Commercial RV hauling

[greenenvy1]

2015 Heartland Prowler P285
Awesome towing trailer. Best mileage I have ever seen from Portage, IN to fargo, ND i got 15.74 mpg (hand calculated( at 63-64 mph.
Dry Weight 7,718 lbs
Hitch Weight 1,260 lbs
Length 30' 10"

[greenenvy1]

Made some "career" decisions while on the road this trip. Time to try something different and see what other similiar work can be had in this industry. I will still be hauling the odd camper but have branched out into basically anything towable. I have really enjoyed keeping this thread going for the past 16 months and appreciate all the comments i have received! I will still be on the forum as i still own my Jayco. Here are a few pics from my last journey...which has not really ended..i am home until tomorrow am and then the wife and i are headed to Newfoundland to deliver the enclosed food / concession trailer you see.
Thanks again to all of you that kept this thread alive!

[Threebutchers]

Good Luck in this "new" chapter

[Jagiven]

I enjoy reading this thread. My former neighbor's best friend tows anything, but new camping trailers. He primarily tows construction trailers south in the fall and then north in the spring. He says the money is better.

Best of luck

[carey965]

even tho you are changing it up a bit i would like to think you will keep this thread updated

[greenenvy1]

Originally Posted by carey965

even tho you are changing it up a bit i would like to think you will keep this thread updated

With over 30,000 views now obviously a few people are checking this thread out ha ha! I will still be hauling the odd travel trailer.....been doing some auction work on the side for a few months now actually.
I'll post some interesting loads as they happen.

[Brownie]

As Bob Hope said, "Thanks for the memories"! I've really enjoyed reading your posts. Good luck with your new ventures!

[reitrof]

Thanks for the miles of memories, maybe you can post what you're towing anyway?

[greenenvy1]

Originally Posted by carey965

even tho you are changing it up a bit i would like to think you will keep this thread updated

Originally Posted by reitrof

Thanks for the miles of memories, maybe you can post what you're towing anyway?

Hello Mods, ok with you if I keep this thread going? There is sure to be some RV content as I do transport some personal RVs now and auction units as well.
thanks

[carey965]

dont worry about it so much, its in the off topic forum, and im sure as long as your not swearing and talking crap about jayco your good

[Seann45]

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Industry needs 2,000 RV delivery drivers. Here's why they can't get them


Wanted: 2,000 drivers to deliver RVs to dealer lots.

To some, that statement may sound a bit far-fetched. But according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), it’s a statistic that's worrying RV manufacturers – and it's also costing them money in lost sales. Right now, 25,000 to 30,000 new units are sitting on parking lots in the Midwest, waiting to be delivered, simply because there aren't enough "transporters," that is, folks willing to hitch them up to their pickup trucks and drive them around the U.S.

The situation has become so difficult, that last week Doug DeMeyer, a former transport driver-turned transport company owner, put on a seminar to explain the problem to industry members. The meeting was held at the RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart, Indiana, the RV manufacturing capital city of the U.S. There was certainly interest among those listening to DeMeyer, because RV shipments are literally backed up for weeks, and one official estimates the problem could cost them $500,000 in sales losses this year alone.

If the whole situation makes you want to jump in your pickup and head for Indiana, put your jake brakes on for a minute to find out just why the backlog exists.

In an earlier edition of the rvtravel.com newsletter, we noted that the RVIA was working to get laws changed that require some RV transporters to have a commercial driver's license. The association's reasoning was that without the CDL requirement, more transporters were enter the fold. Doug DeMeyer agrees that cutting the CDL requirement is a good first step, there are plenty of other problems that keep the number of RV transport drivers down. One of those reasons that would-be transporters should listen to is the money issue.

brinzei on flickr.com by permission In a story on the seminar carried on southbendtribune.com, DeMeyer says part of the problem is that industry views the job of transporter driver is best held by retired folks. Why retired? It's because of the pay. DeMeyer cites a typical Indiana to California delivery trip. The pay for this 2,200 mile trip works out to around $2,860. But by the time the transporter pays his own costs of fuel, say $1,500, and the cost of motels and eats, and the cost of fuel to get back home after delivery, that $2,860 has been significantly reduced.

Since transporters are generally required to have fairly new pickups in good working condition, the payments on a $50,000 pickup, plus insurance, will also make a huge dent in the gross earnings. Now factor in the seasonal nature of transporting – falling way off in May, and the extra work of keeping your own books to properly account yourself before the IRS. And while the RV industry is quick to point to the "perks" of being a transport driver, see America's highways and byways, visit with relatives along your route, all this and get paid for it, too! they may not mention waiting for hours for recalcitrant RV dealers to get around to accepting your delivery. Pretty soon transporter work may just not be the great thing some are led to believe.

[wwsmith111]

A good friend of mine hauls RVs for a living. The problem is the companies that do this do not pay enough. They find people willing to do it for very little money many of which wind up broke and bankrupt at which point the company just hires someone else. It is a very competitive industry and money (price) drives everything. My friend gets "ripped off" quite often by the company he works for. He has tried several and they are all bad.

[greenenvy1]

While hauling RVs was a interesting run (no pun intended) my new adventure is already turning out to be more fun and lucrative. Been on the road since Monday evening and have been just about all over Ontario and an currently sitting in Weyburn, saskatchewan waiting to deliver. Next pick up is Point au Baril, Ontario and head to St. John's, Newfoundland. I will post up some pics when i get back home!

[hammer]

What are u picking up in point au baril there isn't much there other than a liquor store and a gas station. I have a hunt camp about 45 min. North east of there

[wwsmith111]

I did two trips to Newfoundland last year. The ferry charges by the foot. My 72' rig was about $640 each way including a bunk To Port Au Basques.

[greenenvy1]

Originally Posted by hammer

What are u picking up in point au baril there isn't much there other than a liquor store and a gas station. I have a hunt camp about 45 min. North east of there

Suppose to be to small boats if they are ready.

Originally Posted by wwsmith111

I did two trips to Newfoundland last year. The ferry charges by the foot. My 72' rig was about $640 each way including a bunk To Port Au Basques.

Ya it's not a cheap trip at all.

[greenenvy1]

We do a little bit of everything now. We have a good relationship with a used RV dealer in Strathroy, Ontario so I picked this 2000 5er up from the auction outside on Montreal, Quebec to start my trip.


From there i went to Lombardy, ON and picked up a 24ft enclosed concession trailer (they claimed it weighed 10,000 lbs but didnt feel like it) headed to Stevensville, ON (near Niagara Falls).

[greenenvy1]

part # 2
Then it was back to Lombardy, On where i loaded this 20ft enclosed concession trailer and headed to Weyburn, Saskatchewan via northern Ontario. My travelling partner had a new aluminum boat going to Kenora, ON.





Some things changed on the road of course and one load i had fell through so back up to Lombardy with my partner and we picked up two more concession trailers. Mine went to South Hampton, On and his to Wasaga Beach, on.

[greenenvy1]

part # 3
Stopped on the way and checked out this Tri-maran that one of us is hauling to Miramichi, New brunswick.


That's all for now. Going trailer shopping tomorrow to find something to fit my next load to Newfoundland on!

[Jack in Alaska]

I have been towing boats from the Pacific Northwest to Alaska via the Alaska Hyw. One per season. Have towed 6 so far plus a new Airstream travel trailer. It helps pay for my fuel, grub and motel room.