Becoming an RV transporter

[lynn brownlee]

I have or had two brothers in the trucking business, I love towing my camper, but towing r v for dough is a hard way to make a living, now buy yourself a car trailer or a flat bed 40' and you can actually tow light freight - drive 7 days a week 52 weeks a year and after cost , make a few bucks - but you can't go camping, got to go trucking.

[James Briar]

A good friend and his brother pulled new TTs and FWs for a while. Friend liked it and made good money. Brother hated it so I bought his truck.

[youroo]

Originally Posted by riverrat958

beds in the back seat of crew cabs are not counted as rest/off duty as per dot regs

This sounds like a Perfect job for a Homeless Person with a CDL! Youroo!!

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by riverrat958

beds in the back seat of crew cabs are not counted as rest/off duty as per dot regs

Maybe not, but like I said- all 4 had removed their back seats and had it setup as a bed.

It's my understanding that for the RV transporters, if they're under a certain combined weight rating (likely 26,001 lbs.) that they don't need a CDL. I know that the one or two of the drivers actually mentioned that they liked pulling mine because it required a CDL and that was an extra 10-25 cents/mile (I don't recall which).

Maybe the lack of CDL requirement is why the beds work for them?

(And clearly- I don't know any of this first hand. What I've said is what I gleaned from the 10-30 minutes with each driver as they'd pickup or drop off my rig on the 3 factory round-trips.)

[doc73]

If the trailer is over 10,000 and I think 10,000 gvwr on TV it needs a cdl. Obviously over 26,001 as well. I would have to look at the numbers to confirm but I am certain on the trailer weight.. Truck I cannot remember.

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[doc73]

So I Looked... Was wrong it is any commercial vehicle with a gcwr over 26001 and a trailer over 10,000. I got confused with the dot number requirements... for in state (PA only) it is any commercial vehicle over 17500. If you travel out of state at all the US 10,000 needs a dot number

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[dcheatwood]

I checked it out once and they had sooo many requirements on the tow veh. Rock catchers, fire extinguishers, GPS, aux fuel tank, 5th wheel hitch and tt hitch, 3/4 ton or larger. Etc. Many of you already have these things but I'd have had to spend about $50,000 just to go to work. Lol.
Even checked on delivering mh. Paid while driving but on your own to get back to manuf for next run.

[18CrewDually]

The rear seats are removed for a bed so you can have 2 drivers. While one is resting the other is driving. The truck doesn't make money unless the wheels are turning.

[SilverbackMel]

The pay is "per loaded mile". That is WHY it takes so long to get a delivered unit to dealers during build season. Not many takers for numerous load runs!
These NEW units can break down enroute and tires blow even on new units!
Basically you do this because you have a desire to be on the road!

[cwc510117]

I did it back in 2003 for about a year after having knee surgery (I could not drive my semi). I put about 70,000 miles on a new truck so at the end of the year I had a new truck that still had 4 years worth payments on it and only another year of life let in it. You can NOT take the back seat out and make it a legal sleeper it is not long enough. A legitimate transport company should make you show hotel receipts that will match up to your log book. Bottom line is you are transporting for compensation so you are subject to Dot rules and regulations. Back when I did it you were also required to deliver a "clean" trailer so this meant you either washed it for them when you got there or they would charge you to wash it for you. It was not fun and in the big picture I lost money. It cash flowed me while I was rehabbing my knee then I had to pay off the debt I accumulated during the year (credit cards went big).


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[tenttotrailer]

I looked at it one time as a job when out of the military. As said earlier there are alot of must haves to get a contract (size of truck, hitches, rock catcher etc etc). For me to many unknowns to start from fresh but would reconsider if I could be contracted by a local dealer to pick up product. I would also look at the health issues.....fast food, little exercise, driving in all weather and conditions.

Kevin

[fmc]

Had a friend that did it. He told me that he lost money on every trip since he dead headed back to pick up another trailer.

[northstar1960]

lots of people doing RV transport , to bad they all seem to lose money . must be a bunch of people that like to fail and work for nothing

[MillerTime]

Im curious about this too. My neighbor in our campground just told me he was thinking of transporting.
I wonder if this is a paper "loss" like most will try to do for tax benifits or if they are actually operating in the red, just to travel. Obviously you can write off alot of normal expenses that with out a business you are just out.
Makes you wonder.....

[R&J Silverback]

Well for my input as a newly retired CDL truck transporter ( first day of retirement) I have ask at least 100 RV transporters how much a mile it cost them to deliver a unit.and not one person could tell me. I looked at it and I don't see were you can make ANY money. Might be a good way to see a lot of country but if you have a family counting on your income I just don't think the numbers work out.

[northstar1960]

Originally Posted by MillerTime

Im curious about this too. My neighbor in our campground just told me he was thinking of transporting.
I wonder if this is a paper "loss" like most will try to do for tax benifits or if they are actually operating in the red, just to travel. Obviously you can write off alot of normal expenses that with out a business you are just out.
Makes you wonder.....

Think you can only claim business loss for 5 yrs .
Someone is making money do this are it would not get done

[MillerTime]

Originally Posted by northstar1960

Think you can only claim business loss for 5 yrs .
Someone is making money do this are it would not get done

I think your right. But it doesn't have to be by much.
I know alot of farmers and ranchers that have tight margins or in the red on paper, but they are doing pretty good otherwise with right offs and all.

A good tax guy will help you keep as much of your money in your pocket!!

[4mula1fan]

Originally Posted by R&J Silverback

Well for my input as a newly retired CDL truck transporter ( first day of retirement) I have ask at least 100 RV transporters how much a mile it cost them to deliver a unit.and not one person could tell me. I looked at it and I don't see were you can make ANY money. Might be a good way to see a lot of country but if you have a family counting on your income I just don't think the numbers work out.

Congrats on your retirement. Couple more years for me.

[SilverbackMel]

And then there are those who know the TAX CODE and have their own companies.
Lets not be critical of something most of us do not know in detail because of lack of interest.

[MillerTime]

Originally Posted by SilverbackMel

And then there are those who know the TAX CODE and have their own companies.
Lets not be critical of something most of us do not know in detail because of lack of interest.

How is this relevant to this thread. Not sure who you are thinking is being critical.

I personally owned a trucking company so im pretty sure my input is pertinent to the questions on hand. Plus i am reasonably certain i will be back in it in a year or two.