Hotshot trucking is one of the most outstanding hauling services in US and has made transportation of goods much easier and more convenient. Also, it helps build up thousands of interconnected job opportunities that evolve around hot shot trucking.
Definition of Hot shot trucking
It is simply delivering loads within tight deadlines. Considering how this differs from regular trucking or transporting, the simple answer is “speed.” All of the operations of hotshot hauling depend on the speed of delivery. This service is used to deliver a load faster than an average haul.
If a job is posted today, it must be delivered today!
Challenging, huh?
This service is related to Texas oil fields and was used to transport the parts and equipment necessary for pumping fuel and drilling. The earnings of the professional hotshot truck drivers are in an excellent range.
Types of trucks used
Talking about the truck types or the types of vehicles that they use for hotshot business is a different discussion.
For the sake of knowledge, we mention the most common types of cars that the hot shot drivers use for transportation.
- Class three medium-duty truck
- Class four medium-duty truck
- Class five medium-duty truck
Things to know about hotshot trucking
When you use a service, it is always better and safer to know details about it as much as possible. Like any other service, we can apply the same rules to Hotshot trucking.
Below are a few tips that anyone should know about hot shot trucking.
- This service is mainly for hauls that must be delivered within a specific timeline. Most often, these timelines are concise and tightly scheduled.
- So, this is a tiny pension for the entire transport industry.
- It is a good job opportunity for those passionate about hotshot trucking and those who love traveling.
Some benefits of hotshot trucking
The hotshot trucking industry has benefits for both the drivers and the users of the services. Listed below are some of the standard details about how beneficial hotshot trucking is.
- The start-up costs of hotshot trucking are meager. But the class eight category cost is slightly more than the other classes. You are good to go if you have a medium-duty truck and a trailer! If you already own a car and a trainer, the start-up costs can be reduced further. But any driver who operates with a commercial motor vehicle should abstain from a DOT medical card which indicates the complete medical history of the truck driver.
- The licensing procedure is straightforward. These trucks need a commercial license but not a CDL license. Many states do not request a CDL if the vehicle’s weight is less than 26000Lbs. But this is not all states. Some states do.
- It is not hard to find steady work, which leads to a good income. If you are a dedicated hotshot driver, who can work on the same-day deliveries, and have a positive attitude and relationships with the clients, you can achieve a lot. The charges depend on the type of haul you handle.
- If you wish to drive shorter distances, you have more home time.
- The hot shot trucking allows you to choose your load and work on it. Like any other small-scale business, you are responsible for scheduling times for all the costs, maintenance, and taxes.
- As most drivers deliver the loads within the states and the regions, the loads tend to provide fast. So, the service is much faster than regular shipping or transporting services.
The best niches for hot shot trucking at a glance!
If you wish to start your career as a hot shot driver, you need to think well of what is the best category to start up with. Doing some background studies on what the best niche will not go waste.
That is why you have to select the niche market wisely. Let us see the best niche categories you can pitch.
Below are some of the niche categories you could rock at.
Pipeline service
This industry normally sed big and straight trucks, and the hotshot trucks are used expensively. Some of these trucks are subcontracted, and the owners or the company drivers operate them. The best thing about this category is that all these jobs work within the state. They never cross the state borders. It means that you can find good jobs in the oil fields. And they pay you handsomely, and many allow you to sleep in your bed every night. So this is the most attractive part of this category.
The only disadvantage is that the oil fields are spread in a few states like Texas, California, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma. Some of these are remote areas that will take about a week or two to return home after your consignment. But remember, the earnings are good and worth the effort. Also, the payments and the value of your efforts depend on the fluctuation of the oil prices. When the oil prices drop, it will affect the costs drastically.
RV hauling
RV hauling is the next category that is very easy to get in. You only need a ¾-ton truck, CDL, and a valid health card to ensure you are fit enough for the job. The hire companies expect the truck to be five years old or newer.
This particular category offers you great benefits.
If you plan to lease on and stay under the category of 26K GCWR, you will receive some unique tax benefits. Also, the driver has total control of your schedule and routing. Most of the loads that RV s need you to haul are lighter weights.
Also, as you can decide on your route, you can pick the most exciting route you wish to travel long. So, choose the one with the best scenic beauty! You can drive all through Canada if you have a passport and a record with no criminal history. It depends on the company you haul for, which determines the miles or kilometers you travel.
If you wish to carry on with this niche category, make sure not to get involved with loading docks, lumpers, or other usual trucking nuisances. No involving or factoring as most companies pay at least half of the amount upfront and complete the rest once the delivery is done. Also, if you want to haul the RVs s, you do not need to live in the area. You can live anywhere and take up a job. There is one disadvantage that you have to pay attention to. The gross earnings may be limited if you do not pick the correct truck, not minding the fuel prices, truck repairs, and other vital costs. Also, hauling in winter storms is another issue that arises.
Livestock Hauling
You can easily take up this category if you have a gooseneck trailer. Joining the livestock buyer Is not bad as the business depends on the character. That is whether you are hauling for a broker farmer or a buyer. You can build your value and trust, a core area in getting more business. Sometimes the buyer tends to buy the animals based on your assessment of the animals. It would help if you built that trust depending on the people you deal with. One of the main areas you need to keep in mind is the cleanliness of the truck when you are delivering animals. The first impression needs to be good in any business.
Also, you are delivering living and breathing products as your load. So, you need to be more aware of the condition of the animals, and the emotional involvement is much more potent than with any other gear you deliver. Also, word-of-mouth spreads mainly in this niche category if you are a genuine hauler. So, you will get more jobs.
One of the unique things to remember is that hauling livestock has disadvantages like night drives. The animals need to be well throughout the ride. So, you must ensure that the delivery is done as soon as possible. If you park for the night, you must feed them well. Also, ensure the temperature is well controlled, and the animals have sufficient air to breathe freely.
Shed delivery
Shed delivery is another niche you can get into; this category is poorly taken care of. Hauling sheds does not need credit. The easy financing signs tell you that there is a vast market.
Most of the time, the consignments are around your home, and the pay says how demanding this is. You can collect a pretty good check for a 50-mile round trip. The only bad point is that you need to get a particular type of truck that is sufficient to transport the sheds. And sometimes, the pathways you will have to lead to the unloading place are too thin, and you need quite a skill to deliver the shed.
Car hauling
Car hauling is also a good niche to get into. Its truck is one of the best niche categories in hotshot trucking. Most of the jobs are posted online, and owner-operators are very common. Auto and collector car auctions, rental car industry, employee relocation companies, national companies with any flees, auto transport brokers, and dispatch services are the main places where you can get job opportunities.
Home improvement centers and contractors
When you purchase anything from a home improvement store, you seek a service provider to deliver the goods. Building a connection with these stores will allow you to get more jobs. A cargo trailer and an open deck are more than enough to do a perfect job. The only thing is that these types of jobs are last-minute deliveries.
These are the best types of niche markets that you could get into. Most of them are in the higher demand and high-income category. Building connections and getting in touch with the stores and people is the best way to get more jobs.
The Bottom Line
So we hope this discussion provided you an insight into what niche categories are the best. If you choose the niche with great care, you can make the maximum out of it!