Electric Chickens Hot (shot) Idea

Electric Chicken

Well-Known Member
I actually ended up with the option of returning it to the shipper, which wasn't feasible, since I have no interest in driving back to St. Louis.

Options to offload it at a warehouse today were being searched for, then let Walmart figure out when and how to get it picked up, but the additional money talked me into keeping it.
Yeah throw money at me and I'll dance.
 
“Repositioning Fee” is a fairly common term in deck trailers and larger loads too.
My step with ramps tend to demand similar rates to rgn it seems. There are definite lanes and hotspots to pay attention to.

We've gone into military moves where they are moving hundreds of trucks and moving that many in a day. Waiting for a single or pair of ramps sucks. You can be gone in under two hours moving through all the check points while others will burn out their clocks.
 
In the end, it's not so bad.

Like I said, I pushed the rate up $200 to deal with assumed detention. *****ed my way to an additional $400, so $600 to sit here today basically.

My biggest irritation is that I had planned to have trailer in shop this afternoon to make sure I got it back on Friday. Spoke with Great Dane today, pretty good chance i will get it back by Friday anyway. If not, pick it up Monday, as I will likely take the weekend off anyway.

Every industry has it's issues. I learned to hate flatbed very quickly in the short couple of weeks I messed with it. Doing it without tarps? Might consider learning the securement if that was the case.

Then, there seems to be an increased deadhead involved with flatbed from all I have talked to. I'd rather bounce a few minutes and occasionally deal with stupidity like this I think.

My fault for playing with fire (walmart)
Strapping chaining and tarping ain’t bad. My bounces are typically less than 100 miles. Runs are typically less than 550 and I’m not always loaded to gross. The only places that suck to deal with are job sites using cranes and steel mills.
 
Setting up and taking down ramps are the only thing I have that suck.

But there's tricks to making that easy.


Most of the time, I'll have a crew willingly help out them around.

I haven't even bought tarps this time around. Doubt I will too.
 
Get a trailer with megaramps
Absolutely. Either that or hydraulic ramps or a hydraulic dovetail. At the expense of payload but it might be worth it.

Nice thing about the hydraulic dovetail is you can use all the space when it's s drive-in/off. Megaramps need to be kept clear so you can flip them.

Nice thing about megaramps is they're simpler, cheaper, and lighter.

If I buy brand new I'm also going to look into air ride.
 
Hydraulic ramp would be best.

Honestly for the cost of a hot shot and insurance being no better than a semi, I'd just get a full class 8 setup.

I was looking at it the past year and I just didn't see the justification for a hot shot. I'd be running all the ltl scraps that class 8 seems to ignore.

Just easier to go big or go home.
 
Hydraulic ramp would be best.

Honestly for the cost of a hot shot and insurance being no better than a semi, I'd just get a full class 8 setup.

I was looking at it the past year and I just didn't see the justification for a hot shot. I'd be running all the ltl scraps that class 8 seems to ignore.

Just easier to go big or go home.
I can build direct relationships around here without the spot market. There are two tractor dealers within 2 miles of my house. One constantly has auctions and the other is a new equipment dealer. There's a dump insert manufacturer 5 miles away (next door to Schneider's lot), the manufacturer of my open deck is 12 miles away, etc. 2 miles from Schneider's lot there's a Case IH dealer and then about 10 miles north of here is a New Holland dealer.

There are 6 car auctions within 50 miles. Two government auctions within 15 miles. One is between my house and work.

Then there's the Amish and Mennonite who always need stuff hauled. They'll go to Lancaster auctions and need stuff brought back. Farm equipment, buggies, grain bins, etc. Farmers in general as well, not just Amish/Mennonite.

With a 5th wheel I can serve the many RV dealers.

I can also use it to fetch stuff and resell.

I'm sure I can stay busy enough once I can commit the time.
 
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I can build direct relationships around here without the spot market. There are two tractor dealers within 2 miles of my house. One constantly has auctions and the other is a new equipment dealer. There's a dump insert manufacturer 5 miles away (next door to Schneider's lot), the manufacturer of my open deck is 12 miles away, etc. 2 miles from Schneider's lot there's a Case IH dealer and then about 10 miles north of here is a New Holland dealer.
Thought the same thing. Provide a good service, blah blah blah....

Till the next broker comes in undercutting you 30% and taking your business away.

Single trucks and small fleets struggle to provide levels of service that allow such contracts to last long.
 
Hydraulic ramp would be best.

Honestly for the cost of a hot shot and insurance being no better than a semi, I'd just get a full class 8 setup.

I was looking at it the past year and I just didn't see the justification for a hot shot. I'd be running all the ltl scraps that class 8 seems to ignore.

Just easier to go big or go home.
Everyone over-estimates the durability of the duallies. All the guys I've seen run them start having powertrain issues after the first year. They just aren't meant for the duty-cycle.
They're better than they were when I ran them in the 80's, but that's not saying a lot. You haven't heard a bang until you here a mainshaft snap under a full load in second gear. 😕
 
Thought the same thing. Provide a good service, blah blah blah....

Till the next broker comes in undercutting you 30% and taking your business away.

Single trucks and small fleets struggle to provide levels of service that allow such contracts to last long.
So you're allowed to be an expert in something you've never actually done now too?

What was that about staying in your lane?
 
Everyone over-estimates the durability of the duallies. All the guys I've seen run them start having powertrain issues after the first year. They just aren't meant for the duty-cycle.
They're better than they were when I ran them in the 80's, but that's not saying a lot. You haven't heard a bang until you here a mainshaft snap under a full load in second gear. 😕
Yeah I would expect 2-3 years of service before a rebuild. They say 200-300k. Depending how hard you are on it. Half the weight, half the durability, half the cost. It's about the same. Tires are a lot cheaper too but you go through them faster.
 
So you're allowed to be an expert in something you've never actually done now too?

What was that about staying in your lane?
Actually I have done it.

Spent a lot of time and effort trying to make local contacts, entertaining the local companies that would use the service.

Used the reefer for a while, did the goose neck and hauled skidsteers etc and tried lumber for the local yards.

Always someone willing to come in to cut the rate and claim they could do it better for less.


Brokers, another electric chicken or some other 90 day wonder that felt he didn't need insurance or authority.

All because I had a desire to be home more than I thought I was.
 

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