make enough hauling for hire to even cover the additional insurance. I have considered letting it go, but the convenience of the situation still has some appeal. The other thing to consider is that the level of insurance required to cover hauling a new D8T for example is substantial. 300K ain't going to cut it, and I have to contact my agent and have them bump it up short term to make sure that I am covered.

So, all in all, the cost of heavy hauling for hire (correctly) is far too high to make it pay on a part time basis. The authority part is easy, the rest is quite a bit more expensive.

 

See i was ready to drop it and there you go. Talk about quick to judge. Who made you so righteous? You gonna come whip me?

The business was founded in the 1950s, he bought it for several million and is the 3rd owner. It is not fly by night or inder the table or unpermitted in any way shape or form. There is a car part yard, a scrap/wrecking yard and a tow/recovery side. He added fuel oil delivery and dumpster rolloff in his time and they are all main street commercial zoned properties. Everything is insured, customer cargo/vehicles is insured, and the total expenses are in the millions per year. I called him the other day and asked why he didnt have authority, he said the prior owners never had it and no one ever ticketed him, he stays local and didnt think it applied. I said i think you need it, he said maybe, i'll have _____ in the office find out. He isnt from this country, its not like US regs are simple. The CFR is pretty thick last time i had to flip one open.

It is a financial drop in the bucket for this person and just another paper the office girls will have to shuffle. If he gets his MC tomorrow and suddenly "plays fair" are you two haters gonna man up and apologize for trashing a stranger and me over an honest mistake? Or do i still have to stop while im ahead and let you salty old dogs crap on me cuz im new and youve got veteran status here? The dude made a mistake, and i was mistaken in thinking he didnt need MC. You must not ever make mistakes charlie. I gave the usmc 5 years of my life. My getting whooped days are over.

 

Everyone makes mistakes. No, I won't apologize, but I'll say "good on him" for correcting it...

 

I agree, it can be difficult to comply with all laws at all times. But to me, not having an MC# if you're hauling for hire, is much like driving a truck, without a cdl. Can I understand someone mistakenly doing it? Yes I can, but I would expect them to realize their mistake in short order, and correct the problem.

I don't give a plugged nickle, if someone hauls around some equipment a few times a year, charging for their work, without an MC#... and I seriously doubt most folks here would. But if you hang out a shingle saying you do it, and you're competing with others, you might want to get your ducks in a row.

 

Good for you for bringing it up and good for him being willing to do whatever needs to be done. Fact is, if he’s doing as well as you say he needs to do everything above board to protect his assets. If something goes majorly wrong it’s bad, but it will cost him everything if he’s not crossing all the t’s and dotting all the I’s.