Hot Shotting w/ my 6.7

ltg

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There are a few hot shot forums out there. It isn't as lucrative as the companies make it out to be. The money is in multiple item loads like said above. There is a reason 90% of the guys doing it are retired. Log books, dot numbers, hours of service rules, subject to commercial enforcement divisions and bs inspections, etc etc.

It isnt like years ago a guy with a dually could run like a maniac all week, sleep in the back seat, not fill out a log, etc.
 

CATDiezel

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You would be better off getting a truck driving job if this is short term..... vs the lasting affect on yourself and personal vehicle.

Whatever floats your boat!
 

PDT1081

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You would be better off getting a truck driving job if this is short term..... vs the lasting affect on yourself and personal vehicle.

Whatever floats your boat!
Construction company I used to work for has a division down that way. They're always looking for workers who can pass the wiz quiz.
 

C2tuck

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Wives get bored and lonely when they are left alone for 2/3 of the month or more. I drive an 18wheeler for a living, I run locally and am home every day. There is nothing on earth that could convince me to going back to OTR.

I may be wrong on this, but I was always under the assumption that a dealer would not honor a warranty on a vehicle being used for commercial purposes.

Disagree. I work a 14/7 schedule away from home. Have worked away longer than that...make killer money. If you can't trust your wife to be faithful while your supporting your family then you've got the wrong wife! I trust mine 1000% and know she won't ever get "bored".
 

OldschoolPSD

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How do you know if a Swift driver is banging your wife?







...you get home and he's still trying to back out of the driveway
 

Sportchassis06

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I'm kinda having doubts about clearing $12k/mo, but
they pay a base of $1.27/mi
if you drive 20 days a mo and 500 mi/day, that's right there

Not really looking to make a career change, just need to fill some holes in the budget.
What is your Career?
 

TrickTruck

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In orientation now. Wow, fees on top of fees and requirements and restrictions abound.

I'm beginning to think this is one of my stupider ideas.

Still willing to give it a shot, but I can't see any possible way to make much more than $1k/week and that's assuming everything goes well. If it doesn't I'm pretty much responsible for anything that happens or someone imagine happened when I had custody of the trailer.
 

superpsd

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Yup. It didn't sound like it was worth from what I have read on hot shotting the small stuff.
 

TrickTruck

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Yes, they cover that in the orientation, many many times.

Bottom line, if you are working hard and driving all your hours smart, and everything goes your way, no problems, you might clear $1k/week.

Just doesn't seem like much compared to how much value is rolling down the highway.

Sure were a lot of folks in the parking lot w/ brand new or almost new $70k trucks applying for this job. Don't know how many will be successful though, but there were quite a few trucks like mine.

I just don't know what to do.
 

HeavyAssault

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Pretty sure your first ME gig wasn't the top paying job you are looking for now. I've had to go thru the whole "starting a second career" for the last 6 years. Not easy with peoples attitudes and mindset these days. I stopped caring about them and focused on me. In the end, just go for it. You never know what door you will be having to open.
 

WHY NOT

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In orientation now. Wow, fees on top of fees and requirements and restrictions abound.

I'm beginning to think this is one of my stupider ideas.

Still willing to give it a shot, but I can't see any possible way to make much more than $1k/week and that's assuming everything goes well. If it doesn't I'm pretty much responsible for anything that happens or someone imagine happened when I had custody of the trailer.

Yup, I'm doing the same stuff with getting my own authority to haul for hire with our semi's that were previous just personal use. Lots of fun and one heck of an insurance bill. All just to give it a try
 

TrickTruck

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I went to a parts dealer in Elkhart to see about all the other crap I was required to have by the Transport company. After chatting with the owner a bit I laid my cards on the table and asked his opinion.

Bottom line, doing everything right, being really smart about it, you maybe clear $1k/week. Put some of that back to replace the truck when it's slap azz worn out in 2 years and guys are not making a lot of $$ doing this.

If someone were retired and wanted to travel the country and get their bills paid half way it's not a bad option, but the owner of the parts place told me that most of the guys doing this are too dumb to do simple math.

I was looking for a hole in my calculations, but there isn't one. The math simply doesn't work for drivers. They'll bust their hump, risking their lives, working 14hrs a day and see very little return for all their effort.

On my way back to my wife's sister's house where I'd been staying, I passed Horizon, whipped it around and dropped off the tags and all their other stuff. The trainer was at the door and he was genuinely surprised when I handed him the stuff. All I told him was that this was not a good fit for me. Thank you for your time.

I did learn some stuff about driving that I already applied on the 700 mile trip home, I think the 2 day class has already made me a better driver...and I thought I was pretty good to begin with, lol.
 
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