How to Start a Hotshot Business With a Pickup Truck
Hotshot is the pickup-truck route into for-hire freight: a 1-ton dually, a 40-foot gooseneck, and loads that a tractor is too big for. The trap is the 26,001 lb combined line, which decides whether you need a CDL. Here is the whole sequence.
How do I start a hotshot business with a pickup truck?
Buy a 3/4 or 1-ton pickup and a gooseneck or deckover trailer, form an LLC, get a free USDOT number, file for MC authority at $300, secure insurance, file a BOC-3, register for UCR and set up an ELD. Combined ratings under 26,001 lbs avoid a CDL; above that you need a Class A. Expect roughly $7,000 to $15,000 in year-one costs before the truck, and ELD HUB at $15 per truck per month.
Last verified by ELD Hub.
Register now, activate the day your MC clears
FMCSA requires an ELD from your first mile under authority. Set it up while you wait — $15 per truck per month, no contract, cancel anytime.
4 quick steps — personal details, company info (USDOT number and time zone required), billing address, done. About 2 minutes.
No USDOT number yet? Call 302-404-1177 and we will get your account set up manually.
Licence, weight and what it means for you
Under 26,001 lbs GCWR — no CDL
A 1-ton pickup at 14,000 lbs paired with a trailer rated 11,999 lbs keeps you under the line. Many hotshot operators spec exactly for this.
26,001 lbs GCWR and above — CDL Class A
The common 14,000 lb truck plus 21,000 lb gooseneck combination is well over the line and needs a Class A CDL.
Over 10,001 lbs combined — ELD territory
The ELD mandate keys on 10,001 lbs, not the CDL threshold. A loaded pickup and trailer crossing state lines commercially almost always clears it, so an ELD is required once you keep RODS 9 or more days in a rolling 30-day window.
150 air-mile short-haul
Stay within 150 air-miles of your reporting location and return within 14 hours and you can use timecards instead of RODS.
The launch sequence, in order
- 1
Spec the truck and trailer together
The combined rating decides your licence class, your insurance and your ELD obligation. Decide CDL or non-CDL before you buy, not after. A used 1-ton dually runs $30,000 to $70,000; a 40-foot gooseneck $10,000 to $20,000.
- 2
Form the LLC and get an EIN
$50 to $500 by state. EIN free and instant. Separate business bank account.
- 3
Apply for a USDOT number
Free, FMCSA form MCSA-1, same session in most cases.
- 4
Apply for MC operating authority
$300, non-refundable, roughly 3 to 6 weeks to active including the protest period.
- 5
Insurance
Hotshot policies are priced closer to tractor policies than van policies. New-authority quotes commonly land in the $5,500 to $11,000 per-year range with $1,000,000 liability and $100,000 cargo, financeable at about 35% down. Market ranges only — flatbed and oversize commodities push them higher.
- 6
BOC-3 process agent
A blanket BOC-3 filing costs about $40 one time and has to be on file before FMCSA grants your authority. It takes minutes through any process-agent service.
- 7
UCR and IFTA
Register for UCR every year (about $46 at the smallest fleet tier). If you cross state lines above 26,000 lbs you also need IFTA decals from your base state.
- 8
Drug and alcohol consortium
Any driver operating a CMV requiring a CDL must be enrolled in a testing consortium with a pre-employment negative on file before the first dispatch. Budget $50 to $100 per driver per year.
- 9
Set up your ELD before the first load
Register with ELD HUB while you wait on authority: $15 per vehicle per month, no contract, 14-day free trial, and a one-time $150 PT-30 with the cable and free shipping. Plug it into the diagnostic port and pair it with the free app. Being ELD-exempt does not help you with brokers — most carrier-vetting platforms ask for a connected ELD before they release a load, and ELD HUB is integrated with Highway and Trucker Tools.
Year-one money
| Line item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Used 1-ton duallyDiesel, gooseneck-ready | $30,000 – $70,000 |
| Gooseneck / deckover trailer32–40 ft typical | $10,000 – $20,000 |
| LLC formationVaries by state | $50 – $500 |
| MC authorityNon-refundable | $300 |
| BOC-3 process agentOne time | ~$40 |
| Insurance (year 1)Typical market range, financeable | $5,500 – $11,000 |
| IRP apportioned platesBase-state, mileage chart | $500 – $1,100 |
| ELD HUBOBD-II or 9-pin, self-install | $15/mo + $150 device |
Insurance and equipment figures are typical US market ranges for a new authority, not quotes. Filing fees are the published FMCSA and state amounts. Your numbers will differ by state, driving record and commodity.
Where the loads come from
- DAT and Truckstop hotshot and flatbed boards, filtered to your deck length and weight.
- Oilfield, construction equipment and agricultural dealers who move one machine at a time.
- RV, boat and vehicle transport brokers for deck freight.
- Direct shipper relationships built off repeat lanes — the only reliable way off the load boards.
- Broker vetting applies here too: a connected ELD is increasingly part of getting approved to haul.
The federal filings, one page each
USDOT number →
Free, issued in minutes. The first filing every carrier makes.
MC operating authority →
$300, non-refundable. Roughly 4–6 weeks from filing to active.
BOC-3 filing →
About $40 one-time. Must be on file before authority activates.
UCR registration →
About $46/year for 0–2 trucks. Due before the calendar year starts.
IRP apportioned plates →
$1,200–$2,500 in year one, filed with your base state.
Drug & alcohol consortium →
$50–$100 per driver per year. Required before the first dispatch.
FAQ
Do I need a CDL for hotshot trucking?+
It depends on the combined rating. Under 26,001 lbs GCWR you do not need a CDL; at 26,001 lbs and above you need a Class A. Most 1-ton and gooseneck combinations exceed the line, so plan the spec before you buy.
Does a hotshot pickup need an ELD?+
Yes, if the combination is over 10,001 lbs, crosses state lines commercially, and you keep records of duty status 9 or more days in any rolling 30-day period. The 150 air-mile short-haul exemption and the 8-day RODS rule can keep a local operator out of it.
How much does it cost to start hotshot trucking?+
Roughly $7,000 to $15,000 in year-one filings, authority, plates and insurance, plus $40,000 to $90,000 for a used truck and trailer if you are buying outright.
Is hotshot trucking still profitable?+
That depends on your lanes, your fuel cost and how much deadhead you accept, and it is not something we will promise a number for. Work out your cost per mile first and compare it to the rates on your lanes.
What is the cheapest ELD for hotshot?+
ELD HUB at $15 per truck per month, no contract, 14-day free trial, with a one-time $150 PT-30 that plugs into the OBD-II or 9-pin port and pairs with the driver's phone.
Keep going
Pickup truck ELD rules →
When an ELD is required and what it costs.
90-day launch checklist →
Every step from LLC to first load, in order.
A broker asked me to connect an ELD →
What vetting platforms want and how to satisfy it.
ELD for a new authority →
What FMCSA expects from your first mile.
Other ways in
Register now, activate the day your MC clears
FMCSA requires an ELD from your first mile under authority. Set it up while you wait — $15 per truck per month, no contract, cancel anytime.
4 quick steps — personal details, company info (USDOT number and time zone required), billing address, done. About 2 minutes.
No USDOT number yet? Call 302-404-1177 and we will get your account set up manually.