Thinking to start as a Carrier w Dually Truck & 2-car enclosed trailer. N FL Based.

Hey, I just started with a similar setup in July 2013 and have watched the prices fall in just these 5 short months. What use to be a $500 to 600 fee is now $300 to 400 or lower for the short runs. I have had to take longer runs to make some additional income while watching the cost of fuel and other expenses. I had a really nice bank roll to help get me start, get this far, and further until a reasonable proof can be earned. Do your home work. Learn all you can upfront and make informed decisions so you can get a good start and have a great successful finish. Best of luck, Paul

 

2011 Chevy 3500 with an Appalahican top deck/3 car hauler. I am moving just cars although there are 2 flat spaces on the trailer for other stuff if needed.

 

If you can find the work here in the SE .

 

Im not trying to scare you off or anything but when i entered the business of car hauling, about a year ago i thought it was a pretty good investment, Cargo insurance, Truck insurance, the DOT PITA customers and brokers made me get sick of it. I used to have a single axle freightliner that was very strong and a very very nice wedge trailer, that i still have. I ran north to south and east of the Mississippi. made good money until the bills came in, IFTA, Insurance, Maintenance, and all the other stuff i was paying for ( the government charges you the exact same way as a semi). Now i had good equipment, my family has been in the towing business since 1972, I took care of business as far as not damaging cars, doing the above and beyond. I realized that for all i was paying out i would be making more with a Class 8 tractor truck. You can haul ANYTHING. Anyway I grew to dislike it, dropping off cars door to door without a thank you. long story made longer I sold the single axle, bought a Nice Freightliner condo. I still have my wedge i can still haul cars but choose not to. I really wish i would have started out different. Oh if you Watched Uship then your severly mislead on how this business works. If your really hellbent on hauling then go for it, but i suggest you get a truck with a sleeper and a 53ft flat gooseneck if you dont wanna go all the way in, you can still haul cars, Flat freight (hotshot) and equipment if need be. the area your in you'd need to travel quite abit to make some money unless you know a guy who knows a guy lol. The best of luck to you

 

Not to be negative, but you will be bankrupt in 1 year. Go a minimum of 6 car. Been doing this for 9 years, if it weren't for my main customer I would've gone back to company driver. Good luck and stay debt free to be real successful and don't think all of that money is yours. 2/3s to oil companies, mechanics, different government agencies, insurance etc. GL

 

I started with a 1 car enclosed, quickly moved to a 2 car enclosed, BUT, I had accounts that paid well. I've moved up to enclosed stacker, but it's tough. The one strike against you is you're in Florida, I've been there twice lately and there's NOTHING coming out of Florida unless you want to haul crap for no money. I'd go with a single axle tractor and a 3 car trailer, and skip the pickup idea. An enclosed trailer is heavier, the cars you move are heavier and the insurance for enclosed is more expensive.

Oh, and when you mention hauling "other stuff", it better not be furniture unless you're licensed for that.

 

The number of cars you can haul means very little. It depends on the lanes you run, how hard you want to work and how good you are at sales talking.