A one ton dually is not a small semi. It is a different rulebook with the same penalties.
Hotshot is the segment where the regulations surprise people. You can be under the CDL threshold, over the commercial vehicle threshold, and still on the hook for every driver file, every log, and every filing a Peterbilt owes. Here is what we run for hotshot carriers, and what the numbers look like.
Four thresholds worth knowing before you buy the next piece of equipment.
Nothing on this page is legal, tax, insurance, or regulatory advice. Confirm applicability for your specific equipment with your own advisors.
The office work, specific to this equipment.
| What | How we run it |
|---|---|
| Load selection | Deck length, hitch type, and combined rating checked against the load before it is accepted, not after the broker sends the rate confirmation. |
| Oversize screening | Anything over legal width, length, or per axle weight is routed and permitted before you commit. Texas requires route inspection certification above certain dimensions. |
| Weight distribution | Axle by axle math on a gooseneck, because a legal gross with an illegal steer or drive axle is still a violation and still a fine. |
| Driver file and medical | Full qualification file even where no CDL is required, plus medical certificate tracking and annual MVR review. |
| Log discipline | Hotshot runs get inspected. We monitor for missing logs and unidentified driving daily and chase the corrections while they are still correctable. |
| Escort and permit coordination | Route surveys, permit orders, and escort scheduling across the states in our corridor set. |
Full obligation by obligation breakdown of what stays legally yours on the who owns what page.
10 percent of gross, with a $400 weekly minimum per active truck.
The minimum is what the office costs to staff. The percentage is what it costs when the office is working well. Commission is calculated on gross freight revenue including linehaul, fuel surcharge, detention, layover, and truck ordered not used. Documented pass throughs such as lumpers, tolls, and permits are excluded.
The back office runs alongside it at $1,100 a month for the company, $300 per active truck, and $100 per active driver.
Start with a phone call
Bring the truck rating, the trailer, and the states you will run. We will tell you which side of 10,001 and 26,001 pounds you are on before you spend a dollar.