QuestionI car haul currently for a union company servicing the big 3, but I am thinking about starting my own small car hauling company either open or enclosed. Not sure whats the best equipment looking at going with 350 duallys and an enclosed van tailer or 3 or 4 caul trailer. Trying to figure out what my costs would be and the load availability and pricing in short will it work? and if so what equipment GMC, Dodge, Ford Diesels, and trailer type and the list goes on...any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Jim
AnswerHi Jim.
In short, you can make it work, with some research and effort. I see a lot of guys with 350, 450, etc. duallys and a 3 or 4 car trailer. If I were starting up new in your position, there are a couple of things I'd take into consideration. The first is, when buying a truck, always get an engine warranty if you don't have money available to rebuild it immediately! I've seen countless (and I mean countless) owner-operators go under because of a blown engine. If you buy a new truck, it'll come with a warranty. If you buy used, drive it home and the engine blows on day two, are you prepared to pay for a rebuild? I can't stress this enough, make sure you have your engine covered!
Beyond that, when picking a truck, see what it's towing capacity is. Then caculate the trailer and the weight of four med/full size cars. Are you hauling in the mountains or Nebraska? This will help you determine engine size and how much power your going to need. I like Cat, Cummins and Detroit engines. I've had good luck with all of them, though, Cat engines are costly to repair. A four car, enclosed trailer that is fully loaded is going to be fairly heavy. You might start looking into GMC Topkick or Freightliner FL60 trucks now. Like I said, check with the manufacturer of whatever truck your looking at.
If your going to haul for dealers, an open trailer is fine. If you haul for private individuals or high end dealers (Mercedes, BMW, etc.) get an enclosed trailer.
Your biggest cost is going to be fuel. I can spend $40 to $50,000 a year in fuel. That's be your biggest expense. It's also another reason to really scrutinize the truck (and engine) that you pick. Past that, make sure you budget in for equipment, overhead costs (like insurance, permits, etc.), your salary and set aside money for truck repairs, tires, etc.
You can contact some brokers in your area for loads or go to web sites like www.getloaded.com. I've seen guys advertising on Ebay with success. You can even find companies to lease out to and let them find the loads for you. I know of guys who contact local dealers offering their services, or go to local auto auctions and advertise. These guys won't pay you as much as a private individual, but the work is steady.
Go to www.expeditorsonline.com and do some research there. They can help you out a lot.
Good luck!
Bob Stephens
