Factory to Dealer Transport
Unless you purchased your new RV directly from a dealer near the manufacturer, it has likely been towed or driven maybe a couple of thousand miles. My comments are mainly directed towards transport of...
Forum Discussion
As a RV transporter I'll let you all in the dirty secrets of transporting.
RV Manufacturers put on RV shows for the new model year, in late September, early October for dealers across North America. Dealers or their buyers decide on the units they wish to purchase and place their orders. As the plants produce them transporters start hauling the majority of the orders in late October through to April (the winter months). Reason why some of you see surface rust on the frames.
Transporters, do a pre-delivery/pick-up inspection (over half of the orders I pulled had issues at the plant...doors that didn't close or lock, siding dented, cabinet doors not installed, storage compartment doors that wouldn't stay closed, wheel lug nuts barely hanging on (we have to check lug nut torque before moving unit), running lights or marker lights not working (some light sockets were so rusty, lights weren't going to work no matter what!), 7 way plug wiring either too short or plug itself missing or hanging by a wire or two, even some with windows or roof vents open and its raining cat and dogs! Didn't matter whether it was low end or high end units, all had issues.
Transporters are also commercial drivers with legal log books, so unless you cheat on the log books - DOT can check them and see if your speeding.
Transporters are responsible for any damage to the exterior of the RV including tires... dealers do pre-inspections before accepting delivery, they look for wear, scuff marks and any damage to the wheels i.e. bent rimes, scraps from curbs etc... any damage to the RV body, missing running light lens and so on.
Some think transporter don't get paid well, if that were the case then speeding, hitting pots holes, running over curbs... would be costly to the transporter and would certainly cut into the supposed already low earnings of a transporter.
As a RV transporter, the earnings were pretty decent, if you sleep in your truck(transporters are not allowed to sleep in the RVs), have a cooler in your truck, buy most of your food at the local piggly wiggly and stay away from 3 meals a day in restaurants and not bed down in hotels/motels, good money can be made, even better money hauling west of the Rockies and north of the border. This last Jan/Feb made 7 trips from Indiana to Prince George, BC, average net earning, was $4300/trip Cdn, my cost was about $1000 in fuel and DEF fluid, $200 for 2 oil changes a few meals at restaurants, $200 for food, $13.05 USD x 7, for crossing US border (commercial vehicle).
As for Motorhome deliveries, those guys either fly or drive to pick-up points. Some of those companies allow their drivers to take what ever route they want, as some are paying for the fuel used. These guys are allowed to sleep in the units. I have met Husband/wife/son/daughter teams delivering multiply units to same dealer.
RV Manufacturers put on RV shows for the new model year, in late September, early October for dealers across North America. Dealers or their buyers decide on the units they wish to purchase and place their orders. As the plants produce them transporters start hauling the majority of the orders in late October through to April (the winter months). Reason why some of you see surface rust on the frames.
Transporters, do a pre-delivery/pick-up inspection (over half of the orders I pulled had issues at the plant...doors that didn't close or lock, siding dented, cabinet doors not installed, storage compartment doors that wouldn't stay closed, wheel lug nuts barely hanging on (we have to check lug nut torque before moving unit), running lights or marker lights not working (some light sockets were so rusty, lights weren't going to work no matter what!), 7 way plug wiring either too short or plug itself missing or hanging by a wire or two, even some with windows or roof vents open and its raining cat and dogs! Didn't matter whether it was low end or high end units, all had issues.
Transporters are also commercial drivers with legal log books, so unless you cheat on the log books - DOT can check them and see if your speeding.
Transporters are responsible for any damage to the exterior of the RV including tires... dealers do pre-inspections before accepting delivery, they look for wear, scuff marks and any damage to the wheels i.e. bent rimes, scraps from curbs etc... any damage to the RV body, missing running light lens and so on.
Some think transporter don't get paid well, if that were the case then speeding, hitting pots holes, running over curbs... would be costly to the transporter and would certainly cut into the supposed already low earnings of a transporter.
As a RV transporter, the earnings were pretty decent, if you sleep in your truck(transporters are not allowed to sleep in the RVs), have a cooler in your truck, buy most of your food at the local piggly wiggly and stay away from 3 meals a day in restaurants and not bed down in hotels/motels, good money can be made, even better money hauling west of the Rockies and north of the border. This last Jan/Feb made 7 trips from Indiana to Prince George, BC, average net earning, was $4300/trip Cdn, my cost was about $1000 in fuel and DEF fluid, $200 for 2 oil changes a few meals at restaurants, $200 for food, $13.05 USD x 7, for crossing US border (commercial vehicle).
As for Motorhome deliveries, those guys either fly or drive to pick-up points. Some of those companies allow their drivers to take what ever route they want, as some are paying for the fuel used. These guys are allowed to sleep in the units. I have met Husband/wife/son/daughter teams delivering multiply units to same dealer.
