Texas Central Texas Temple

Hot Shot Trucking Temple Texas

Temple, Texas is a thriving economic hub in Central Texas, home to major industries that demand fast and reliable transportation. HotShotTrucking.com provides professional hot shot trucking and expedited freight services in Temple, TX, ensuring critical shipments – from industrial parts to medical supplies – reach their destination quickly and safely to keep local businesses moving forward.

Call us at (512) 828-7766

HOT SHOT TRUCKING SERVICES TEMPLE

Temple’s Economic Growth and Logistics Needs

Temple’s economy has been growing rapidly, fueled by sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, and distribution. As a principal city in the Killeen-Temple-Fort Cavazos metropolitan area, Temple benefits from a strategic location midway between Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth.

Major employers include Baylor Scott & White Health (the largest not-for-profit hospital system in Texas) and large distribution centers for Walmart, H-E-B, and Performance Food Group. The city’s pro-business climate, skilled workforce, and connectivity via Interstate 35 (and the planned Interstate 14) have positioned Temple as an emerging logistics hub in Central Texas.

Local businesses rely on efficient freight transportation to maintain their supply chains and meet tight production schedules. Whether it’s a manufacturer awaiting a just-in-time delivery of components or a medical facility needing urgent equipment, timely trucking solutions are essential.

With major highways, intersecting rail lines, and a regional airport nearby, Temple is well-integrated into national freight networks – but the final leg often comes down to rapid ground delivery. This is where hot shot trucking and expedited freight services play a vital role in Temple’s economy, filling critical gaps in the supply chain with on-demand, direct shipments.

“Hot shot” trucking refers to expedited freight delivery using dedicated vehicles (often smaller trucks or sprinter vans) for time-sensitive loads. In Temple, hot shot trucking is a go-to solution for urgent shipments across town or across the state.

Temple’s central location puts it within 180 miles of 80% of Texas’s population, a logistics advantage that fuels its distribution sector.

The city is served by five regional and international airports and major rail lines, streamlining transit for Temple’s products and people.

Temple’s local airport features a 7,000-foot runway and FAA Part 139 certification, enabling general air freight/cargo services and corporate jet operations in the city.

Four airports within one hour of Temple offer flights reaching the far corners of the U.S. in under four hours, illustrating how local businesses leverage air charter to connect with distant markets on tight timelines.

HotShotTrucking.com leverages a wide range of vehicles – from cargo vans and box trucks to 53-foot dry vans and flatbed trucks – to accommodate everything from a single pallet of parts to oversized machinery. By carefully matching each shipment to the right vehicle and dispatching immediately, we ensure there are no unnecessary stops or delays.

Temple’s diverse industries frequently depend on hot shot freight services. For example, a Temple manufacturer might need a critical component delivered the same day to avoid a production line shutdown, or a hospital may require an urgent delivery of medical supplies to continue patient care. In each case, HotShotTrucking.com coordinates door-to-door expedited transportation so that local businesses get what they need without downtime.

Hot Shot Trucking Services in Temple

Same-Day and Next-Day Services in Temple

Rush Trucking Service in Temple

Temple Expedited Freight

Air Freight and Air Charter Services

Temple’s End-to-End Air Freight, Charter & Hand-Carry Services

KEY BENEFITS

NATIONWIDE NETWORK

SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT

DEDICATED EXPERTISE

REAL-TIME TRACKING

One key advantage HotShotTrucking.com offers Temple clients is our extensive nationwide carrier network.

We have trucks positioned across Texas and the United States, so there’s always a vehicle within a short drive of your pickup location. This nationwide reach means we can launch your urgent shipment from Temple without delay. Our expediters are on call 24/7/365, ready to secure the nearest available truck or sprinter van and get your freight moving immediately.

Being backed by a broad network of pre-screened, dedicated carriers also gives Temple businesses flexibility. If capacity is tight in Central Texas, we can pull in resources from our wider network to meet your deadline. All our affiliated carriers are vetted for safety and reliability, so you can trust that your time-critical cargo is in good hands. From the moment you contact HotShotTrucking.com, we mobilize our resources to plan the optimal route, coordinate any necessary permits for oversized loads, and keep your shipment on track until it’s delivered.

EXPLORE OUR COVERAGE

hst-coverage-Aug-19-2025-12-52-46-8636-PM

Top 100

Best Places to Live

Temple was ranked #99 out of 250 cities nationwide in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025–2026 “Best Places to Live” list, reflecting its high quality of life and promising economic outlook.

15%

Lower Costs

Operating a business in Temple is cost-efficient – the city’s business costs are about 15% lower than the U.S. national average, thanks to affordable real estate, utilities, and a pro-growth tax environment.

28 Million

Consumers Nearby

Temple’s central location offers access to a huge market: 28 million people live within a 2.5-hour drive, allowing local companies to reach customers across Texas’s major cities with ease.

Temple’s Trusted Hot Shot Trucking Partner

HotShotTrucking.com has long been a reliable partner for businesses in Temple and the surrounding Central Texas region. We understand the unique transportation needs of Temple’s economy, from large healthcare complexes to busy distribution centers.

What sets us apart is our commitment to speed and precision. If a Temple manufacturer has an emergency breakdown on a Friday night or a food distributor needs to restock stores after hours, we can arrange a dedicated truck – or even an air charter – to get the job done by the next day. We take pride in being ready at a moment’s notice to deliver solutions for any logistical crisis.

We efficiently manage Temple’s inbound and outbound expedited freight. Whether it’s bringing in raw materials from out of state or shipping finished goods across the country, we deploy the optimal solution to meet your deadline. Entrusting your urgent shipments to HotShotTrucking.com means less downtime, faster turnarounds, and the confidence to accept challenging orders. Ultimately, our team’s dependable service gives Temple businesses a competitive edge and peace of mind.

Oil & Gas

While not an oil-producing region, Temple supports the oil and gas industry through specialized manufacturing and distribution. These oil and gas suppliers use air freight to ship critical components and materials on tight deadlines. If a drilling operation needs a specialty part or chemical overnight, Temple’s logistics network – including air charter flights – ensures those time-sensitive deliveries arrive without interrupting production.

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Construction

Temple’s growing economy has spurred a steady stream of construction projects – from commercial developments to residential neighborhoods. Local construction firms and building material manufacturers keep tight timelines and often rely on just-in-time delivery of supplies. When essential construction equipment or parts are unavailable locally, companies turn to expedited air shipping as a solution.

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Retail

The retail sector in Temple ranges from small businesses to large distribution centers that supply stores across Texas. Logistics services are crucial to keep inventory flowing. Retail distributors headquartered in Temple – such as grocery supplier McLane Company – primarily move goods by truck, but they use air freight in exceptional cases to meet demand spikes or resolve supply chain disruptions.

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Aerospace & Defense

With Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos) just west of Temple and defense contractors like Raytheon in the region, the aerospace and defense industry has a notable presence. These organizations often handle equipment and parts that are mission-critical and needed on strict timelines. Military units and defense suppliers utilize air charter services to move sensitive or urgent freight.

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Manufacturing

Temple’s manufacturing companies produce everything from building materials and electronics to food products and medical devices. In this sector, staying on schedule is paramount – idle assembly lines can cost thousands of dollars per minute. Manufacturers in Temple integrate air freight services into their contingency plans to maintain just-in-time production.

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Technology

While Temple’s tech sector is still emerging, the city has a growing number of IT service companies, data centers, and tech startups (bolstered by its #10 ranking as a best city to work in tech in Texas). These firms often deal with high-value electronics and time-sensitive projects. When tech companies in Temple need to deploy hardware or receive specialized equipment, they frequently turn to air freight for speed and security.

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Renewables & Environment

Temple is embracing the renewable energy trend, exemplified by large solar projects being built in the area (such as the 204 MW Limewood Solar Farm in Bell County). Companies involved in solar and wind energy projects operate on tight construction schedules and rely on timely delivery of specialized equipment. Air freight and charters come into play when key components must be delivered quickly to keep a project on track.

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Hospitality

The hospitality industry in Temple – including hotels, conference centers, and restaurants – supports a steady flow of visitors, especially due to medical tourism (patients and families visiting Baylor Scott & White) and regional events. While much of hospitality’s supply chain is local, there are instances where only air freight will do.

TPL

Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL)

Temple’s municipal airport, Draughon-Miller, is a public airport owned by the City of Temple that serves as a key local gateway for air travel. This FAA-certified facility features a 7,000-foot runway and full aviation services, accommodating general aviation flights, corporate jets, and cargo operations.

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Temple Executive

Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL)

The Temple Executive Air Center is the airport’s premier Fixed-Base Operator, offering top-tier services and amenities for private and corporate aviation. Housed in a brand-new $8.2 million terminal, TEAC provides fuel (Jet-A and Avgas), hangar space, ground handling, and concierge services for visiting aircraft.

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Work with a Dedicated Single Point of Contact in Temple

At HotShotTrucking.com, we prioritize clear and consistent communication with our clients, ensuring you have all the information you need from start to finish. To streamline this process, we’ve established a single point of contact (SPOC) for our Temple customers. This means you can quickly reach the person handling your shipment without waiting in a call center queue or repeating your details to multiple agents. Whether you’re placing a new order or managing an ongoing shipment, your SPOC is your direct line to our team.

Hi, I'm Steve

Reach out today and let's solve your urgent shipping needs. I or a member of the team will be with you from start to finish.

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Wherever You Need Us, You'll Find Us

We're proud to serve customers across the United States with custom shipping solutions designed to meet urgent needs. Browse by state to view services in your area.

AREAS WE SERVICE

SPRINTER VAN

HotShotTrucking.com's network of expedited Sprinter vans have the capacity to meet your local, regional, or long-distance ground shipping needs. Measuring 8-12’ x 52” x 70", our carefully-selected vans have the capacity to carry loads up to 3,000 lbs.

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#1

Shipping, trucking, & logistics company

5/5

From 1,140+ verified reviews

50000

Traceable delivery vehicles

24/7

Support and tracking information, 365 days a year

BOX TRUCK

We pride ourselves in working with trusted partners that offer carefully-vetted box trucks, from lift-gate service to varying sizes that accommodate smaller loads. Box trucks, or small straight trucks, measure 12-16’ x 94” x 70” and have the capacity to carry up to 5,000 pounds.

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#1

Shipping, trucking, & logistics company

5/5

From 1,140+ verified reviews

50000

Traceable delivery vehicles

24/7

Support and tracking information, 365 days a year

STRAIGHT TRUCK

Measuring 22-26’ x 96” x 96”, straight trucks can carry loads up to 9,000 pounds. Large straight truck services offer focused logistics, professional drivers, and deeply-experienced expeditors to get your delivery where it needs to go.

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#1

Shipping, trucking, & logistics company

5/5

From 1,140+ verified reviews

50000

Traceable delivery vehicles

24/7

Support and tracking information, 365 days a year

HOT SHOT TRUCK

We'll happily arrange for your freight to be transported via hot shot trucking services. We've proudly partnered with hot shot trucking providers across North America to give you access to carefully-vetted ground delivery vehicles for your time-critical freight.

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#1

Shipping, trucking, & logistics company

5/5

From 1,140+ verified reviews

50000

Traceable delivery vehicles

24/7

Support and tracking information, 365 days a year

53' DRY VAN

Our premium network of 53-ft dry vans can carry loads up to 42,000 pounds. Measuring 53’ x 99” x 102”, these carefully-vetted vehicles will ensure your time-sensitive freight arrives at its destination safely.

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#1

Shipping, trucking, & logistics company

5/5

From 1,140+ verified reviews

50000

Traceable delivery vehicles

24/7

Support and tracking information, 365 days a year

FULL FLATBED

HotShotTrucking.com's network of full flat bed vehicles can accommodate wide or mega-size loads, such as specialized equipment machinery of all weights and sizes. Measuring 48-53’ x 102” x 102”, full flat bed vehicles can carry freight of up to 48,000 pounds.

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#1

Shipping, trucking, & logistics company

5/5

From 1,140+ verified reviews

50000

Traceable delivery vehicles

24/7

Support and tracking information, 365 days a year

What is hot shot trucking?

Hot shot trucking is a type of expedited freight service that moves smaller, time-critical shipments using light- or medium-duty trucks and flatbed trailers. In most cases, a hot shot driver—often an independent owner-operator—uses a heavy-duty one-ton pickup paired with a trailer to deliver urgent freight directly to its destination. These dedicated runs typically serve a single customer and are designed for fast turnaround, often same-day or overnight for regional hauls. As a niche within the trucking industry, hot shot trucking specializes in on-demand less-than-truckload (LTL) freight that requires immediate transport. It’s also known as hot shot delivery or hot shot logistics, emphasizing its role in providing quick, dedicated trucking solutions for urgent shipments.

What is GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)?

GCWR is the maximum allowable total weight of a truck and its attached trailer, including cargo, fuel, passengers—everything. For hot shots, this number is crucial in determining if you need a CDL or not. For example, if your pickup truck and loaded trailer together have a GCWR over 26,000 lbs, you’re in CDL territory.

What is GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)?

GVWR refers to the maximum weight a single vehicle can safely weigh when loaded. Your pickup might have a GVWR (it’s on a door sticker) like 14,000 lbs – which includes the truck itself plus fuel, people, cargo. Trailers also have a GVWR. If a trailer’s GVWR is over 10,000 lbs, it affects CDL requirements even if GCWR is under 26k. Essentially, GVWR is the manufacturer’s weight limit for the vehicle.

What are hot shot loads?

Hot shot loads are the shipments transported by hot shot truckers, typically smaller, time-sensitive freight that doesn’t require a full-size trailer and must be delivered quickly. They can include almost anything—such as pallets of industrial components, a single piece of machinery, construction materials, oilfield equipment, agricultural parts, or plumbing and HVAC supplies—so long as it can fit on a medium-duty truck or trailer. While most hot shot loads fall under less-than-truckload (LTL), they differ from standard LTL in that they are usually hauled directly from pickup to delivery without being consolidated with other freight, ensuring speed and dedicated service.

Is hot shot trucking the same as expedited freight?

Hot shot trucking is closely related to expedited freight—in fact, a hot shot delivery is one type of expedited shipment. While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences. Expedited freight is a broad category covering any shipment moved faster than standard transit times. If a load is prioritized and rushed, it’s expedited—regardless of the mode. This could involve a guaranteed LTL service, a team of semi-truck drivers running nonstop, a cargo van courier, or even air freight. The defining factor is speed. Hot shot trucking, on the other hand, typically refers to expedited ground transport using a pickup-and-trailer or medium-duty truck setup. It’s most often associated with smaller, dedicated loads serving regional or specialized markets. In short, hot shot trucking is a niche within the broader expedited freight world, focusing on urgent shipments that are best handled by smaller, more agile trucks.

Which industries use hot shot trucking services?

Hot shot trucking first emerged in the oil and gas industry, where companies needed a way to rush critical equipment and replacement parts to remote drilling sites to avoid costly downtime. While energy producers still rely heavily on these services, hot shot trucking has expanded into many other sectors. Construction companies use it to deliver building materials, tools, or machinery parts directly to job sites when deadlines can’t wait. Manufacturing and industrial plants depend on hot shots to ship urgent replacement parts or specialized tools that keep production lines running. In agriculture, farmers and equipment suppliers turn to hot shot drivers for time-sensitive deliveries of machinery or repair parts during planting and harvest seasons. Even industries such as automotive, utilities and infrastructure, and emergency response count on hot shot services to provide dedicated, fast transport for smaller, high-priority loads. In short, any business facing a critical-time shipment—where traditional freight schedules aren’t fast enough—can benefit from hot shot trucking to reduce downtime and keep operations on track.

What is UCR (Unified Carrier Registration)?

UCR is an annual registration program that interstate trucking operators (including hot shot carriers) must pay into. It’s a federal mandate administered by states. If you get your own authority, you’ll file UCR each year, paying a fee based on your fleet size. It’s basically a way to fund transportation enforcement – even brokers and freight forwarders register under UCR. (If you’re leased under someone, you typically fall under their UCR.)

What are short-haul exemptions?

This refers to a provision in Hours of Service rules that frees certain local drivers from having to use logs/ELDs, provided they meet specific criteria. For CDL drivers, it’s typically the 150 air-mile short-haul exception – if you stay within a 150 air-mile radius of your work reporting location and finish your duty within 14 hours (returning to the starting location each day), you don’t need to carry logs for those days (your company just keeps a timesheet). For non-CDL drivers, a 150 air-mile radius and 14-hour duty day also applies. Essentially, short-haul drivers can use a timecard system. Many hot shot truckers running local or intrastate runs benefit from this. But the moment you go beyond the radius or extend past the 14 hours, you must use an ELD and log that day.

What is POD (Proof of Delivery)?

POD is documentation that cargo was delivered. In practice, it’s usually a signed Bill of Lading or delivery receipt that the consignee signs (could be on paper or electronic). The POD has details like date, time, location of delivery, and who received it. It’s the confirmation hot shot drivers need to get paid, and it closes the loop for the shipper that the urgent shipment made it. In hot shot scenarios, PODs are often emailed or uploaded immediately after drop-off due to the high-touch service.

What kind of truck do I need for hot shot trucking?

The primary workhorse for hot shot trucking is a heavy-duty pickup truck, most often a one-ton dually with dual rear wheels for added stability and towing strength. Popular models include the Ford F-350/F-450, RAM 3500/4500, and Chevy/GMC 3500HD series. These trucks generally fall into the Class 3 to Class 5 medium-duty category, with GVWRs ranging from about 10,000 to 19,500 pounds. A Class 3 one-ton dually is especially favored for its balance of towing capacity (often 15,000+ lbs), broad availability, and maneuverability—making it ideal for pulling a variety of hot shot trailers on tight deadlines.

Hot Shot Trucking Temple Texas

Temple’s Economic Growth and Logistics Needs

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Temple’s central location puts it within 180 miles of 80% of Texas’s population, a logistics advantage that fuels its distribution sector.

The city is served by five regional and international airports and major rail lines, streamlining transit for Temple’s products and people.

Temple’s local airport features a 7,000-foot runway and FAA Part 139 certification, enabling general air freight/cargo services and corporate jet operations in the city.

Four airports within one hour of Temple offer flights reaching the far corners of the U.S. in under four hours, illustrating how local businesses leverage air charter to connect with distant markets on tight timelines.

Hot Shot Trucking Services in Temple, TX

Temple’s End-to-End Air Freight, Charter & Hand-Carry Services

KEY BENEFITS

One key advantage HotShotTrucking.com offers Temple clients is our extensive nationwide carrier network.

When you ship with HotShotTrucking.com, you’ll work with a dedicated single point of contact (SPOC) who manages your freight from start to finish.

HotShotTrucking.com pairs you with seasoned logistics experts who understand the urgency of your shipments.

Every shipment with HotShotTrucking.com comes with real-time tracking for full visibility and control.

Temple By the Numbers

Best Places to Live

Lower Costs

Consumers Nearby

Temple’s Trusted Hot Shot Trucking Partner

Top Industries in Temple

Oil & Gas

Construction

Retail

Aerospace & Defense

Manufacturing

Technology

Renewables & Environment

Hospitality

Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport (TPL)

TPL

Temple Executive

Work with a Dedicated Single Point of Contact in Temple

Wherever You Need Us, You'll Find Us

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