If you’re ready to get started as a hot shot driver, grab a computer to start the paperwork. Typical rates can range from $1-$2 a mile depending on the load, location, and haul.
Hotshot trucking jobs drivers#
Rates change from haul to haul, so hot shot drivers are regularly negotiating their pay. Typically, hot shot drivers earn pay by the mile. Running under your own authority also means that bringing home a paycheck is largely based on your hustle. Most hot shot jobs are local or regional routes, so drivers get frequent home time. That means that you have some say in where you run and how often. If you are a hot shot trucker, you are running under your own authority. Registration, insurance, and legal fees (if you decide to become an LLC) should all be part of your budget plan. Finally, make sure you leave room in the budget for the paperwork. There will also be other miscellaneous equipment like chains and binders that you’ll want to have on hand. The pickup truck and flatbed trailer will probably be your biggest starting expenses. There are several big costs that you should plan for. They make you wait 90 days b4 most brokers will let you take a load for them,” shared Earl. And once you get all your paperwork to start taking loads. We talked to Earl, a hot shot trucker with his company, JEPPS Enterprises, and asked if he had any advice for drivers considering starting in hot shot trucking. But, as drivers will be quick to tell you, that doesn’t mean it’s cheap or immediate. One advantage of hot shot trucking is that the initial costs of equipment are usually lower than becoming a tractor trailer owner operator. Each trailer type has pros and cons, so it’s important to read up on the differences and decide what’s best for you. That could include a bumper pull, gooseneck, lowboy, or deckover trailer. Then, drivers usually pull some type of flatbed trailer. Class 3 – Class 5 trucks are the go-to picks. Most hot shot drivers use a heavy-duty pickup truck.
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Unlike most CDL jobs, hot shot trucking does not require driving a tractor trailer. Speed is the common ground hot shot trucking and expedited freight, but otherwise, the two jobs are pretty different. The equipment varies, and expedited shipping vehicles are always on standby for a specific company. On the other hand, expedited shipping means delivering loads faster than they’re usually sent. Usually, hot shot drivers find their loads on load boards. Hot shot truckers drive smaller loads in smaller trucks to deliver heavy equipment. Both are about speed, right? While both jobs are all about getting loads quickly to where they need to go, there are some differences.
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You might be wondering what the difference is between hot shot trucking and expedited freight. Just a few of the more common types of loads are construction equipment, agricultural equipment, industrial machinery, and other heavy loads. Now, there’s a wide range of materials that hot shot drivers haul. These types of loads first became common making runs between oil part manufacturers and the oilfields. Hot shot drivers take loads of materials that must be delivered to a specific location as soon as possible.
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What Is Hot Shot Trucking?Īs the name suggests, hot shot trucking is all about speed. The startup costs for hot shot trucking are a little lower than for owner operators, so it can be a good way to be your own boss in the trucking industry. For most drivers though, local and regional routes are the most common. Hot shot drivers can take loads anywhere from across town to across the country. Usually hot shot loads are smaller, and they take time-sensitive loads to delivery locations. For a start, hot shot drivers use very different equipment and make specialized runs on a short time frame. Hot shot trucking is a little different from a typical CDL tractor-trailer job.