Hot Shot Trucking

Hot Shot Trucking: Become a Hot Shot Trucker & Start Hauling Loads

Hot shot trucking isn’t the same as a standard CDL tractor-trailer job. How so? Well, hot shot truckers use different equipment for hauling loads. Plus, hot shot professionals make specialized runs within short time frames. A hot shot load is smaller than standard trucking industry loads. The main purpose of a hot shot driver is to take time-sensitive loads to delivery spots. Some hot shot truckers drive all the way across the United States. Others move loads within a single town. Local and regional routes are most common for these trucking professionals. 

Do not let the thought of spending money scare you away from hot shot trucking. The startup costs for most hot shot operations are lower than owner-operator costs. As a result, hot shot drivers get to act as their own bosses within the trucking industry. Please continue reading to learn more about the basics of hot shot trucking. If you have any questions or need help, do not hesitate to contact our organization. Moving Authority is here to take care of all your hot shot registration needs. We can even help you set up your own independent trucking business.

THE BASICS OF HOT SHOT TRUCKING

Hot shot trucking focuses on one key factor: speed. Each hot shot driver must deliver loads to a certain location fast. So, how did hot shot operations in trucking come into existence? Decades ago, truckers made runs between oil fields and oil part manufacturers. But these days, trucking professionals in the hot shot sector haul all sorts of goods. Materials include industrial machinery, construction equipment, and agricultural equipment.

Many people want to know the difference between expedited freight and hotshot trucking. After all, both trucking concepts focus on speed and getting loads delivered ASAP. Hotshot truckers often drive small loads inside small trucks to deliver big equipment. These drivers secure their lands using hot shot load boards. Meanwhile, expedited shipping focuses on delivering loads faster than they get sent. Expedited shipping equipment also varies. The vehicles are almost always on standby at specific companies. Sure, speed is the common factor between expedited shipping and hot shot trucking. Otherwise, these two trucking jobs are very different.

THE EQUIPMENT OF HOT SHOT TRANSPORTATION

The majority of CDL jobs need each trucker to operate a tractor trailer. But that is almost never the case with hot shot trucking. Most hot shot drivers operate heavy-duty pickup trucks. The go-to trucks have either Class 3, Class 4, or Class 5 status. These hot shot drivers use the trucks to pull various styles of flatbed trailers. Common hot shot trailers include the lowboy, bumper pull, deckover, and gooseneck. Each of these hot shot trailers have their own set of pros and cons. That’s why you should conduct research before buying a hot shot trailer.

A key advantage of hot shot trucking is that equipment costs aren’t often high. In fact, they're much lower than the costs of becoming a tractor trailer owner-operator. But this does not always mean that the costs of getting into this type of trucking are cheap. Some costs are, indeed, high. It comes down to the type of trucking equipment that you choose to buy or lease. Plus, most truckers must wait ninety days before brokers will allow loads to get moved. 

Trucking professionals must plan to apply some big costs to new hot shot operations. There are two major hot shot starting expenses. They are the flatbed trailer and pickup truck that you buy or lease. Plus, there’s other starting equipment to buy, such as binders and chains. The final big expense is trucking registration paperwork. Hot shot truckers have to pay for registration with the DOT and FMCSA. (DOT refers to the Department of Transportation. And FMCSA refers to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.) There’s also the cost of trucking insurance and certain legal fees. Keep in mind that Moving Authority can take care of all your trucking registration. Our trucking experts can file your paperwork with the DOT and FMCSA. Please browse our website for more information. Or, you're welcome to call our trucking registration team right now.

THE PAY & HOME TIME OF HOT SHOT TRUCKERS

Here is a crucial advantage of operating as a hot shot trucker. You get to work under your own authority. This means you’ll have some say in where you transport goods and how often you do it. Keep in mind that the majority of hot shot jobs are regional or local routes. As a result, this form of trucking professional gets to experience frequent home time.

Having your own authority means that you cannot get lazy. Say that you want to bring home hot shot paychecks on a consistent basis. That means you've got to hustle and search for new loads every week. Most hot shot drivers receive pay on a per-mile basis. And the rates will change from haul-to-haul. Because of this, hot shot drivers must negotiate their pay many times. The standard trucking rate for hot shot driving is about $1 to $2 per mile. But every hot shot rate depends on the haul, load, and location.

HOW CAN I GET STARTED TRUCKING?

Are you considering getting started as a hot shot driver in the trucking industry? If so, your first step is to complete USDOT and FMCSA paperwork. Keep in mind that you won’t need a CDL for hauling loads under 10,000 pounds. But you will need to secure an MC Number through the FMCSA. (An MC Number refers to a hot shot driver’s Motor Carrier Authority Number.) To get approved, you must pass all FMCSA fitness regulations. You can find these regulations on the official FMCSA website. Or, Moving Authority can file FMCSA registration documents on your behalf. Doing so can save you tons of time and money. 

All hot shot drivers in the trucking industry operate on their own authority. This means that organization is crucial to your success in trucking. For example, a hot shot driver must keep his or her own records. It’s very important to operate in a detailed and organized manner. Otherwise, you could receive severe fines and penalties from the DOT and FMCSA.

HOW DO I START DELIVERING HOT SHOT LOADS?

Do you want to start delivering hot shot loads? If so, you first need equipment, licensing, and registration. Once you have all three, you can begin looking for hot shot work. The majority of trucking professionals get their hot shot hauls through load boards. Please contact our organization if you need access to exclusive hot shot load boards. Through these boards, you can secure your very own trucking customers. Then, as you work hard, you can grow your hot shot business over time. 

The basis of hot trucking is all about building relationships. And trucking load boards are a great place to start. As you expand your business, you’ll build a reputation in the trucking industry. But say that you have little hot shot experience and few connections. That means you've got to keep reaching out to secure the hot shot loads that you want.

HOW TO USE HOT SHOT LOAD BOARDS & FIND NEW TRUCKING LOADS

Delivering hot shot freight is always time-sensitive. That’s why companies will look for trucks within a small, local area. This way, trucking professionals can gather the loads and get out on the road ASAP. Hot shot load boards are efficient. They’re the number one resource for discovering hot shot freight. Moving Authority recommends that you do not focus on using small load boards. Why? Because small trucking load boards have limited opportunities and options. Instead, it’s best to use the bigger market trucking land boards. And our organization can direct you to those boards. Plus, there are many US trucking and freight networks that you can join. 

Using a network can make it easy to search for hot shot freight and trucking goods. Networks and trucking load boards will allow you to save your favorite lanes and routes. This way, you can make fast online hot shot searches in the future. Do you want to find loads in a certain geographic area? If so, you can create alarms on the load boards. Then, you’ll get notified when a hot shot match comes into play. Most load board listings come from hot shot brokers. These trucking brokers work on behalf of shippers. A major load board will let you see a broker’s average time to pay and credit score. This is crucial for ensuring that you're working with the ideal hot shot partners.

HOW MUCH MONEY CAN A HOT SHOT DRIVER MAKE IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY?

Some hot shot drivers make over six figures per year. That’s right- these trucking professionals earn well over $100,000 every year. But keep in mind that other hot shot drivers aren’t as fortunate. The median salary of a hot shot owner-operator is about $49,000 to $75,000. The money you’ll make in this type of trucking depends on many factors:

-The equipment you use to haul hot shot loads

-Number of hot shot loads available at any time

-The types of hot shot loads you transport

-Your standard hot shot rates

-Amount of time you're doing trucking in the hot shot sector

-Your trucking expenses

-The price of fuel

-Years of trucking experience

-Your location and region

Are You Ready To Start Trucking & Delivering Loads in the Hot Shot Sector? Contact Us Now

Moving Authority is here to help you with all your hot shot authority and trucking needs. From FMCSA registration to discovering new load boards and hot shot networks. All you've got to do is give us a call and let us know what your trucking goals are. Our experts can then get right to work and help you find fast, easy solutions. We’ve assisted countless hot shot truckers across the United States. And we’re ready to help you today. Even if you've never worked in hot shot trucking, we can get your business set up the right way. And if you're a trucking veteran, we have the tools and resources that you need. We look forward to serving as your go-to destination for hot shot services.