Large Vehicle Transport Job

Hi,

My sons about to complete his cdl program and one of the companies that came in to present to them was a company that transports large trucks (bucket truck, utility trucks, etc). How it works is you drive their small vehicle to a pickup location, hook your small traveler vehicle to the large truck you're transporting and drive that large truck to the purchasers business. Then of course you get in the small travelers vehicle and drive to the next destination. It pays .40 per miles while driving the large truck and $14 an hour while traveling in the small one. You stay in hotels at night and are out 7 days and off 3.. Also they said it was a 45k- 50k type of earning potential.

My question is does anyone have any opinions on these types of jobs? Has anyone had a job like this and if so what did you think? Hec I may come out of retirement and do this part time.

Thank you all for your help.

One of the moderators here did something similar with semis so he can provide better insight.

I looked into this with RVs and emergency vehicles before I got my cdl , is this a 1099 job? as these jobs usually are if so avoid it

Welcome to the TT site, Ray. You can make a lot more than that NET driving a tractor trailer for some of the major companies. In addition, it’s not any wear and tear on a personal vehicle.

I’m sure there is a niche market for what you describe, but it’s nothing I have explored.

I looked into this with RVs and emergency vehicles before I got my cdl , is this a 1099 job? as these jobs usually are if so avoid it

Welcome to the TT site, Ray. You can make a lot more than that NET driving a tractor trailer for some of the major companies. In addition, it’s not any wear and tear on a personal vehicle.

Some important considerations here.

As Packrat elaborates - you can more than that NET (takehome) typically, doing OTR driving. Though not on a 7/3 schedule.

Mileage & wear/tear on a personal vehicle is another consideration. Towing the vehicle is also one - many front wheel drive vehicles (which is seems most of them are) with auto transmissions, need to be towed "wheels off ground", or it screws up the tranny - and these types of gigs usually do a car with a TOW BAR (as you can't tow a wheels off trailer AND a car, behind a truck)

Also - as Bob noted - $45-50K on a 1099 gig, amounts to much less - after your pay your taxes/etc. - and typically doesn't include BENEFITS. You DO WANT TO talk to your accountant to see what your bottom line is REALLY going to look like, as well as MAKING SURE you make your quarterly 941 deposits, so you don't get jammed up at the end of the year coming up with $15K in taxes

These companies will recruit at schools - because most folks don't know the tax and other ramifications, and while $50K seems like a fortune to people who've never made that much before in their lives.

Rick

I am the fabled moderator who did something similar. This business is called driveaway. The driver is transporting the vehicle he's driving, so on delivery he'll need a way to get back for more.

I don't see "1099" or "contract driving" in your description. This business does use both this and regular employees as drivers. $.40/mile sounds like regular employee (paid in a W-2, and has withholding) rather than an independent contractor.

Independent contractors are paid 100% of their pay, and the contractor will have to pay their own self-employment taxes. If you're not used to this you can unknowingly get in big trouble with the IRS.

As for the job, I did not do exactly as you described. Your son will be driving nearly new vehicles - the latest models. By now 2021 models are coming out of the factories. It sounds like the company will pay the hotels. One minor downside is your son will need to learn the buttons and controls for several different vehicles.

But, as with the trucking business as a whole, the money is in the hustle - if you're not driving you're not earning. Your son will still need to keep driver logs, including driving the small vehicle.