Pickup Truck looking for work

joseph8064

Active Expediter
Need some help finding work for my Chevy Avalanche 1500 in the Los Angeles area. I see a lot of companies offering hotshot loads but not for pickup trucks. Are there any companies out there with work for pickup trucks in my neck of the woods?

I could really use some help here and quick!
 

paullud

Veteran Expediter
Do you want to run for someone else or are you going to get the insurance and other required items on your own? The issue you will run into is that the truck is to small for a lot of jobs and you will end up destroying it. You could get your own cargo and non trucking liability insurance and try to run ads on Craigslist.

Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums
 

cableguymn

Seasoned Expediter
"shipping wars"

honestly, I can't see anyone signing a truck that is a cross between a 4 door SUV and pickup.

Very hard to secure the freight from theft.
 

stonewolf

Seasoned Expediter
lol old ya people were gona tray and jump into it lol ... there are a copple companys that run pick up trucks but the avalanch is to small they require an 8ft bed and high top fright cover ... that they dont offer for suv's sry and if you gona buy a truck to do it get a ext cv instead
 

cableguymn

Seasoned Expediter
lol old ya people were gona tray and jump into it lol ... there are a copple companys that run pick up trucks but the avalanch is to small they require an 8ft bed and high top fright cover ... that they dont offer for suv's sry and if you gona buy a truck to do it get a ext cv instead

+1 on the extended cargo van. Get one 8 years old or newer so you can run it a while before the 10 year rule at the automotive plants kills it for you.

mine is a standard/city van. it'll take 2 pallets but there is no room for anything else.

I wish Dodge would bring back the Ram Vans. If I remember right the extended 1ton would take 3 pallets and burp. Last I heard Dodge is going to drag some Fiat POS over to replace the Sprinter.
 

stonewolf

Seasoned Expediter
yeah fiat bombed out on there own private dealers so crysler picked up there usa sales represitaion and dodge is talkin bout doin a whole bunch of crazy concepts with fiat ... we will have to see what happens
 

AMonger

Veteran Expediter
Need some help finding work for my Chevy Avalanche 1500 in the Los Angeles area. I see a lot of companies offering hotshot loads but not for pickup trucks. Are there any companies out there with work for pickup trucks in my neck of the woods?

I could really use some help here and quick!

Look for local/regional courier companies. Not ones that run pallets of freight, but packages. Such a courier company I worked for used pickups with toppers. Problem is, it takes a small pickup with a small engine, but full-sized bed, to make it work, gas-wise. And out where you are, the gas is outrageous. Look, Kalifornia sucks, all the way around, especially for business and individual rights. Do a Beverly Hillbillies in reverse and get out of there. It's only going to get worse, and Kalifornia's doing everything they can to keep people unemployed and get business to leave the state. Maybe you should get out while there's work available anywhere. What do you think of North Dakota? I bet you could find courier work up there, especially if your truck is 4WD. I bet courier companies up there can't keep up with the calls.
 

mjmsprt40

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
When I first got into the courier business, I had a standard pickup with the 8-foot bed and a cover. I ran that for a year or so, but the fact is that it's not the right vehicle for the job. It has the capacity of a station wagon and the fuel thirst of a large van-- so just get a van.

Can you do this in a pickup? Yes, but--- the bed is going to restrict you to the smallest loads--- seriously, if you can get a skid on there you're doing good, if the Avalanche is what I think it is-- and you'll find that those loads don't exactly grow on trees. Even in the small vehicles, you want something that can handle enough freight that they will call you (or, if you're strictly a one-man band and you're getting your loads on your own, you can find something to fit). That suggests nothing much smaller than the standard full-size van. Otherwise, you're going to sit a lot.
 

FIS53

Veteran Expediter
The best options for this is to look at companies that deal with the industrial suppliers/distributors (MRO) like BDI, Kaman and other bearing, power transmission and such equipment. There are skids and shipped individually that would fit the back of the Avalanche but the weight capacity would be a limiting factor. The skid would have to be secured properly to stop it from sliding forward or otherwise as well. Note that these are hot shot type loads as holding over night would present problems but the loads can go anytime of day and can pay well.
So as someone else mentioned the local courier companies and such but dealing with the industrial sector on a hot shot type basis (direct drive etc). Not a lot of calls per day but if doing out of town calls they can be profitable.

I did these calls and paid by percentage and it worked fine. You have to watch expenses especially with fuel being what it is and the preventive maintenance (do it).

Good luck finding something. Rob
 
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