I'm thinking about trying to get a part-time job this summer (2012). Has anyone here ever done it before? If so, can you make any money, how many days are you normally on the road? What would I need for myself and my truck in order to get a job like this? I have a CDL driving a school bus for the last 5 yrs. w/ no speeding or accidents on my record. How do I go about in finding a company in the DFW area to sign-up with? It seems like all the company's are several states north from me and none in Texas or the states around me. I have also been towing my 25' travel trailer for the last 3 or more years.

 

The summer is typically the slow period for the rv industry. Not much freight since July is the change over time and the factories shut down for a few weeks.

 

First off, it's not a part time job. Insurance costs prohibit this.

Seeing as how your in The Great State of Texas, if you are looking to make money and try your hand at hauling you need to look into Hot Shotting. The Hot Shot business is what all those one ton + DRW pickup are doing pulling those 40' gooseneck flat bed trailers with the stuff that looks like pipe strapped to the trailer. You'll hear others saying that they're a Hot Shotter and they are hauling LTL/Cars/What ever, anyone hauling with a pickup has it in their head that they're a Hot Shot. Hot Shot is oil field equipment.

You are in one of the right states to make good money as a Hot Shot. I met up with a RV hauler a while back at the new truck stop on the south side of Carthage on Hwy 59 a while back. He had backed into the space next to me and he was asking me about the rates for Hot Shotting. When I told him he had to pick his jaw up from the concrete. He told me that they make around $1.25 per mile hauling travel trailers from a factory in Indiana to the dealers all over the country. The statement that made my jaw drop was "We rarely get back hauls". Now it doesn't take a calculator to figure out that he's barely making enough money for his operating expenses. I have no idea how those guys stay in business.

So to make a short story long, I would look into Hot Shotting as apposed to hauling travel trailers. Good luck and ask any questions that you have if you're really interested in doing this.

 

How's business been for you ??? Aren't you leased to ACME or am I mistaking you for someone else ???

 

So if I try the hot shot business do any of you think I could make some money w/ my SRW and not a DRW? What is it called when you do non oil field business? Since "hot shot" came from that type of business? You know like delivering steel, pipe, hay......

 

Must be thinking of someone else.

 

its all called hotshotting now and its harder to do it in a srw.

 

So do you think if I added some extra springs like on the 3500's it would be doable? Or even air bags? That would make my 3/4 ton a 1 ton right?

 

Its a gray area. Depending on how the 'weight police' look at it and how they want to 'rate' your truck.
Another time where it could become an issue is when its too late. After a collision even if its not your fault, someone's insurance company is not going to want to pay if they can find a loophole.

You have a few ways that DOT can look at your rating limits of your truck.
The tires, the axles, the GVW, and/or the GCWR.

 

I agree with Scotty, you can change many things on our ram trucks but what you can't change is the information on the sticker inside the drivers door. While I love the Dodge Ram diesel SRW it is next to useless for towing a gooseneck or 5th wheel, even the 3500 SB CC 4X4 only has 2100lbs payload, like I said next to useless.

 

Hauling oil field equipment and being on call is what Hot Shot is. Everyone else that is hauling other stuff with a one ton and trailer for some reason calls themselves hot shots. Most just call them little trucks.

 

It will be difficult to find a company to lease on a singe rear wheel. You can get your own authority and attempt to get your own customers, then attempt to stay under on your axles but that will be very tough to do.

 

Every broker i have ever talked to delmar calls them hotshots or ltl loads. Yes it derived from the oilfield but the term is not limited to small trucks since it is meant for a hot load and even semi's haul them.

 

Actually payload and towing capacity are 2 complete different things.

Payload is what you can load ON your truck, in the case, 2100lbs makes it a 1 ton.

Towing capacity is what you truck can tow BEHIND, not on top. Ratings are approx 15,000 for a single wheel and 21,000 for a dual 3500, you have to check Dodge web site or a dealer to have exact rating. Unless your tongue weight or pin weight is above 2100lbs, you can haul a lot with a 3500, that's why is one of the most used.

 

Actually payload and towing capacity are 2 complete different things.

Payload is what you can load ON your truck, in the case, 2100lbs makes it a 1 ton.

Towing capacity is what you truck can tow BEHIND, not on top. Ratings are approx 15,000 for a single wheel and 21,000 for a dual 3500, you have to check Dodge web site or a dealer to have exact rating. Unless your tongue weight or pin weight is above truck maximum gross weight capacity, you can haul a lot with a 3500, that's why is one of the most used.