new hot shot venture
- Thread starter irwin2277
- Start date
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
I bet you would get a better answer on a "Hot-Shot" website instead of a "Expediting" website...and, I bet Brisco will step up to the plate and point you in the right direction...
I would prefer the daully over the single any day. I pulled trailers and campers for about 14 years before having health problems.a whole lot more stability and safer, but you know what you can afford.but speaking of dodge,the only way to go pulling trailers.
Brisco
Expert Expediter
As far as your intitial inquiry, 30ft Trailers are not big money makers in the HotShot industry. If you could find a local manufacturer that produces soemthing like "AC" units, and run their stuff exclusively, a 30 ftr might make it. But, those types of customers are few and far between cause the guys that get those customers just don't give 'em up, period.
Biggest moneymakers in the HS industry are 40 -53 ft Lowboys. When freight is good, or abundant, it's nothing for these guys to be loaded at capacity with multiple customers shipments on their trailers bringing in $4-$5-$6 a mile. But, just as the Expediters have been experiencing these last couple of years, freight is slow all around due to the economy and higher fuel prices. Still, there guys out there running good bringing in $5K a week easily. (in the past, IOO's with 1 tons and 50ft lowboys could make $5K in 3 days if they were dispatched right or had a good customer base)
As far as single axle VS a dually. ALWAYS go with a dually. As mentioned above, they are safer and offer more stability when pulling trailers that might have 15K - 30K lbs on it.
I have always ran with Duallys. I will never never pull some of the stuff I've pulled with a SA no matter what. Even with a Dually, there have been times when I had like a 36-38ft - 16K lb 5th wheel behind me running 60-65 mph down the road when an 80K lb idiot with 18 wheels came flying by me running 85 mph. When that force pushes you onto the shoulder, and when your butt puckers so tight getting that trailer back into the right lane, you'll thank the Gawd above that you were in a "Dually" and not a SA, know what I mean. (maybe not, but you might sooner or later)
Sent you a PM, OK.
Biggest moneymakers in the HS industry are 40 -53 ft Lowboys. When freight is good, or abundant, it's nothing for these guys to be loaded at capacity with multiple customers shipments on their trailers bringing in $4-$5-$6 a mile. But, just as the Expediters have been experiencing these last couple of years, freight is slow all around due to the economy and higher fuel prices. Still, there guys out there running good bringing in $5K a week easily. (in the past, IOO's with 1 tons and 50ft lowboys could make $5K in 3 days if they were dispatched right or had a good customer base)
As far as single axle VS a dually. ALWAYS go with a dually. As mentioned above, they are safer and offer more stability when pulling trailers that might have 15K - 30K lbs on it.
I have always ran with Duallys. I will never never pull some of the stuff I've pulled with a SA no matter what. Even with a Dually, there have been times when I had like a 36-38ft - 16K lb 5th wheel behind me running 60-65 mph down the road when an 80K lb idiot with 18 wheels came flying by me running 85 mph. When that force pushes you onto the shoulder, and when your butt puckers so tight getting that trailer back into the right lane, you'll thank the Gawd above that you were in a "Dually" and not a SA, know what I mean. (maybe not, but you might sooner or later)
Sent you a PM, OK.
It seems to me your talking about 3\4 to 1 ton pick up trucks. A "Dually" is still a single Axel.
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
A dualie is still a single axle yes, but you aren't going to get a dualie on a 3/4 ton pu..and the 1 ton dualie is not the same axle as the 1 ton srw..it is has a higher cvw rating..and the dua rear wheels will absolutely add more stability and capacity...
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Monty
Expert Expediter
A couple of thoughts here ....
I was leased to Hot Shot Express for many years.
You can purchase a good used class 8 truck for the same money you can buy a pickup, the tractor will run millions of miles, that pick up truck will not!
Second, if you are satisfied that 30' is all you need, then why not go to a bay cab straigth truck with a 30' bed?
I was leased to Hot Shot Express for many years.
You can purchase a good used class 8 truck for the same money you can buy a pickup, the tractor will run millions of miles, that pick up truck will not!
Second, if you are satisfied that 30' is all you need, then why not go to a bay cab straigth truck with a 30' bed?
Most hot shotters have some type of sleeper, why get a 30 foot flat bed behind a day cab when you can get a dually crew cab and pull 40'+??? Sure if that's all you can afford that's one thing, but that day cab is going to get old really quick.
If you go the tractor route that would be even better, and do a "baby 8" type set-up with a 2 axle tractor with a full blown sleeper and the ability with no problem to pull anything from 30 foot to 53' foot.
Look at it this way, how many times have you seen a day cab with a 30 foot flat bed with multiple loads on board?
Now, how many times have you seen a dually pullin a goose neck with a truck, car, equipment, freight... in other words pullin what looks to easily be 4 or 5 loads on one trailer?
it's a no brainer, get a dually, or a class 8 single axle (2 axle tractor) and get a 45 foot trailer and be done shopping, and ready to work.
If you go the tractor route that would be even better, and do a "baby 8" type set-up with a 2 axle tractor with a full blown sleeper and the ability with no problem to pull anything from 30 foot to 53' foot.
Look at it this way, how many times have you seen a day cab with a 30 foot flat bed with multiple loads on board?
Now, how many times have you seen a dually pullin a goose neck with a truck, car, equipment, freight... in other words pullin what looks to easily be 4 or 5 loads on one trailer?
it's a no brainer, get a dually, or a class 8 single axle (2 axle tractor) and get a 45 foot trailer and be done shopping, and ready to work.
Brisco
Expert Expediter
It seems to me your talking about 3\4 to 1 ton pick up trucks. A "Dually" is still a single Axel.
Guess I got "got" here with my terminology.
But, I knew what Irwin was asking and Irwin probably knows what I was referring to with my answers.
So....everywhere I said "SA - single axle", replace it was "SRW - single rear wheel", and you should be able to understand it better.
Brisco
Expert Expediter
Main problem with this would be weight issues. Let's say you have a customer needing 4 6K lb - 8ft X 6ft generators shipped right now. Most of the trucks you see running around with 30 ft beds (lumber yard trucks) only have a 33K GVWR. Truck itself weighs in around 12K, only leaving about 21K to haul on truck. Those 4 generators are 24K in weight, and 2ft longer than what that truck will handle. (or really 5-6 ft for the space in between generators) You have a 40ft trailer, no problem. Plus other issues come into play...those trucks are usually 36-38 inches off the ground limiting some of the higher loads you could grab, and tarping loads that high off the ground is hell at times.
Take a look at some of these loaded trailers here:
ltlhotshot.myfreeforum.org :: Truck Show
Some of these loads are in the $5.00 plus a mile range. Let's say in one picture you're looking at 2 tarped crates that are paying $1.60 a mile a piece, then there's a generator there paying $1.20 a mile, then on the back of the trailer there's a full sized truck paying .65 cents a mile. That outbound load is paying $5.05 a mile. Now, let's say this run is from San Diego going to Dallas and that truck is getting dropped off in Tuscon. A good driver, or a driver that has a good dispatch service, will try to fill that hole the truck left with something leaving Tuscon heading to Dallas. Let's say he finds another piece of freight paying $1.50 a mile from Tuscon to Dallas. He's now making $5.90 a mile from Tuscon to Dallas. And, that's a 3 day work week including loading and unloading time.
Of course, it aint that great right now, but it has been in the past and will be again in the future.
Good advice.....but huge controversy in my realm over which one is cheaper to run. (Class 4-5-6 Trucks VS Class 7-8 trucks). A controversy I stay out of, period. I've done just fine with my 3500 Duallys, but always stayed under 26K, and always will. Plus, sometimes the arguments/sentiments are the same here when it comes to CV's VS ST's. So again, I don't express my opinion on which one's best to run with. I try to stay friends with all the guys no matter they're driving.
If he's "thinking" of starting a Hot Shot service he may want to Think about what class license he has. Before he starts buying a rig he won't be allowed to legally drive.
P.S. I have a 1999 F250 Ford Super Duty, 6 speed, Diesel. Three hundred thousand and change miles on it. I'll put it against any similar equipped Dodge for towing any day of the week.
P.S. I have a 1999 F250 Ford Super Duty, 6 speed, Diesel. Three hundred thousand and change miles on it. I'll put it against any similar equipped Dodge for towing any day of the week.
Brisco
Expert Expediter
If he's "thinking" of starting a Hot Shot service he may want to Think about what class license he has. Before he starts buying a rig he won't be allowed to legally drive.
P.S. I have a 1999 F250 Ford Super Duty, 6 speed, Diesel. Three hundred thousand and change miles on it. I'll put it against any similar equipped Dodge for towing any day of the week.
Of course.......especially if he's going to register his total weight in the 33-36K range as most LTL/HotShot IOO's do. He'll have to have a full blown Class A (w/o airbrakes) CDL to run his rig.
Also, guess you've been reading up on my choice of "Truck" preferences.
Sure, that 7.3 is a dang good motor, and this comes from a certified CUMMINS nutt, but I have ran circles around plenty of 7.3's in my day. The 7.3 PS just does not compare to the power the 6.7 Cummins puts out. STOCK that is. And, I passed many many many a 7.3 in hilly areas that were pulling same weight, if not less, in my 5.9 Cummins too.
So there.............
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
Brisco, my bad..I missed the "N'T on are..as in Aren't when saying "you aren't going to get a 3/4 ton with a dual rear wheel"..
I am on your side here..LOL, thats why in my 1st post I said "I bet Brisco will be here to help"...
I am on your side here..LOL, thats why in my 1st post I said "I bet Brisco will be here to help"...
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I not trying to poke you into commenting either way on this but when you mean cheaper to run, you talking about mileage/PM or insurance or road taxes?
bigshow345
Seasoned Expediter
Why not go with a freightliner sport chassis. You can pull heavier loads vs using a 1 ton pickup truck. I run under my own authority but I scour load boards work with several freight brokers and I haul for a fedex hub based out of walker michigan. The fedex hub pays the truck payments and fixed cost. If there are any loads I can find on websites like uship.com I will bid on those coming back to where I originate from. Sometimes I get it sometimes I do not buts primarly a gamble.
When I am bidding on load boards say if an object weighs 15 thousand pounds I charge by the weight of the object. I am going to throw a number out for example. Say I charge a $1.80 a pound (based on cat scale weight) thats gross 27000. Minus fuel and cargo insurance and truck insurance =16000 dollars. 4,000 dollars I set asside for a maintenance fund, and the rest I keep minus quarterly taxes.
Best thing to do is have a good accountant otherwise the irs will be knocking on your door.
When I am bidding on load boards say if an object weighs 15 thousand pounds I charge by the weight of the object. I am going to throw a number out for example. Say I charge a $1.80 a pound (based on cat scale weight) thats gross 27000. Minus fuel and cargo insurance and truck insurance =16000 dollars. 4,000 dollars I set asside for a maintenance fund, and the rest I keep minus quarterly taxes.
Best thing to do is have a good accountant otherwise the irs will be knocking on your door.
Brisco
Expert Expediter
Mainly the "cheaper to run" issue pertains to overall maintenance and "running" costs. Road Taxes are usually a set price that does not fluctuate since it's based on the weights you registered to run through all 48 states. Insurance costs isn't all that different either since your insurance coverage is really based on load coverages and not primarily based on equipment being used. Now if your equipment is registered above 54,999lbs, then insurance costs does begin to climb higher and higher, but the majority of these guys are registering in the 33K - 36K, with some running Class 6-7 trucks who are registering in the 45-54,999K range, all of whom are paying about the same on average.
The controversy comes in on which truck is cheaper to purchase and maintain over the course of 2-3-4 years time of using that truck. Will you wear out a "Brand NEW" $40K 3500-4500 series truck running 30K lbs of weight quicker than you would a $25K 750K mile Class 8 truck running the same weights over the same roads?? Of course, but what will be the overall "Maintenance" costs keeping both those trucks on the road running the same routes pulling the same weights over a 3 year time period??
There's been lots of differing opinions over this issue that has led to "board" wars that weren't really needed over such a trivial issue. That's why I have never never gotten involved in the issue when it comes up. I have opinions, of course, but try to just stay in the shadows when the issue comes up. And, I will keep my opinions mute here too because a lot of my "friends" I have on my other boards read this board every now and then too.
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