Hotshot Connect Forum :: Just Getting Started...

BigDaddyDiesel

Hello All, My name is Chris Kelley, I live in Galax Virginia.
I am a Disabled Vet looking into going BACK on the road after a 7 year absence. I already have a truck and trailer that are pretty small but adequate I think for getting started.
I have been hauling farm goods under the radar for a couple of years, but the bottom fell out of my Christmas Tree hauling this year and I need to get on the road within the next couple of months. (((Now would not hurt but I am not really ready just yet, too many details to work out to be legal)))
I have an older '02 D-max Dually, and an '03 Load Max Flatbed gooseneck Trailer. the Total GCVWR of the two is 32,400 with 26 ft of actual Flatbed deck and three axles. My equipment is in good shape and runs GREAT.
Here is a pic of a couple of loads, as well as equipment...

I am trying to decide between going ahead and getting my own authority or leasing, and although I have read a few of the posts here concerning the good and the bad, I really only have the funds to get the authority, and insurance, etc. Once that is done I will be at the bottom of the Capitol Barrel.
SO, do you all think it would be better for me to go ahead and get my own authority and make the leap in faith, and use a broker?
OR, lease on with someone right now and add to the capitol for now. I am really only concerned with general operating costs for now, I have other income that pay my regular bills for the time being, but I need the hauling to pay for the expenses of the equipment and fuel etc. until I get a good foothold.

I am also prepared to do whatever it takes, go wherever I need to go, and stay out as long as needed for the time being as well.

Any and ALL advice is welcome and needed!!!

Thanks in advance,
and may God Richly Bless each and every one of you in all that you do.

Chris

daddysLBZ

18 views...no replies?? Keep ya head up Chris,and if it gets too slow,get you a tankful of diesel and come camp out in La. Cool

You'll do ok,just take your time getting goin,h/s is can be expensive!

BigDaddyDiesel

10-4, I don't get down easily, if I did I would not be attempting this. I use to drive over the road and I am well aware of the "Hurry up and Wait" way of life...
Good to see that there is more than one person I know on here too.

OH yeah, I will be "Camping" before too long.... LOL

bth9461

I wish more would chime in, there is only about 6 of us that do consistently. Hey and if we get busy, well it might take awhile for a response.

I started in 05 with a 29 equipment 14k trailer (24' deck) and a 3/4 ton. I had brokers begging me to haul loads then, even with my pint size equipment. Well that was then, now it is harder than ever to get small Flat Freight. One broker will never keep you busy either. The market place is getting worse by the day

I think it will be hard to lease on with some one because most companies want a 40' deck or more. HotShot Express requires a class 6 truck with sleeper and a 48-53' trailer.

That leaves you with RV hauling (no good deals there) or your own Authority. You have other income so you might make it. I would ditch that trailer before you start or ASAP when you can afford it. You really need 40'+ of deck and vehicle loading capacity for load flexibility.

What insurance have you checked with. My first insurance company was 10k plus I had to finance it, because they wanted it up front. Progressive (liab) and Hartford (cargo) has been the best I have found so far. About 6k for both, and they will go monthly.

Personally I would go back to the big trucks and drive for someone else, save money and wait for the market to bottom out. Then jump in. Many of us are not going to make it, there will be some great deals on good used trucks/trailers.

Brian

BigDaddyDiesel

I know what you mean about the good deals out there on trucks and trailers, I just saw a Ford F450 with a sleeper and a 40 ft car trailer in MT. Airy MC on the side of the road for sale asking $12,500. I talked to Progressive for the liability and they are talking about $600 per month while putting ALL of my vehicles on the policy and having $750K coverage, I have not called about the cargo yet, saving that for this week. I would like to go bigger on the equipment, but for now I am forced to hang onto it, I MAY be able to purchase a larger trailer within the next few months. But I wanted to test the market before doing that so that when I do I can get the best trailer for my needs.
Thanks for the response.
and the suggestions.

God Bless

Chris

bth9461

Within 100 miles of you CD had 100 cars posted, maybe 10% in the .60-.85 range, 40% in the .15-.39 range and 50% in the .40-.59 range.

Internet truckstop had maybe 12 LTL in a 150 mile radius. Of those no better than 6 might be workable. LtL's maybe .70-1.00 pm on average. Any of the .60+ cars and the Ltl's will be looked at by everybody else too, so they will go fast.

New loads will come up but others will be watching too, for them.

You really need some direct local shippers, start looking for them now, before you start.

Ps. I am driving through VA to WV on monday, right up I77.

Brian

BigDaddyDiesel

Brian,
I live about 20 minutes from Exit 14 on I-77, give me a call when you are about there and we can meet and talk about a couple of things. (276-233-0097)
I DO have an appointment with a prospective client @ 1:30 Today.(Monday)
I am going to be trying to also see what the market holds here locally for LTL, I know of a couple of places that ship Hardwood flooring, etc. and May be a source for loads.
When you are checking for the cars and LTL that you are talking about, where exactly are you checking for them?

bth9461

Sorry I missed the post, I was busy all day looking for loads, then picking up 1 car, then trying to get to Charleston, WV, to unload. I will try and give you a call today. Going fro WV to OH then home in MI. Then loading for Wrigley Field in Chicago, should be there on Friday.

There are trucking opportunities but you have to dig them up, brokered loads with small equipment will be tough to make money on. You need some direct customers that have a need for your services, for part of your business. The brokered freight market was much stronger 4 years ago, when I started. I think I would have failed in this market.

I did a 100 mile radius search from Galax, VA on Central Dispatch for Cars and a 150 mile Radius on Internet Truckstop for LTL's.

Many LTL's are not valid because of , size, weight, multiple postings (same load), Air ride, NO HOTSHOTS, crazy low rate ( VA to CA for $300), or already gone.

Good Rate on a car today is .65 to .75+ on Central, but better call quick because they don't last long. I tried to call a broker on SAT no answer, Had to wait until Monday AM, load gone. Left Atlanta with only 1 car, could have booked a .10-.25 PM one but, $75 to $150 is not worth my time to load/Unload. So I said screw it, let some other idiot do it, and some body will.

Your area seems better than average for cars, but worse for LTL's. With brokered freight that is. Direct customers if you can find them, they are there, just not easy to get them. That is what you really need though. For a base business.

Brian

BigDaddyDiesel

I am not actually getting started until around Jan 15th, but I am going to spend the time until then looking for those local dedicated accounts that you spoke of. As well as learning to locate and recognize the better loads on the sites, etc. Call me just about anytime you are coming through this area and we will meet and talk about these things. Again, let me know at least thirty minutes before you will be @ exit 14 and I can pretty much be there anytime. My first month I think will be my hardest month due to just getting started, and the learning curve, and knowing what to do and what not to do as far as insurance, DOT, etc. I had one company contact me already about leasing on with them, they asked for information about me and my equipment, etc. And they said that the only flag that went up for them was the fact that I talked about having my own insuramce and eventually getting my own authority, but I was unclear about whether they wanted someone that already had their own authority or if they wanted someone that would run under their authority and insurance. They have not written me back, so I guess they did not hear what they wanted to.
Anyway, I have about thirty days before I will be ready to get out there rollin' So I think I will be ok, by then if I keep learning from the pros like yourself...

thanks again for the help!!!! It is truly a God Send!!!

Chris

bth9461

I am a Pro Now? No I am just a little dryer behind the ears than you.

The Real Pro's are TC, Gary, VegasDuramax, and especially Dennis and TG Pilot. I am just trying to pass on what I have learned from them and my 4 years on the road.

Sorry I could not call, had a rough day. Got to a pickup and the info was wrong. Load too large, Motor home was supposed to be 9'8" tall and 9-10k weight. It was 11'4" and 10'4" if I could get up on the roof and remove the Roof air unit. No ladder so I do not know if there was anything else sticking up either on the roof. Plus both tires on the rear D/S where shredded and I am guessing it weighed 12k, too much to use my 9k wench on a vehicle that is not free rolling.

Any way I was lucky, found another load 30 minutes from this one, and it is a REAL LOAD, one old TG would be proud of I think. 33' x 8' 6" x 10' 2" (High) ( my max i will take). I am sitting 13' 3" off the ground. A whopping 20k of Bus. I am grossing 49k right now, can't do that with a dually. Plus pulled it out of the Middle of WV, needed to take the Cruise Control off and flip on the Jake though. I have about 1 hour to go in OH to my drop. I have to get a picture of this one. Oh the OH scale on west bound I70 was open at Midnight. They weighed it and gave me the Green Lite.

4 years later, and I am still learning like any other new startup, took 2.5 hours to load, Had to be real careful, and adjust what I was doing, when it got a little difficult. Having a spotter really made all the difference.

Brian

BigDaddyDiesel

Good talking to you today, I look forward to chatting again soon. I am glad you understand what I am trying to do and what I have to do and what I am willing to do to achieve the goals I have set for my business,.....

Call me any time to chat or for business reasons either one, and I hope that God Blesses you, your Business, and your Family according to ALL of HIS riches in Glory!!!!!

Amen...
Chris

Tom Cobb · Site Admin

Chris I apologize for not replying to you post right after you posted it but I seemed to have had to much going on to deal with more than the stuff on DTR which I have also neglected some.

Brian is a good source for info. Pick his brain and you won't go wrong.

Your comment about taking a month to get you feet on the ground......I have news for you....you won't have your feet on the ground for a year of more and only then if you keep trying to learn this business.

Go to your state and the fed DOT websites and read the regs as well as go thru everything here and keep asking questions.

I can assure you that just about every load you pickup will throw you a different curve and will be a new experience. There is no consistency in the way shippers and receivers do things. Weather, traffic, the load itself (securing it and loading and unloading it) will make it a different situation everytime.

The best thing for you to do right now is to write up a business plan. There are formats and guides on the internet to help with that but it is needed to get started right. You have to know what you are going to do and how you are going to do and who is going to provide the loads before you start. It needs to be in writing.

That was a mistake I made. I had some of it in writing and a lot of it in my head which was not the way to do it.

Figure out what kind of loads you have access to or want to have access to and THEN decide on the equipment. Car haulers don't usually work well for freight unless you get the right one and freight haulers don't work well for roll on equipment unless you plan it that way and get the right equipment.

You have to have a plan before you leap. The insurance companies also want to know what you are going to haul. That will determine how much and what kind of cargo insurance you need. High dollar cars require more insurance. Horse trailers and RV's can require a lot of insurance depending on their value.

Brian is right about the market conditions. I talked with a friend a few days ago that Brian and I and others on here know from another forum. His name is Melvin Brooks (Brooks Transport). He is not doing well and this is a guy that had some of the best contracts going. He had good paying loads and a lot of them. Right now he is scratching to find anything. The loads that are available won't pay operating costs. He has 3 trucks and they are virtually sitting still. He had steel and ac company and some govt contracts that paid well and they have dried up.

I have noticed from the radio ads and newspaper ads though that a lot of trucking companies are still looking for drivers. They have the dedicated freight and are still hauling. That very well may be a better choice right now to get on the road.

Maybe signing on with a big trucking company would get you to earning decent money and get you more time to see if hotshoting is what you want to do as well as wait out the market to pick back up.

Pray about this and let the Lord show you the way. Blessings Chris and hope to see you back here soon and on the other forums as well.

BigDaddyDiesel

Thanks for the encouragement, and information Tom. Putting together a plan to work by is part of the reason I am waiting for a month. I also know that things are bad everywhere, but to tell you the truth I really have no choice but to give it 1000% to get my own thing going, I will not resort to working solely for someone else, I cannot. I will lease on with someone if the right deal comes along. Until that or I get my own authority and build my own stuff, either way I am going to do exactly as you have suggested and learn as much from you all and the DOT, and online resources of every type. If the worst happens and I wind up losing my shirt, then I know then that it was not due to a lack of effort or laziness on my part.
I am also a FIRM believer that the Word of God says that because I am a Believer that follows Him, everything that I set my hand to WILL prosper.
"...if Jesus is for me, who can be against me?"
Trusting in HIM got me to this point and will carry me through the fire, and whether I am a HUGE success, or someone that has to dig and grind to make it work; I know that HE will use me in any way HE sees fit and that someone will be touched by the fruit of what HE has given me as a life.

That being said, I do not look at the circumstances around me, I only trust in HIM and HIS word. HE has provided me with the inspiration, the knowledge, and the "sources and ability" to learn anything and everything I need to make this thing work, and as lonmg as I feel the calling to do this I will do it... when HE is done with me out there I will do something else. Be it one year, or 20.

God Bless Each and Every One of you out there one the road today, your business's, families, and hearts.!!!!

Chris

Tom Cobb · Site Admin

May your faith and trust in the Lord carry you through and may HE prosper you and bring those into your life to make it happen. May HE open the right doors and close those that you do not need to walk through. Be blessed brother.

bth9461

Chris and Hoss and any other new guy's remember this your personal dedication will have a lot to say in wether you can make it. Just be careful to learn as much as you can and take nothing for granted.

TC's story on Melvin is quite distressing. Melvin and I started about the same time. He seemed to make many good decisions, and in short order was doing better than any of the veteran guys. He has 3 4500's and many trailers. Melvin is a true HotShotter, that is his customer base was based on Expedited freight, run fast, and get back ASAP for the next customer. If Melvin is having trouble this is really bad, he is based out of AL, in a good MFGing area. He was getting outstanding 1 way freight rates, he did not need cheap back hauls or have the time for them.

Early this year I looked into leasing on a 80k team rig, and my research showed that running a triangle from MI/OH/IN/IL to TX/OK/AR to GA/AL/SC/NC looked like the best for freight.

Last weekend I got stuck in eastern AL with no decent loads to haul, so I moved to near Atlanta, it was only slightly better. I was shocked to see that one of the legs of my triangle looked as bad as my home state of MI does now.

This recession is spreading like a wild fire across the country, really plan well, and try not to rely to much on broker freight, the rates and loads are all way down right now. I hope we get a bump in March/April this usually happens, but what if it does not and things get worse.

TC, I am very sorry to hear of Melvin's troubles, this really concerns me. Especially when you consider what a hard working good man he is. Seems like the whole country might become MI these days.

Troubling for sure.

Brian

Tom Cobb · Site Admin

I was surprised also when he told me. I figured him to be doing as well or better than most. He will come out of it because he will get out and knock on doors and he trusts the Lord for his provision.

He said he has a lot of deer meat in the freezer right now and was not depressed about it.

He seemed to think that the govt deal was going to come back to him. There was something out of kilter with the manufacturer and they were trying to haul the loads using Humvees of all things and not pay a contractor but the Army said they wanted Melvin to haul them. Maybe that will get resolved soon. That one contract will help him to survive. Those were some good paying loads.

He was also concerned about Stroker. Nobody has heard from him. I talked to TGpilot last night and he hasn't heard from Stroker for two months or more. I have called him twice and got no answer and TG has called him also. I knew he was still having a problem with the pain in his leg and nothing was helping but for him not to answer or return calls is concerning for sure. I wish I had his home phone number but all any of have is his cell number.

We need to pray for him.

bth9461

Stroker is a good guy, maybe the nicest guy ever on any website I have ever run across. He never had a cross word for anyone as I remember.

I you can get a hold of him soon.

Brian

My prayers will be with you Gary (Stroker).