Yet another wannabe- but with different questions

Deliver packages in your personal vehicle for Amazon, saw this on TV. Retirees were doing it for extra income.

 

Best advice I can give is, DON'T,,,DO,,,IT. Most trucking gigs are family UNfriendly. Summer is the busiest time for trucking, and you'll rarely get home. I've found, there's no such thing as a part-time or casual trucking job. They all require 110%. Don't do that to your family, please. Trucking ruined my family, and I'm not alone.

 

Hotshot would be perfect for you, if you have your own authority you can work when you want and take the loads you want. $20k is low but it's enough for a decent truck no trailer though, I move cars within 200 miles home every night 5 days a week $45k is easily doable working 10 months a year.

 

I'll have 6 years running cars in July 2019. I am a retired PA state employee with a nice retirement income and my wife has worked full time during this time period.

I have a 2011 Silverado 3500 purchased used and paid off after two years. I had 20K as down $ and 26 1K monthly payments. I used the business loan to buy a new 3 car trailer. Its been paid off for a while, kinda (keep reading).

I got my own authority and do my own dispatch. The last annual ins premium was 9K. I have a clean record. The other large costs are fuel, about 33% of every dollar I make and maintenance on the truck and trailer. Combined maintenance cost for truck and trailer in 2018 was over 10K. Maintenance cost is already 4K+ since 1/1/2019.

Current business incurred debt during the 5.5 years is about 27K. Cost about 1k monthly in payments. Others monthly recurring payments are about 350.00.

Having shared the above, I transported cars, on average, 10-12 days per month in 2018 and earned, gross, about 5K per month. I cherry pick the best paying loads. Of course, more days would equal more pay.

Now, take out the cost. I let you do that math. Also, I am not feeding a family, so what and how I do it, is fine.

In MHO, the single biggest mistake I have made, was not getting at least 15K in the bank and maintaining that amount, to cover the annual ins and maintenance cost. This amount would have all, but eliminated the need to access the loan to cover ins and maintenance cost.

Everybody is different. And as they say, "I did it my way."

I've seen a lot of our Great Country with others paying for the trips.

Keep learning, have a way to keep cost down, have a saving account, and get your own authority if you do move forward. Thanks, PK

 

I was 53 when I started. A few retired guys are doing this works out really good as you can turn the key off anytime. I stay pretty much local focusing on $ 400 to $800 a day. Mainly doing work for utility companies and small businesses needing expedited freight moved. Manly light weight stuff and waiting for the rate con to appear in my email or the phone call. Trying to keep my customers aware of my whereabouts to make their job easer. Good luck brother, I also spent time at Lejune in the 80’s not sure but your screen name hertfordnc looks like you are close to the bases. You might get a hookup there but military freight most of the time moves long distances. Another source would be fabrication shops.