I applied for a job with CWRV Transport and was approved.Requirements included a 20,000lb 5th wheel hitch, 3/4 truck or larger and much misc. equipment. My truck is a Chevy 2500hd, 6.0 gas, 3.73 gears, 2wd, extended cab with the long bed. Max trailer weight per chevy is 9700lbs. If I had 4.10 gear it would be up to 14,200 fifth wheel. Talking to Them they said oh you would be okay pulling the bigger 5th wheels. GCWR is 16,000lbs. What do you guys think? I know it would pull it but would it be legal if pulled over or weighed at a roadside station. I declined the job because it just doesn't pay enough (avg. about $1.40 a mile loaded). Also away from home to much. Just curious about your thoughts especially if anyone has taken one of these jobs.

What the average RVer gets away with could be way different than what a commercial hauler gets away with. You would fall under a whole different set of rules. You probably did the right thing not taking the job.

$1.40 loaded and unless you have other contacts on the receiving end you'll be dead heading it back. That $1.40 per mile will be more like $ .70 per mile. If you start getting single digit MPG there isn't much left over for your higher insurance premiums and mandatory motel costs. There is a forum member that lives near me that does it but he is hooked up to some boat company on the west coast and back hauls boats to the east. It's not for everyone.

I frequently fantasize about ditching my healthcare desk job, buying a truck and trying to carve out a living in some form of trucking but every time I run the numbers- or more importantly, every time I quiz someone who's doing it or has done it- I get the same conclusion:By the time you pay for insurance, fuel, permits, truck & maintenance, at the end of the year what's left over is pretty sad. I even exchanged PMs with a forum member who used to do it and he echoed exactly that, which is why he moved onto a different career.I know some are very successful at it, but it seems that unless a guy has a line on great-paying, consistent freight situation it's a ton of time away from the family for very very modest income.

You would have had no legal issues as long as you were licensed for the weight you were transporting. But with your drivetrain,as others have mentioned, the driving experience would not always be pleasant,and certainly not economical. If I were in that business I think a gently used MDT would pencil out better than buying a brand new pickup.

Do you have any choice on what units you haul? Or are you told "take this to....."

Camping world transport | Good Sam Community

HappyKayakers
Explorer
Sep 07, 2013
What the average RVer gets away with could be way different than what a commercial hauler gets away with. You would fall under a whole different set of rules. You probably did the right thing not taking the job.
45Ricochet
Explorer
Sep 07, 2013
$1.40 loaded and unless you have other contacts on the receiving end you'll be dead heading it back. That $1.40 per mile will be more like $ .70 per mile. If you start getting single digit MPG there isn't much left over for your higher insurance premiums and mandatory motel costs.
There is a forum member that lives near me that does it but he is hooked up to some boat company on the west coast and back hauls boats to the east.
It's not for everyone.
bmanning
Explorer
Sep 07, 2013
I frequently fantasize about ditching my healthcare desk job, buying a truck and trying to carve out a living in some form of trucking but every time I run the numbers- or more importantly, every time I quiz someone who's doing it or has done it- I get the same conclusion:

By the time you pay for insurance, fuel, permits, truck & maintenance, at the end of the year what's left over is pretty sad. I even exchanged PMs with a forum member who used to do it and he echoed exactly that, which is why he moved onto a different career.

I know some are very successful at it, but it seems that unless a guy has a line on great-paying, consistent freight situation it's a ton of time away from the family for very very modest income.
rjstractor
Nomad
Sep 07, 2013
You would have had no legal issues as long as you were licensed for the weight you were transporting. But with your drivetrain,as others have mentioned, the driving experience would not always be pleasant,and certainly not economical. If I were in that business I think a gently used MDT would pencil out better than buying a brand new pickup.
NJRVer
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
Do you have any choice on what units you haul? Or are you told "take this to....."
57_Panhead
Explorer
Sep 08, 2013
I spoke with them hoping that I could stay close to home and just run the west coast on a very part time basis. Not enough $$ in it to make sense. Fuel, tires, wear and tear on the running gear, insurance, etc, it just doesn't pencil out. No mention was made of fuel surcharge pass thru and I don't even know if they qualify under DOT rules for the surcharge. Commercial big rigs get fuel surcharge and by law the carrier has to pass that along in one way or another to the owner/operator. This means that as the price of fuel fluxuates the rates may stay the same but the fuel surcharge will help compensate to some degree.

To much risk for to little reward.

Steve
The_Mad_Norsky
Explorer
Sep 09, 2013
I saw the add also and checked out the website for curiosity's sake.

One thing I noted, at least not yet mentioned here, is the fact they say most of their work is done from February through June.

So that could, probably would, mean one could be out on the road in February, big new fifth wheel in tow for delivery, and suffering some deplorable, usual, February weather. Blizzards and icy roads.

Not my idea of fun.
carringb
Explorer
Sep 09, 2013
The Mad Norsky wrote:
I saw the add also and checked out the website for curiosity's sake.

One thing I noted, at least not yet mentioned here, is the fact they say most of their work is done from February through June.

So that could, probably would, mean one could be out on the road in February, big new fifth wheel in tow for delivery, and suffering some deplorable, usual, February weather. Blizzards and icy roads.

Not my idea of fun.

I clicked on it too. The part that struck out to me was no sleeping on the bed in the camper. Couch is ok. But most RV couches will not meet the bed requirements for a DOT sleeper. And neither does the backseat of any pickup truck unless you get one of the sleeper conversion kits which puts a bubble in one of the back crew cab windows to meet DOT bed dimension requirements. If you can' show a DOT compliant sleeping setup, or hotel receipts, your logbook will be deemed invalid. Pretty sure any hotel use would quickly burn up any remaining cash after fuel expenses.
The_Mad_Norsky
Explorer
Sep 09, 2013
Just wondering, but would the Mega Cab Ram back seat area fit the DOT requirements for bed size?????

I've seen photos where folks have folded down the seats, and it sure makes a huge area for sleeping. Not entirely sure, memory fades, but I think one can fit at least a twin sized mattress in there if not a queen.
bobfears
Explorer
Sep 09, 2013
NJRVer wrote:
Do you have any choice on what units you haul? Or are you told "take this to....."
They implied to me you had to take a unit even if it was to big for your tv. They said my truck would pull anything even though it has a limit of 9700 lbs per chevy.