RickG

From time to time I read posts of owner thinking about hauling RV's . Been there , done that but wouldn't recommend it unless you're retired and want to make enough to pay for fuel and meals while seeing the country . When these companies pay mileage ( maybe $.80 to $1.05 a mile ) it's loaded miles . You aren't paid for deadhead and not all companies pay return tolls . Some companies will tell you they have terminals all over the country you can get loads from . What they don't tell you is some of these terminals may only get 2 or 3 loads a day and have a dozen or more drivers looking for loads . Other companies will charge you a $25 fee to bring the trailer from the manufacturer to the terminal for you . That knocks you actual paid mileage down quite a bit . Most companies pay by ComData advances and you are charged transaction fees every time you use an ATM or buy fuel . ( I'd direct deposit my advance into my business checking account and never buy fuel with the ComData card . ) Make sure a company has 24 hour dispatch . I've seen drivers stuck at a terminal for a weekend because paperwork that was supposed to be left for them wasn't there or because the combination on the yard lock was changed and no one told them . I know one driver that opened the gate and locked it behind him because he was going to catch some sleep after hooking to the trailer . The combination was changed and he was locked in until another driver that had been told the combination came along .
Some people do make a little money . Transport companies also have driveaway divisions delivering motorhomes . Some couples have the wife drive a motorhome and the husband gets a trailer going to the same dealer or one enroute or somtimes a travel trailer can be pulled behind a motorhome .
They are predicting several strong hurricanes this year . Transporter companies will be needing drivers to pull FEMA trailers . You stay busy but again , it's 50% deadhead . When companies have a lot of FEMA trailers to move they don't want you tied up a day or more with a backhaul . At the end of hurricane season there is a surplus of drivers which means loads are harder to get and you may have to wait a day or more for a load .
I'll be glad to answer any questions on things not covered in this post .

67HotRod

Sounds like you covered it.

bluepuller

Who do you drive for that is 50 percent deadhead i wouldnt like that to much iM havin a little better luck that that usually on the road you can figure 50 percent of the trip to cover expenses there and back for the company i work for they pay that right upfront and when you get back the other have is profit and if your like me and work to get your houlbacks that pays for your fuel quite well.
for instance about a week ago too one from bristol in to poloman Ca deliverd grabes another one in Rialto Ca goin as far as colorado so I only Deadheaded about 25 percent made about 15houndred for the week.
one thing i have found for sure is it does vary alot from company to company i drove for one for a couple months that by the time it was done i was payin them to hould for em lol

hammerjammer

The reason companies use owner-operaters is to save money,they are cannon fodder for the companies,a steady stream -leasing on and a steady stream moving on,nearly or completely broke.If your not grossing 1.00 per every mile you run,loaded and empty you are eventually gonna go broke,usually after you have wore the truck out and still owe a bunch on a wothless, worn out piece of junk.

kingofdodge7131

I still have yet to figure out how to get into this kind of business haha I myself wouldnt mind it. Give me a chance to see the country

RickG

I know some drivers that pulled over 50% deadhead . They'd deliver a load , run a couple of hundred miles to a terminal , get a short load further away , then deadhead back to their original terminal . With most terminals having drivers there waiting for loads you won't get a load by calling , you have to be there . The times I did get a load on the phone when I go to pick it up it's been changed . When they pulled that on a weekend and I deadheaded 600 miles to a closed terminal and the load wasn't there , that was the end of it for me . I wasn't the first one that had happened to .

bluepuller

goodness who were you guys driving for i get treated abit better than that lol

hammerjammer

if it was cheaper to buy their own trucks and hire drivers they wouldn't be using owner operaters,plus they can treat the O/O like crap without fear of any labor law problems.

Patrick Campbell

For what it's worth, Horizon has a hiring freeze.

If anyone has any advice as to what I could do to make money using my pick up truck working full time in the North East please let me know. I don't want to run all over the country, I'd like a fairly set route.

I have considered hauling cars for a few reasons... I like cars, they're easy to secure, they're relatively easy to load (if they run), and used car sales are pretty huge in the north east... but really don't know how to go about it. I know all the requirements (insurance, registration, inspection, yada yada). Just a little scared of a $8K a year insurance bill and buying a $8K trailer and being able to make sure it's loaded enough to make money.

I had a dealer casually offer me $100 per car to drive from Long Island NY to central Florida... I was like what are you joking me? It costs me $100 in tolls to get to Long island and out. What a nightmare.

I feel like I should be able to pull 3 cars and stay at/under 26,000 but not sure if it's feasible. Truck weighs 7K. Trailers are being advertised as under 7K these days. Take 3 says 6200#. Seems too light to me. Kaufman changed their deck material to like wire mesh (http://images.auction123.com/A123IH/...bimage001l.jpg) to lighten the trailer too . Leaves 12,000 before 26,000. 3 4000# cars, which is a pretty hefty car, or maybe 2 lighter cars and an SUV.

I have talked to other drivers and the going rate seems to be somewhere in the range of $2.50 per loaded mile, maybe $2.25 over X distance. Maybe some charge less but have a loading fee.

I don't know. Any thoughts?

RickG

Well , you'd be over your GCVW of your truck for sure if you're using the 2500 in your sig if you hauled 3 cars . DOT is real rough on dualies and they'd jump on a 3/4 ton with 3 cars in a heartbeat . Your towing guide says a 2500 can pull 13,000 lbs . The trailer will be half that . Two cars would be pushing it .

hammerjammer

The way to possible make a little money,is to wildcat,get loads off the internet hauling for private individuals,things like motorcycles,ATV's,cars,boats, etc,you can find loads at (findahauler.com) costs 20. per month to join the website and you can bid on any haul posted.

Patrick Campbell

Rick -
I had 19.5's in the past and would get them again, plus Timbrens and helper springs, which is how I towed 20,000+, never came close to 26,000 though but I didn't have the proper trailer to do much more and the truck was having a hard time (4x4 auto with 3.73s). The 19.5's are rated to 4940# per tire @ 120 PSI.

RickG

I know your truck could handle the weight but I was referring to DOT nailing you for being over the GCVW of your truck . I've seen DOT pull dually car haulers into rest areas and check them out . My 3500 DRW is only rated at 23,000 . This has all been discussed in other forums . You have to take your braking ability also . If you decide to get a trailer check out e-bay . They have some pretty good deals there . Sometimes someone will set the reserve too high then repost it at a lower reserve .