Hot shot car hauling trailers compared

The trailer is what turns a hotshot truck into a car hauler. It decides how many vehicles you can carry, which ones fit, how fast you load and whether you need a CDL. Here's how the main types compare.

Types compared

Car haulers and the work itself are covered in hotshot car hauler.

Ratings and the CDL line

A wedge trailer's GVWR covers the trailer's own weight plus every car on it. A 3-car wedge that weighs 6,500 lb empty and carries three 3,500 lb sedans weighs about 17,000 lb loaded, so it needs a rating of at least that. Behind a 14,000 lb truck, that's a 31,000 lb combined rating and a Class A CDL. Non-CDL car hauling is possible with the right pairing and light vehicles; see 3-car hauler trailer non-CDL.

What to look for

• GVWR and axle ratings that cover your heaviest realistic load.
• Certified empty weight, which comes out of your capacity.
• Deck design: a tilting or adjustable upper deck fits more vehicle sizes.
• Ramps: long enough for low cars, with storage that doesn't rattle loose.
• Winch mounting for non-running vehicles.
• Tie-down points that fit wheel straps without damaging bodywork.
• Brakes on every axle and a breakaway system.
• Lighting and wiring sealed against road spray.

Loading order and weight placement

How you load matters as much as how many cars you carry. Put the heaviest vehicle where the trailer's design puts the most capacity, usually over or just ahead of the axles, and keep weight balanced so the truck's rear axle isn't overloaded by pin weight or unloaded by too much weight at the back. Plan the order around delivery stops so you aren't unloading two cars to reach the third. Check every strap after the first few miles, when tires settle.

New vs used car trailers

Used wedge trailers are common and can be good value, but check the upper deck's hinge or lift system, the ramps, the frame around the neck, and the brakes and bearings. Make sure the VIN plate's GVWR matches the title, and that nobody has changed axles or tires to a lower rating. Weigh it before you pay; the empty weight decides how many heavy vehicles you can carry.

Gear to add

Wheel straps or chains rated for the vehicles you haul, a portable jump pack, a winch and cable or synthetic rope, wheel chocks, a tire inflator, a flashlight for night inspections and a camera or phone for condition photos. Keep a spare trailer tire mounted and the tools to change it.

Matching trailer to truck

A loaded 3-car wedge can put several thousand pounds of pin weight on the truck. That calls for at least a one-ton dually with a gooseneck towing rating above the trailer's loaded weight; 4-car wedges often go behind Class 4 or 5 trucks. Complete rig planning is in hotshot setup, and trailer types in general in hotshot trailer.

What each trailer means for loads

A 3-car wedge fits most dealer and auction moves. A 4-car wedge earns more per trip when you can fill it, but costs more and needs a heavier truck. A flatbed lets you switch between cars and general freight on slow weeks. An enclosed trailer opens high-value and collector work at higher rates per car, with stricter insurance needs. Load sources are in hot shot loads.

Pricing by the car, and by the hour

Car hauling is priced per car, so trip profit depends on filling spots and limiting empty miles. Some local car moves, like dealer shuttles, are priced by the hour or by the day instead, much like dump truck work. The dump truck hourly rate calculator works for any hourly job: put in your monthly costs and billable hours to see what an hour must pay.

Dispatch for car haulers

With our hotshot dispatch and car hauler desk, we find vehicles that fill your trailer, confirm weights for your ratings and counter every rate. You approve every load, and the broker sends the rate confirmation straight to you.