Considering doing mortuary transportation on the side

[Venom]

So we took Pandora to Denny's tonight around midnight for some dinner, as we're in the parking lot talking to a buddy we saw a 93 Buick Roadmaster hearse drive by and pull into the gas station next door, so I hopped in and went over to talk to them.
This is small town Texas, seeing a hearse is a rare thing!
Anyway, guy gets out and we talk hearses for a few, he shows me in the back of his and it has a cardboard coffin in the back he had picked up in Dallas and was transporting back to town.
He suggested I put my car to work and do what he does - mortuary transport.
Said there aren't any special requirements, just a vehicle to move bodies in.
Hmmmm
so I'm thinking,
Reliable Hearse - check
Not being freaked by death or corpses - check

Anyone who knows more about this gig than I do, please chime in and tell me any more info?

[Tweek's Turbos]

Do you have a suite?

Basically you need to price yourself competitively, always be near a phone and potentially have somebody to help.

Most hospices don't consider ease of dead body exit, when setting up for a home death. I find myself having to navigate corners that are too tight for stretchers and climbing stairs.

You will need some sheets, gloves, a stretcher, and what is called a reeves bag or reeves flexable stretcher.

Considering what the family thinks of how well you moved the body too will help with repeat business. I don't wear gloves unless im moving a really bad decomp. I think it offends the family. I also let them assist, even if it isn't helping me. And most heavy people die in the basement and wrapped up in the plumbing fixture or furniture. No matter how you explain it, the family never lets you use a window to save your back.

You may need to find somebody that will let you tag along to get a good idea about it.

[Venom]

Thanks for the info!
I have absolutely NO idea wtf I'm talking about here
I dont know what pricing is/should be or anything else
I just have a hearse and things like death and bodies dont bother me
also have plenty of free time so I figured I'd check into it

[Tweek's Turbos]

Go nuts, each area has its own pricing. As in the DC metro area would be outrageously expensive to somebody in South Central VA.

[Xanthus]

I do know a friend of mine that did transport between hospitals and funeral homes and labs. Kinda weird, but I have pondered this as well.

Not sure where to look. I know I do not want to be visible to the deceased family with "DED SXY" as a plate, but to move a body in a box from hospital to funeral home I'd not have a big issue with.

[Scary Guy]

If you're going to use it as an actual "pro car" then you want it looking as normal as possible in extreme PCS anal mode with a normal plate on it. Even some funeral home owners get offended at just the sight of someone driving a hearse for fun (ran into that at a parade) so it's better to be on the safe side.

www.coffin-talk.net may be of more help on this subject. It's mostly industry professionals over there.

I've thought about this a lot but I'm probably not strong enough to lift most of the dead weight I'd run into.

[Xanthus]

Thanks for that, it was only something I was casually thinking of.

Happy to save myself the time and bother of dealing with that drama.

I knew someone in the industry and read that forum over their shoulder some. Thank you for the link, it seems the best place to ask about that.

I was thinking of seeing who needed a Hearse Driver as well.....I am kinda used to driving one.

[TWHawk]

You might check out the local job listings. If you start by working for someone else, they can give you training inclusive of the local laws. It does take paperwork to move a body.

They show up here from time to time on Craigslist, like so...

http://boulder.craigslist.org/hea/1250453621.html

[Guest]

yeah i was talking to this one guy about it. he said he got calls at like all hours of the night. so he'd have to get up at 3 AM, put on his suit, go do the thing. then when he got home and got back in bed, he'd get another call, rinse lather, repeat.

also, you may need to upgrade to commercial insurance.

[Scary Guy]

also, you may need to upgrade to commercial insurance.

At that point you will need to upgrade since it's actually being used. Also you need a class 2 drivers license (CDL) as well.

Now you can try to sake by without doing that, however just don't get caught.

[Abnorml]

I believe a lot of hearse owner's toss the idea around. I don't know any that has followed through.

Also you need a class 2 drivers license (CDL) as well.

As far as I know CDL is only needed if a vehicle has is a GVWR over 26,001 pounds and/or air brakes.

Taken from http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration-licensing/cdl/cdl.htm

The Federal standard requires States to issue a CDL to drivers according to the following license classifications:
Class A -- Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Class B -- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.
Class C -- Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials.

[Scary Guy]

I've always heard it as class 2. However I think they may have meant drivers license as in just a level above the standard license.

http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1627_8666_9064-25395--,00.html

I mean everyone says the permit to carry a gun is a CCW when that's the term for the offense without the permit.

So please excuse me and my armchair knowledge

[Tweek's Turbos]

I dont have a cdl, and at certain points in NY I didn't even have a DL

[SuperSnake]

Well now here's a question along those lines...does the car have to have livery plates on them to transport or would that be a state-to-state thing?