Having Tarps increases your revenue potential. Heavy duty tarps! Not the ones you buy at Home depot. Some customers will deny you the load if you show up with cheap tarps.
OTR trucking, be it heavy haul CDL or hot-shot, is a challenging profession, that just isn't suited for a vast majority of the population. Alex has a very committed, determined personality, coupled w/ a likeable & courteous set of mannerisms. He remains reasonably calm under stress, & "thinks" he way out of precarious & negative situations . He also displays considerable stamina, coping w/ many boring hours of solitude, & the droning annoyance of road noise. Alex is not the typical guy standing to your left or right, behind you or in front. A rare breed, a prototype for OTR trucking. Emulate his risks and liabilities @ your own peril.
Bingo! (I use your videos to encourage others trying to get in the business.) Keep up the professionism. Just finished 1 yr. anniversary as a hotshot. Your videos were a tremendous help. Did suffer through an expensive learning curve with adjusting brake control properly. Came from 18 wheeler world where the trailer does primarily most of stopping. Not so with hotshot. 2 sets of pads with calipers and ruined rotors and shortened life of my 14ply tires. Might make a great video, especially with new guys/gals starting up. God bless you brother.
Fix it yourself! If you can do repairs on your own it will save soo much time and money. I always wondered why you didn’t just get your CDL to increase load options for weight capabilities.
Breakaways are such an easy thing to avoid getting a ticket for. But you gotta check constantly to make sure they work, the batteries can die due to crap wiring which for me was a common issue in trailers i pulled. Cheap wiring is used on all these newer trailers
Absolutely agree, do not waste $$$ on anything that will not increase revenue and always try to minimize the fixed overhead. Variable overhead is a slightly different beast, gotta spend $$$ to make $$$ and sometimes you gotta spend big to earn big
Excellent advise Alex. Many hot shotters never develop a niche market. They think operating with heavy high dollar or worn out used will make up for the difference for taking poor paying loads going to places requiring deadhead to get out of. I appreciate the information you have provided. You have saved me boocoo bucks and hassle's. When Cass Freight Index turns green I will be ready. Stay safe.
Your break away chain must be connected to apart of your truck that is not connected to your gooseneck plate or rails holding gooseneck plate. It must be connected to a part of the truck that is permanently mounted such as the tie downs in the corners of the bed. Think of it this way if the rails break loose and come off the truck with your trailer then the chain goes with it. The breaks will not activate and stop trailer . If chain is connected to the bed of truck, if trailer comes loose then the breaks will work slowing the trailer down to a stop.
100% agree with you on CDL. All it does is educate safety and give one the ability to have options (aka. More weight or move into a bigger truck) allowing the cash flow to continue... if hot shot truck doesn't pay, could always switch to bigger truck and park the smaller one and make enough to pay for it without having to go through a repo.
I have a paid off, F-250 diesel regular cab with only 20,000 miles on it. I know it won’t tow what the big 350/3500 and up, duallies and all that will tow, but would it be worth a try with that set up? What CDL should I get? I had a BX CDL back in the 90s but gave it up 20 years ago. Thanks and I love watching your videos!
I did it all. Reefer, dry van, enclosed car hauling, open car hauling....owned a few trucks of my own. Had my authority. you name it. I did it all. 10 years in the game. Trucking is intensely competitive these days than when I first started. The margins are slim pickings. You really have to know what you are doing, then some to succeed in this. Good luck to you guys. Stay safe.
Well said TP! If someone wanted to dive into this business, what would you recommend for a starter trailer? Seems like a flatbed makes most sense unless you're into hauling cars. 30' trailer fit most average work? Considering getting into it. Have had cdl for years. Might be laid off from current job, might be time to do something different. Just don't want to be a company driver. Been watching your videos for a while now and I appreciate the info you pass on, and the brutal honesty! We need it straight, no sugar coating. You nail it! Thanks
Although, I agree on dont blow 100 grand on a truck, I dont recommend getting a base model. You're in the truck hours on end and need to stay comfortable. You wouldnt want to work 8 hrs in a cubicle on a plastic stool. Our turnover in the base trucks are way higher than in the lariat trucks. Happy drivers are good drivers.
You can probably get a custom leather upholstery for 2to3K and upgrade stereo for 1k that's 5k added to a base model rather than paying 30k more to get the highest trim
Yeah my Ram is a Tradesman but with some add ons that make it a better place to be. I don't think I could run a state road worker spec truck all day every day.
@@Mo-fc2vj You dont need the top of the line truck, but you certainly dont want a base. No one wants to buy a truck only to put aftermarket garbage in. Best to get the truck optioned how you want from the factory. You want warranty on the entire thing.
Drove my 3500 ram tradesman and it was pretty comfy to me. Even slept in the backseat and it wasn’t too bad. Especially being 6 feet tall. What I loved best was the cloth seats. Can’t imagine doing that with leather seats.
Good videos man I like your stuff I’m 32 years old and I’ve been driving flatbeds and trucks since 21 and I like your videos. I also made some about shifting and all that but I like the fact you are honest with mistakes and you are not arrogant you will get far in my opinion like that. I have alway owned my own trucks thanks to my dad of course that he taught me right since I can remember and I can honesty say u put some real honest stuff on here 👍
You can still get your CDL Alex, it would also be a write off, if you went through a truck school, it would be for business which you already own, good advise and good video my man!
There are ways without going through a truck school also, I got mine from studying the handbook to pass the written test, and a rental yard near me will teach you the behind the wheel portion of your test and rent you there tractor trailer for the test. I paid less than $400 to get my CDL.
Gavno Nadoroge think what you want, but I, my wife, twin Cities Equipment and my bank all know I did it for under $400 including fuel in my PU to get there and back.
Thank you for your continued support and advice. Copied your checklist and am working on my CDL. I need a trailer and then I will head over to your website and sign up with someone who needs owner operator 👍🏼. I've been following you for a while and consistently wait for your videos. Keep up the amazing work Alex!
Great advice, burning out less common non-cdl since truck set-up is less intimidating but like to see some hotshotting going thru the scale videos...keep preachin chico!!
I was thinking the same thing as I'm sitting here dispatching and listening to TP... "Wow... TP is actually saying a good thing about CDL and hotshot" lol
I like the daily videos even if they’re short. Talk about the Ford more. How’s the seat comfort? Is MPG improving after break-in? Still liking it better than the 2019 Enterprise Cummins? Etc... I like details!
Non CDL is a plain in the rearend only due to weight issue and load broads. However, there is a way to solve that problem. But you have a bigger sandbox to play in with a CDL.
Or start with a $48,000 Enterprise used truck with 15,000 mi on it and pay the same rate that you would be paying Enterprise. Your truck will be paid off in a year and a half and still not have enough miles to have incurred any major expenses or downtime.. then either retire your truck to the house, give it to a son, let your wife drive it or sell it for $20,000 and put that money on ANOTHER truck and pay it off sooner. you will have a year and a half old truck paid for with approximately 200,000 mi on it. These Enterprise trucks are all over the country with 15,000 mi on them for $48,000 and you may be able to do even better. JUST SAYIN
When you talk about CDL you are right about some of the things and partially wrong about CDL at least where I'm from. If you drive a straight job truck with air brakes no matter what the weight you have to have a CDL
Really? I got my CDL on short notice. Haven’t driven under it for yrs. recall getting questioned “do you have a CDL?” I said “yep” got waved on. There are exemptions. But if any question is raised. That commercial license can be worth a lot.
@@bryaniskoo Yeah I remember it like that too. It was the quick way to hustle some money driving around Tx and OK, back in the day. Got the hell beat out of truck beds then.
I have my cdl I’ve been driving for 5 years and I’m thinking about getting into hotshot but I’m kind of nervous about finding loads I know that there’s more for a semi but the expenses are hell
On the topic on get your CDL, the manual in Idaho states over and over that for a CDL, you MUST test on that equipment to get that endorsement. For air ride, you need air, for fluid you need a tank. Plus the 14 day ride along with another CDL. So my question is what good is a CDL if you don't have the equipment that you must have to get into those markets? It seems like there is a gap where you would need to take the risk, save up and buy into the equipment that the CDL requires. I am asking as owner op, not employee.
Alex you should really become a dispatcher or broker for your company. You are very good with people and understand the business. Hire a driver and keep them moving. You will develope a customer base and become the next non cdl Maverick or knight
Indeed, it's not a violation to use the same attachment point on the vehicle. It's a violation to use any part of the safety chain itself - chain or hook. That said, you get less DOT hassle if your break-away and safety chains are noticeably separated and legal without requiring up close inspection.
I think having a cdl wouldn't matter it was his gvwr right he was 60 lbs over the gvwr. Also if u remember right he should have just gotten an over weight ticket. But for us big guys if we scale n over weight yep we get ticket n fine than all you do is get over weight permit from where you at to where you going and as soon as you get that you show weight master or state police and go on your way...
that's not necessarily true - I always go GMC and I get all that stuff you're naming free (good credit long a long way) and my buddies with rams and fords have more problems
Alex just a heads up, I had the same adapter plate setup as you and used the rails for my breakaway, a dot officer in Tennesse was going to give me a violation if I didn’t put the breakaway on the tie down ring on the inside of the bed. He said the adapter plate could potentially somehow break with both rails attached and the breakaway would never engage.
Who told you safety line hooked to same location as chain is a violation, that's not true. You can hook it to you same location as chain. I've had at least 5 level one inspections over the past 6 months and they a; look for it to be connected like so. They even say "great you have it connect correctly."
I think anybody who wants to jump on hotshot needs to join a trucking company for least 6 months to know the rules a bit, know that long distance is not easy, get used to weight station, talk to other driver along the way, then decided should you jump on hot shot. HOS is no joke D.O.T is no joke This job is not like driving across America on vacation, you got rules to follow
A long time ago my girlfriend and I were hitchhiking and got a ride from a trucker that I think had the right idea. He would PURCHASE a truckload of apples in Washington state and haul them to Miami and and purchase a load of palm trees in Miami and haul them to Vancouver BC. He did this twice a month as a private carrier and brokered the load himself. A little boring doing the same route all the time but he said he made a good living. He was different in that he had the cash to pay for the merchandise. I've never heard of another trucker that did the same thing. Of course apples or palm trees wouldn't work for hotshot but the business model is interesting.
Back in the 80’s wife and I went to pick up my truck from a repair of some sort at the local KW dealer. There was a driver there with a big truck who I got in a conversation with. I’d been around for awhile as a O/O so had a pretty good idea which way the wind blows. Anyway this guy told me that he had a steady run from Quebec to LA. He hauled the wooden frames of snow shoes, to LA where Mexican labourers “ strung “ the leather webbing into the frames and at the same dock would load a finished load back to Quebec. I was embarrassed. Had an urge to run into the men’s room to to mirror, cause I wanted to see just how stupid I looked. Usually it’s my wife’s job to tell me that. When I’d load produce down in “The Valley “. If I had room, and could add the weight, I’d buy extra boxes to gross out ( 42.6 ft reefer. Anyone remember those days ? And the “ Iron Curtain States “ up the Mississippi River where gross weight was 73,280 lbs ) You had to have people able to handle 50 boxes of fruit. It was more difficult than meets the eye. If the guy has a produce store and he doesn’t buy that fruit at the wholesale market, he could be asking for trouble. You couldn’t be running all over town delivering 5 boxes here, and 10 there. You had to get under your next load and get back at it.
My sense is that there is people who don’t want to be responsible have any CDL driver license but still want to be able to haul 26,001 pounds but they don’t want to be held responsible for any mistake
Non-CDL is the best way to go. We started our business almost 2 years ago, and non-CDL was the best choice. I’m averaging about $3K-6K a week when on the road. I will second your statement about DO NOT overspend on items that won’t make you more $$. We have a 2-car hauler (bought used) and a GMC 2500. However, there is no need to get a CDL if you drove under 26001 lbs although it may reduce insurance costs.
Do not hook your Breakaway cable to your bracket it's a violation you got to drill a I bought to the bed of the truck is better that's what they recommend they say you the bracket could be not installed correctly and break away from the truck itself that's why
It's because they're using $150k worth of equipment to pull 26,000 pounds. When a $50,000 truck and a $9,000 trailer will pull 33,000 pounds well over their limits.
I will be non CDL , I can’t get a CDL because I only have a permit to work here and apparently you gotta be resident or citizen to get it and either way I was gonna buy a trailer and truck for my other business so I’m cool with trying this , and plus I been towing for 3 years so I think I will like it
I say get whatever truck you like and most comfortable for you. Make sure your credit score up and possibly have a substantial down payment so your note can be what you want it to be. I've always had very nice cars and trucks but my notes were never what people assumed they were because of how I purchased it.
Also depends where you live though, for example here in Alberta Canada you can drive what is classified as a hotshot truck set up in the us with a class 3 which is in my province is a weird combination of non cdl/cdl licence with has no technical weight restrictions but instead is restricted by weather the vehicle has three or more axles without air brakes. If you had a vehicle with three or more axles with air brakes then you would need your full cdl here.
Not going to lie but this enterprise rental is killing me I think buying a truck is better my payments is 1500 per month 4000 miles included then 15 cents a mile I put almost 5000miles every week and a half this payment 1600 additional I might as well get a truck payment if it’s gonna be 800 -1100 a month. The enterprise truck deal is good but it keeps u having to run hard and less money in your pocket these trucks is good with high miles and if you invest that same money into it you give enterprise you could pay it off in a year or less and just get another truck and be up on payments . Would the truck be any good no but you could always pay to have the engine re done and start them miles over in a tear old truck 🤷🏾♂️ idk but think about it
Great advice Alex👍. On the last one, I thought that you would add that in the event you get loaded over 26K and get inspected. You are only overweight and unregistered; and Not Unlicensed🤓.
Hey dude you are looking good out there man ! Thanks for always keepimg it real ! Take care Alex ! You are the man , the myth , the soon to be legendary hotshot trucker of all time !!! Peace out baby ! Respect Jammin Jimmy
I am looking to get into doing this as a side gig on the weekends. Here is what I don’t understand about what your video was saying here is what I don’t understand about what your video was saying. The way I understand it is that if you do trucking for profit over interstate commerce your maximum load or gross vehicle weight collective rating is 10,000 pounds or less does not need a CDL over 10,001 you need a CDL for profit interstate commerce trucking. Another question I have that I haven’t been able to find an answer to ask I am planning on buying a ram 2500 that I intend to use for the side gig on weekends for commercial use but it will be my daily driver as well do you have to log my hours if you were not working interstate commerce you’re driving the truck for personal use? say, if you got pulled over and they asked.
Personal conveyance is the movement of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal use while off-duty. A driver may record time operating a CMV for personal conveyance as off-duty only when the driver is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work by the motor carrier. Taken from FMCSA web site.
Enterprise rental? Those are .29 per mile plus the base rate, which is $75-125 /day depending on the type of truck. You'd probably lose money that way.
About cutting costs and doing the bare minimum to start... Lots of farm auctions have nice 5th wheel trailer and all kinds of hotshot goodies for cheap. Much cheaper than buying a brand new Gatormade or Big Tex. They might need a pressure wash and some grease but I would much prefer a $3000 trailer that needs some polish than a $10000 trailer that immediately runs your budget.
That’s exactly what I’m trying to do now. I have my CDL ,but not the budget to to run under CDL so I decided I would start off non CDL . once I’ve made some money and have gotten a good feel for hotshot and if thing line up I will go CDL hotshot. I’m also think about going CDL hotshot under someone else Authority.
I some states I heard you will a CDL to pull some types of camper trailers, so it is good to get your CDL even if you are not going to be hot shot, another thing if you get a DUI you can say by to that CDL
Personally I don't think you should be telling other people to do anything. It's better to just stick with what you are doing well. Here's why. What if a person has an A1C they can't get under control or are having problems managing diabetes? even though you can be a diabetic and get a CDL, with new onset diabetes it takes up to 6 mths or longer to get A1C in required ranges. What if that person wants to start while he's waiting on his doctor's testing? What if someone wants to test out driving for awhile before paying the cost of CDL school? or want to test out if they like being on the road that much? if they can sleep in the truck? people with insomnia can't just sleep anywhere. Maybe want to get some exp.? What if someone wants to learn on a small scale how to get loads, learn the ropes with very minimal investment or low income? see if driving in snowstorms or on ice is something they can do? Towing up and down mountains? There are probably more reasons why someone other than you might want to drive non CDL, I wouldn't make a title video knocking it just because you think it's a bad idea.
Love the video, I'm new to this and the question I have is did you buy your own trailer to haul equipment or does the company who pays you hook up the loads for you?
My brother pulled in a new 2020 semi to California i 80 and the idiot dot said he had headlights not calibrated properly so much shit and you can't tow 26000 lbs without a cdl in many states so its misleading so get your cdl A and make sure your trailer is rated for that weight and be ready because DOT knows so they stop and do inspection on most pickups towing so get a real truck and make real money
Hi Alex, is there a trailer for hotshot where I can haul 4 cars and also can be used for transporting freight. Please let me know if there is one with some info. Thanks.
Having Tarps increases your revenue potential. Heavy duty tarps! Not the ones you buy at Home depot. Some customers will deny you the load if you show up with cheap tarps.
OTR trucking, be it heavy haul CDL or hot-shot, is a challenging profession, that just isn't suited for a vast majority of the population.
Alex has a very committed, determined personality, coupled w/ a likeable & courteous set of mannerisms. He remains reasonably calm under stress, & "thinks" he way out of precarious & negative situations . He also displays considerable stamina, coping w/ many boring hours of solitude, & the droning annoyance of road noise.
Alex is not the typical guy standing to your left or right, behind you or in front. A rare breed, a prototype for OTR trucking. Emulate his risks and liabilities @ your own peril.
Amen, well said brother.
Alex would succeed in most any field that he chose. Every type of business has successes and failures.
Yes I agree he definitely has a happy go lucky attitude. And he is someone that most people would want to hang out with.Up beat and positive.
Glad you put that out because trucking no matter if it's CDL or non-cdl is a challenge
Bingo! (I use your videos to encourage others trying to get in the business.) Keep up the professionism. Just finished 1 yr. anniversary as a hotshot. Your videos were a tremendous help. Did suffer through an expensive learning curve with adjusting brake control properly. Came from 18 wheeler world where the trailer does primarily most of stopping. Not so with hotshot. 2 sets of pads with calipers and ruined rotors and shortened life of my 14ply tires. Might make a great video, especially with new guys/gals starting up.
God bless you brother.
Walter Jones aggreed, trailer brake video be good! Still trying to master mine just right
keep the tires properly inflated too almost everyone has 1 tire underinflated
Trucking. It's real work. Good advice Alex. We all admire your honesty.
Fix it yourself! If you can do repairs on your own it will save soo much time and money. I always wondered why you didn’t just get your CDL to increase load options for weight capabilities.
more brake jobs, and more inspections.
Breakaways are such an easy thing to avoid getting a ticket for. But you gotta check constantly to make sure they work, the batteries can die due to crap wiring which for me was a common issue in trailers i pulled. Cheap wiring is used on all these newer trailers
Can't believe you're still in business.. You got heart, I'll give you that..
You just saved me from lots of stupid costly mistakes. Thank you 🙏🏿
Absolutely agree, do not waste $$$ on anything that will not increase revenue and always try to minimize the fixed overhead. Variable overhead is a slightly different beast, gotta spend $$$ to make $$$ and sometimes you gotta spend big to earn big
Excellent advise Alex. Many hot shotters never develop a niche market. They think operating with heavy high dollar or worn out used will make up for the difference for taking poor paying loads going to places requiring deadhead to get out of.
I appreciate the information you have provided. You have saved me boocoo bucks and hassle's. When Cass Freight Index turns green I will be ready.
Stay safe.
Your break away chain must be connected to apart of your truck that is not connected to your gooseneck plate or rails holding gooseneck plate. It must be connected to a part of the truck that is permanently mounted such as the tie downs in the corners of the bed. Think of it this way if the rails break loose and come off the truck with your trailer then the chain goes with it. The breaks will not activate and stop trailer . If chain is connected to the bed of truck, if trailer comes loose then the breaks will work slowing the trailer down to a stop.
100% agree with you on CDL. All it does is educate safety and give one the ability to have options (aka. More weight or move into a bigger truck) allowing the cash flow to continue... if hot shot truck doesn't pay, could always switch to bigger truck and park the smaller one and make enough to pay for it without having to go through a repo.
I have a paid off, F-250 diesel regular cab with only 20,000 miles on it. I know it won’t tow what the big 350/3500 and up, duallies and all that will tow, but would it be worth a try with that set up? What CDL should I get? I had a BX CDL back in the 90s but gave it up 20 years ago.
Thanks and I love watching your videos!
I did it all. Reefer, dry van, enclosed car hauling, open car hauling....owned a few trucks of my own. Had my authority. you name it. I did it all. 10 years in the game. Trucking is intensely competitive these days than when I first started. The margins are slim pickings. You really have to know what you are doing, then some to succeed in this. Good luck to you guys. Stay safe.
Well said TP! If someone wanted to dive into this business, what would you recommend for a starter trailer? Seems like a flatbed makes most sense unless you're into hauling cars. 30' trailer fit most average work? Considering getting into it. Have had cdl for years. Might be laid off from current job, might be time to do something different. Just don't want to be a company driver. Been watching your videos for a while now and I appreciate the info you pass on, and the brutal honesty! We need it straight, no sugar coating. You nail it! Thanks
If you can find a 40ft that would be better, you run out of space really quickly with a 30ft
Thanks brother!
Agreed, i have both, and there are times when you need that 35-40’ to haul and can’t, so see another partial you can add and make extra
Although, I agree on dont blow 100 grand on a truck, I dont recommend getting a base model. You're in the truck hours on end and need to stay comfortable. You wouldnt want to work 8 hrs in a cubicle on a plastic stool. Our turnover in the base trucks are way higher than in the lariat trucks. Happy drivers are good drivers.
You can probably get a custom leather upholstery for 2to3K and upgrade stereo for 1k that's 5k added to a base model rather than paying 30k more to get the highest trim
Yeah my Ram is a Tradesman but with some add ons that make it a better place to be. I don't think I could run a state road worker spec truck all day every day.
@@Mo-fc2vj You dont need the top of the line truck, but you certainly dont want a base. No one wants to buy a truck only to put aftermarket garbage in. Best to get the truck optioned how you want from the factory. You want warranty on the entire thing.
@@Clapxiomatic oh yeah, because ford and dodge oem is not garbage?
Drove my 3500 ram tradesman and it was pretty comfy to me. Even slept in the backseat and it wasn’t too bad. Especially being 6 feet tall. What I loved best was the cloth seats. Can’t imagine doing that with leather seats.
Good videos man I like your stuff I’m 32 years old and I’ve been driving flatbeds and trucks since 21 and I like your videos. I also made some about shifting and all that but I like the fact you are honest with mistakes and you are not arrogant you will get far in my opinion like that. I have alway owned my own trucks thanks to my dad of course that he taught me right since I can remember and I can honesty say u put some real honest stuff on here 👍
CDL now means you got to be a mechanic dam near and lots of proper word you have to speak to pass
Again I appreciate the video. I am still learning daily.
You can still get your CDL Alex, it would also be a write off, if you went through a truck school, it would be for business which you already own, good advise and good video my man!
There are ways without going through a truck school also, I got mine from studying the handbook to pass the written test, and a rental yard near me will teach you the behind the wheel portion of your test and rent you there tractor trailer for the test. I paid less than $400 to get my CDL.
@@BuckInchuteranch1 the fed requirements for cdl have recently changed.
@@BuckInchuteranch1 let me be the first one to call out your bs
Joe Brings I heard that, but they were on hold because of COVID-19, not positive though.
Gavno Nadoroge think what you want, but I, my wife, twin Cities Equipment and my bank all know I did it for under $400 including fuel in my PU to get there and back.
Thanks for the break away tip Alex! Don’t let them get ya!
Thank you for your continued support and advice. Copied your checklist and am working on my CDL. I need a trailer and then I will head over to your website and sign up with someone who needs owner operator 👍🏼. I've been following you for a while and consistently wait for your videos. Keep up the amazing work Alex!
Great advice, burning out less common non-cdl since truck set-up is less intimidating but like to see some hotshotting going thru the scale videos...keep preachin chico!!
GREAT advice and GREAT video. You were spot on!!!
I can't believe that you're finally coming around. I completely agree with everything you just said.
I was thinking the same thing as I'm sitting here dispatching and listening to TP...
"Wow... TP is actually saying a good thing about CDL and hotshot" lol
I like the daily videos even if they’re short. Talk about the Ford more.
How’s the seat comfort?
Is MPG improving after break-in?
Still liking it better than the 2019 Enterprise Cummins? Etc... I like details!
Good stuff TP!! Love the functional hotshot videos
Non CDL is a plain in the rearend only due to weight issue and load broads.
However, there is a way to solve that problem. But you have a bigger sandbox to play in with a CDL.
Pay to play, don't be mad at it though.
Or start with a $48,000 Enterprise used truck with 15,000 mi on it and pay the same rate that you would be paying Enterprise. Your truck will be paid off in a year and a half and still not have enough miles to have incurred any major expenses or downtime.. then either retire your truck to the house, give it to a son, let your wife drive it or sell it for $20,000 and put that money on ANOTHER truck and pay it off sooner. you will have a year and a half old truck paid for with approximately 200,000 mi on it. These Enterprise trucks are all over the country with 15,000 mi on them for $48,000 and you may be able to do even better. JUST SAYIN
When you talk about CDL you are right about some of the things and partially wrong about CDL at least where I'm from. If you drive a straight job truck with air brakes no matter what the weight you have to have a CDL
No way man, those republicans got hands in a broke man's pockets coming and going.
I disagree. The entire idea behind hotshot trucking is to avoid the CDL. You are regular working stiff once you get the CDL.
Really? I got my CDL on short notice. Haven’t driven under it for yrs. recall getting questioned “do you have a CDL?” I said “yep” got waved on. There are exemptions. But if any question is raised. That commercial license can be worth a lot.
So what are you without the CDL? An irregular working stiff?
@@jpollard1984 well I painted myself into a corner. Lol
@@bryaniskoo Yeah I remember it like that too. It was the quick way to hustle some money driving around Tx and OK, back in the day. Got the hell beat out of truck beds then.
I have my cdl I’ve been driving for 5 years and I’m thinking about getting into hotshot but I’m kind of nervous about finding loads I know that there’s more for a semi but the expenses are hell
Just keep your eyes out for short high paying loads. There’s videos on how you can easily get them
BOOM! Great advise! Thank you for sharing!
Can you do a video about the reasons why people quit hotshot trucking?
On the topic on get your CDL, the manual in Idaho states over and over that for a CDL, you MUST test on that equipment to get that endorsement. For air ride, you need air, for fluid you need a tank. Plus the 14 day ride along with another CDL. So my question is what good is a CDL if you don't have the equipment that you must have to get into those markets? It seems like there is a gap where you would need to take the risk, save up and buy into the equipment that the CDL requires. I am asking as owner op, not employee.
Alex you should really become a dispatcher or broker for your company. You are very good with people and understand the business. Hire a driver and keep them moving. You will develope a customer base and become the next non cdl Maverick or knight
I got a dot inspection in Maine I got the safety brake chain in same hole he looked . I don't got a violation
Indeed, it's not a violation to use the same attachment point on the vehicle. It's a violation to use any part of the safety chain itself - chain or hook. That said, you get less DOT hassle if your break-away and safety chains are noticeably separated and legal without requiring up close inspection.
Use a 5th wheel trailer and you don't need safety chains.
About the weigh how is work i mean. The big rigs are 12 34 34. What about. Hot shots whit a 350 Ford 40f tráiler
Having your CDL would've saved you from that 60 lbs. 🤣🤣🤣
😂😂
I thought the same thing
😂😂😂
I think having a cdl wouldn't matter it was his gvwr right he was 60 lbs over the gvwr. Also if u remember right he should have just gotten an over weight ticket. But for us big guys if we scale n over weight yep we get ticket n fine than all you do is get over weight permit from where you at to where you going and as soon as you get that you show weight master or state police and go on your way...
He a hater first he tells you hotshot Is good then the next its not
that's not necessarily true - I always go GMC and I get all that stuff you're naming free (good credit long a long way) and my buddies with rams and fords have more problems
Alex just a heads up, I had the same adapter plate setup as you and used the rails for my breakaway, a dot officer in Tennesse was going to give me a violation if I didn’t put the breakaway on the tie down ring on the inside of the bed. He said the adapter plate could potentially somehow break with both rails attached and the breakaway would never engage.
I went to my County last year and they paid for the trucking school. I got my CDL on the first attempt.
Do you have to work for the County?
@@thisismagacountry1318 nope.
Who told you safety line hooked to same location as chain is a violation, that's not true. You can hook it to you same location as chain. I've had at least 5 level one inspections over the past 6 months and they a; look for it to be connected like so. They even say "great you have it connect correctly."
I was thinking the same thing, I was starting to doubt myself.
I think anybody who wants to jump on hotshot needs to join a trucking company for least 6 months to know the rules a bit, know that long distance is not easy, get used to weight station, talk to other driver along the way, then decided should you jump on hot shot.
HOS is no joke
D.O.T is no joke
This job is not like driving across America on vacation, you got rules to follow
A long time ago my girlfriend and I were hitchhiking and got a ride from a trucker that I think had the right idea. He would PURCHASE a truckload of apples in Washington state and haul them to Miami and and purchase a load of palm trees in Miami and haul them to Vancouver BC. He did this twice a month as a private carrier and brokered the load himself. A little boring doing the same route all the time but he said he made a good living. He was different in that he had the cash to pay for the merchandise.
I've never heard of another trucker that did the same thing. Of course apples or palm trees wouldn't work for hotshot but the business model is interesting.
Back in the 80’s wife and I went to pick up my truck from a repair of some sort at the local KW dealer. There was a driver there with a big truck who I got in
a conversation with. I’d been around for awhile as a O/O so had a pretty good idea which way the wind blows. Anyway this guy told me that he had a steady
run from Quebec to LA. He hauled the wooden frames of snow shoes, to LA where Mexican labourers “ strung “ the leather webbing into the frames and at
the same dock would load a finished load back to Quebec. I was embarrassed. Had an urge to run into the men’s room to to mirror, cause I wanted to see
just how stupid I looked. Usually it’s my wife’s job to tell me that. When I’d load produce down in “The Valley “. If I had room, and could add the weight, I’d
buy extra boxes to gross out ( 42.6 ft reefer. Anyone remember those days ? And the “ Iron Curtain States “ up the Mississippi River where gross weight was
73,280 lbs ) You had to have people able to handle 50 boxes of fruit. It was more difficult than meets the eye. If the guy has a produce store and he doesn’t
buy that fruit at the wholesale market, he could be asking for trouble. You couldn’t be running all over town delivering 5 boxes here, and 10 there. You had
to get under your next load and get back at it.
My sense is that there is people who don’t want to be responsible have any CDL driver license but still want to be able to haul 26,001 pounds but they don’t want to be held responsible for any mistake
Non-CDL is the best way to go. We started our business almost 2 years ago, and non-CDL was the best choice. I’m averaging about $3K-6K a week when on the road. I will second your statement about DO NOT overspend on items that won’t make you more $$. We have a 2-car hauler (bought used) and a GMC 2500. However, there is no need to get a CDL if you drove under 26001 lbs although it may reduce insurance costs.
very good video alex very good keep it up
Love your description it has everything you need 👍
Do not hook your Breakaway cable to your bracket it's a violation you got to drill a I bought to the bed of the truck is better that's what they recommend they say you the bracket could be not installed correctly and break away from the truck itself that's why
It’s incredible how many people think this business is easy. From watching you, it seems like most people quit.
It's because they're using $150k worth of equipment to pull 26,000 pounds. When a $50,000 truck and a $9,000 trailer will pull 33,000 pounds well over their limits.
@@bryaniskoo Is that your setup?
@@Tytrades yep. Rocking the eco diesel gooseneck
I will be non CDL , I can’t get a CDL because I only have a permit to work here and apparently you gotta be resident or citizen to get it and either way I was gonna buy a trailer and truck for my other business so I’m cool with trying this , and plus I been towing for 3 years so I think I will like it
I say get whatever truck you like and most comfortable for you. Make sure your credit score up and possibly have a substantial down payment so your note can be what you want it to be. I've always had very nice cars and trucks but my notes were never what people assumed they were because of how I purchased it.
A nice truck is better than driving a new car. IMO. I can rent any new car and be done with it. But anything F-350 D-3500 and up to big rigs, I roll.
Not only will the 100k truck not increase your rate per mile, but the higher the trim, the higher the curb weight. Every pound counts.
Also depends where you live though, for example here in Alberta Canada you can drive what is classified as a hotshot truck set up in the us with a class 3 which is in my province is a weird combination of non cdl/cdl licence with has no technical weight restrictions but instead is restricted by weather the vehicle has three or more axles without air brakes. If you had a vehicle with three or more axles with air brakes then you would need your full cdl here.
Not going to lie but this enterprise rental is killing me I think buying a truck is better my payments is 1500 per month 4000 miles included then 15 cents a mile I put almost 5000miles every week and a half this payment 1600 additional I might as well get a truck payment if it’s gonna be 800 -1100 a month. The enterprise truck deal is good but it keeps u having to run hard and less money in your pocket these trucks is good with high miles and if you invest that same money into it you give enterprise you could pay it off in a year or less and just get another truck and be up on payments . Would the truck be any good no but you could always pay to have the engine re done and start them miles over in a tear old truck 🤷🏾♂️ idk but think about it
RICHCREWSPLASHSET Most trucks can’t go 100,000 miles without breaking downs. Like he said it may not be the cheapest but it’s the safest and easiest
Great advice Alex👍. On the last one, I thought that you would add that in the event you get loaded over 26K and get inspected. You are only overweight and unregistered; and Not Unlicensed🤓.
Still a foolish unnecessary fine expense that may also impact insurance rates.
I love your videos my dear.. please please be safe out there on the road.. god bless you on your way home.!
Your vids are great and informative. Thank you big time. bill in Florida
Key words.. Monthly payments. Thanx bro..stay safe
Thank you for your videos!
Good points man wat do you think a good cheap reliable truck will be best to start off with ???
Great advice TP! low overhead always increases your chances
What year is your truck???? Do brokers have truck year requirements??
Hey dude you are looking good out there man ! Thanks for always keepimg it real !
Take care Alex ! You are the man , the myth , the soon to be legendary hotshot trucker of all time !!!
Peace out baby !
Respect
Jammin Jimmy
I am looking to get into doing this as a side gig on the weekends. Here is what I don’t understand about what your video was saying here is what I don’t understand about what your video was saying. The way I understand it is that if you do trucking for profit over interstate commerce your maximum load or gross vehicle weight collective rating is 10,000 pounds or less does not need a CDL over 10,001 you need a CDL for profit interstate commerce trucking.
Another question I have that I haven’t been able to find an answer to ask I am planning on buying a ram 2500 that I intend to use for the side gig on weekends for commercial use but it will be my daily driver as well do you have to log my hours if you were not working interstate commerce you’re driving the truck for personal use? say, if you got pulled over and they asked.
Personal conveyance is the movement of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal use while off-duty. A driver may record time operating a CMV for personal conveyance as off-duty only when the driver is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work by the motor carrier. Taken from FMCSA web site.
Hey man, I've been wanting to do something like this for years, I was wondering if you knew any company's that are leasing right now?
Also I had before and now getting a Nebraska CDL A with an O restriction, no way to avoid that unless I have a semi tractor/trailer to take a test in.
Thank you for the info.
Enterprise rental? Those are .29 per mile plus the base rate, which is $75-125 /day depending on the type of truck. You'd probably lose money that way.
About cutting costs and doing the bare minimum to start... Lots of farm auctions have nice 5th wheel trailer and all kinds of hotshot goodies for cheap. Much cheaper than buying a brand new Gatormade or Big Tex. They might need a pressure wash and some grease but I would much prefer a $3000 trailer that needs some polish than a $10000 trailer that immediately runs your budget.
CDL-A
If you have a CDL-B then you may not drive that rig because the TRAILER is over 10k#. Stupid rule, but don't get caught!
What about a class B CDL? I’m stumped on how much I can haul.
That’s exactly what I’m trying to do now. I have my CDL ,but not the budget to to run under CDL so I decided I would start off non CDL . once I’ve made some money and have gotten a good feel for hotshot and if thing line up I will go CDL hotshot. I’m also think about going CDL hotshot under someone else Authority.
Great points , start cdl school on 6/6 . Now you got me thinking used trailer . Thoughts?
I'm thinking about becoming a hotshot driver. What is the bare minumal????
All of your videos I've seen you say you don't have a cdl. Did you go back to school or are you just recommending it to new hot shots?
What kind of cdl is needed? B or A
Very good advice
Remember, trucks are already expensive so get whatever you want to be comfortable while working
Good afternoon. I have a question. Can I work as a Hotshot with a CDL B and exceed 26,000 pounds?
I some states I heard you will a CDL to pull some types of camper trailers, so it is good to get your CDL even if you are not going to be hot shot, another thing if you get a DUI you can say by to that CDL
Make damn sure with the break away your battery is working if you have electric brakes
Personally I don't think you should be telling other people to do anything. It's better to just stick with what you are doing well. Here's why. What if a person has an A1C they can't get under control or are having problems managing diabetes? even though you can be a diabetic and get a CDL, with new onset diabetes it takes up to 6 mths or longer to get A1C in required ranges. What if that person wants to start while he's waiting on his doctor's testing? What if someone wants to test out driving for awhile before paying the cost of CDL school? or want to test out if they like being on the road that much? if they can sleep in the truck? people with insomnia can't just sleep anywhere. Maybe want to get some exp.? What if someone wants to learn on a small scale how to get loads, learn the ropes with very minimal investment or low income? see if driving in snowstorms or on ice is something they can do? Towing up and down mountains? There are probably more reasons why someone other than you might want to drive non CDL, I wouldn't make a title video knocking it just because you think it's a bad idea.
How do y’all get the jobs
googlle it. many many ways. USHIP IS one of the cheapest baby steps.
Can u get CDL A with dodge truck and trailer?
Seems the passenger seat is in place, so back to backseat sleeping??
No this video was started while I had the white Ford but I finished it in my new truck, haven’t had a chance to remove the seats yet
so you got another ford .... you must be liking the ford.
are not the trailers crap currently,shoddily manufactured and lack of parts if your so inclined to do repairs
Love the video, I'm new to this and the question I have is did you buy your own trailer to haul equipment or does the company who pays you hook up the loads for you?
You are never stuck .
Well this applies to semi trucks as well
Why don't you go get you CDL?
No #3 Is a big one to consider. Make it so you can get the hell out
My brother pulled in a new 2020 semi to California i 80 and the idiot dot said he had headlights not calibrated properly so much shit and you can't tow 26000 lbs without a cdl in many states so its misleading so get your cdl A and make sure your trailer is rated for that weight and be ready because DOT knows so they stop and do inspection on most pickups towing so get a real truck and make real money
Can a half ton make some money towing? Under 12,000 pounds?
Don’t Paul CDL freight without a CDL, Makes sense to me??
Hi Alex, is there a trailer for hotshot where I can haul 4 cars and also can be used for transporting freight. Please let me know if there is one with some info. Thanks.
Thank you good advise..