I have been kicking around the idea of buying a F350 Diesel. I have no immediate need for a truck large other than I want one, this beast presses all my 'oh hell yes' buttons and is a VERY nice truck to boot.


Then yesterday a light bulb goes off...as I head into retirement in a few years it would be nice to have some means of making some extra money. I love road trips just me and the open road. I have been known to drive 1,100 miles in a single day. So I thought hey maybe I could make some extra money hauling cars/machines/goods from point A to point B with this beast.

What do you think? Anyone else already do this? If this is plausible on a part time basis I may opt for the DRW vs the SRW.

 

Love it! We're years from retirement, but 100% intend to move horses across the country in our golden years. I love driving alllll daaaaay, and she loves horses. Perfect. Do it!

 

There are many companies that would hire you and your truck if you want to deliver vehicles, travel trailers, etc.

Here is a link to one such company after a quick search: RV Transport Driver Jobs Application - Autri Transport Inc.

I would research the industry and find a company that will work with you and your needs.

 

Mostly this industry involves guys running dually pickups hauling "wedge" car carriers for private companies looking to move cars. Requires lots of DOT paperwork, insurance, and a CDL unless you can stay under 26k which is nearly impossible if you want to make money. It also beats up the truck pretty hard. Some guys "hotshots" --do very well at this but most end up barely making anything in exchange for driving all over the country.

Its a nice idea, but I surely would not want this to be a primary income or to even pay for the truck.

 

Cool man, BEFORE you jump off, better call State Farm. IF you use your vehicle to generate income, some companies won't insure you. When I owned a company that had cars my ins company would not cover me so I had to find another one. I got a decent rate, but I did have to look.

Since you intend to haul other folks goods, then you are responsible for them and any damage won't make them happy. You will need to CARRY MEGA limits and prob a Umbrella policy.

As for haulin horse flesh, brother that is a HIGH DOLLAR game. I know a guy in that business and and turned him on to some friends who were moving to Austin from Indy. IIRC it was $7000, for him to go from S Tex to Indy and pickup and drop in Austin. Can you talk MEGA INS! He was hauling a $100k horse. His trailer is incredible, he stays in it, has a room, bath etc [NOTE this is a big selling point as he lives IN the trailer with the horses, folks like that). I think he can haul 4 horses and the he has his custom living quarters. He paid around $300 LARGE, horse area is AC/Heat, his quarters all granite and fine solid wood.

GO for it guys, its a big investment but its big dollars to boot!

 

Exactly. These jumpers are worth their weight in gold. Might only be 1 or 2 at a time for the olympians, real nice layin' down trailers...awesome stuff. Absolutely what we'll be doing...down the road.

EDIT: or...a 53' Peterbilt, with an F-350 to run around town in. LOL

 

Yeah, and just cause you can physically drive 1,100 miles in a day doesn't mean that you can drive that legally if you're commercial.

Basically:
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcs...202015_508.pdf
(this might actually be outdated now, the 60/70 rule has changed but not sure of the date)

 

I will give you your first job. Please drive to Kentucky and bring my new Platinum home, I will pay you $1195👍

 

Don't get me started, yet another idea I'm kicking around. I make $200k a year so I'll have all the licensing, insurance stuff sorted out well in advance. No at fault accidents in my 38 years of driving, don't drink or do drugs. Hell I haven't had a ticket in 30 years.

drool!

 

THAT would be fun!

 

It takes an awful lot of $7k trips to make back the 300k investment on the trailer. I figure its about 1,000 miles from Indy to Austin. 42 trips gives you the 300k on paper. But that adds 84,000 miles to your truck and trailer. That means tires, oil changes, other maintenance. Don't forget the $15k in diesel fuel you'll be burning. Now factor in your time and the depreciation of your truck and trailer. Plus insurance and finally taxes. You'll make some money, but nowhere near what I'd consider great money. If you enjoy it, go for it. Sounds like you're doing fine financially, congrats.

 

AND not only that you got a GOOD LOOKIN RIG there!!!!!.

In my secret life I always thought I could be a long haul big rig driver.

One of my soldiers I had to talk to about reenlisting in the Army. He was a good soldier and I knew him well and also knew the Army was not a career for him and he said so. So I asked what do you want to do in life. He said I want to be a long haul trucker. OK, then I will help you any way I can. He got of the Army and years later about 2 am I wake up to a loud noise like a really big diesel churning, then a scream and a knock on my door. I head downstairs to what in the hell...it him and his co-driver and they were passing thru town, he looked me up in the fone book and there sat a 18 wheeler idling in my driveway.

It was good to see him and see how happy he was.

I think highly of truckers and have stopped to help them out if can in my many miles on the roads of this country. So hats off to YA.

 

You'll fall under DOT requirements and you'll be competing against lots of other folks who also don't mind the drive. Now, if you drove just for yourself and got a 10k 250 and a 10k trailer you'd be in like flynn. To actually make money you'd have to get into buying and selling stuff. Buying used equipment and fixing it can have good profits, and one of the biggest challenges is transportation. Or buy unfinished project cars and just part them out on ebay. Parts are worth more than the finished product in many cases. The fewer middle men you have the more profits go to you. If it's starting to sound like real work, that's when you can make money doing it. There are entire companies set up to bid on transportation arrangements, and the margins are thin.

 

Exactly correct. I have owned lathes, mills, various types of machinery and the biggest obstacle to buying and selling them is moving the things. Once you get over 1,000 lbs its a real pain. Our local professional rigging company charges $1,000 minimum just to go 20 miles. They move BIG stuff but even if you just need to move a lathe that weighs 2,000 lbs that's what you are faced with a $1,000 bill.


A friend of mine purchased a 1,800 lb lathe on craigslist in NJ, he hired a guy with a SD type truck and trailer to haul it over to his shop in KY. Apparently there is already a website where you post the moving job you need done and guys with SD type trucks and trailers bid on them. The guy that hauled it out for him had like 3 jobs on the way out and a couple more on the way back. A couple days work and he made like $2,500 before expenses.


My thinking is if I'm going to buy and own a SD anyway, why not do the occasional odd job. I wouldn't mind towing somebody's boat, car, trailer across country, then do some sight seeing on the way back.


After being stuck in an office chair for the last 30 years hitting the open road would be so much fun. I have driven coast to coast 6 times in the past 10 years, wow so relaxing I love it.

 

Don't forget the rigging equipment and the chains, straps and tarps. And the insurance and the DOT number on the side of the cab. And the permits and weigh stations and log books and Fed, State and local regulations. And the salaries of the helpers and labor insurance and regulation.

Not trying to discourage you but there is a lot to the transportation and rigging business. The big pile of money has numerous entities waiting for their portion. And remember, you did not build that business yourself. The Federal Government did that for you! That is why it is so easy.