Hi guys i really need help i am looking to start transporting cars trucks campers really anything i need to know what i need to do to get started and is it worth my time i know the insurance is about 8000 a year my truck i will be towing with is a 2006 f250 powerstoke Thanks in advance i am just looking for a change of career. I have asked for you guys advice b4 and it was really helpful
get a flatbed or hauler bed with air springs or heavier springs and maybe convert to dually then you can get some respect a pickup bed youll haul rvs and tahts about it but right now local runs is the way to go
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88 F-250 body,550 rear frame setup, 7.3 idi, back up camera, class 5 bumper hitch welded to frame and gusseted, front mount hitch and off road lights,93 front clip, headache rack, 37" humvee tires, ac power converter,factory buckets from quadcab, power windows and locks,cobra 29 cb w/ 102" whip, high lift jack behind seat, toolbox for the junk, visor, running lights, huge front bumper, oba,
in progress western style mirrors, holset turbo, airhorns, and some other goodies
It's a rough game to play my friend. You might want to pick up the phone and call some of the enclosed construction, "mini" box trailers (as we call them around here), they seem to NEVER EVER have enough people to relocate them around the country and you can put a lot of those on a 3/4 ton pickup and a 32'++++++ gooseneck
I am out of the business now. But not so much for the economy but because it was just getting to be to much of a hassle. You can make money and I have friends doing that but you are going to have to be willing to work a LOT of hours. You also need to find a company (if you're going to haul RVs) that provides frequent backhauls. I thinh Horizon Transport probably has the most success with this:
Horizon has online dispatch and if you're out on the left coast, you can log on and find a trailer going somewhere back towards your house or the one of the Horizon's terminals.
A couple of things you absolutely have to have:
1. A DRW truck. If you're hauling a 38 foot Raptor on I-80 in Wyoming, wind is going to be a HUGE factor. Wind and weather is always a factor and you absolutely need the stability of the dually wheels not to mention the strength to support the pin weight.
2. You need 4 wheel drive. This was one of my mistakes. I decided I didn't want the extra maintenance, less fuel economy and another gearbox to fail. I soon learned that even picking up a trailer at your terminal gets hard when the trailer won't move because your rear wheels are spinning on ice and snow. And it snows a lot in northern Indiana. There are also times when you are way out west where snow removal is an on again/off again variable. It is entirely possible to say 100 Hail Mary's while descending westbound from Evanston WY to Salt Lake City. It is entirely possible to say 100 HM's just getting through Park City when it is snowing. That is one long steep hill. 4wheel drive is not as good as chains but it at least gives you the illusion of being safer.
3. Fuel and fuel expense is everything. You absolutely must have a vehicle that gets as many miles per gallon as possible. My 6.0L Ford got 10 mpg hooked up and 16 mpg bobtailing back for an average of 13 mpg. But many of my friends have Dodge Cummins that get an average 20 mpg. That 7 miles per gallon is a really big deal when your out bound trip is 2200 miles.
4. You absolutely have to learn to be frugal. Buy everything you're going to eat at WalMart and carry a cooler. Eat sandwiches, fruit and vegtables. Do not eat at resteraunts or fast food drive thrus because you are eating your profit and you do not need big meals to keep driving. Falling asleep at 70 mph while pulling a 7 ton trailer can get real exciting real fast.
5. If you are not moving, you are not making any money. If you lallygag on the trip you're going to run out of money. If you stop somewhere it should only be to go to the bathroom, make a sandwich or do a safety check on your truck and trailer (particularily tires). If it is for anything else, it will involve spending money. Don't do it.
6. Almost all of the companies will pay you 50% up front to fund your trip. Learn to make the entire trip on just that money and try your veryuhardest to still have some of it left when you complete the run. On my last trip, I was paid $613 up front for a trip from Goshen IN to Draper UT. That equates to $0.88 per mile ( you are only paid when you are loaded). I made it there and back and had bucks left over.
7. Being totally anal about vehicle maintenance is absolutey mandatory. Stopping in the middle of your trip to change oil and filters or fuels filters just because they are due is the only way to go.
8. Before you head out, prepare for the worse. You are going to get stuck in a blizzard, have to run in an ice storm, see a tornando and maybe hit a large animal, hopefully not a carnivore. Take the equipment you need to keep you alive, literally. I carried a Honda generator to run a heater because I was stuck on closed Interstates a number of times. I carried large candles because I know from my Army in Korea days that a burning candle can heat up the interior of a truck enough to keep you alive. I carried a weather scanner radio so no matter where I was I could get NOAA weather reports and alerts. There are a million things that you need to consider before you leave because if you don't you may get killed.
9 Given the choice between new tires and a new wide screen HD digital TV for your house, buy the tires.
I could go on and on but I know a lot of people that have a lot more experience than I do and you can talk to all of them at :
Transporting is like any other job, you get back exactly what you put into it. For me, I decided to stop and smell the roses. I will be 62 in June, I have retired three times and receive three pensions and will start drawing SSA this summer, so when it got to be necessary for me run every single trip that I was offered just to earn enough to pay my expenses I decided it was time to ove on to something else.
I am considering becoming an investment banker as there are (suddenly) a lot of openings in that field.
The very best of luck to you and stay subscribed here. I did a lot of my learning right here. Networking is the only way to go.
BudMan
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BudMan5
"A couple of quarter sticks of dynamite can turn an otherwise dull day fun!"
2006 F350 Crew Cab 2WD DRW , Ride Rite Air Bags with Dual Air Command II compressor and tank, B&W turnover ball Gooseneck, Garmin GPS, XM Radio, MBRP Turbo back exhaust. 2009 VW Jetta TDI, a Honda Valkyrie Interstate (and soon) a Kawasaki Mule DIESEL!
Hi guys i really need help i am looking to start transporting cars trucks campers really anything i need to know what i need to do to get started and is it worth my time i know the insurance is about 8000 a year my truck i will be towing with is a 2006 f250 powerstoke Thanks in advance i am just looking for a change of career. I have asked for you guys advice b4 and it was really helpful
I echo Buman5 in every aspect.
I transport RV's out of Goshen here from time to time.
(not my full time job; just do it on the side for extra $$ and the main benefit?....TAXES!)
Yes, that's right, the main way to win (if there is such a thing when hauling RV's etc...)is that it will really help on you filing assuming you have another full or part time job.
I'm quite anal about numbers figures etc...so I've ran the numbers alot over the course of about 70,000 miles worth of hauling (combined loaded and unloaded) in an 8 month period.
From what I"ve seen/heard, all things considered, (if your hauling company will allow and in most cases they will if it's in good shape) your best bet is to run a mid-late 90's dodge w/ the 12 valve. (yes, I said that here on a Ford forum, but just being honest). You'll want a manual transmission and you'll want to get it breathing well as well tweeked and fuel turned up for more power, since we all know that those are about the cheapest and most bulletproof engines to to that on. You want to have no more than about $10,000 in your truck once it's set up ready to haul. Mileage is of really no major concern on the 12v so find yourself one that has a couple hundred thousand on it, and has been well cared for. I've seen guys running those up around the million mile mark consistently before having to pull the internals apart.
The trucks you honestly want to stay away from are the Ford 6.0's (especially the 03-05 years and you'll find dozens of horror stories to support that) and the early year (03 and older duramax; I think that's the right years?..anyhow you want to avoid the early version of the duramax.)
Some may have good luck w/ those trucks mentioned above but just going by sheer numbers and counting the odd's by sheer precentages, those trucks are stacked against you.
The most common one's you'll see doing this type of work as of late are the newer 24valve cummins (mainly for their affordability; since nobody want's the 6.0's and the late model duramax too pricey).
FULE MILEAGE! yes, is HUGE! I get 9-12 loaded and 18-20 empty. All sorts of stuff factor in here including wind, temperature and much more. Speed is something you can control on a regular basis, and again, I've ran the numbers against mph vs mpg and it appears (for my truck anyhow) that 65-68 mph loaded and 70-75mph empty is my sweetspot... Again, that's NOT where I see the best mpg, but rather where it seems to level out in terms of cash $$$$$ (I've transposed mpg/mph into actual dollars. YES, I"m very ANAL about that stuff LOL!
Anyhow, as far as overall mpg, again, the 12v seems to win in this category even (and maybe especially) when it's modded slightly and fuel turned up. W/ a good 12v setup, you should average well above 16mpg (loaded and unloaded combined). I'm not real sure I believe that 20mpg average figure, but that's just my opinion. Maybe that guy was running 55mph loaded and nevery over 60mph empty....who knows but I would have to say that getting an AVERAGE mpg above 17 would be difficult (assuming running 65-70 loaded and 70-75 empty).
Anyhow, these are just a few of my personal thoughts from my couple years of experience; there's tons more out there and many more drivers that have way more experience than I but this is just the tip of the iceberg;
Best of luck.
__________________ y2k F250 7.3 psd Calif emissions, ext cab long bed 265/75/R16 E rated tires, 190k miles 4x4 (nv271 manual t-case) 7.3 #1247981 1/18/00 (forged rods), 3.73LSD, non-diode 4R100, Dp tuner stock, 60t 60e 80t 80e, high idle. DIY 6637 air filter, wicked wheel, turbo master WG controller, turbo lifesaver, bellowed uppies, 4" downpipe & exhaust, 203t-stat, triple pod glowshift gauges (egt, tranny, boost), Ride-rite 2330 air bags, BTS VB, Sports a Western plow when the white stuff flies.
Trailers:
I'm usually towing 1 of several trailers I've built.
15ft car hauler (1000lbs empty; 5500lbs loaded)
26ft deck over car hauler (2000lbs empty; 7k loaded)
36ft car hauler (Was tongue pull; have since converted into 5er'. 4500lbs empty; 14k loaded) https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-g...0/IMG_4130.JPG
i am the owner and driver of a hotshot buisness right now and i will tell you the truth, its very very hard to make money right now with the freight slow and not alot of it..
i will help you and can give you all the names and numbers of all the people i use for all of my paperwork and fueltaxes.
everything budman5 said is exactly correct and true, if you dont go out prepared then you will learn the hard and very costly way..
I have been thenking about hauling myself, but am not sure if it is worth it.
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Ford f350 6.0 4x4. 4" silverline turbo back, cold air intake, six speed manual tranny, sct x3, 373 rear end, running full synthetic in every part that takes oil.
How you ever gonna know...................... is the beginning a verse in a Garth Brooks song. It applies to a whole lot of stuff in life! I gave something a go when I first out of high school and met my wife and have two beautiful daughters because of it.
Don't do thgis if you are going to use it for your primary income
If you are going to attempt to support a hfamily by transporting, don't do it.
The only way I was doing it is there is just my wife and I, we have healthcare (I am retired military) we have no bills (house is paid for, we have one credit card that is paid off every month if we even use it) and I have pensions from three separate careers coming in.
Even still, I was out of pocket every month. You can make a profit every run, but not much. And there are nbot enough runs. If you take a 2000 mile trip today (that means foursdays to get there, three days to get back unless you cheat on your log book) and then sit for even one week at home waiting for another ride, your profit margin is gone.
The only guys making a living doing this are running seven straight days over and over again. That means not going home at all. In fact, I have met several who don't have a home, they live in their trucks.
Not my idea of a good job, but the scenary is outstanding.
Bud
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BudMan5
"A couple of quarter sticks of dynamite can turn an otherwise dull day fun!"
2006 F350 Crew Cab 2WD DRW , Ride Rite Air Bags with Dual Air Command II compressor and tank, B&W turnover ball Gooseneck, Garmin GPS, XM Radio, MBRP Turbo back exhaust. 2009 VW Jetta TDI, a Honda Valkyrie Interstate (and soon) a Kawasaki Mule DIESEL!
I think from what I have seen you are probably right on Bud. I would just like to do a haul every now and again. I would not be relying on it for my income. Of course I would have to make a little to make it worth it, but I work full time as an aircraft mechanic. I would just like to do something else for a change every now and again. Where are the best places to look for these types of jobs. I would want to haul stuff that I dont have to buy a trailer for. Thanks.
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Ford f350 6.0 4x4. 4" silverline turbo back, cold air intake, six speed manual tranny, sct x3, 373 rear end, running full synthetic in every part that takes oil.
Here's a bunch of links for you. The four largest companies are Star Fleet, Horizon, Quality and Classic but all of these companies are pretty good. I think Star Fleet is probably the busiest. There are so many drivers that have dropped out (like mne) that there are bound to be openings. I know Classic is hiring as they sent me a letter.
I think from what I have seen you are probably right on Bud. I would just like to do a haul every now and again. I would not be relying on it for my income. Of course I would have to make a little to make it worth it, but I work full time as an aircraft mechanic. I would just like to do something else for a change every now and again. Where are the best places to look for these types of jobs. I would want to haul stuff that I dont have to buy a trailer for. Thanks.
$8K a year for insurance, and you're not even going to run full time? Well, that and the fact you have an F250 which pretty much removes you from about 90% of the transport companies requirements.
$8K a year for insurance, and you're not even going to run full time? Well, that and the fact you have an F250 which pretty much removes you from about 90% of the transport companies requirements.
wow, don't know where you're getting insurance quotes but I'd suggest changing that right away.
I pay about $1500 total for ALL insurance including full coverage on my rig (y2k F250) and by the way, most ALL of the RV transport companies here in the RV capital of the world will allow a 3/4 ton truck.
Not sure about dodge and chevy, but really only difference in pre-2003 F250 and single rear wheel F350's is theD60 front vs D50 (03 F250 gets a D60 as well I believe)
Other than that, same truck. Both could be ordered with about any "spring pack" combo one desires.
For instance, an F350 ordered with lighter spring pack of say... a light 3/4 ton or vice versa.
__________________ y2k F250 7.3 psd Calif emissions, ext cab long bed 265/75/R16 E rated tires, 190k miles 4x4 (nv271 manual t-case) 7.3 #1247981 1/18/00 (forged rods), 3.73LSD, non-diode 4R100, Dp tuner stock, 60t 60e 80t 80e, high idle. DIY 6637 air filter, wicked wheel, turbo master WG controller, turbo lifesaver, bellowed uppies, 4" downpipe & exhaust, 203t-stat, triple pod glowshift gauges (egt, tranny, boost), Ride-rite 2330 air bags, BTS VB, Sports a Western plow when the white stuff flies.
Trailers:
I'm usually towing 1 of several trailers I've built.
15ft car hauler (1000lbs empty; 5500lbs loaded)
26ft deck over car hauler (2000lbs empty; 7k loaded)
36ft car hauler (Was tongue pull; have since converted into 5er'. 4500lbs empty; 14k loaded) https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-g...0/IMG_4130.JPG
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y2k F250 7.3 psd Calif emissions, ext cab long bed 265/75/R16 E rated tires, 190k miles 4x4 (nv271 manual t-case) 7.3 #1247981 1/18/00 (forged rods), 3.73LSD, non-diode 4R100, Dp tuner stock, 60t 60e 80t 80e, high idle. DIY 6637 air filter, wicked wheel, turbo master WG controller, turbo lifesaver, bellowed uppies, 4" downpipe & exhaust, 203t-stat, triple pod glowshift gauges (egt, tranny, boost), Ride-rite 2330 air bags, BTS VB, Sports a Western plow when the white stuff flies.
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