Question:
Hi, I have been thinking about getting into hauling campers and boats. For owners and seller on e-bay, people like that. I ran into a web site that had 10 pages of people that just had boats they needed moved. So I was thinking it would a high demand business and a good place to start.
I would be trading my half ton truck for a TopKick Pickup so I could haul 5th wheels. I think it might be slow to get started, so I could still set tile until thing kick in and got to know people.
Since I don’t know anything about the business. Or if I can make money at it.
Can you tell me if I would need to be bonded?
What kind of insurance?
Is the TopKick Pickup is the right truck to start with?
If you know anyone I could talk to that is in this business.
Where to start at.
I have experience hauling our own camper around and like to be on road going some ware.
Any info would be helpful.
Thank DBF
Answer:

Search this forum..... lots of information! Research, and knowledge are KEYS!
There are questions you need to ask YOURSELF! Keep asking questions.- Pete
The only source of knowledge is experience.
- Albert Einstein
Cj aka Fairedust

Answer:
Hauling boats and campers you will fall under the Hours of Service rules, FMCSR etc. You'll also need an MC number, the appropiate amount of insurance etc. If you are planning on running fully independant. Alot of people with pickups are doing what you want to do and make a fair amount of money at it. With a good truck preferably diesel and the right trailer for boats you could do ok.
There are also several hot shot companies out there that would use you. They might be able to give you a return trip to your next Ebay load.
If it was me I would buy a 4 or 5 car goose neck trailer. Lots of guys use them for boats, campers, cars and what ever else will fit. You can also carry more than one at a time increasing profits.

Answer:
Ya know I almost suggested asking you Stuffs, but thought that was presumptious of me. Glad you came and posted.
A suggestion, talk to Opie. He's one SMART cookie! - Pete
The only source of knowledge is experience.
- Albert Einstein
Cj aka Fairedust

Answer:
Do you know anything about RV Transport Inc.? They say you can make around $1.400 to $1.800 a week. Is this about what people make? Or are this high numbers?
It seams like most company want two year experience to get a job. I have two years of pulling my camper on weekend. I hope that works.
They want information from my last employer. I guess that’s me working for myself for 15 years setting tile. Now I have to give myself a good reference.
I am thinking about getting a one ton, diesel, dully to get started.
Should I be looking at a 4x4 or will a 2 wheel drive be ok?
I like GMC’s but I heard they are having problems with the aluminum heads.
So I have been looking at the Ford Power Stroke Diesel. Then work my way into something like the F-550 SuperCrewZer. That is a tuff looking truck.
Here a link.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/gallery/2001_supercrewzer/
Can you tell me what your see or hear people use the most. I hate throwing good money after bad. I believe that to much power it a good thing as long as you can stop it.
Thanks for the help DBF.
Answer:
No way and no how. Way to costly to run everyday and no need for 4 whell drive, ever. Most I see and the boat plants are Dodge diesel trucks. Hardiness and reputation are probably why. Just get a 4 door so you have some where to sleep. with a little room. As a note truck seats front or rear are not legal to use as a sleeper because of their size. All the hot shots do it anyway.
The 550 or 650 ford would be real nice. A whole lot of money for a new business.
I will say most Hot Shot owners go with newer trucks. The older the pickup the more miles and work you'll be doing on it.
I think I woul;d stay away from them. You will probably make that much but doubtful you'll keep it after fuel, repairs, insurance and payments. I have talked to quite a few Hot Shot drivers that pull goose neck trailers and the like. Most have all 3 hitch types. Regular trailer hitch under the bumper, Goose neck and 5th wheel. That way they can pull most types of trailers. All have told me you make the least amount of money hauling RV trailers. For some reason the mileage rate is low. Others who deliver one boat at a time have said they make around $1.25 a mile. While those with a car trailer able to take at-least 4 who also will put boats on trailers with them do quite a bit better than most. Close to the 1.65 a mile range.
Remember the more value you put on your trailer the more monies worth of insurance companies loading you will require you have. Haul a 1994 olds and the value is low until you throw on some ones old Cuda. So you need to be prepared for what ever you might haul. The good side you'll also make alot better money with the Cuda.
Do a net search on Hot Shot and Hot Shot trailers and you will find with a little effort the setups people use. Some are very unique.
BOL

Answer:
Considering that you're going to need a CDL to do this anyway, why shoot yourself in the foot and buy a pickup truck? For far less money (than a new, diesel pickup) you can buy a good, used, class 8 truck that will barely be burdened by the amount of weight you intend to haul.
I see guys hauling cars on a gooseneck struggling to make it up a moderate hill and then sleeping in the front seat in a corner of the truckstop. Sure seems like a hard way to perform a simple task.

Answer:
I think I am getting a plain of attack going with your help and others and thanks to all.
1, New 2005 Ford power stroke F-350 Super Duty 2 wheel drive. $600.00 a month.
2, Sell my mobile home and all our stuff, buy a new Cedar Creek 36RLTS 3 slide 5th wheel. $300.00 a month.
3,rent at campgrounds? A month?
4, Work for a company for a year, let them insure the load. Get pulling time under my belt.
5, Make more then $1000.00 a week. Put around $2000.00 a month in the bank for a trailer to pull and piece of land or old Farm.
I hope I am low balling what I will be able to make.
If I buy a dodge I would get so much BS from people around me. My hitch cover on my GMC says (Remove to tow Dodge). The funny thing is I have pulled two dodges out, big lumber truck and cabinet truck out of the sand on job sites on the coast.
Man I hate to sell my truck. 1996 GMC SLE 4X4 5.7 115.000 miles on it. Nothing wrong with it, I run strait Castrol SYNTEC in it and change it around 3000. It cost more, but worth it.
DBF
Answer:
I don't mean to be rude, or to beat a dead horse, but why would you buy a pickup truck to do this job when you could buy a used class 8 truck for less money?
I'd really like to understand your reasoning behind your choice of vehicles.

Answer:
I think if you do this, and do it right, you can make serious money----you'll win all the marbles.
Read my post on this subject:
http://roundtable.truck.net/viewtopic.php?t=10842&highlight=
The only reason i'm not doing it myself is because i'm not interested. But, i'm pretty sure it would be very, very profitable.
And i have a few questions for you myself:
Explain #3 and#5 of your plan.
Also, eventually the pickup probably won't hold out too long; You'll have to move up to a bigger truck.

Answer:
3, The company said that a lot of their driver park their 5th wheel in camp grounds in the area. I don't know how much that would cost.
5, The company said their haulers are making between $1.400 to $1.800 a week. So if I can make $1.000 the first week my truck and the camper are paid for that month. The rest of that month, is money in the bank. All the main bills are paid for. Not counting fuel, food and up keep. That is were the $400 to $800 should fall in play.
The reason for the pickup truck is if I hit a slow time, I can fall back on install tile and still pay my bills. Instead of living off the bank account.
The class 8 trucks are a lot cheaper but can’t haul tile and tools. As for sleeping there are camp grounds. Most cost around $26 a night and hot showers, washer and dryers.
But, as you know I don’t know anything about this business.So your help and input is defiantly is needed.
So if I go to work just pulling camper for a company. They pay for the insurance on the load and I have less over head, and less start up cost. More money in the bank.
Thanks DBF
Answer:

I've spent various parts of my life working in the construction trades and I found that a $2,500 pickup or van hauls tools & materials just as well as a $45,000 vehicle.

As for sleeping, there's the sleeper on the truck which doesn't cost anything; free hot showers are provided when you fuel the truck.
Don't get me wrong, guy; I hope this works out for you but it sure seems like you've going to incur a great deal of debt just to get into a venture that you know very little about. There's certainly no assurance that you'll succeed in this venture and if it fails, you're still stuck with a nifty new pickup truck (with 6 years of payments) and a 5th wheel travel trailer (with payments).
Don't you think you might want to ease into this rather than jumping in with both feet?

Answer:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ebayphotohosting
This is what you’re talking about doing.
I am getting interested in what you’re talking about. And it would be a better pay check.
But how much is the insurance on the rig and the load?
Keep feeding me. The grass is starting to grow.
Answer:
I'd start off with the/a pickup and a 3 or 4 car trailer at first. Get your operation down first. Then you can move up.
What kind of pickup do you have now?
Insurance will be a MF. I paid $8,700 last time but rates have gone up.

Answer:
It is a 1996 GMC SLE 4X4 350 half ton. With 115.000 on it set up to pull our J24 Mallard camper. Nothing wrong with it.