Since getting into the trucking business is a big challenge, making a whole business plan, paying the cost of establishing the business, buying vehicles, and going through a long process of fulfilling legal requirements, many staters find an alternative to get into this profitable industry.
The trucking business is nearly contributing to almost half of the entire US economy. Every truck driver is making a handsome income. Those who cannot run their own business are considering the merits of hotshot trucking.
What Is A Hotshot Trucker?
If you have never heard about it before, we give a brief idea of what is hotshot trucking. Hotshot trucking involves transporting smaller hauls within a specific time and to a particular customer or location.
A hotshot trucker is kind of a freelancer who operates in the freight industry. He can own his vehicle, but it is not a compulsion since some trucking companies provide hotshot drivers with a vehicle to deliver loads.
Being a hotshot truck driver is as simple as it sounds. There are several benefits that hotshot truckers enjoy without compromising on their income.
Low Barrier To Entry
Hotshot trucking is often the basic start for those who want to own their trucking business because there are very low barriers to entry. A hotshot trucker doesnt need to sign obligations and fill the paperwork because the carrier companies will do all the necessary paperwork by themselves.
Hotshot truckers simply transport the goods to various companies and can work whenever they want to work.
Lower Initial Cost
Getting into the hotshot truck driver business, you don’t have to pay a high initial cost. Since it completely depends on you if you want to drive your vehicle or the one given by the company, there are no compulsions and new equipment requirements.
Even if you buy new equipment and supplies, the cost is much lower than class 8 long-haul drivers’ cost.
Be Your Own Boss
The major benefit that attracts people to this business is that a hotshot trucker can be his own boss. Since it’s freelance driving, he gets to make your work schedule and select the driving route you want to drive through. In addition to time and route selection freedom, you can also decide what kind of goods you want to haul on your own.
Minimized Waiting Time
Since hotshot drivers get to transport goods at a specific time and to a particular location, and some goods are set up by them, the waiting time for such drivers is minimized, and they don’t have to haul the day.
Higher potential income
If someone is wanting to enter the trucking industry and sincerely wants to be the hotshot driver, he can never run out of work. Since he is making a good image as a freelance driver who is available to work and doing his job great, he will earn a good income.
In most cases, where drivers are putting their time and effort while staying in their comfort zone, they can earn a good income as mostly given to class 8, or they can even cross that.
More Home Time
Since it’s not a full-time job and hotshot drivers don’t have to be On-The-Road trips for a longer time, and they can haul loads in local areas or within their region, they get more home time to enjoy with their families.
How To Become A Hotshot Driver?
Knowing too many benefits of this business, you might get overwhelmed to know how you can enter and become a hotshot driver. As discussed above, there are no such long processes and signing obligations.
All you need to do is acquire your driving license, typically you will be needing a commercial driver’s license, and for that, you need to pass the behind-the-wheel test. And obtaining a DOT number, taking care of some legalities, and owning an owner-operator authority are necessary if you want to work as an independent contractor or going to drive your own vehicle.
Final words
Becoming a hotshot driver is truly worth it. If you are entering with the right frame of mind with reasonable expectations and a ton of driving experience, you can never get disappointed.
