Hotshot Connect Forum :: Startup?

mserratt

Hi folks,

I am considering semi-retirement. I am looking into the LTL (not Hotshot) trade. I have a ClassA CDL, Ford DRW F350, 23,500 GVCW and 15,000 towing ability. I got my CDL 2 years ago thinking that I would drive a semi type truck, but decided that I didn't want to work for the big companies.

There will be times that I can be gone from home for extended times, then there will be times that I cannot.

Is this a good idea? I need your comments, thoughts, and ideas good or bad.

Thanks

mserratt

Maybe I am in the wrong forum. I hope I haven't offended anyone. I will move my request somewhere else.

TGPILOT

I guess the reason your not getting answers right now is because this board is undergoing major changes. It has been transferred from another site and is a little difficult to get around in and operate. But, you are in the right place, it will just take a little time andthe guys should start answering you.

If your doing this part time, the only way to come out is to lease on to someone that has authority etc. Otherwise it's going to cost you a lot more. Insurance will be five to ten thousand depending on variables... your autority, plates and more can add up too. Just read the post on this board and the old board and you can get a lot of your questions answered.

Tom

mserratt

Thanks,
I can stand a $10000 dollar startup cost and can get a DOT# and everything else. I have help at home to keep up with paperwork when I am not there.
What I am not sure of is how long will it take to get a payback. I have looked on some of the loadboards and there are not very many LTL flatbed loads. Locally there doesn't seem to be enough activity to really justify (however there is a gas field opening to the North and East of me)
Uship has a lot of cars and such to ship, but the price that shippers are willing to take makes that board just good for backhauls. How many miles do some of you run each week/month/year? Can you expect any fuel surcharges?

Thanks for any replies.

TGPILOT

Funny, I used to live in Ft. Smith. Opened the first Radio Shack store thereback in 68 if I recall the year. You can make it out here, but it will be tight in the begining.

Forget USHIP, no money ther, not even for a backhaul. Maybe someday if they get their act together. Instead, get your authority, contact Gary. He is on here a lot. He can find you loads. Also there are companies that you can sing up with that you can get loads from. But you will need at least a 40' trailer to really stay loaded. Mine is 53' long and find that most companies want at least a 48' or more. But a lot of guys are staying busy running 30' plus trailers. It just depends on what you want to do etc.

Read my post on the perfect trailer. You have to decide on what is perfect for you. Usually thats the one that will cost you the least, keep you loaded and make you money.

Check out www.heftyproducts.com they have a good product, great to work with and they have a good price on their trailers. They now make a step-deck. Check the photo page on the bottom of thir site.

Contact Gary, he will set you on the right road. Get a trailer that you can do almost anything with from autos, to LTL freight etc.

Tom

TGPILOT

So much for my one handed typing...LOL They need a spell checker on here. Didn't realize I had made so many typos.

T.

mhlogistics

TGPILOT, Thanks for the advertisment, Did you get your truck back yet? Hope that solved the fuel problem. I finally loaded Danny for Salt lake at a pretty decent rate. I don't know what it is but for some reason I can build good paying loads pretty fast for others but when it comes to my own truck I have a heck of a time. I told Danny he needs to find a good load finder, LOL. he didn't think it was funny. Give me a shout from Paris

mhlogistics

meserrat, Give me a call I'll be happy to answer your questions anytime. Gary 760-868-4932

TGPILOT

Gary, sitting here in Paris, TX as I write this. Having my 53' gooseneck converted to a step-deck. Will be much better. Hopefull I will be able to carry four cars on it instead of three. Got the tire tie down loops from Gordon at TALCO. Nice guy, he even met me at truckstop and delivered.

Like the look of the straps, 10' long, with rachets. Will call you later.

Tom

mserratt

OK I'm back. Out for awhile. I will call you Gary. I am getting things together now.

Gocart

Mserratt, there was an old hand on one of the forums that said something very simple.......................you'll go broke within the first 6 months to a year..................IF you survive that then you might make a living.

Best advise, test the waters working under someone elses authority THEN if you still like it, get your own authority.

mhlogistics

The only problem I see with working under someone elses authority is you may never make enough money to leave them. Whoever leases him on will want 25% minimum. And there's some companies that say they take 25% and actually take alot more. I think I said this on here before but incase I didn't, If your leasing onto a carrier watch out for companies that have several names. In the past I've seen companies with mutiple names cut the freight rate before it ever reaches the company name your leased to. It's like getting 75% of 40, 50, 60, 70 or 80% instead of the original 100%. it just depends on how greedy they are. If the carrier that wants to lease you on to them also own a brokerage ask them if all or any of there freight comes into there brokerage and then gets handed to the carrier? If they say yes then that should be a big red flag for you.

There may be a few companies out there you could lease onto that don't do this? But for the majority this is how they make millions off of Owner Operators that can't or won't become Independent.

Last month a man name Tom called me off of the east coast, He told me he was leasing onto a outfit that said they could keep him busy. I told him he really shouldn't lease onto a company and I told him why. I told him they would start him out with a cheap load and tell him they allready had a backhaul lined up for him paying real good. And when he unloaded they would tell him that back haul canceled. I told him a few other things to watch out for also. He said he was allready in to deep to back out now because they allready ordered his plates and would have to give leasing a try but he would keep my number and thanked me for my advice.
He called me back and said I hit the nail right on the head. Everything I said would happen is exactly what happened. He said they first offered some really good freight and everytime he said yes lets load it up, something happened to the load. Either the shipper canceled, or someone else beat him to it. Finally he was offered a cheap load with a great paying backhaul and he didn't want to turn it down because he didn't want to make a bad first impression so he said ok lets load it up. Sure enough when he unloaded they told him the good paying backhaul canceled, but not to worry they would find him something else. After a couple of days sitting in a motel they finally called him. I think he said it was friday around 2: PM. They told him they had a load but he would have to hustle to pick it up, it was 250 miles away and he had to load it before 5: PM. Like he was really going to make 250 miles in 3 hours on a friday at rush hour.

You can agree with what I've said here or not, it doesn't matter to me one way or the other but if you start out by giving up 25% of your earnings you won't last long. Most Independent Owner Operators use Internet load boards, or they go after there own accounts or both. Some have a wife at home to look for them. Other's use a load finder because they don't want to sit in front of a computer screen all day when they could be driving or put there wife thru all the stress.

Watch out for Leased Owner Operators that tell you being leased with there company is great and there making big bucks. What they don't tell you is there company pays them a hefty bonus if they talk another Owner Operator into leasing on with them.

mserratt

Hi folks.

I finally got all my stuff together. I have my truck, trailer, extra fuel tank, inusrance, IFTA , single state permit, multi state permit, New Mexico permit, and a few other things that I'm not sure that I need but I have them anyway.

It took a full 6 weeks to get it all together. The insurance took the longest, since I wanted to shop around. I was suprised at the number of insurance companies that wanted to insure me, but for only a 300 mile radius. I have my first safety audit on the 12th of September and then I will be ready to roll.

See ya on the road.

Tom Cobb · Site Admin

If you have your authority from FMCSA you can operate now.

mserratt

Oh yeah, I've got my authority.But I will wait until after the 12th to go far. I have had a few local loads.

Tom Cobb · Site Admin

I am surprised you are having you audit so quick. Usually it is about 5-6 months after receiving your authority.

mserratt

OK, I passed the audit with only a few things to correct.

I wasn't enrolled in a random drug testing program, and I didn't have a disiplinary policy for hours of service.

That it.

Does anyone have a copy of a company policy on hours of service (including disiplinary actions) that I could copy from? I would sure appreciate it.

bbmoving

Manheim Online Vehicle Exchange has chosen uShip as a transportation option for its dealers.

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/09/12/021641.html