The trucking industry has a variety of terms that are used to describe different jobs, but if you’ve ever heard the term hot shot trucking, then you might wonder what it means. What do hot shot truckers do?
Hot shot trucking is a way of transporting time-sensitive goods quickly and efficiently and hot shot truckers are responsible for moving smaller loads with tight delivery windows.
Hot shot trucking has continued to skyrocket in popularity as demand for certain time-sensitive products increases. The rest of this article will walk you through what hot shot trucking is, what it’s used for, and why it’s so popular.
What Do Hot Shot Truckers Do?
Hot shot truckers are truck drivers that provide quick and efficient solutions for shippers that need goods delivered as fast as possible.
These are usually LTL loads (less than truckload) and are usually shipped to a single customer or location rather than the driver having to make quick stops. Usually, hot shot truckers are owner-operators of their truck and take on jobs as they see fit.
Some truckers have a traditional hauling job as well, while others rely on solely hot shot trucking to make their income.
Either way, hot shot truckers usually have autonomy over what jobs they choose to take and enjoy taking on the job of delivering much-needed time-sensitive goods to clients.
As an essential part of the transportation industry, hot shot truckers are responsible for fast deliveries and quick turnaround times.
What Trucks Are Used for Hot Shot Trucking?
Most often, hot shot loads are delivered using medium-duty trucks that are Class 3, 4, or 5 and are equipped with flatbed trailers.
What Trailers Are Used for Hot Shot Trucking?
Choosing a trailer for hot shot trucking is important when considering the kind of truck you’re using and the kind of cargo you’re going to be carrying. The most popular picks are the following:
- Bumper pull trailers
- Gooseneck trailers
- Tilt deck trailers
- Lowboy trailers
- Dovetail trailers
How Far Do Hot Shot Truckers Travel?
The distance of hot shot trucking jobs varies from a few hours to a cross-country trip. Trucking like this is great for owner-operators looking to make some extra money since it gives them a quick and easy job delivering a single shipment.
Does Hot Shot Trucking Pay Well?
These jobs are also profitable to hot shot truckers because companies are usually willing to pay more when the goods are time sensitive.
For example, if a construction company needs equipment to proceed with building, then the goods requested would be considered time-sensitive since the longer the company doesn’t have the required resources, the more they experience a loss of productivity.
Pros of Hot Shot Trucking
Hot shot trucking can be quite lucrative, especially if you prefer to haul medium loads. Hot shot truckers usually get good rates for their work due to the high demand for a quick delivery.
There’s also less maintenance associated with hot shot trucks than with class 8 trucks. Perhaps best of all, hot shot trucking can be really fun if you enjoy being your own boss.
There’s less startup cost for owner operators, and company hot shot truckers typically make nearly $60,000 a year, making this job both enjoyable if you enjoy being out on the open road and lucrative.
Cons of Hot Shot Trucking
Work can be infrequent due to the come-and-go demands of customers. It also pays per mile rather than a typical owner-operator agreement.
As with any other trucking job, the truck owner is responsible for complying with regulations, both on and off the road, as well as expenses related to the maintenance and repair of the truck.
It’s also worth noting that the size recommendations for hot shot trucking can limit the amount of hauling opportunities for a hot shot trucker.
Freight capacity restrictions on hot truck trailers means that companies wanting a large haul are simply out of luck.
Lastly, hot shot truckers spend a lot of time deadheading, aka hauling around an empty load, to get from job to job that still costs the owner fuel as well as putting more wear and tear on the truck.
Final Thoughts
Hot shot trucking has become a more popular solution to many companies’ transportation needs. Truckers have the freedom to pick and choose jobs and can choose by availability what time-sensitive jobs.
Typically, hot shot truckers deliver LTL loads to a single client such as a construction site needing equipment to continue building.
These jobs pay well because of the urgency of getting the materials from A to B quickly, and hot shot truckers can blend a traditional hauling job with some hot shot jobs on the side to earn more money.
Some also outfit their trucks to handle exclusively hot shot jobs, which is great for truckers who don’t want to worry about the input cost of more expensive class 8 trucks.
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