Commercial Truck Rentals

[jpalmer]

Hi guys!

I was curious if anybody as ever had experience renting a commercial truck for doing loads. There is a company here in DFW called Capps Truck rentals. They've got cargo vans up to 24 foot box units. I was thinking about renting a unit for local runs to try and make a little more profit on the side of my courier contract I have. I'd like to work up into a van or box unit and i think this is a possible way to work up clients and learning the bigger load stuff.

The prices range from 126 or so bucks a day for a van to around 350 a day for a 24 foot box unit. My uncle (which is a OTR driver and runs solo) uses a load finder website. It has LTL loads paying anywhere from 300 to 600 bucks to go around 500 miles.

Is there a way to make this idea profitable? I know this won't be a cash cow but it will possibly raise my income a few hundred bucks..

 

[cheri1122]

Who provides the authority to haul freight, and the insurance coverage for vehicle and load?

 

[arkjarhead]

Who provides the authority to haul freight, and the insurance coverage for vehicle and load?

Not only that, but alot of truck rental companies won't rent a vehicle to what they call a "start up" company. When I got my new engine and transmission back in May I tried to rent a tractor to go ahead and haul some freight, but Ryder and Penske said I was a start up business because I had only been in busy for a short time.

 

[jpalmer]

What do you mean by Authority to haul freight? As far as cargo insurance. I'd be supplying that. They provide general truck insurance.

 

[xiggi]

Did you ask if there is a mileage charge on top the rental fee?

 

[jpalmer]

There is after 500 miles. Plan on doing local runs though. Around DFW probably within 200 miles.

 

[arkjarhead]

What do you mean by Authority to haul freight? As far as cargo insurance. I'd be supplying that. They provide general truck insurance.

Somebody has to have a US DOT # and a Motor Carrier # to legally haul freight. There is alot that goes into hauling freight on your own than just having a truck and finding some loads to haul.

 

[cheri1122]

JP: you also need to arrange for IFTA [interstate fuel tax] coverage if you go out of state, and drug screens - pretty much everything the DOT requires of a carrier.
Ark is correct, you need more than just a truck. Perhaps your uncle can offer more information on which ducks you need to line up before you get in trouble.

 

[bluejaybee]

The prices range from 126 or so bucks a day for a van to around 350 a day for a 24 foot box unit. My uncle (which is a OTR driver and runs solo) uses a load finder website. It has LTL loads paying anywhere from 300 to 600 bucks to go around 500 miles.

Is there a way to make this idea profitable? I know this won't be a cash cow but it will possibly raise my income a few hundred bucks..

$350 a day for a box truck? 300 to 600 for 500 miles? And you are furnishing your own cargo insurance on top of all this? If you break even, you will have had a good day. Something not right about your figures. No way you could make any money using those figures.

 

[Dakota]

Don't forget in additon to the rental fee you have to pay for diesel and those trucks only get about 8mpg

 

[OntarioVanMan]

It is not a bad gig if he could get the rental charge down and have Quaranteed freight/runs like dedicated...he does not need much if he never leaves the state...just state authority and an extra rider for cargo insurance....as long as he is under 26.000 lbs....

 

[Crazynuff]

Even if the loads are intrastate and MC authority isn't needed I doubt rates would be high enough to make it worthwhile . Someone that owns a truck can run a lot cheaper than someone using rental units .

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Even if the loads are intrastate and MC authority isn't needed I doubt rates would be high enough to make it worthwhile . Someone that owns a truck can run a lot cheaper than someone using rental units .

Right..it is not a long term solution...If you weren't wanting to make a full time income and just make a few bucks,depending on your work, it could work....you'd never have maintainance costs and you'd always have a back-up if repairs were needed....

it would be an individual thingee....some say yea say would say nay..

 

[bluejaybee]

There is after 500 miles. Plan on doing local runs though. Around DFW probably within 200 miles.

Color me a dummy. I'll be heck if I see what the rest of you see with the figures and statements he made. $350 a day for a truck? Plans on 200 mile trips? Even the 300 to 600 mile trips would be hard to pay back $350 truck rental. I don't see it, I don't figure it. Guess my mind is clogged with diesel fumes or something.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Color me a dummy. I'll be heck if I see what the rest of you see with the figures and statements he made. $350 a day for a truck? Plans on 200 mile trips? Even the 300 to 600 mile trips would be hard to pay back $350 truck rental. I don't see it, I don't figure it. Guess my mind is clogged with diesel fumes or something.

It would be a tough go.....

 

[Dakota]

Seems like you'd have to make $600 a day to clear $100 Possible but highly unlikely

 

[jpalmer]

I emailed Capps Truck Rental today...They haven't replied yet....I am gonna see about a Van and not a box truck.......

 

[greg334]

Didn't anyone mention mileage?

They just don't rent the truck to you on a flat rate, they make you pay mileage on every mile you drive. So say you do a 300 mile run for 1.10 a mile, you are paying for the 300 miles and the 300 miles back - 600 miles. And if that is say at 30 cents a mile (the last truck I rented for local work was at this rate), that's $180 to the rental company for one load and it leaves you with $150 to pay the rest.

Look to be frank about it, if the rental thing would be a happening thing for many of us if it was possible. But because the rental companies don't rent to people using it for regular commercial work (the lease them out for that), they charge more money to keep the maintenance up on the vehicle.

 

[Dakota]

Didn't anyone mention mileage?

They just don't rent the truck to you on a flat rate, they make you pay mileage on every mile you drive. So say you do a 300 mile run for 1.10 a mile, you are paying for the 300 miles and the 300 miles back - 600 miles. And if that is say at 30 cents a mile (the last truck I rented for local work was at this rate), that's $180 to the rental company for one load and it leaves you with $150 to pay the rest.

Look to be frank about it, if the rental thing would be a happening thing for many of us if it was possible. But because the rental companies don't rent to people using it for regular commercial work (the lease them out for that), they charge more money to keep the maintenance up on the vehicle.

Yeah, that is exactly why I lease from Penske. I don't pay a dime on maintenance, it's all covered. I pay the lease and for fuel that's it