Kansas City Trucking Company

Hot shot trucking refers to the expedited transport of smaller, time-sensitive freight using medium-duty trucks and trailers (often pickup trucks with gooseneck flatbeds). These hot shot loads are dedicated to a single customer and go directly from pickup to delivery, typically handling freight that isn’t enough to fill a big 18-wheeler. Full Truckload (FTL) shipping, by contrast, involves reserving an entire 48′ or 53′ semi-trailer for one shipper’s goods, moving straight from origin to destination without sharing space with other loads. In essence, hot shot trucking is used for urgent, smaller shipments that need immediate transport, whereas FTL shipping is used for larger shipments that can fill a whole truck, providing cost efficiency and capacity for substantial freight.

Use hot shot trucking when you have an urgent shipment that is relatively small or time-critical – for example, a single piece of machinery or a pallet of parts needed immediately to prevent a production delay. Hot shot services excel at fast, on-demand delivery; they can often pick up within hours and drive straight through to your facility. In contrast, if you have enough freight to fill a 48′–53′ trailer or the shipment isn’t extremely time-sensitive, a full truckload (FTL) service is more appropriate and cost-effective. FTL is ideal for large-volume loads or regular shipments that can be scheduled in advance, whereas hot shot trucking is the go-to solution for last-minute or emergency deliveries that can’t wait for the next scheduled truck.

Hot shot trucking originated in the oil and gas industry and is still heavily used there – for instance, rushing critical drilling parts or pump components to remote oilfields to avoid costly downtime. Today, many sectors use hot shots. Construction companies rely on hot shot trucks to deliver tools, equipment, or repair parts to job sites ASAP (if a crane breaks down, a replacement part might be hot-shotted in to keep the project on schedule). Manufacturing firms use hot shots to ship urgent machine parts to avoid assembly line stoppages. Agriculture operations might send farm machinery or replacement parts during harvest on a hot shot. Even retail and distribution can use hot shots to reposition inventory quickly or handle emergency store restocking. In short, any industry facing a time-sensitive freight need – from a power plant requiring a crucial valve to a hospital awaiting equipment – can benefit from the speed and dedicated service of hot shot trucking.

Hot shot trucking is generally faster for urgent loads because it provides direct, dedicated transportation. When you book a hot shot, the driver typically heads straight from pickup to delivery without intermediate stops or transfers, which speeds up transit considerably. In fact, hot shot services are a form of expedited freight designed for quick response – they often guarantee fast pickup and door-to-door delivery for time-critical shipments. By comparison, a full truckload (FTL) shipment also goes direct but usually follows standard scheduling; you might need to book it a day or more in advance, and the transit time is according to normal truck routes and driver hours. In urgent situations (especially for shorter distances or same-day delivery needs), a hot shot truck can often complete the job faster than waiting for a full-size truck’s next availability.

Hot shot trucking utilizes smaller, nimble vehicles rather than the typical 18-wheeler. Common hot shot equipment includes heavy-duty pickup trucks (Class 3–5 trucks) pulling gooseneck flatbed trailers, often around 30 to 40 feet long. These setups can haul substantial weight for their size (often up to around 16,000–18,000 lbs) and are great for machinery, pallets, or construction materials that need quick delivery. Depending on the shipment, hot shot carriers may also use cargo sprinter vans or cube vans for lighter loads, as well as small straight trucks or box trucks. For example, a sprinter van (a type of large cargo van) is perfect for a few pallets of urgent parts, while a pickup-and-trailer rig can handle larger skids or equipment. Unlike full-size tractor-trailers, these hot shot vehicles are more agile and can often reach the pickup and drop-off locations faster, all while offering dedicated service for the load.

A sprinter van is a type of full-size cargo van (the term “Sprinter” comes from the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, though similar vans are made by Ford, Dodge, etc.) used for fast, small-load deliveries. In expedited freight services, sprinter vans are valued for their agility and speed – they’re more maneuverable than large trucks and can navigate city streets easily while still carrying a substantial cargo. A typical sprinter van can accommodate about 3 to 4 standard pallets of freight, with a maximum payload around 3,000 lbs. This makes them ideal for time-sensitive shipments that are too large for a car courier but too small to justify a full truck. Companies choose sprinter vans when speed counts but the shipment size is modest; for example, rushing a set of machine parts, medical supplies, or emergency components across a few states. Because of their enclosed and secure space, sprinter vans keep the cargo protected from weather, and their 24/7 availability through many hot shot or expedited carriers means they are an excellent option when you need fast, dedicated freight transport without the cost of a full tractor-trailer

Full Truckload (FTL) shipping means you’re reserving an entire truck (usually a 48′ or 53′ trailer pulled by a semi-truck) exclusively for your shipment. In FTL, your freight is the only cargo in that trailer, and the truck goes directly from the pickup point to the delivery point without stopping to load or unload other shippers’ goods. This is different from LTL (Less-Than-Truckload), where multiple shipments share trailer space. FTL shipping is used when you have enough cargo to utilize most of a trailer’s capacity or when you require a dedicated truck for speed or security reasons. A typical FTL trailer (dry van or flatbed) can carry up to about 48,000 pounds of freight in one go, which might be 24 to 26 standard pallets worth of product. To use FTL, you generally arrange the shipment through a carrier or broker, schedule a truck for a specific pickup date, and that truck will haul your load straight through to the destination. FTL is known for faster transit times (since there are no multiple stops or transfers) and lower risk of damage, as the freight isn’t handled en route. It’s essentially a dedicated freight service for a single shipper’s large load.

Hot shot trucking is typically priced at a premium per mile compared to standard full truckload rates because of the expedited, dedicated nature of the service. Since a hot shot involves a smaller vehicle carrying just your load on short notice, you’re paying for that quick, exclusive service – it’s not shared with other shipments. For example, hot shot freight often commands higher rates per mile (in 2025, around $1.50 or more per mile on average, and even higher for urgent jobs), whereas a full-size truckload might have a lower per-mile rate for a long haul because it’s moving a much larger volume of freight. However, the total cost depends on the situation: if you only have a small pallet or one machine to ship, using a hot shot could actually be cheaper in absolute terms than paying for an entire 53′ truck that mostly runs empty. Full truckload costs scale with distance, weight and market demand – you pay for the whole truck, so it’s cost-effective when you can fill it. In summary, per unit of freight, hot shot can be more expensive, but it fills the need for speed and dedicated service; FTL is more economical for large shipments but requires that volume. Shippers will often weigh urgency vs. cost: if time is critical, the extra cost of a hot shot is justified, whereas for big loads or less urgent moves, a standard FTL is more cost-efficient.

To get a freight quote, you can reach out to a broker or logistics carrier that offers hot shot and FTL services, or use an online freight marketplace. Many providers have online quote request forms – you’ll need to input the pickup and delivery ZIP codes, the shipment details (weight, dimensions, pallet count or piece count), the type of service you need (hot shot, dry van FTL, flatbed, etc.), and the timing requirements. You can also call the carrier’s dispatch or sales line to discuss your needs directly; often for hot shots, a phone call can get the quickest response since these are urgent moves. Be prepared with details: what exactly you’re shipping, if it requires any special handling or equipment, and how fast it needs to arrive. With that information, the carrier or broker will provide a freight quote (a price for the shipment). Many modern freight companies offer instant pricing tools for full truckload quotes or hot shot deliveries, making it easy to compare options. Remember that hot shot quotes may include a premium for fast service, and FTL quotes might vary depending on current market rates for trucks on that lane. It’s wise to get quotes from a couple of sources if possible, and ensure the quote includes all fees (fuel surcharge, any accessorial charges for special requirements, etc.). Once you accept a quote, you’ll book the shipment and the provider will schedule the truck.

Several factors influence hot shot trucking rates. Distance is a primary driver – longer hauls cost more, calculated on a per-mile basis, which can fluctuate with fuel prices and demand. Urgency or service speed is another factor: if you need a driver to start immediately in the middle of the night or guarantee a very tight delivery window, there may be an expediting fee or higher rate (hot shots are often premium services by nature). Load size and weight matter as well; while hot shots cater to smaller loads, a heavier load that pushes the limits of a hot shot trailer’s capacity might cost more (both for fuel and because it might limit the driver from taking any backhaul). Additionally, location and routing affect cost – if the pickup or drop-off is in a remote area far from major highways, the rate could be higher to cover the extra time to get there. Market conditions like truck availability in your region also play a role (when demand is high and few hot shot trucks are free, prices can rise).