Putting Your Truck To Work

[RANOVRU]

Well the end of the lawn season is fast approaching here and Ill be pretty dead for 5-6mths. Im really interested in trying to find some 1099 hauling work. Not really picky about loads or how far as long as the moneys there.

Anybody here haul regularly as a contractor? Im having trouble finding places online that are in this field. Any advice/help is greatly appreciated.


TIA, Jon

 

[gunz]

I did but insurance as a private operator cured that really quickly. If you could get hired on as a contractor thru a company it might be cheaper, But some hot shot companies wont employ trucks over 10 years old.

Good luck .

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

>>> YOU WILL SOON HAUL AWAY YOUR SAVINGS <<<

I have long-hauled livestock ever since I was barely old enough to drive, both in ton-sized/gooseneck trucks and big 48-footer tractor-trailer rigs.

The last few years, ever since two days after hurricane Katrina to be exact, I have curtailed about 90% of the hauling-for-hire that I used to do; people just will not and can not pay what it costs.

I was recently asked to make a short trip of about 1200-miles one way.

The guy was offering $4.50/loaded-mile.

As that did not sound quite enough, I sat down and put the pencil to it.

The best I could come up with, MY COST, not what I would charge him, was a bit over $6.60/loaded-mile.

Some redneck hotshot punk kid who is already swimming in more debt than an old man could stand and owes everybody around and will never pay them jumped at that piddling $4.50 and has been bragging around about how much he made on that trip.

I see these flash-in-the-pan wannabe truckers come and go quickly; most last barely six months; just long enough and enough new ones taking their places to keep the pay so low that someone who knows what it's all about can't justify doing it.



We have been in the tire business over 50 years, soon to be 60 years.

If you want to see my father sweat, just let some independent truck owner start asking about setting up an account.

They can't meet the truck payments and their insurance has been out two months; what are the chances of them paying us ??

 

[OLDBULL8]

Well the end of the lawn season is fast approaching here and Ill be pretty dead for 5-6mths. Im really interested in trying to find some 1099 hauling work. Not really picky about loads or how far as long as the moneys there.

Anybody here haul regularly as a contractor? Im having trouble finding places online that are in this field. Any advice/help is greatly appreciated.


TIA, Jon

Towing and Hauling Forum is the place to go. Search there. Hope you have about $10K in your bank account. After the 5-6 months you will have to work like hell to replenish it.

Midnight Rider is right on.

 

[Compu Doc]

You would be better off having at least a class B with hazmat and tank and working for a home heating oil company than you would be doing 1099 hauling.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

What's the deal with this "1099" business ??

 

[92F350CC]

1099 just means contract work pretty much, as opposed to w2(employee). In trucking terms, it would be O/O.

 

[Exekiel69]

What about leaf removal, maybe get a few contracts for snow removal and salt. That could keep You home making money rather than stranded somewhere far, just an idea.

 

[icanfixall]

I was offered a job to haul one horse from San Diego to seatle. They were offering me $750.00 for the round trip.... If I drove straight thru. Then got a motel and drove two days back home what would I have made.... A fool out of myself AND TAKEN MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET..

 

[RANOVRU]

What about leaf removal, maybe get a few contracts for snow removal and salt. That could keep You home making money rather than stranded somewhere far, just an idea.

Theres a little work left going into fall with what you mentioned, among a couple of other things, but its not that steady and wont last long. I was just trying to plan ahead.

Waiting for it to snow around here is like wishing on a star. If I had a plow and/or equipment for snow Id head up north a state or two to get the work, but even then its not what youd call steady (dependent on weather).

 

[RANOVRU]

You would be better off having at least a class B with hazmat and tank and working for a home heating oil company than you would be doing 1099 hauling.

I have (and still am) considering going the CDL route. Thing is, in VA you have to go through an acredited school, which costs $$$.

Ive talked with people that say 20+yrs ago you could get an O/O (if you were lucky enough to have a friend like that) to teach you, use their rig to take the test at DMV, and not pay a cent out of pocket. Even if I knew someone like that today its not an option.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Towing and Hauling Forum is the place to go. Search there. Hope you have about $10K in your bank account. After the 5-6 months you will have to work like hell to replenish it.

Midnight Rider is right on.

What I said above is the truth. With that truck you have in your sig, if that is the one you plan on useing, FORGET IT. Don't even think of useing it for business, even for snow plowing. Everyone and his brother is in the snowplowing business with the economy the way it is, if they have a truck and a plow.

Say for a 1099 haul. If your tranny or truck broke down on the road, there goes $2500 to $3000, only you know how good your tranny or truck is. Think about it. Plus Towing charge, Motel, food, trailer storage, pissed off customer for late delivery and etc.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Way back when fuel was around 78-cents/gallon and I was making $1.75/loaded-mile on the longer trips --- a lot more per mile on anything less than 300-miles and a whole lot more for anything less than 100-miles --- long-hauling cattle was fun and I could afford a sit-down dinner and a sit-down supper EVERY NIGHT.

When something went hay-wire, I had cash enough in my shirt-pocket to remedy the situation and keep on rolling.