Can anyone Help me!!!

[kiwi]

We have our own business importing natural products from New Zealand which is where I am from. We are currently using a Chevy 1500 pick up and towing a Uhaul everytime we need to go accross country and stay in motels along the way. (very expensive). We are thinking of using a straight truck about the size of thr Freightliner FL70 with a standup sleeper and an approx box length of 20-26 feet. We are considering going out on a run with our products to the various shows etc and possibly picking up an expeditor load to bring us back. If our business hits slow periods we would also look at expediting to help keep the payments up on the truck etc... I have been reading about the various engines etc and believe the cummins would be the best option with either a fuller or eaton trans. We would be hauling about 12000lbs max for our own products when we go out, and have no idea of typical weights for expeditor loads if we can get them. Also can anyone tell me what we would require for covering all states and would we need to pay fuel taxes on a unit this size.We believe somwhere between 200 and 250 hp would be ample for the truck but welcome any suggestions. We will be driving in the colder states alot during the winter months and expect to be climbing a few hills in these regions. Another option we are looking at is going into the box from the sleeper if this is possible approx 6-8 feet and having a shower, toilet, small sink and counter top and 2 single bunks installed somehow. Then we can take our 2 girls with us during summer vaccation. Any help with any part of this message would be of a great help.

Regards
Kiwi

 

[Fkatz]

I will Try,
1. You & your wife would have to get a CDL with air brake and Hazmat endorsement, license for the state that you register the truck in. this is mandatory. Cost approx $100.00 ea, depending on State.
2. Make application to the D.O.T for your own authority, and get permits or IFTA registration for all states that you plan on entering Approx Cost $2000.00
3. Hazmat Insurance is very costly. Need Approx. $5 million for hazmat coverage only in order to carry the product. Dont know what the cost is.
4. Regular liability coverage plus Cargo,MIN 1,000,000.00 and bobtail insurance MIN $500,000
5. Federal Fuel Tax(form 2290) if over 26,000lbs.GVW for heavy duty Vehicles TAX $500 per year
6. Each state also has a fuel tax form(2290) that has to be filled out so you have to enter the mileage when entering and leaving each state. this is for the states you do not purchase fuel in, but the form has to be filled out for each state weather or not you purchased fuel.
7. YOU MUST RUN A LOG BOOK WHEN DRIVING ANY VEHICLE GROSS WEIGHT OF OVER 10,000 LBS. SO YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO FILL ONE OUT PROPERLY AND CANNOT RUN MORE THEN 10 HOURS OF DRIVING PER DRIVER PER DAY, BUT AS A TEAM YOU CAN RUN 5, SLEEP 5 RUN 5 SLEEP 5, EACH AND GET TO YOUR DESTINATION QUICKLY.
8.YOU ALSO WILL HAVE TO GO THRU ALL SCALE HOUSE AT STATE LINES WHEN OPEN
9.AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CHILDERN MUST BUT BE GOTTEN FROM THE COMPANY THAT YOU WOULD BROKER TO FOR LOADS. PASSENGERS ARE NOT NORMALLY ALLOWED.
10. PARKING RESTRICTION ARE ENFORCED FOR A TRUCK, AND YOU MUST STICK TO TRUCK ROUTES, TRUCK STOPS AND WATCH BRIDGE WEIGHT LIMITS. EVEN THOUGH IT IS A STRAIGHT TRUCK. YOU ARE NOT AS RESTRICTED AS A TRACTOR-TRAILER
11. UNLESS YOU ARE GOING TO PURCHASE A CLASS 7 OR 8 TRUCK WHICH IS A FL120 OR CENTURY CLASS FREIGHTLINER, OR INTERNATIONAL, VOLVO, WESTERN STAR, MACK, STERLING, YOU ARE GOING TO BE RESTRICTED AS TO THE SIZE OF THE SLEEPER AREA, BECAUSE A FL60,70,80 ARE FOR STRAIGHT TRUCKS ONLY WITH A STANDARD SLEEPER, TWIN, FULL, QUEEN AND KING.
ACCORDING TO YOUR QUESTION, YOU ARE GOING TO NEED A MIN OF A 260-300" WHEEL BASE FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO PUT IN THE SLEEPER, 2 EXTRA BEDS, SHOWER, SINK, AND BATHROOM, TABLE AND ETC. PLUS ITS GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT SIZE LOAD YOU CAN CARRY. BECAUSE MAX GROSS WEIGHT ON A STRAIGHT TRUCK IS STILL 33,000 LBS. EXCEPT WITH AN ADDITIONAL TAG AXLE. THEN YOU HAVE MAX LENGTH RESTRICTIONS ALSO.
bY THE TIME YOUR FINISHED WITH WHAT YOU WANT IN AND FOR THE TRUCK YOU ARE TALKING AROUND $150 TO $200,000 sO YOUR BASICALLY TALKING A FULL SIZE TRACTOR WITH A FULL CUSTOM OVERSIZE KING SLEEPER UNIT, PLUS A 24 OR 26FT BOX WITH TAG AXLE.

I DONT KNOW HOW MUCH WEIGHT YOU HAUL IN THE PICK-UP BUT YOU CAN PURCHASE A FORD, CHEVY CARGO VAN, WITH THE UNICELL BODY, OR THE NEW FREIGHTLINER SPRINTER VAN WITH THE EXTENDED WHEELBASES OR CARGO VAN CUT-AWAY AND PUT A SMALL 12-18FT BOX ON THAT WITH A SMALL SLEEPER, YOU WILL STILL HAVE TO HAVE A CDL, AND YOUR OWN AUTHORITY, AND STILL LOG IF IT IS OVER 10,000 LBS. UNDER 10,000 LBS YOU REALLY DONT NEED A CDL UNLESS IT IS REQUIRED FOR THE BROKER YOU LEASE IT TO FOR THE LOAD. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO INTO SCALES EXCEPT FOR CERTAIN STATES WITH YOUR OWN AUTHORITY, ANY VEHICLE USED FOR COMMERICAL PURPOSES YOU MUST GO THRU THE SCALE HOUSES IN EACH STATE UNLESS IT SAYS OVER 5, 8 TONS MUST GO THRU SCALE HOUSE. THATS 2000 LBS PER TON.
i CANT THINK OF ANYTHING ADDITIONAL RIGHT NOW BUT I WOULD CHECK OUT THE COST FIRST OF EACH
DOT REGULATIONS
GETTING YOU OWN AUTHORITY
IFTA PERMITS
AND MAINLY INSURANCE.
and of course the Price of the truck that you want.

THERE IS A BOOKLET THAT IS AVAILABLE ON LINE TO RECEIVE A COPY OF FOR FREE, YOU CAN EITHER DOWNLOAD IT OFF THE WEB SITE OR ORDER IT ONLINE. ITS CALLED "PARTNERS IN BUSINESS" "A BUSINESS MANUAL FOR OWNER-OPERATORS" GIVEN BY OVERDRIVE MAGAZINE & VOLVO. AT
[www.partners-in-business.com]

I tried to answer to the best of my ability but the booklet will give you a better understanding of what is involved to become an owner-operator

Frank Katz
Frank's Tax & Business Service
308 E. King St.
Kings Mountain, NC 28086
704-739-4039
Fax: 704-739-3934
I am also an owner/operator leased on to CTX, cargo van, and drove as a company driver, tractor trailer. With 12 yrs experience in the trucking industry.

 

[kiwi]

Thanks Fkatz for all the information and the trouble you have gone to in answering our questions. Most of the time it would just be myself in the truck as my wife has to be home to look after the girls during the school year. I think we will have to cut down on going into the box area. I have been reading through alot of the messages posted and have found some great tips and info on equipment you can put in the truck like portable showers that collaspe down to next to nothing. We might be better off not doing any expediter loads while the girls are out of school and just our other business. Then during the school year I could look at expediting during the week and doing shows on various weekends if that would work with a company. Also on what I have been reading it dosn't sound like to many drivers like the FL70 but prefer the KW T300 and cummins looks to be better value than Cat.

Once again thanks for all the info and thanks also to everyone else that has posted replies to other questions that have also helped me out.
Being new to this forum I would like to close by saying hi to you all and hope you all have a safe and prosporous 20002.

Cheers Kiwi

 

[vernon946]

If you scale down your "business ideas", you can really save a ton of money. Get a used expeditor truck with an 18 ft box, rated at under 26000 GVW. Forget about getting your own authority and forget about hauling expeditor freight to help pay return expenses. If you do this, you can forget about the CDL (your current license is OK), the hazmat fees and regs, the DOT stops, the scales, the fuel or IFTA permits, etc. You will need insurance though as this is your BIG personal vehicle.

This puts you in the same category as many other Mom and Pop travellers who pack up a motorhome with a portable business and live from flea market to market across the country.

We have a heavy C truck with an 18 ft box, 70 inch double bunk sleeper, generator, and many other items on the truck, and can still scale 8000 lbs loads, so you could too. If you really think you'll need the additional 4000 lbs of stock, have it drop-shipped to you at a different location rather than carry it around all those miles.

Since you wouldn't be tied to a newer truck this way, there are many cheap 94-95 models out here that would make a great personal truck. I like the Cummins 5.9 or 8.3 myself. Take care of them and they'll run a long time and give excellent fuel mileage (11+).

Vernon