diesel_deuce

Hi folks,

I got into RV hauling about 3 months ago. So far, it's a mixed bag. You do okay if you sacrifice...sleep in the truck, don't eat out, etcetera. It's getting old though, even though my truck is very comfy with the custom mattress rather than a backseat to sleep on. I miss my boyfriend and there's rarely a backhaul to Texas where I live.

Can I do better hotshotting?

Thanks,
DD

Tree DR

Your dead heading back to Texas from where? Last I knew there was a major hay shortage in Texas.

RickG

Check out http://www.hotshothauling.com/ . A lot of members from Texas there .

Clayten

I was wondering how long it would be before the romance fell out of the transportation business for you. I am not trying to be a smart alec, I was watching your post as to getting into this a while back. Trucking is not an easy way to make a living. Good luck.

zulusafari

I am a bit saddened to hear this as well. I read your other thread with great interest, figuring you had a better shot than most, with your situation. I hope you are able to find more work to make it work for you. Keep us posted!!

zulusafari

How is your return on what you already have invested working out? Are you able to get out breaking even or ahead, or are you taking a big hit if you stop.

diesel_deuce

As to the romance...that's still there. I love wandering. There's good and bad...I don't mind eating out of cans (saves the staring when dishwashing in the bathroom sink at the Flying J), doing laundry is much easier now, and I usually take my 34 hours off at a campground. The things I have seen has already been more than worth it. I'm snug as a bug in truck and have only had one bad night, when I unwisely parked next to a train yard...it was dark and I didn't see it. The ground shook all night!

Oh yeah..and Washington state DOT is a pain. Talk about nitpicky!

If I quit now, I wouldn't lose any money. I make about $145-190 a day after expenses, roughly 5-6 days per week if I do 1500+ loaded miles per week.

Where it gets tricky is this: I've met lots of top RV haulers who are on their 2nd or 3rd truck, having traded upside down on each one, and now owe $50 grand on a truck worth $15 grand. I baby my truck, but I don't want to end up like that. They get caught in this vicious cycle: truck gets the miles up on it, and then breaks. They can't afford to fix it but they can't sit either, so they trade. I have my company take 15% out of my money before I ever see it. They were taking 10% anyway for the damage deposit. Now that it's paid, I just have them keep it up so there will always be a cushion in case she throws up something expensive.

While I don't mind the hardships, that does scare me. She's got 60k on the odo now. At best, if business is prosperous, I can realistically earn $3,000 per month after expenses. However if it slows down, I'm not sure I can keep ahead of the plummeting depreciation. If she breaks, I can't run, but can't afford to sit, so by saving my money I hope to avoid that cycle when she inevitably goes down on me.

Anyhoo, that's the plan. Ideas?

thanks,
DD

zulusafari

Sounds like the wear-and-tear described is a major concern in your new profession. Could you save enough for a true medium duty truck, like an FL70 or something? Maybe that would solve the breakdown issue. Just thinking out loud...Other than your and similar stories/threads, I have no idea how the industry works...

Best of luck to you all around, though!! How is your health holding up?

Bonshawman

I picked up a used (but well kept) FL70 w/ 70" sleeper, which seems to get a bit poorer mileage than my '05 3500 dually (about 12 empty - 8 towing compared to around 17 empty - 10 towing on the Dodge), with an 8.3 Cummins VS the 5.9 in the Dodge - both have 6 speeds. The FL70 weighs in (full fuel - 160 gallons) @ 13,890#, the Dodge (full fuel 35 gal) @ 8,200#. The FL70 has about 13,000 miles on a fresh rebuild - ran her 3,000 miles when I picked her up - used ZERO oil.

Now for the kicker - my Dodge, with all my modifications, etc, with 31,000 original miles is worth the same as what I paid for the FL70, and is ten years newer. The FL should outlast the Dodge and then some, and can certainly take more weight, and is more comfortable, and will probably hold its value longer than the Dodge. Operating costs are not too far off, and having that extra fuel capacity is a big plus. I use mine for hobby-personal use, but if I was "living" in my truck, I'd want the FL - no questions. Room to move around, watch TV - those air ride seats are very comfortable - she handles great in the wind, and the benefits of 22.5 rubber and big (air) brakes is a comfort as well. The FL is built for heavier duty and commercial use, much more so than even the well-built "heavy duty" 3500.

It might be an idea to chew on DD. But as to your savings plan - that is spot on. For those who make "payments", continuing to make those "payments" into a savings account each month when the truck is paid for is a great benefit with little "pain", as one is used to it. Having the freedom to "roam" and see what is out there is a plus.

Tree DR

I listened to the stories of how great a bigger truck is and finally bought one and man was that a big hole. After haveing a biger truck I'll never do that again. As for resale I've yet to see a big truck hold any value unless it's allready bottomed out at about 6k or so. Biggest problem I saw when I was hotshoting 94-98 was people buying trucks for tooooo much. I shoped and found where I could buy my trucks for 5k less than anywhere else I looked. I bought 3 trucks there and put about 125-140k on each and sold them for what I owed on them. Never got upside down untill I bought the big truck. If you get a big truck you have to be loaded more than half the time or your loseing money.

Haulin_in_Dixie

My condo Freightliner costs less for maintenance than the Dodge, the payments are about the same, insurance is a little more, mileage a bit less, but it will last a million or more. As one said, the sleeper is worth any difference in cost.

You can get a clean big truck for near $30k with 500k or so on the clock. I paid 25,300. That will leave a good 500k to 600k driving time left on the truck and in a couple of years it will bottom out at 15k or so. The lighter weight adds greatly to the mileage that you will put on it. With 500hp, cruise, Jake brake, it sort of drives itself with less than 50k gross weight. Dot does not bother you near as much either.

I am currently sitting on my 84 inch bunk in my shorts with the air on, watching a movie on the 27 inch TV and playing on the computer. When I stand up to stretch, I cannot reach the ceiling and I am 6 foot three and a half inches. With the curtains pulled over the windshield, I have full privacy for me and my parrot. I have a pan of flakey bisects on in the microwave. Before I get going for the day I have to get a block of ice out of the freezer for the fresh ice water. Tonight I will probably put a rib eye on in the broil mode of the microwave. I have three of them in the freezer. Life is tough. I tried all this with the Dodge for a few years. If you are doing short local stuff, use a hot shot, if you are living in the truck for a week or more, get a real truck.

Clayten

Trucks sure have changed a lot. I remember when the walk in sleepers first appeared. Before that it was just a box and ya climbed through the back window hole .Just try puttin your pants on laying down without losing the change in your pockets . Cab overs are still like that. I hate cab overs. Ya now 600 hp, walkin sleeper, air ride cab and suspension automatic trans nicer than the Hilton.

deerefarm06

DD, I dont know from experience and ive never sat down and really thought about it but if trucking is in your heart and soul, then I would say start hotshotting. I know a few guys that do it and they make pretty good money. Every RV hauler ive ever talked to has said the pay doesnt even come close to what hotshotting pays, especially if you have your own authority and work for youself, not someone else. Thats just my .02

wb6epp

DD: I have been out for 10 years, but this is a little trick I used. For my return hauls, I contacted driveaways Co.'s that wanted cars transported. I rented a trailor from U Haul and towed the car to destination, then turned trailer in. I also had a hard time geting return hauls for RV's, and dead heading didn't pay a dime. I don't know if this will help you, but it is a idea for you.
Happy Truck'n

Road Traveler

Yeah I would say either hot shot or become a car hauler! The cost of getting an autotransport trailer is pretty cheap! You hardly ever have to worry about running empty if you do most of the time it is not ver far. Even if you dont try very hard at all and take your sweet time and enjoy the ride you can do $2000 a week cleared. My best friend runs a chevy 5500 and haul oilfield hot shot and he works about 7months (hard and crazy) and will clear almost 150k.

It takes a little time to get contacts and get to going in the car hauling or hot shot business but once that is done it is 10 times better then hauling RV's

Hope some of this helps.