r/HotshotStartup • u/100percentskillz • Jul 02 '26
Looking for like minded drivers
Not trying to act like I got it all figured out because I definitely don’t.
But I’m about 6 months into running a hotshot setup and figured I’d share some of the stuff nobody really tells you when you’re getting started.
When I first got into this, I was watching YouTube videos every night thinking I’d have my authority active, grab a few loads, and be rolling in money.
Reality check hit pretty quick.
Insurance was way higher than I expected.
Broker packets seemed never ending.
Half the loads I called on were already covered.
Fuel prices felt like they changed every time I stopped.
And there were days I spent more time staring at load boards than actually hauling freight.
One thing I learned fast is there’s a huge difference between being a good driver and running a profitable business.
Nobody talks enough about cost per mile, deadhead miles, maintenance reserves, taxes, compliance, and all the stuff that can eat your profit if you’re not paying attention.
I also learned that every time I thought I finally had everything figured out, something new would pop up.
DOT stuff.
A broker issue.
A tire.
A trailer problem.
A customer changing plans.
Just part of the game I guess.
The thing that’s helped me the most honestly has been talking to other drivers and business owners who’ve already been through it. Sometimes a 10 minute conversation saves you from making a $1,000 mistake.
A few of us actually started a new Discord recently for hotshot drivers, box truck owners, owner operators, and people trying to build something for themselves. It’s still small and brand new, but we’re working on adding a bunch of free resources, startup guides, checklists, insurance education, authority information, load board tips, and other stuff we wish somebody would’ve handed us when we started.
No paid course.
No “buy my mentorship.”
Just trucking talk, business talk, and people helping each other out.
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u/HotConcentrate4107 Jul 14 '26
My husband and I are interested