When you think about trucking, you might think only one thing is involved in getting the job done: driving. If that is your assumption, then you aren’t wrong. For many people outside of the logistics industry, not much thought is given to what it takes to be a truck driver. Most people that don’t work directly with the supply chain might not realize that trucking jobs can be as varied as the different types of office work jobs. Today, we’ll take a closer look at one of the many types of driver jobs. What does it take to be a hotshot trucking driver?
What Do hot shot truckers do?
Just like any other type of trucking, the main goal for a hotshot trucker is to move their freight efficiently and safely. What makes these drivers different is the fact that their freight is usually extremely time-sensitive and isn’t tied up in moving from warehouse to warehouse. Oftentimes, hot shot truckers will move their freight directly from the supplier to the buyer. In the supply chain world, most freight is moved on a scheduled basis. Stores and distribution centers have inventory that can last days or weeks, so most of our consumer goods aren’t on a very time-sensitive move. Things like medical equipment, high dollar value items, and refrigerated goods need to be expedited, so companies and individuals will turn to hotshot truckers to move their freight quickly from point A to point B.
Who uses hot shot trucking?
So how do these hotshot truckers find loads and who do they move freight for? At Easley Transportation, most of the hotshot truckers that work with us are owner operators. An owner-operator is a driver that runs his own trucking business, usually just by himself or with a few other trucks and drivers. This type of driving is desirable to drivers who are entrepreneurial because they get to set their own rates, work their own schedules, and work with companies that they like working with. Most often, these drivers find work by checking out online load boards where companies post that they need something moved, and the jobs are first come, first serve. With spot markets being higher than last year, hotshot drivers can make upwards of $5000 on a single load, so there is always plenty of work for them.
hot shot trucking pros and cons
Hotshot trucking is a great way to make a living, but just like any job out there, it has its pros and cons.
The Pros
One of the biggest pros to list about hot shot trucking is your ability to choose when you work, who you work for, and how much money you want to make. Since most hot shot trucking is often paid by the mile or by the job, you get to choose how much you want to make and you get to charge premium rates for expedited loads. In this market, you can make a really good living and still get to dictate your own schedule.
Another pro to contemplate is that hotshot trucking can just be plain fun. You’ll never know what types of things you might be moving, but it very well could be an extremely valuable car for a private collector or even life-saving medical equipment that needs to be moved as quickly as possible.
The Cons
On the flip side, you do have to manage your own equipment. Any repairs, fuel, or preventative maintenance done is going to come right out of your pocket instead of the company you work for. Keeping up with equipment can be difficult, but if you are continually finding loads and making good money, you should be able to offset those expenses fairly easily.
The market is great right now. The supply chain seems to be having the issue that there aren’t enough drivers to move all of the loads we have. However, there is always the chance that things turn around and you may have trouble finding loads. Entrepreneurial types are usually the ones attracted to hotshot trucking since it involves this type of risk.
Overall, hot shot trucking is just one of the many jobs a trucker can do and in 2022 you can do good work and make a good living.