Looking for info on hauling cars

truckrnnr · Feb 14, 2009

I'm kicking around the idea of getting into the auto relocation business. I would prefer to work for someone else hauling cars prior to purchasing my own equipment. I'm not really looking at driving a 10-12 car full size rig,but maybe a 4-6 car set up. I can be out for extended periods (4-6 weeks at a time if needed) I live in western PA. 15906. and I have experience hauling heavy equipment and O/D loads.
Does anyone have any info on "reputable" carriers/owners/companies who do this type of work?
Thank You,
TRUCKRNNR

blizzard2014 · Feb 14, 2009

Truckrunnr, I'm not sure if I can help you find anyone who is lookig for a driver to haul cars in a Ford F450 dually with a gooseneck trailer. But I can tell you how to get into the business and I can give you the name of the broker that handles all of the car shipments for a lot of different automomotive manufacturers. I have interviewed lots of people on the road and through my 3 years of "parking lot living" I have obtained a wealth of knowledge. The name of this broker is Central Dispatch and they have a broker load board where you can log on and pick what cars and what areas you want to deliver them to. The thing you have to remember with the car hauling business is that the broker pays you a flat rate for every car you haul. The flat rate is approximately 500 dollar per car. So, if you deliver a car 2000 miles away, the flate rate is the same as if you deliver it 400 miles away. The way to make good money at it is to haul three cars a very short distance and then book yourself three more cars going back in the same direction. I'm not sure how the competition is out there, but you might want to give that broker site a try.

Once again, good luck with that and here is their website. Take a look at the FAQ section and try and determine what you will need to get involved with this type of work.

CentralDispatch

Crazynuff · Feb 14, 2009

You'd be much better off with a medium duty truck and 48' stepdeck to give you more load versatility . Auto rates are way too low . Things are slow in every mode of freight . The auto haulers I know that are succeeding have been in it a while and have an established customer base .

nightcreacher · Feb 14, 2009

there are auto transport companies that hire drivers not owner opps.This is what i think he is wanting to know about.A company called Pilot,another is Waggoneer auto transport,they hire drivers.FDCC has a auto transport company called Passport,but they are all owner opps,except for a couple owners that have drivers working for them.
Google auto transport companies,you may find what your looking for

Crazynuff · Feb 15, 2009

Thanks for clarifying that for me , nightcreacher . The 450 dually threw me off . Just about all those setups are O/O and I really doubt there would be adequate revenue in a 4-6 car setup to provide a sufficient profit for a driver and owner .

nightcreacher · Feb 15, 2009

There is a good profit in exotic cars,inclosed 6 car haulers,if your an owner opp and decide to do this as an owner opp.Expenses are high,but so are the revenues

truckrnnr · Feb 15, 2009

I'm not sure where the F-450 dually came into play as I never mentioned that in my question. I have spoken to numerous people in truck stops who were hauling cars,......everything from 2 car trailers on up. You need to have the capacity to carry 2 cars to even break even. I grew up in the trucking industry,.......I know the ups and downs.
I have wanted to haul cars for some time and I feel now may be the right time for me. I am aware of Central Dispatch.
I would just prefer to drive for someone else in their truck before I drop 20-30 grand in equipment. I have trucks/tractors, but would have to purchase trailers. I'm looking at single axle tractors w/sleepers, and pulling 4 car,or 5-6 car double rack trailers.

I talked to one driver who in my opinion had an excellent set up. He had a single axle Freightliner FL-106, pulled a 4 car trailer ( 3 up/1 down) and had a wheel lift on the tractor. If he had a nieghborhood delivery he could not get the trailer into, he would drop the trailer, grab the car with the wheel lift, and deliver the car to the customers door.

I'm not sure I would want to go to that extreme, but I do want to get into this.
As I have stated in other posts, I have other business interests,but at heart,I'm a driver and I want to drive. I'll slow down late,for now, I want to work.
Thanks for all the advice and info.

johnburnett3 · Nov 16, 2012

Hello nightcreacher. It seems that you know a lot about auto car companies. I had originally planned on starting a car hauling business but I just use it to haul Junk car and it works pretty good. Just want to ask, Do you know any company that offers heavy hauling jobs? Like transferring heavy factory equipments? I used to tow many years ago.

BigBusBob · Nov 25, 2012

If you want to run for somebody to get your feet wet in the industry, hunt down a tow truck operation that moves cars for auctions and dealers. The guys with the roll backs that can move 4 cars at a time- one overhead, two on the bed, and one on the wheel lift... those are the ones that do good. They have versatility: they can move cars for auctions, dealers, and do police rotations as well. And, those guys that move cars on goosenecks with duallys... usually do pretty darn good. I will agree though that the step deck trailer is a very good idea because then you can haul more than just auto freight when auto freight is not there to haul.
Check out thetruckersreport.com for this sector of trucking.

zorry · Nov 25, 2012

If you want to haul cars you better like to walk. You can spend an hour finding a lost car at an auction. Or walk back to get your jump box. Or you occaisionally get one out of gas.
I hauled trucks, filled in by cars, for ten years.
Two things to remember:
1) you'll deal with used car dealers, always the most reputable people on earth.
2) they always try to cut a better deal.

I picked up three cars in the Palm Springs Ca area.
Two new corp cars for a very big auto executive. Had to wait til the next am as they weren't sure if he wanted two Range Rovers or a RR and a Jag.
He was out of the country, hence the delay.
The third vehicle was a low dollar pick-up.
In Texas a trooper decided the pu must be filled with drugs. The fancy cars of course were for the dealer.
After that delay I had the pleasure of pushing the pu off by hand. It wouldn't start.
Unloaded the Jag as planned. Drove from Target to big fancy house. As the wife drove me back to get the RR I asked for the $1600 COD check.
She informed me that she had been instructed to not pay me.
It seems the broker had decided after the fact that the Jag should pay less than a second RR.
I kept the RR on my trl for 2 days until we got the $$.
Also, I've heard of people paying by com-chek and then cancelling the check.
You will deal with some real scum- bags.
There is money to be made. Not as easy as it looks.
If you do it I hope you get to the level of decent people quickly.