I love how this channel quickly transformed from a place to dump whatever you were interested in at the time to the channel that talks about various parts of the trucking industry.
It is still very enjoyable so far, I would say just keep up until he runs out of interesting topics to talk about and then move on. At first, we talk about trucks, then ships, then planes, or something else, like a channel that always has a specific theme for a certain period. just my 2 cents.
For many US immigrants from post-soviet countries driving a hotshot or a 16 feet box truck is a first step in trucking business before getting their CDL to be able to drive a semi. One of my friends used to deliver some satellite parts for SpaceX and another one was delivering Monkeypox vaccines. Usually hotshots are used for auto-hauling.
I work at a dealership and we see way more “hotshot” guys in pickups than semi or large medium duty trucks. Dealership lots are usually quite tight and the extra maneuverability means a lot when driving a an F450 vs 550. I also suspect cost has something to do with it. Some of these hotshot guys can haul up to 5 cars and a semi can only haul 10. I suspect some of these hotshot guys might be less than half the price of a company owned semi- especially with prices nowadays. Our lot is so tight tow truck drivers ask us where is the best place to drop stuff because its so tight. Sometimes its so crowded we tell them we have an alternate lot right across the street and they can drop it in the back over there.
It also occurs to me that hotshots are a popular way of resupplying remote camps in Alaska. They'll pick up the mail, package orders, and grocery list for a small man-camp in town, drive it all to the air strip closest to the camp, then hand it over to the contracted pilot who flies everything over to the camp directly.
@@Taladar2003 Yeah we call them 'expediters' and they usually run around in a 15 passenger van that only goes from costco and the parts store to the airport.
In my father's business of vehicle transport from state to state, we do have Hot Shot for local deliveries in our main operating state. The truck being used is an old 2008 manual Dodge Ram with the duelies in the back. Very helpful for local jobs since a big tractor really ain't that good for suburban neighborhoods. (I have to clarify this because people seem to think that the big tractors can go anywhere...)
@@beagletheusher I'm a semi driver for a paving company. Some neighborhoods are a PAIN to get in and out of. we kinda have to use a semi too, 2 of our pavers are 40k lbs (Cat AP555's)
My dad was a hotshot trucker for his boss whenever logging would stagnate in my home town. It was always a lot of fun to go with him on trips up and down the east coast during the summer and winter breaks. He preferred it to logging because he said the DOT was a lot nicer and less strict when inspecting his Dodge over the Kenworth or Macks he'd drive.
@@ThePsicocat101 it's more like Iveco Daily (models 70 and 72 ) not Eurocargo.... Eurocargo is in category trucks over 10t weight while Daily is until 7.5t 🙂
I spent 5 years as a hotshot driver in europe, the game's a bit different there. As most rigs are only running 3.5t vans so payloads are usually under 1000-1500Kgs tops. I was one of the few running a trailer which can push that up to around 3000kg total (7000kgs train weight) but the main advantage is for the 3.5t vans (no tachograph and relaxed seat-time rules). It wasn't unusual to drive 1000 miles in a day, and then do it again the next time the phone rings. my single-run record was 1550 miles in 34 hours (I would say non-stop but I slept in my van during the 2 ferry crossings!) It's hard, lonely, and sometimes dangerous work. But incredibly rewarding. I miss it hugely, but i'm not goiing back!
problem is hotshot isnt even a form of expedited delivery any more. Most "hotshot" loads are just partials and small LTL loads that can get moved cheaper by the customer. Theres nothing special about it and a true "hotshot" load can be hauled by anyone including a semi. Seems like every year theres more and more of hotshot trucks on the road and too my understanding. VERY few last more than a year. Any time I see one at truck stop, I look at their DOT number and its usually brand new. Freight rates are in the trash right now and theres not a lot of freight to choose from either. And because anyone can buy a pickup and trailer, a lot of people are going out and spending $100K in equipment with out knowing anything about laws and regulations or the fact that commercial insurance for new companies with zero experience in the industry can be 25K or more per year whole industry is a joke tbh
Not to mention I guarantee that not many of them are reading the fine print for their warranties, if they were they'd know that using a truck like these for commercial work voids the warranty for their trucks. Hope they have a sizable maintenance fund....
@@Bloodbain88 I still see a lot of 7.3's and 6.0 powerstrokes doing it with the 12 and 24v cummins. Don't see many duramax's doing it though. Although, there are fewer every year of them all. Been seeing more and more 6.7L's on the road. Usually dodges over fords, but that may be because the 6.7 cummins has been around a couple years longer and the 6.7 Powerstroke had a rough first few years.
@@BizarreSmalls I've only seen one Duramax so far. Never seen anyone with a 6.0 doing it. You're right the overwhelming majority are dodges. If they have a 6.7, all the ones I saw were deleted too.
I love the Camionetas of Central America. Buy an old schoolbus up here, steal, uh, I mean, procure a Class 8 tractor, preferably with the Lone Star Special front end, get a bunch of stainless steel trim and chicken lights…like the big rigs in the USA nothing is ever considered “bad taste” on a Camioneta. Voila, ¡tiene un autobus con gran estilo!
About the hotshot car transportation: They are not limited to only 2 or 3 cars, there are several hotshots using double decker trailers that can hual up to 5 or 6 cars
Practically, they *should* only limit to 2-3 cars at a time. Having been behind dozens of these with 4-6 cars on them, I can testify that the average pickup isn’t meant for hauling such weight.
They "Can" haul more, but they shouldn't. Between the weight of the trailer and all of the vehicles on it, they're either maxing out or going over the recommended towing capacity for those trucks. I was plated for a combined weight of 32,000 pounds when I ran. That's the trucks weight, the trailers weight, and the cargo. So that only left me about 10,000 pounds for a load on my trailer. I could have got plated for slightly more weight, but not a lot.
I am a retired Hot Shot Driver , retired in 2003 , until then we drove the big trucks and straight trucks with sleepers , pick-ups were not widely used then , except for transporting RVs , If you picked up a load in say Chicago and it needed to be in California in no less than 3 days companies would call a Hot Shot Service . Most of the time we would work in teams but sometimes alone , and yes we would do not so legal things to get it done . We also got paid much more than a regular trucker but that's because we took lots of chances and knew how to not get caught . Things are different now , times change , more regulations and stuff , but when I did it it was a great life and I had lots of fun . In 1999 I bought a new FreightShaker and after my truck payment , Insurance , and fuel , I still brought home on average around 7-9,000 per month . That's very hard for truckers to do today. Be safe out there Drivers .
In Europe we have something similar, mostly referred to as "Polensprinter", which are basically just vans like a Mercedes Sprinter, Renault Master or Iveco Daily, equipped with a flatbed+curtain cargo compartment and a sleeping cab, mainly used by Hungarians, Poles, Czechs and Romanians for the same purpose as a hotshot
sprinter vans for expedited shipping are a thing in the US as well, and don't have much overlap with hotshotters. the loads are usually at most one pallet, the customer often requires that they be the only load in a given compartment, and requires that it be inside a box truck or van. hotshotters pick up jobs with more lax requirements and very often have multiple loads simultaneously, which is the only reason to have a 45ft+ trailer in the first place.
@@cm01 but they're mainly used for stuff like DHL or UPS, right? Because in Europe, dominantly by eastern Europeans, they're used to travel routes like Gdansk-Marseilles, Nyíregyháza-Emden, Pitesti-Düsseldorf and so on, only used because 1. They don't have to pay toll, 2. Driving time regulations don't apply to them and 3. Just like with hotshots, car license is enough for it, so even a completely unexperienced 18 year old Lacika could drive them
@@bilalstyler98 no, basically all parcel carriers use full size 53 foot box trailers on semi trucks for anything except final delivery which is all local
1:19 I am wondering where the under 10000lbs comes from. Federal regulation for no CDL is combined GCVWR of 26000lbs or less. Doesn't matter what the weight of any one part is (truck, trailer, cargo).
@@igotes What do you mean "a thing in Eastern Europe"? Using delivery vans as "hotshot" is the norm across the whole Continent, not just in the East. Nothing strange about that. Actually, most European delivery van drivers would call this clip strange. Those unfamiliar with US culture anyway.
I love it how they say pick up trucks are good on fuel (no insults meant, it's just fun to hear when we have small vans and "trucks" with 2.0 diesels or 2.5turbo diesels that average 8-10l/100km)
I feel like those small vans and trucks meet different needs. For example, a Toyota Hilux can tow 3500kg with a 2.8L diesel that gets about 9L/100km. That's good for tradesmen and fleet owners. The Ford F-350 has a 6.7L diesel that gets 17L/100km but it tows 9000kg. A perfect match for people towing loads meant for semi-trucks. US pickups are bigger than European counterparts and even though most people waste their potential, they also often have more power.
US pickups are larger because in US, AFAIK, you can drive a 10t vehicle while only having your regular DL, no CDL. In Europe with your standard DL (cat. B) you can drive up to 3,5t, max 8 people, max 8m long. And if you want to haul anything more than 750kg, or car+trailer exceeds 3,5t in total, you have to get extended cat. B DL for that. Therefore vehicles here are offered with this kind of thinking.
@@Park_Place Yeah, that's true for most of the part. I would say the biggest difference is the driving licence, we need special training for anything of a combined weight of over 3500kg. And there are also additional categories for anything above that (trailers, no trailers, semi, tankers and so on)
In Europe, we have 3.5 ton vans. It's basically a Sprinter van (just the cab and chassis) with a large box on its back and a "coffin" on top of the cab (that's where the bed is). Theoretically, they're used for express/urgent loads but in reality, it's just modern day slavery. Up to 3.5 tons, there's no driving schedule to follow so companies will take advantage of that and have you drive 20-40 hours without sleep. I remember talking to a driver once and he told me if the red light lasts longer than 10 seconds, he'll fall asleep at the traffic light.
Recently I discovered that construction of fifth wheel if comply with US standards is road legal in EU! The F-150 with living trailer towed with turntable in truck bed gets TUV no problem at all! This opens new market overseas if truck engine is converted into CNG/LPG.
@@sonetyp7916 ....do you mean to directly build fifth wheel trailer in EU? No doubts some US manufacturer would welcome to licence verified european producer! Even EU mid-size truck pickups can tow relevantly sized fifth wheel or goose neck with elevating airbags on rear axle + bed provides space for gas tanks as well....
I've been in the hotshot business since 2018. Up until around the end of 2021/beginning of 2022 it was a pretty good business to be in. However, as of recent the rates on small freight(10k and under) have fallen greatly while the price of diesel has gone up significantly. You can still make money as an owner operator or a small fleet owner but you really have to be smart and a little lucky.
In the EU there has been a similar trend with a big Van-chassis (only where there is only the cab and a chassis), with a tarped-sideboard-bed. The pros of that are that they can run significantly faster than trucks (up to 130km/h on most highways, as fast as the engine takes them on the Autobahn), compared to 80km/h for trucks, at a much smaller fuel consumtion. And compared to regular vans they can carry 4 Euro-pallets and be loaded with a forklift much easier, whilst a regular van can only take two pallets and loading is also not that great.
I get an average of 7 mpg in my semi, its a 2019 International with 189k miles. That is an average for all the miles it currently has, so loaded and unloaded. My truck has heavy haul permits so we’re loaded well over 80,000 at times too. Not bad at all in my opinion, and I’m not sure how much better a hotshot could be than that. Plus we drag cargo heavier than what a hotshot grosses sometimes lol.
GMC 3500 averages 13mpg loaded and maintenance is a fraction compared to semi. When hazmat is involved I've seen hotshot make more than semi. Living space and engine longevity is where I think semis outshine the dually.
I was only plated to haul #10,000 on my trailer ( #32,000 GVWR ) and averaged 13-16 mpg in a 2007 Ram 3500 megacab dually with the 5.9 cummins and an ATS transmission.
ha! better fuel economy? Not really, those often get less than a well-spec'ed semi. The other main issue is longevity. A typical pick-up will get 1-200,000 miles of service, maybe longer if it's used only for long-haul, whereas a semi can easily get 750,000+. Plus they are just not built for this kind of heavy use and suffer significantly more component wear. DOT loves them, they're basically free violation parties. I, for one, celebrate the fact that they keep the scalehouses busy and allow me to just roll on through.
I owned a HotShot company. It was fun, but holy smokes was it stressful. I started after "Shipping wars" was on television, so everyone and their brother decided they were going to try it. So trying to use Uship to get loads weas almost impossible. Other drivers running without proper licensing or not running completely by the book could underbid me by quite a bit. That, along with Brokers not fully understanding what Hotshots were at the time made it difficult to successfully secure loads through them as well.
Hey, hotshot owner op here, most of this video is incorrect. The industry standard length for our trailers is 40' not 53', very few of us run local- many run coast to coast, I run regional in the southeast. On the auto side most are running 3 car wedges, but there are a lot of 5 car setups as well. Non commercial drivers are being phased out by tightening regulations on the industry and more demanding loads, for every non-cdl driver theres at least 5 over-cdl drivers out here. Our trucks get the same fuel economy as newer semi's, they cost nearly the same at this point like you said, and we get treated like dogs. At this point the only reason we still exist is because freight brokers think that we are a good target to get taken advantage of- they make way better margins selling a load to a hotshot carrier than a regular flatbed carrier. Im diligently working to get out of driving hotshot and move up to a semi right now.
Wrong. There's no "Industry Standard" for length. I Ran local, and coast to coast. Whatever i wanted to run. The 5-6 vehicle trailers were designed for HotShot single axle semis, not pickups. Even though they use them and are "Legal", its not safe.
Its so true though, and as a mechanic it's fucking annoying too when you have to work on these things. Though he neglected to mention they seem to be continuously inching closer to the SIZE of god damn semi's too, the tires on some of these things are fucking ridiculous they're like 3 feet tall and literally weigh as much as a person when on the rim. Allot of new tire machines have frikkin pneumatic lifts on them now to try and deal with this nonsense, but those don't help you trying to get them back on. Some of these nominally consumer trucks are so fucking tall that they make specialist creepers that are basically half ladder so you can semi-comfortably work over the engine bay, a needed tool because some of these stupid lifted trucks have headlights that are nearly eye level with me and I'm 6'4". When we occasionally get some really old beater that a guy has been keeping barely working for 30 years to haul shit around occasionally the difference is amazing, they're like literally half the size of a modern pick up, yet somehow inexplicably they managed to do essentially all the same jobs these bloated monstrosities of today are nominally 'built' to do decades ago.
I was driving to work earlier this week and I saw one of those hauling a small double-deck car trailer thing with I think 3 or 4 cars or I dreamt about seeing it idk at this point
They are real as heck. I work at site where the Hotshot truckers pick up cars and on my lot there have been a few hotshots that picked up some vehicles with double-decker trailers.
seeing more of these in europe too. but instead of the pickup it looks like a converted panel van usually driven by a eastern european who seems to live under the aeroshield on the roof or in a hammock in the trailer.
Fantastic video, I hope you've got some more coming. I'm especially interested in the differences between Western EU and Eastern EU trucking, and if there is one, trucking on the continent Vs trucking in Britain
Eastern EU: magnets and more magnets. Western EU: we are not racist but if you're from eastern Europe, we will pay you 2 to 3 times less money than what we pay our people. Then, after taking a shit on you, we will complain about you "stealing" our jobs
It’s an old railroad term for a “Special” - an engine and one or a few cars that is given priority. The term “Hot Rod” was also used for this. When a company does it they call it “Expedited”. In 1999 I did a nonstop team run to Tampa CSX Yard with a CDL straight truck full of train parts. It’s indicative of the condition of our railroads that CSX was unable to organize a “Special” to transfer THEIR OWN STUFF
So I saw a similar truck to the one pictured (2:02) in Sydney, Australia, a Dodge Ram something or the other with dual rear tyres. It was clearly for recreation and on top of that it's in the middle of a town in the heart of the city, adding to that hotshot trucking is not a thing in Australia as far as I know. It's probably a status car more than anything. It had to be registered as a truck and not a car so it had heavy vehicle plates (usually only seen on "actual" trucks). Kind of strange to see a street car with a heavy vehicle registration is all.
I'm planning to live in the bush at some point, and hotshotting is one of the things I'd consider for income. I'll work in my home fab shop during the winter, and either frame houses or deliver during the summer.
I was always curious about hotshots since they are only an american thing, in europe pick-ups are quite rare, pick-ups with big trailers are almost unique to see since the norm for small transportation is represented by small-middle size trucks
The reason is pretty simple in Europe everything above 3,5t is a commercial truck and has to obey the regulation. You cant transport freight above 3t on a trailer, probably less depending on the size of the trailer. in America a pickup can haul 10t far more useful.
Yes because these truck and trailer combos arent efficient enough and way to heavy for a euro car- license. Instead we have millions of bigger vans driving around, mostly Renault Masters, Fiast Ducatos and Sprinters delivering smaller loads without the need for a truck- license. Governments tried to regulate these drivers more in terms of working hours and other limits..
Pickups are commonly used by farmers in the UK. Better than an old Land Rover, cheaper to run, harder to steal, and the load bed is separate from the cabin. Which is super important if you're carrying a wet dog in the back.
@@jonasstahl9826 yes they can haul more but they are also way bigger pickups compared to ours, like a small Ford Ranger vs a F350... i was wondering why these bigger trucks never succeded in our market even thou teoretically they could work just as well...(i like the idea of having different types of trailer beds without having to buy more than one truck). Maybe it's the lower agility and overall bigger lenght of a hotshot relative to a comparable fixed truck, lets say that F350 vs something like an Iveco Eurocargo
@@Skorpychan oh, an old farmer here in town (italy) drives a Land Rover pick up, the thing does drive very good off road but its constantly in the shop since it needs to be greased regularly, and farmers be farmers he will always only grease the easy to access nipples so every once in a while something breaks, otherwise its a fine machine, maybe not as much as japanese ones but still
In my area Hotshot Trucking is mostly used for car delivery and not typically to dealerships but more dealing in used vehicles and classics. So you'll see them transporting rare used vehicles from anywhere from 2010 back far or see them used a lot for the local car shows because the old folks don't want to put too many miles on those beautiful old cars.
this is acthally what my family does for a living. btw, pickups as as my family have found are a lot more to operate due to their higher repair cost/in shop time, and not being built to handle this type of work for long periods of time with no rest. but thats my family kinda curious how pickups are working for others.
The DEF systems have been the week spot on our RAMs. That is the only thing we have issues with over the last 3 years. I book all the loads for my trucks and really prioritize lighter freight.
I ran a pre-DEF 2007 ram 3500 and the only issue I had was the transmission. I bought it used with no mechanical history information and after running it for a few months ended up putting an ATS transmission in it. Ran perfect after that. obviously added a few other things, like a sound system, train horns, Pac-Brake exhaust brake, etc. for more comfortability on long hauls and the exhaust brake for better slowing while coasting down mountains
I saw a hotshot guy on I-70 the other day pulling a trailer with trucks on it, except it wasn't a normal smaller hotshot trailer. It looked damn near like a full size semi-trailer, but with lower end, smaller wheels. Like I said he had the thing loaded with other pickup trucks. Not one or two, but like five. I came up behind him to pass him, (he was cruising 10 under in the left lane, of course), and right as I got close a tire on his trailer fucking exploded. Not like split and slipped off and rolled away like you often see semi tires do, I mean completely exploded into tiny bits of rubber that showered my car. Maybe don't over-load the absolute shit out of a lower capacity trailer lmao.
This is so strange to me in Sweden where we do the exact opposite. Using heavy trucks as pickups. Well. That is, companies do. I don´t know the exact reason, but i guess it is to use the same truck infrastructure for everything. And having a very heavy truck is sometimes beneficial. Those are also often used as roadblocks for road maintenance.
My family started out as somewhat hotshot, we hauled equipment for 15 years with our silverado for our small company, got a semi back in 2016 and now are doing the same as before (moving equipment bought and sold through our company) and also doing some jobs for other non company related hauls too. Haven't used the silverado for commercial for a long time tho. While we used it our primary trailer was a 40ft gooseneck.
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I love how this channel quickly transformed from a place to dump whatever you were interested in at the time to the channel that talks about various parts of the trucking industry.
I hope it stays the same by constantly changing
I found this channel and subscribed right before he uploaded the first video in this trucking series, feels like I bought bitcoin in 2011
Doesn't that mean he's just interested in the trucking industry at the moment?
It is still very enjoyable so far, I would say just keep up until he runs out of interesting topics to talk about and then move on. At first, we talk about trucks, then ships, then planes, or something else, like a channel that always has a specific theme for a certain period.
just my 2 cents.
Wendover but for trucks
For many US immigrants from post-soviet countries driving a hotshot or a 16 feet box truck is a first step in trucking business before getting their CDL to be able to drive a semi. One of my friends used to deliver some satellite parts for SpaceX and another one was delivering Monkeypox vaccines. Usually hotshots are used for auto-hauling.
I work at a dealership and we see way more “hotshot” guys in pickups than semi or large medium duty trucks. Dealership lots are usually quite tight and the extra maneuverability means a lot when driving a an F450 vs 550. I also suspect cost has something to do with it. Some of these hotshot guys can haul up to 5 cars and a semi can only haul 10. I suspect some of these hotshot guys might be less than half the price of a company owned semi- especially with prices nowadays. Our lot is so tight tow truck drivers ask us where is the best place to drop stuff because its so tight. Sometimes its so crowded we tell them we have an alternate lot right across the street and they can drop it in the back over there.
Imagine having such a filthy lifestyle that you spread monkeypox before women started getting it.
It also occurs to me that hotshots are a popular way of resupplying remote camps in Alaska. They'll pick up the mail, package orders, and grocery list for a small man-camp in town, drive it all to the air strip closest to the camp, then hand it over to the contracted pilot who flies everything over to the camp directly.
That seems like a task that doesn't require a trailer.
@@Taladar2003 Yeah we call them 'expediters' and they usually run around in a 15 passenger van that only goes from costco and the parts store to the airport.
@@Taladar2003 maybe a box trailer. Multiple planes at once.
In my father's business of vehicle transport from state to state, we do have Hot Shot for local deliveries in our main operating state. The truck being used is an old 2008 manual Dodge Ram with the duelies in the back. Very helpful for local jobs since a big tractor really ain't that good for suburban neighborhoods. (I have to clarify this because people seem to think that the big tractors can go anywhere...)
You're right. Many trucks set up for OTR work have trouble getting into tight places, but day cabs with the right trailer usually do just fine.
@@reedr1659 You're right about that, but my dad don't really wanna invest into a day cab.
@@beagletheusher I'm a semi driver for a paving company. Some neighborhoods are a PAIN to get in and out of. we kinda have to use a semi too, 2 of our pavers are 40k lbs (Cat AP555's)
@@BizarreSmalls well that's a massive pain, my apologies to any work you gotta do with them in the neighborhoods.
Those truck liveries were hilarious. Bravo, sir.
i missed a trailer name first time
My dad was a hotshot trucker for his boss whenever logging would stagnate in my home town. It was always a lot of fun to go with him on trips up and down the east coast during the summer and winter breaks. He preferred it to logging because he said the DOT was a lot nicer and less strict when inspecting his Dodge over the Kenworth or Macks he'd drive.
Absolutely love your sense of humor. Just found your channel yesterday.
1:25 Missed the opportunity to write "OVERZIZE LOL" on the Truck there
Nothing but respect. Man's took the time and dedication to add unique company logos or change the license plates of every-single truck he showed.
“Money Dollar bill company” had me dying 😂😂😂
I find it impressive that such cmomparibly small vehicle can haul such loads. Cool stuff!
its not small f250 its size of iveco eurocargo
@@ThePsicocat101 So it is the right size, just stupidly shaped for the task?
@@Taladar2003 nah Iveco eurocargo is far more capable
@@ThePsicocat101 it's more like Iveco Daily (models 70 and 72 ) not Eurocargo.... Eurocargo is in category trucks over 10t weight while Daily is until 7.5t 🙂
Europeans in the reply chain 🤢
I spent 5 years as a hotshot driver in europe, the game's a bit different there. As most rigs are only running 3.5t vans so payloads are usually under 1000-1500Kgs tops. I was one of the few running a trailer which can push that up to around 3000kg total (7000kgs train weight) but the main advantage is for the 3.5t vans (no tachograph and relaxed seat-time rules). It wasn't unusual to drive 1000 miles in a day, and then do it again the next time the phone rings. my single-run record was 1550 miles in 34 hours (I would say non-stop but I slept in my van during the 2 ferry crossings!)
It's hard, lonely, and sometimes dangerous work. But incredibly rewarding. I miss it hugely, but i'm not goiing back!
The amount of hidden jokes here is UNREAL.
was this a subtle warning of the goblin invasion? man this time travel class is great
problem is hotshot isnt even a form of expedited delivery any more. Most "hotshot" loads are just partials and small LTL loads that can get moved cheaper by the customer. Theres nothing special about it and a true "hotshot" load can be hauled by anyone including a semi.
Seems like every year theres more and more of hotshot trucks on the road and too my understanding. VERY few last more than a year. Any time I see one at truck stop, I look at their DOT number and its usually brand new. Freight rates are in the trash right now and theres not a lot of freight to choose from either. And because anyone can buy a pickup and trailer, a lot of people are going out and spending $100K in equipment with out knowing anything about laws and regulations or the fact that commercial insurance for new companies with zero experience in the industry can be 25K or more per year
whole industry is a joke tbh
Not to mention I guarantee that not many of them are reading the fine print for their warranties, if they were they'd know that using a truck like these for commercial work voids the warranty for their trucks. Hope they have a sizable maintenance fund....
@@GoldPicard That's why so many of them have manuals and 12 valves because that's a 500k-1 million mile setup if service intervals are kept up with.
@@Bloodbain88 I still see a lot of 7.3's and 6.0 powerstrokes doing it with the 12 and 24v cummins. Don't see many duramax's doing it though. Although, there are fewer every year of them all. Been seeing more and more 6.7L's on the road. Usually dodges over fords, but that may be because the 6.7 cummins has been around a couple years longer and the 6.7 Powerstroke had a rough first few years.
@@Bloodbain88 I literally never see anyone running old junk like that
@@BizarreSmalls I've only seen one Duramax so far. Never seen anyone with a 6.0 doing it. You're right the overwhelming majority are dodges. If they have a 6.7, all the ones I saw were deleted too.
Please do busses after truck, there a lot of shenanigans stories about busses across the world that is so interesting to watch.
I love the Camionetas of Central America. Buy an old schoolbus up here, steal, uh, I mean, procure a Class 8 tractor, preferably with the Lone Star Special front end, get a bunch of stainless steel trim and chicken lights…like the big rigs in the USA nothing is ever considered “bad taste” on a Camioneta.
Voila, ¡tiene un autobus con gran estilo!
About the hotshot car transportation: They are not limited to only 2 or 3 cars, there are several hotshots using double decker trailers that can hual up to 5 or 6 cars
Practically, they *should* only limit to 2-3 cars at a time. Having been behind dozens of these with 4-6 cars on them, I can testify that the average pickup isn’t meant for hauling such weight.
They "Can" haul more, but they shouldn't. Between the weight of the trailer and all of the vehicles on it, they're either maxing out or going over the recommended towing capacity for those trucks. I was plated for a combined weight of 32,000 pounds when I ran. That's the trucks weight, the trailers weight, and the cargo. So that only left me about 10,000 pounds for a load on my trailer. I could have got plated for slightly more weight, but not a lot.
"On the surface it may look like a pickup truck with a trailer, but in reality it's a pickup truck with a *very long* trailer."
Well you got me there.
I am a retired Hot Shot Driver , retired in 2003 , until then we drove the big trucks and straight trucks with sleepers , pick-ups were not widely used then , except for transporting RVs , If you picked up a load in say Chicago and it needed to be in California in no less than 3 days companies would call a Hot Shot Service . Most of the time we would work in teams but sometimes alone , and yes we would do not so legal things to get it done . We also got paid much more than a regular trucker but that's because we took lots of chances and knew how to not get caught . Things are different now , times change , more regulations and stuff , but when I did it it was a great life and I had lots of fun . In 1999 I bought a new FreightShaker and after my truck payment , Insurance , and fuel , I still brought home on average around 7-9,000 per month . That's very hard for truckers to do today. Be safe out there Drivers .
Loved the company logos on the trucks
In Europe we have something similar, mostly referred to as "Polensprinter", which are basically just vans like a Mercedes Sprinter, Renault Master or Iveco Daily, equipped with a flatbed+curtain cargo compartment and a sleeping cab, mainly used by Hungarians, Poles, Czechs and Romanians for the same purpose as a hotshot
Often with a trailer attached and usely 20% overloaded.
sprinter vans for expedited shipping are a thing in the US as well, and don't have much overlap with hotshotters. the loads are usually at most one pallet, the customer often requires that they be the only load in a given compartment, and requires that it be inside a box truck or van. hotshotters pick up jobs with more lax requirements and very often have multiple loads simultaneously, which is the only reason to have a 45ft+ trailer in the first place.
@@cm01 but they're mainly used for stuff like DHL or UPS, right? Because in Europe, dominantly by eastern Europeans, they're used to travel routes like Gdansk-Marseilles, Nyíregyháza-Emden, Pitesti-Düsseldorf and so on, only used because 1. They don't have to pay toll, 2. Driving time regulations don't apply to them and 3. Just like with hotshots, car license is enough for it, so even a completely unexperienced 18 year old Lacika could drive them
Its funny to read this comment while laying down in bus sleep cub 1,5k km from home
@@bilalstyler98 no, basically all parcel carriers use full size 53 foot box trailers on semi trucks for anything except final delivery which is all local
Literally the greatest combo of jokes and info
1:19 I am wondering where the under 10000lbs comes from. Federal regulation for no CDL is combined GCVWR of 26000lbs or less. Doesn't matter what the weight of any one part is (truck, trailer, cargo).
_Their not goblins, just the short meaner hippies that got thrown out_
-- A fellow Eugenian (not hippie just a kid in HS that is stuck with hippies)
The goofy companies on the side of the trucks really cracked me up.
Imagine hotshot trucking
but with a volkswagen TDi or Mercedes diesel
According to another commenter, that is a thing in Eastern Europe.
@@igotes What do you mean "a thing in Eastern Europe"? Using delivery vans as "hotshot" is the norm across the whole Continent, not just in the East. Nothing strange about that.
Actually, most European delivery van drivers would call this clip strange. Those unfamiliar with US culture anyway.
I love it how they say pick up trucks are good on fuel (no insults meant, it's just fun to hear when we have small vans and "trucks" with 2.0 diesels or 2.5turbo diesels that average 8-10l/100km)
I feel like those small vans and trucks meet different needs. For example, a Toyota Hilux can tow 3500kg with a 2.8L diesel that gets about 9L/100km. That's good for tradesmen and fleet owners. The Ford F-350 has a 6.7L diesel that gets 17L/100km but it tows 9000kg. A perfect match for people towing loads meant for semi-trucks. US pickups are bigger than European counterparts and even though most people waste their potential, they also often have more power.
US pickups are larger because in US, AFAIK, you can drive a 10t vehicle while only having your regular DL, no CDL. In Europe with your standard DL (cat. B) you can drive up to 3,5t, max 8 people, max 8m long. And if you want to haul anything more than 750kg, or car+trailer exceeds 3,5t in total, you have to get extended cat. B DL for that. Therefore vehicles here are offered with this kind of thinking.
@@Park_Place Yeah, that's true for most of the part. I would say the biggest difference is the driving licence, we need special training for anything of a combined weight of over 3500kg. And there are also additional categories for anything above that (trailers, no trailers, semi, tankers and so on)
Great work I laughed a loud at every trucking name on the trucks.
I just spent a solid 5 minutes trying to remember the term hotshot trucking because of you
A good field to get into is RV delivery. Most travel trailers and 5th wheels are delivered to dealerships via hotshot drivers.
Downside to that end of the business, is you end up having to drive without a trailer a lot of times, and that doesn't make you any money.
i lived on that stretch of i5, can confirm there are many goblins especially toward portland
In Europe, we have 3.5 ton vans. It's basically a Sprinter van (just the cab and chassis) with a large box on its back and a "coffin" on top of the cab (that's where the bed is). Theoretically, they're used for express/urgent loads but in reality, it's just modern day slavery. Up to 3.5 tons, there's no driving schedule to follow so companies will take advantage of that and have you drive 20-40 hours without sleep. I remember talking to a driver once and he told me if the red light lasts longer than 10 seconds, he'll fall asleep at the traffic light.
these vids are quality this man deserves more subs
Love you papa
Thank you for this video and the regular uploads, dad
Bro I love your vids about trucking keep it up. Keep making more trucking vids and maybe sometime about freight trains in different countries 👀
The blue lobster at the end almost gave me a heart attack , spooky stuff
Recently I discovered that construction of fifth wheel if comply with US standards is road legal in EU! The F-150 with living trailer towed with turntable in truck bed gets TUV no problem at all! This opens new market overseas if truck engine is converted into CNG/LPG.
Meinst du man kann auch diese kommerziellen Hänger anbauen? Zum Heuballen transportieren wäre das sehr geil
@@sonetyp7916 ....do you mean to directly build fifth wheel trailer in EU? No doubts some US manufacturer would welcome to licence verified european producer! Even EU mid-size truck pickups can tow relevantly sized fifth wheel or goose neck with elevating airbags on rear axle + bed provides space for gas tanks as well....
We use them nearly daily to deliver oil pumps, we service or build to sites.
I never know this kind of topic is so interesting, fr
I've been in the hotshot business since 2018. Up until around the end of 2021/beginning of 2022 it was a pretty good business to be in. However, as of recent the rates on small freight(10k and under) have fallen greatly while the price of diesel has gone up significantly. You can still make money as an owner operator or a small fleet owner but you really have to be smart and a little lucky.
You are a really good narrator. I’m surprised you have less than 15k subs. At that level most channels still haven’t nailed their voice.
In the EU there has been a similar trend with a big Van-chassis (only where there is only the cab and a chassis), with a tarped-sideboard-bed. The pros of that are that they can run significantly faster than trucks (up to 130km/h on most highways, as fast as the engine takes them on the Autobahn), compared to 80km/h for trucks, at a much smaller fuel consumtion. And compared to regular vans they can carry 4 Euro-pallets and be loaded with a forklift much easier, whilst a regular van can only take two pallets and loading is also not that great.
I get an average of 7 mpg in my semi, its a 2019 International with 189k miles. That is an average for all the miles it currently has, so loaded and unloaded. My truck has heavy haul permits so we’re loaded well over 80,000 at times too. Not bad at all in my opinion, and I’m not sure how much better a hotshot could be than that. Plus we drag cargo heavier than what a hotshot grosses sometimes lol.
GMC 3500 averages 13mpg loaded and maintenance is a fraction compared to semi. When hazmat is involved I've seen hotshot make more than semi. Living space and engine longevity is where I think semis outshine the dually.
I was only plated to haul #10,000 on my trailer ( #32,000 GVWR ) and averaged 13-16 mpg in a 2007 Ram 3500 megacab dually with the 5.9 cummins and an ATS transmission.
ha! better fuel economy? Not really, those often get less than a well-spec'ed semi. The other main issue is longevity. A typical pick-up will get 1-200,000 miles of service, maybe longer if it's used only for long-haul, whereas a semi can easily get 750,000+. Plus they are just not built for this kind of heavy use and suffer significantly more component wear. DOT loves them, they're basically free violation parties. I, for one, celebrate the fact that they keep the scalehouses busy and allow me to just roll on through.
Bruh. Stop making interesting truck videos, I’m gonna have to subscribe if u carry on like this
How do you not have >100k subscribers? This was like a dwarf dipped in honey, short, sweet, and gold
your channel is about to explode.
oh I've been transporting goblins between Eugene and Portland. Sorry I'll go pick them up
"HONK IF YOU TRUCKING !"
I owned a HotShot company. It was fun, but holy smokes was it stressful. I started after "Shipping wars" was on television, so everyone and their brother decided they were going to try it. So trying to use Uship to get loads weas almost impossible. Other drivers running without proper licensing or not running completely by the book could underbid me by quite a bit. That, along with Brokers not fully understanding what Hotshots were at the time made it difficult to successfully secure loads through them as well.
Friggin’ Goblins - amirite?
Just subscribed!
Hey, hotshot owner op here, most of this video is incorrect. The industry standard length for our trailers is 40' not 53', very few of us run local- many run coast to coast, I run regional in the southeast. On the auto side most are running 3 car wedges, but there are a lot of 5 car setups as well. Non commercial drivers are being phased out by tightening regulations on the industry and more demanding loads, for every non-cdl driver theres at least 5 over-cdl drivers out here. Our trucks get the same fuel economy as newer semi's, they cost nearly the same at this point like you said, and we get treated like dogs. At this point the only reason we still exist is because freight brokers think that we are a good target to get taken advantage of- they make way better margins selling a load to a hotshot carrier than a regular flatbed carrier. Im diligently working to get out of driving hotshot and move up to a semi right now.
Wrong. There's no "Industry Standard" for length.
I Ran local, and coast to coast. Whatever i wanted to run.
The 5-6 vehicle trailers were designed for HotShot single axle semis, not pickups. Even though they use them and are "Legal", its not safe.
Goblin sightings? nah son, free meat.
That lifted Silverado joke 🤣🤣
Its so true though, and as a mechanic it's fucking annoying too when you have to work on these things.
Though he neglected to mention they seem to be continuously inching closer to the SIZE of god damn semi's too, the tires on some of these things are fucking ridiculous they're like 3 feet tall and literally weigh as much as a person when on the rim. Allot of new tire machines have frikkin pneumatic lifts on them now to try and deal with this nonsense, but those don't help you trying to get them back on. Some of these nominally consumer trucks are so fucking tall that they make specialist creepers that are basically half ladder so you can semi-comfortably work over the engine bay, a needed tool because some of these stupid lifted trucks have headlights that are nearly eye level with me and I'm 6'4".
When we occasionally get some really old beater that a guy has been keeping barely working for 30 years to haul shit around occasionally the difference is amazing, they're like literally half the size of a modern pick up, yet somehow inexplicably they managed to do essentially all the same jobs these bloated monstrosities of today are nominally 'built' to do decades ago.
As a SEMI driver you are right about i5 between Eugene and Portland
I feel like this for short haul and freight rail for long haul would be a good way of replacing semis once and for all
"goblin sighting" its i5 guy whatd you expect
I was driving to work earlier this week and I saw one of those hauling a small double-deck car trailer thing with I think 3 or 4 cars or I dreamt about seeing it idk at this point
They are real as heck. I work at site where the Hotshot truckers pick up cars and on my lot there have been a few hotshots that picked up some vehicles with double-decker trailers.
@@The105ODST Ty for confirming I'm not crazy! That's pretty cool what those things can haul given their size.
@@USA0312 They are pretty proud of their trailers too. They are pretty convenient for the transpors to use them
seeing more of these in europe too. but instead of the pickup it looks like a converted panel van usually driven by a eastern european who seems to live under the aeroshield on the roof or in a hammock in the trailer.
Hotshots are also the name of wild land firefighters. Those big green boxish trucks with the forest service logo on it are hotshots too
Fantastic video, I hope you've got some more coming. I'm especially interested in the differences between Western EU and Eastern EU trucking, and if there is one, trucking on the continent Vs trucking in Britain
Eastern EU: magnets and more magnets.
Western EU: we are not racist but if you're from eastern Europe, we will pay you 2 to 3 times less money than what we pay our people. Then, after taking a shit on you, we will complain about you "stealing" our jobs
This channel is booming like the Chinese Economy in the Early 2000s.
Thanks for the goblin warning. I'll go around.
BOOM! Love the Lifted Silverado Burn! thank you :).
You should do a vídeo about the Brazilian trucking culture, it's based in tunning old trucks and pimping new ones in a clean style
It’s an old railroad term for a “Special” - an engine and one or a few cars that is given priority.
The term “Hot Rod” was also used for this.
When a company does it they call it “Expedited”.
In 1999 I did a nonstop team run to Tampa CSX Yard with a CDL straight truck full of train parts.
It’s indicative of the condition of our railroads that CSX was unable to organize a “Special” to transfer THEIR OWN STUFF
So I saw a similar truck to the one pictured (2:02) in Sydney, Australia, a Dodge Ram something or the other with dual rear tyres. It was clearly for recreation and on top of that it's in the middle of a town in the heart of the city, adding to that hotshot trucking is not a thing in Australia as far as I know. It's probably a status car more than anything. It had to be registered as a truck and not a car so it had heavy vehicle plates (usually only seen on "actual" trucks). Kind of strange to see a street car with a heavy vehicle registration is all.
First time seeing your videos. Instant subscribe!
There are some hotshot trailers that can haul 5 cars at a time. They have an upper deck.
I'm planning to live in the bush at some point, and hotshotting is one of the things I'd consider for income. I'll work in my home fab shop during the winter, and either frame houses or deliver during the summer.
You have a nice sense of humour I like your videos a lot keep on going you deserve it 🤣😂🤣
I think you're talking about hitchhikers, there may be Goblins in eastern Oregon, but I don't wanna go there; that place scares me.
I was always curious about hotshots since they are only an american thing, in europe pick-ups are quite rare, pick-ups with big trailers are almost unique to see since the norm for small transportation is represented by small-middle size trucks
The reason is pretty simple in Europe everything above 3,5t is a commercial truck and has to obey the regulation.
You cant transport freight above 3t on a trailer, probably less depending on the size of the trailer. in America a pickup can haul 10t far more useful.
Yes because these truck and trailer combos arent efficient enough and way to heavy for a euro car- license. Instead we have millions of bigger vans driving around, mostly Renault Masters, Fiast Ducatos and Sprinters delivering smaller loads without the need for a truck- license. Governments tried to regulate these drivers more in terms of working hours and other limits..
Pickups are commonly used by farmers in the UK. Better than an old Land Rover, cheaper to run, harder to steal, and the load bed is separate from the cabin. Which is super important if you're carrying a wet dog in the back.
@@jonasstahl9826 yes they can haul more but they are also way bigger pickups compared to ours, like a small Ford Ranger vs a F350... i was wondering why these bigger trucks never succeded in our market even thou teoretically they could work just as well...(i like the idea of having different types of trailer beds without having to buy more than one truck). Maybe it's the lower agility and overall bigger lenght of a hotshot relative to a comparable fixed truck, lets say that F350 vs something like an Iveco Eurocargo
@@Skorpychan oh, an old farmer here in town (italy) drives a Land Rover pick up, the thing does drive very good off road but its constantly in the shop since it needs to be greased regularly, and farmers be farmers he will always only grease the easy to access nipples so every once in a while something breaks, otherwise its a fine machine, maybe not as much as japanese ones but still
2:34 Yo wtf? i thought it was only me.
Can confirm: I-5 stretch Portland-Eugene has been haunted for the last 60 years.
I'm convinced within a year you're going to have a half a million subscribers my dude
@Yukon Your trucking videos are honestly interesting, and I'm not even a trucker. XD
I like Your videos! You're awesome!
In my area Hotshot Trucking is mostly used for car delivery and not typically to dealerships but more dealing in used vehicles and classics. So you'll see them transporting rare used vehicles from anywhere from 2010 back far or see them used a lot for the local car shows because the old folks don't want to put too many miles on those beautiful old cars.
Wanna do an episode on pickups around the word?
this is acthally what my family does for a living.
btw, pickups as as my family have found are a lot more to operate due to their higher repair cost/in shop time, and not being built to handle this type of work for long periods of time with no rest. but thats my family kinda curious how pickups are working for others.
The DEF systems have been the week spot on our RAMs. That is the only thing we have issues with over the last 3 years. I book all the loads for my trucks and really prioritize lighter freight.
@@kingpeasant5099 thats probably why you have less repairs, we end up almost maxing the truck sometime, and are regular loads are pretty close too.
I ran a pre-DEF 2007 ram 3500 and the only issue I had was the transmission. I bought it used with no mechanical history information and after running it for a few months ended up putting an ATS transmission in it. Ran perfect after that. obviously added a few other things, like a sound system, train horns, Pac-Brake exhaust brake, etc. for more comfortability on long hauls and the exhaust brake for better slowing while coasting down mountains
I actually clicked on the video because I didn't know Jerry Seinfeld knew anything about hot shot trucking
Your dry sense of humour is perfect for this style of video...
ha
I saw a hotshot guy on I-70 the other day pulling a trailer with trucks on it, except it wasn't a normal smaller hotshot trailer. It looked damn near like a full size semi-trailer, but with lower end, smaller wheels. Like I said he had the thing loaded with other pickup trucks. Not one or two, but like five. I came up behind him to pass him, (he was cruising 10 under in the left lane, of course), and right as I got close a tire on his trailer fucking exploded. Not like split and slipped off and rolled away like you often see semi tires do, I mean completely exploded into tiny bits of rubber that showered my car. Maybe don't over-load the absolute shit out of a lower capacity trailer lmao.
If you are looking for video ideas maybe one about dump trucks or snowplows or dump trucks with a snowplow. Loving the videos you've done so far.
One of my regular parts customers is a hotshot trucker. Honestly it seems to make good money for the most part.
who makes your thumbnails they look amazing
I draw em myself 👀👀
That poor acronym. Were it not so tortured, in past tense, Jerry would get his wish.
This is so strange to me in Sweden where we do the exact opposite. Using heavy trucks as pickups. Well. That is, companies do. I don´t know the exact reason, but i guess it is to use the same truck infrastructure for everything. And having a very heavy truck is sometimes beneficial. Those are also often used as roadblocks for road maintenance.
I live in Oregon, and yes the goblins have been getting worse lately. Last week I heard a sighting from Bend.
There are 5 car double decker trailer goosenecks that allow for 5 cars to be hauled by a pickup truck.
Those trailers are actually meant for semis, but people have been using them on their pickup trucks.
@@AKTheSavage most modern duallies are designed to handle them
@@SilverStarHeggisist Wrong
@@AKTheSavage yes they are, they're designed to handle around 37,000 plus pounds
My family started out as somewhat hotshot, we hauled equipment for 15 years with our silverado for our small company, got a semi back in 2016 and now are doing the same as before (moving equipment bought and sold through our company) and also doing some jobs for other non company related hauls too. Haven't used the silverado for commercial for a long time tho. While we used it our primary trailer was a 40ft gooseneck.
Finally, I can show this to my doctor. I don't need new meds, I KNEW someone else must have seen the goblins!!
Continue the good work 👍 the videos are amazing.
i love the little logos and brand names on the trucks
Can we take a moment to appreciate the ads on the cars? They are great!
i assumed it was referring to wildland fire, got a chuckle out of the intro
At the plant nursery I work at, pretty much all of our plants come in on stuff like this. Mostly enclosed trailers tho cuz plants be fragile n shit.
I would love you to talk about HCT trucking and why is it so popular in the nordick countries of europe.
what now trucking ? ?
@@user-by7hj4dj9s ?
@@astigamer4094 WHAT IS HCT TRUCKING !?
@@user-by7hj4dj9s HCT trucking means high capasity trucking
@@astigamer4094 and how is that diffrent or unique to Scandinavia?