Is there still money to be made in car hauling?

You can still make money in this business, but it is not easy work. I have two dually pulling 4 car trailers and a tractor with a 6/7 car. If i did not do my own repair work on all my vehicles i would not see as much money as i do. I have dedicated contracts that i do that pay me well. If you are just looking at going through brokers your avg pay will be 50 to 70 cents per mile per car. You can do all the math from there. If you are a 3/4 car carrier you will be making 1.50 a mile on avg. If you get some dedicated dealers you can make 1.00 a mile per car. That is when it makes it worth doing other than that. I really dont know if its worth it.

 

My friend who pulls a dually and a 3 car is averaging $2/+ mile. But, he has been doing this for some years. He uses brokers, but may do some direct business. He also has something of a niche.' He can load trailers or inoperable vehicles with his winch. He has owned class 8 trucks, step and flats with and without a pup. He prefers a dually and hauling cars. He only runs a few states. It works for him.

 

One thing hot shotters needs to realize and probably will when DOT starts enforcing it as they now are here in Texas is that if you are taking your 10 hour break and you do not have an actual sleeper, you will need to be able to show proof that you stayed in a hotel during that time. I have a friend who is doing hot shot here in Texas and he has told me he was checked for the hotel reciept a number of times. Sleeping across the seats is not concidered as a proper 10 hour break.

 

Unless they have re-wrote the green book, its not illegal. The green book doesn't state where you have to lay your head, hell, it doesn't even say you have to sleep but that you must show 10hrs of break, nor doesn't it state that you must provide any type of bill from a hotel. I have been hassled (esp in the south) years ago when running a hot shot and unless you volenteer the wrong info, they can't legally do anything at this point. I haven't kept up on the rulings, so maybe they have redone them since then but its a VERY tricky subject.

That being said, sleeping in the backseat of a dully is the absolute worse, ESP if your 5ft 8 +!! I would NEVER go back to doing that because if your not making enough $$ w/ hotshot to get a cheap hotel room then maybe you should reconsider what your doing!

Either way, don't incriminate yourself. Stand your ground w/o being a prick and you should be fine. If the laws haven't been rewrote then you have a leg to stand on, just be curtious about your arguments!

 

393.76 to qualify logging sleeper.

 

Some of the DOT believe you must be sleeping for 10 full hours.

 

It states what the requirements are for a sleeper, yes, but that is where 90% of hotshots mess up. They log sleeper w/o having a sleeper. If you do that, then your asking for trouble!!!

 

I agree, but DOT believes alot of things that aren't legal. Bottom line is, know your job requirements!!!!! If you know your laws and rules, then stand your ground, but be nice about it. If you go picking a fight (even if your right) then you better believe they will get ya for somethign!!

 

I have no problem dealing with them. I have pointed out that a motel receipt is not required.

 

I haven't looked it up but I'm pretty sure sleeper requirements are still 25" x 25" x 75"

IF you do not have a "legal" sleeper, you cannot log sleeper berth. Yes, I have been asked for a motel receipt by DOT when in my pickup.