Hotshot Freight

Making More Money by Cutting Your Cost 

In this business like all businesses, you have fixed expenses and discretionary expenses. Your fixed expenses such as insurance, truck payments, trailer payments, and permits, are going to be the same amount every month. Discretionary expenses are those expenses that you have more control over. These would include food, lodging, fuel, and preventative maintenance.

Lodging

lodging can be a huge expense. However, there are several ways to cut these cost. Depending on the type of truck you have and, of course, the weather, you can obviously sleep in your truck. It is not the most comfortable way to get sleep, and you don’t get a good night’s rest and this can affect your productivity and your driving. Since time is money in this business not getting a good nights rest can be counterproductive. It can also wear you down. So there are a few different ways to handle this. Some hotel chains, such as choice hotels offer rewards. Usually, they will offer a promotion staying two nights and get one night free. And a lot of their hotels come with a free breakfast.

On average, it will cost you between $60-$100 per night. A lot of people frown when I say Motel 6, but I have to tell you that 90% of the ones that I have stayed in are very clean and well kept. They do not have a rewards program, but they are very economical, with a price range of $45-$80 per night based on location.  If you are in this business and over 50 years old, I strongly urge you to become a member of AARP and AAA these will often earn you additional discounts at hotel chains. Obviously the cheaper hotel chains do not offer a free breakfast. So when you do the math, staying at one of the choice hotels and getting a free hot breakfast is somewhat of a no-brainer.

Another option for lodging,  depending on the truck you own is a sleeper for the truck, that is DOT certified. The initial investment for a sleeper will run anywhere from $5,000.00 to 9,500.00. One company that I talked to was Cowtown Sleepers, another source that I tracked down is Welden Manufacturing both of these companies offer a wide variety of options. If you were to purchase a sleeper that was in the middle price range and you averaged your hotel expenses at $50. A night the sleeper will pay for itself in six months or less. The advantage to the sleeper is that you can stop to rest pretty much anywhere you are. And you are able to discourage any vandals or thieves.

Food Cost

The price of eating out every day can be very high. This is especially so when you’re on the road trying to make a living. Nevertheless, you have to eat to stay healthy and be productive. There are several ways that you can control your food cost and still eat well. While I was on the road for about a year doing hotshot freight, a few years before this I spent three years driving a semi. During both of these jobs, I kept an ice chest on board with drinks, cereal, fruit, and supplies to make sandwiches. In the Hotshot freight business, you are not as limited on where you can park to dine as you are driving a semi. Either way If I had stayed at say Motel 6 I would have a bowl of cereal in the morning before leaving, later a snack chips an apple something to keep me going. When I got hungry, I would stop in a rest area to fix a couple of sandwiches. Then the last meal of the day would be a hot meal, usually fast food. Often I would get by with spending $10.00 or less on food each day, in part due to fuel incentives. At least once a week I would treat myself special to a more upscale dinner such as Outback, Red Lobster, Texas Road House, and a variety of others

Fuel

Diesel fuel is another big cost of operating a hotshot freight business. Truck stops are nice because they have a lot of roomsto maneuver. Most of the big truck stop establishments such as Pilot, Loves, Flying J, and the Travel Centers of America all have rewards programs and free showers based on fuel purchases. Although these are some great benefits, it does not mean that they have the best fuel prices. Most of us these days have an IPhone or Smart-Phone if you don't know you will want to obtain one. There are about six different Apps that I found for fuel locators and pricing. This will be very helpful in cutting your cost and increasing profits. When you take into account what the truck stops do offer it is indeed a wash in most cases.  Planning your fuel stops will save you a lot of money.

For example, you have two cars on your trailer, and you are leaving Portland Oregon. You are headed south to Weed California, to pick up another car. The car you pick up in Weed California is going all the way to Chula Vista California. Knowing that fuel in California is outrageous, you want to stop and fill up in Oregon before entering into California. If you fill up in Medford it is approximately eight hundred and twenty miles to Chula Vista California, from there you are going back up to San Diego to pick up another vehicle that you will drop in Phoenix along with one of the other cars on your trailer. Your truck gets about 11.5 miles a gallon loaded. You don't want to fill up in California. However, you will have to purchase some fuel to get you into Yuma Arizona where fuel will be cheaper. Your truck only holds seventy-two gallons yet to make it all the way to Yuma you are going to use almost ninety-two gallons of fuel. To be on the safe side, you will want to purchase about thirty gallons in California. Alternatively you can install another fuel tank on the truck and increase the range.

In any case, you are still going to have to plan your fuel stops to save money. Most truck stops charge the same for cash as they do for credit. That being said a lot of credit card companies offer cards with air miles or cash back, since you are going to be spending a lot of money on fuel and food those air miles or cash rewards will add up quickly allowing you to take a nice vacation at the end of the year.

Performing Preventative Maintenance.

If you are still maintaining a home base, or place of residence, where you come in off the road for a break. This is a good place and time to take the truck to the shop for preventative maintenance. You are more likely to get better deals on service and parts at home rather than out on the road. Especially things like tires and batteries and if they find something critical like a bearing, hubs, or brake issues. It is far more cost effective to work with that shop down the street than it is to fix it on the open road. Furthermore by taking good care of your truck you are less likely to find yourself broke down on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

Emergencies

Breaking down is not necessarily an emergency. However breaking down in the middle of the desert, the great plains, or in the mountains, can quickly turn into an emergency. As the weather in these areas can change without a lot of notice, depending on the time of year, you can find yourself in a deadly situation quickly. Whether traveling alone or with your spouse it is always a good idea to let someone close to you know where you are heading and the route you are taking. This is especially true when you are going into desolate areas of the country where cell service is sporadic.

With all the violence in our society today people are far more cautious about stopping to help someone who is broke down. And you have to wonder seriously about those that do stop. Carry two signs that you can store in the cab of the truck. The signs should read " I am broke down, please call the State police and tell them where I am" place one at each end of the vehicle so it can be seen by cars traveling in either direction. Odds are their cell phone has no service either. So it may take them a while before they can make a call on your behalf. If you have food on the truck, you should be alright for a couple of days. Make sure that you have a warm blanket and plenty of water on board as well.

 The DOT requires you to have a first aid kit in the vehicle, may I also suggest that you purchase a snakebite kit and something that you can use as a tourniquet. Because I have known drivers who just stopped to check a tire or just wanted to take a photo and wound up with a snakebite. You also will want to add some four by fours for larger scrapes and cuts. This is a very fun business to get into, but it can also be dangerous. You are dealing with machines that weigh several thousands of pounds. Accidents can and will happen, how severe they are and how badly you get hurt depends on you, how cautious you are, and you're aware of your surroundings 

Things You Need To Know Before Buying A Cab-Over Camper

Cab-over campers, truck campers, or slide in campers as some folk's call them all started back in the early 1950's. The pioneer of this camping phenomena Was Merle D McNamee After world war two the pickup truck rapidly gained popularity amongst the general population. Prior to the war, pickup trucks were primarily used for businesses and farms. Merle was an avid camping enthusiast, who knew that there had to be a better way to go camping. So he designed the first slide in truck camper, which was not much more than just a box with a couple of cots thrown in to sleep on.  We can thank Merle for many of the features that cab-over camper manufacturer's use today. These features include the stand-up height, the bed over the cab, corner mounted jacks, indoor appliances, and more. From Merle's truck camper design, the Class C or mini motor home was born.  

There are just a few companies, that are still manufacturing cab-over campers in the United States today. These Cab-over Camper manufactures  are at the top of the RV marketplace. Part of this has to do with the roller-coaster economy over the last 20 years, which has  put some of the smaller manufacturers out of business; leaving the older and stronger companies to grow and prosper. Cab-over campers seem to be more popular in the Western, one-third, of the United States. This is also a contributor to the decline in the popularity in this segment of the RV industry across much of the nation. The popularity of these campers in the west has to do with ruggedness terrain which we enjoy. It is not uncommon to see a truck with a Cab-over camper pulling a  boat, horse trailer, or a utility trailer loaded with ATV’s. 

These campers come in various sizes, as small as six foot, and as large as thirteen foot, Since the popularity of Cab-over campers has grown, they are becoming more luxurious with slide+outs, side entrance doors. Which makes it easier to get in to the camper. Most of the campers contain the same amenities as full size travel trailers, such as refrigerator, stove, oven, water heater, bathroom, microwave and more. Obviously the bigger the camper the more it weighs. This could be a problem, for you the buyer. If you already have a truck it is crucial to pick the right camper that will not overload the truck. Just an example, the Palomino Backpack HS800 weighs in at 1675 pounds. This camper will be fine on your Ford F150, Dodge 1500, or the Chevrolet 1500 series. If you have an F150 or the 1500 series trucks you can push the envelope slightly by adding overload springs to your truck. You have to understand that when they made that truck; the engine and drive train were designed to move a specific amount of mass down the road. The brake system was also designed to stop a specific amount of mass. You should visit your owner's manual for more specific information. One of my favorite trucks for hauling a cab-over camper is the Ford F350 or the F450 with dual wheels. This truck will accommodate just about any cab-over you choose.  If you are looking for both the truck and the camper you should purchase a truck, slightly bigger than what you need. The advantage to this is that you have a truck that will handle the load. Also in the event that you decide, that you want a bigger camper at a later date, you have enough truck to handle it. This also goes well if you are towing a trailer or boat.

Cab-over campers appear to be very expensive. When you think about the size of it compared to the price of a travel trailer or fifths-wheel,  The reality of it is this, Cab-over campers have all the same amenities that a travel trailer or fifth-wheel will have; in a more condensed space. Because of this, a cab-over camper can seem quite costly you have to look beyond the price tag, and at what you are getting for the price

 Since these campers are somewhat condensed it can feel cramped with five people in it on a rainy day, or at night when you are getting ready for bed. For a family of three or four it is very comfortable. Most all of these campers have a place for a television DVD player with theater sound. Most of the luxuries that you have at home  

Back in the late 90's Manufacturers of cab-over campers solved the space issues by adding floor plans with slide-outs. This feature added eighteen square feet or more to the livability of the camper This also makes the cab-over camper weigh more Northwood's Arctic Fox model 1140 weighs in at 3465 pounds. If you are trying to keep the weight down the Bigfoot 25C10.6E weighs in at 2600 pounds dry weight and has no slide out.  Another option is the CLTC10 Camplite it comes in at 2190 pounds dry weight

Structural technology has come a long way. Back in the early 70's cab-over campers were all made of 2X2 wood construction and tin metal skin. Now, most of the high line cab-over campers are built using a 2X2 aluminum structure for the floor joist topped with one and one quarter inch plywood. Walls are made with 1X1 inch aluminum studs welded in a jig. The vacant areas are packed with foam insulation. Afterward, both sides are sprayed with a very strong adhesive; this is then overlaid with a fiberglass skin, on one side, and interior paneling on the other side. This structure is then run through a set of pinch rollers. When the structure is done it is three times stronger with half of the weight, of the old stick a Tin construction. This type of construction has allowed manufacturers to build larger campers that weigh less than those of days gone by.

Space has to be used wisely. In the smaller Campers gray and black holding tanks are significantly smaller. The bathroom is another area which space is condensed. Smaller cab-over campers have what they call a wet bath. When you step into the bathroom it is a one piece shower pan with a curtain that goes across the door, keeping it as dry as possible. The toilet is also located in this small cubicle. On the larger campers, the holding tanks are larger. And depending on the floorplan you could have a dry bath or a wet bath.

Storage can be an issue. Obviously you lose the use of the bed of your truck. Most cab-over do not have a lot of outside storage. Therefore, you have to use the floor space in the camper for larger items. This means that you have to be very frugal about the amount of camping gear that you pack; the way you pack it is just as important. With my experience in the RV industry, I can offer you a few tips. Lay a carpet runner down on the floor that has a rubber backing. Place cardboard on both sides of the floor area leaning it against the paneling to protect it from scratches. You can also wrap any sharp objects with a cloth and duct tape.

These campers are a unique unit within the Recreational Vehicle industry. If you use your truck for work as well as play, the cab-over camper is a good way to go. Simply remove the camper from your truck, for work. Then reload it for the weekend trip. This camper also allows you to pull a trailer hauling your other toys. You are not limited to the places that you can camp; the cab-over camper will go where ever your truck will go, so if you have a favorite fishing spot that is off road, then go. Cab-over campers can actually save you money. If you owned a motorhome and still had to have the truck for work now you have two vehicles that you have to perform preventive maintenance on Two vehicles to purchase gas, tires, and oil for, just to mention a few.

Cab-overs are great for dry camping, especially if you do live, or travel in the Great Northwest. In most places, here in the northwest you can get by without an Air-conditioner. Therefore, the only electric power you really need is to charge the batteries in the camper. With the modern technological advances that they have made in solar power, more camping enthusiast are turning to solar power each year. It is little pricey to get started with solar power. You will find that the investment is well worth it. You can purchase an 85-watt solar panel with everything you need to install it safely and correctly for less than a thousand dollars. Some solar panels are mounted on the roof of the camper. There are pros and cons to this. Pros include, that it is always working. One of the cons are that to secure it you have drill holes in your roof; this can lead to a potential leak   When dry camping you will only have 12-volt power. If you have the desire to have 110-volt power you can purchase a portable generator, there are several of them on the market. Keep in mind you want a 4000 watts or larger, this will carry most of your appliances plus your air-conditioner.  You will also want to make sure that it has a 30 amp outlet on the face panel. Depending on where you are going you will want to carry a good supply of water.

There are several ways to install your Cab-over camper onto your truck. The most common for smaller comb-over's; use mounting brackets which fit into the four corner stake pockets Turnbuckles are connected to the brackets the other end is attached to the cab-over then tightened. The Belly Bar is another method this is recommended for heavier and larger campers. If you are purchasing the camper, new ask the dealer for his recommendation. You can also ask him about the Happijac system or the Torklift tie downs both of these seem to be safe and very durable.  

Cab-over campers have a natural tendency to feel top heavy when going around corners or in windy conditions.  This is one of the reasons that I prefer the Ford F350 with dual rear wheels; the wider footprint in the rear gives it more stability at corners and in windy conditions. If you don't have the luxury of owning one of these one-ton trucks, there are other options. Camper struts; these are like shock absorbers which will help to absorb most of the side to side motion. The upper end connects to the bottom side of the cab-over. The other end connects to brackets mounted to the truck at the lower corners of the windshield.

I hope that I have provided you with some helpful information about truck-mounted campers. There is a great wealth of information out there concerning this segment of the Recreational Vehicle Industry. In my next article, we will talk about truck campers for the smaller trucks.  Below is a list of Cab-over Camper manufacturers that you should check out.

·       Lance

·       Real-lite

·       Maverick by Palomino

·       Bigfoot

·       Eagle Cap

·       Arctic Fox