BigBlue

What exactly is that? Is it where people hire you to tow their stuff or something like that? It sounds kind of interesting and I'd kind like to do it once I got my tranny and fuel system up to specs (along with the turbo and injectors and stuff ).

pappyman

Hot Shot is a general term applied to a pickup truck and a flatbed trailer....years ago allot of hot shoters where pickups with a flatbed gooseneck trailer that would haul less then a Tractor/Trailer setup....they where more flexible and could deliver loads quicker then freight company's

Hot shots still need to comply with all the DOT rules and regs that freight company's do and insurance costs are high and if you keep a pickup bed on your truck it limits the weight of the unit....plus theres extra costs of a motel room when your outta duty hours because you can't log sleeper time (legally)

When fuel was cheap you could barely make a livin....now its harder to pass on fuel costs to the customer because more of the large freight company's are doing LTL hauling to generate more business and they can fill their trailers

Its tuff to get a start in hot shot hauling unless you have a contract to haul for someone....if you depend on loads that you find on a random basis you'll rack-up allot of costs driving to the next load empty (deadhead miles).....I have a contract to haul Xmas trees and I get paid both ways (one way is empty) this contract pays for all my outta pocket costs for the year (insurance,maintenance,inspections,authority)

Most people that are trying to get into the business start out signing on with a company thats already doing business....most times you can run under their authority and insurance plus they find your loads to keep you running

__________________
Chapter President GADTR # 13

1995 Dodge 3500 Bombed with #6 Plate, 47RH Tranny, W/low stall converter, and Transgo shift kit
EGT,Boost and Tranny temp gauges, 100 Gal Aux Fuel Tank ,KDP FIXED using the Jig trick
1998 Pace 44 ft Enclosed Gooseneck Car Hauler
Two Skid Steers, Equipment Trailer, Tree Chipper, For Storm Clean-Up


"I have a PHD. Its sitting in my garage. (Post Hole Digger)"

BigBlackDodge

Luckily BigBlue you are in an area where one of the best comodities for the hot shotter is available. Oil Field.

You will need to be 21 with a clean driving record. If you do not have any recordable trailering time you will have to start with just a pick-up. You then will gradually move your way up to a goose neck or what we call a mini float. If you you run hard with just a truck you can run $50-70,000 per year. With a mini-float and a good couple of customers you can easily gross over $100,000.

Remember one thing, you cant hot rod your dodge above much what I have in mine, shell run to hot pulling the heavy loads. Pulling a float you can easily weigh in well over 30,000lbs + depending on the equipment you haul.

Oilfield rates are 1 way loaded rates. if you get a back haul thats a bonus.

example rate from Houston TX to Corpus Christi TX
Line haul mileage 208 Mini float
Line haul block 210 - $536.95
10% fue; charge $53.69
12 % Insurance charge $64.43
Total ticket - $655.17

Thats $2.58 per loaded mile. If you got a back haul it would be $3.72 round trip mile.

Rates vary between customers and your % will depnd on your contract you have with the company you possibly lease to. I am at 83% with Lonestar.

I PASS GAS

BigBlue:

Check with your local RV dealers. I am going to be buying a CTD around the time school lets out. There are three large RV dealers around here that sell 5th wheel and tag along RVs, and they both told me that if I have a truck, they can probably find me work. One of them told me that they would hire me directly, while the others I would have to speak to the company that they hire to do the hauling.

I am very interested in doing this as a summer job. I'm in the same boat that your in (college) and if you want to do some driving to make money, this seems to be the easiest way to go about doing it.

Of course you have to look into all of the stuff like extra insurance you may have to purchase to cover their equipment, etc. Do all of the number crunching to figure out if it would be worth while. I figure if I had one load a week, I could pull in about 10,000 over the break.

I'm serisouly looking into this for the three months I'm out of school this summer.

Please let me know if you find anyting out.

Josh

__________________
2001 2500 SLT Laramie CTD, QudadCab, Long Bed, Auto, 2wd, 3.55 125,000 miles

Mods to date: Silencer Ring MIA, BHAF, Rip Rook's Dual 4" Exhaust System, Rancho 9000's, OEM Fog Lights, Aux Reverse Lights, Chrome Westin Nerf Bars, Kickin' sound system

I pass gas--Cummins Turbo Diesel!

Stamey

OK, a little off topic, but could soemone explain why having a bed on the pickup limits the load rating? Isn't a gooseneck a gooseneck whther it's mounted in a bed or not? And how would DMV know whther you had a bed on it? They don't actually look at the truck, do they?


Thanks,
Chris

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And by the way, I have an abnormal affection for my truck. My support group for this affliction is DTR Chapter #7 (like an alcoholic hangin' with his drinkin' buddies). [laugh]
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Tim Barber (TimInVa) is THE MAN! THANKS Tim!
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Are you a Diesel Head?

Mechanos

If it has a bed (including a flatbed), it is cosidered capable of carrying freight in addition to towing a trailer. If it doesn't have a bed, it is considered a tractor and falls into a different "category" for lack of a better word to describe it.

__________________
'01 2500, Quad Cab, Sport, 4x4, ETC, DTT 47RE, 3.54's, Fuel Boss, B&W, Isspro FP/Pyro/Boost/Trans, Edge EZ, turnbuckle, BHAF, 4" straight-piped, power/heated MOPAR tow mirrors

Haulin_in_Dixie

I have never seen it affect the load weight, but it affects the length you can pull. With no bed you qualify under the federal minimum standards of length which are 53 foot trailer and any length tractor. With any kind of bed you are a truck and trailer rather than a semi and fall under the individual states length limits. Tennessee is 48 foot trailer, Florida is short but has an annual permit. Of course it gets rid of several hundred pounds of weight also, loosing the bed and bumper.

__________________
99 2500 4X4 Laramie Quad cab ISB275 engine 660 tq stock with air comp, HX35/18.5, NV5600, 13.125 SBC, 354 posi, Rancho 9000, Scotty II, EZ, FASS, bottom feed, ported ATS ex man, Isspro gages, Truspeed, Ford dual wheels, Jorden, Alpine, amp, M15000 warn.

Freightliner Condo, N14 500hp.
Kaufman EZ loader VI car hauler
97 Dodge 2500, Club cab, 4wd, tow body, cow catcher, 12v, NV4500
Borne 50’ car hauler
53/102 Trailmobile Reefer

BigBlue

Thanks for the help. I might have to look into this a little more.

natstayl

I PASS GAS wrote,I seem to remember reading on DTR forums the story of a guy with a Dodge CTD that had over a million miles on his rig and was still motoring happily. Wasn't he delivering some kind of vehicles (trucks, campers or other) for a living?
Nat

__________________
2003 2500 SLT QC, Garnet Red, SWB, 4x4, 305/555, 48RE, 4.10LS, Pwr Adj. Pedals, Charcoal Prem Cloth, Rugged Trail T/A's, Color Matched Over-the-Rails Speedliner, 4" Putco Boss wheel-to-wheel nerfs, 20' Kaufman GN Tractor hauler

Haulin_in_Dixie

Yes he was a 12v delivering RV units.

Mechanos

Just what constitutes a "DOT approved" sleeper? What minmum requirements must be met to be considered an approved sleeper?

pappyman

Basic is a 75X24X24 rectangular shape with access to driving area with ventilation and occupant restraints....every thing is in rules and regs 393.73

BigBlackDodge

§ 393.76 Sleeper berths.

(a) Dimensions --

(a)(1) Size. A sleeper berth must be at least the following size:



------------------------------------------------------------------------

Height

Length Width measured

measured on measured from

centerline on highest

Date of installation on motor of centerline point of

vehicle longitudinal of top of

axis transverse mattress

(inches) axis (inches)

(inches) \1\

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Before January 1, 1953............ 72 18 18

After December 31, 1952, and 75 21 21

before October 1, 1975...........

After September 30, 1975.......... 75 24 24

------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ In the case of a sleeper berth which utilizes an adjustable

mechanical suspension system, the required clearance can be measured

when the suspension system is adjusted to the height to which it would

settle when occupied by a driver.



(a)(2) Shape. A sleeper berth installed on a motor vehicle on or after January 1, 1953 must be of generally rectangular shape, except that the horizontal corners and the roof corners may be rounded to radii not exceeding 10 1/2 inches.

(a)(3) Access. A sleeper berth must be constructed so that an occupant's ready entrance to, and exit from, the sleeper berth is not unduly hindered.

(b) Location.

(b)(1) A sleeper berth must not be installed in or on a semitrailer or a full trailer other than a house trailer.

(b)(2) A sleeper berth located within the cargo space of a motor vehicle must be securely compartmentalized from the remainder of the cargo space. A sleeper berth installed on or after January 1, 1953 must be located in the cab or immediately adjacent to the cab and must be securely fixed with relation to the cab.

(c) Exit from the berth.

(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, there must be a direct and ready means of exit from a sleeper berth into the driver's seat or compartment. If the sleeper berth was installed on or after January 1, 1963, the exit must be a doorway or opening at least 18 inches high and 36 inches wide. If the sleeper berth was installed before January 1, 1963, the exit must have sufficient area to contain an ellipse having a major axis of 24 inches and a minor axis of 16 inches.

(c)(2) A sleeper berth installed before January 1, 1953 must either:

(c)(2)(i) Conform to the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) of this section; or

(c)(2)(ii) Have at least two exits, each of which is at least 18 inches high and 21 inches wide, located at opposite ends of the vehicle and useable by the occupant without the assistance of any other person.

(d) Communication with the driver. A sleeper berth which is not located within the driver's compartment and has no direct entrance into the driver's compartment must be equipped with a means of communication between the occupant and the driver. The means of communication may consist of a telephone, speaker tube, buzzer, pull cord, or other mechanical or electrical device.

(e) Equipment. A sleeper berth must be properly equipped for sleeping. Its equipment must include:

(e)(1) Adequate bedclothing and blankets; and

(e)(2) Either:

(e)(2)(i) Springs and a mattress; or

(e)(2)(ii) An innerspring mattress; or

(e)(2)(iii) A cellular rubber or flexible foam mattress at least four inches thick; or

(e)(2)(iv) A mattress filled with a fluid and of sufficient thickness when filled to prevent "bottoming-out" when occupied while the vehicle is in motion.

(f) Ventilation. A sleeper berth must have louvers or other means of providing adequate ventilation. A sleeper berth must be reasonably tight against dust and rain.

(g) Protection against exhaust and fuel leaks and exhaust heat. A sleeper berth must be located so that leaks in the vehicle's exhaust system or fuel system do not permit fuel, fuel system gases, or exhaust gases to enter the sleeper berth. A sleeper berth must be located so that it will not be overheated or damaged by reason of its proximity to the vehicle's exhaust system.

(h) Occupant restraint. A motor vehicle manufactured on or after July 1, 1971, and equipped with a sleeper berth must be equipped with a means of preventing ejection of the occupant of the sleeper berth during deceleration of the vehicle. The restraint system must be designed, installed, and maintained to withstand a minimum total force of 6,000 pounds applied toward the front of the vehicle and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

Rob_OBX

where is the best place to look for a company that already exists and might hire you on? local trucking companies? should I stay away from places like Yellow, and the other large ones? or are they some of the best to call? I have at least 5 or 6 trucking terminals within 15 minutes of the house.

Thanks!

Rob

__________________
'03 2500 HO, 6 spd, 4x4,QC, LB
160,000+ miles
'06 FLHTCUI
'48 Panhead rigid chopper

Smoking is for diesels...

pappyman

Here's one that seems to always be hiring drivers with Pickups

http://www.bennettig.com/btt/btt_pickups.html