[dhalltoyo]

Yes, husband and wife teams are the only ones I have personally spoken with that we able to stay a team for longer than 6 - 12 months.

Money maker?

Well, if it has a custom manufactured sleeper with all the goodies installed...it could not even legally load 2000lbs of cargo.

Think not? Go back and read the post of the guy who bought two of these vans, loaded up their personal items, fueled the vans, drove them across the scale, got a weight ticket and showed up for orientation.

The carrier had a minimum 2000lb cargo requirement and the vans were not even close to meeting that requirement. Needless to say, they were turned away by the carrier.

He drove his $90,000 investment (both vans) to a nearby dealer that sells a lot of these vans, took a huge loss and sold the vans. I saw them both parked at the dealer.

Therefore, two aspects come to mind:

First, with that set up...how many are operating illegally?

Second, with that set up...how many are exceeding the manufacturer's engineering parameters?

Considering the high incidence of transmission failures... question two has already been answered and by default, that also answers question one.

[D Team Brothers]

I guess all the answers are correct; overload van and cargo is limited so keep van light/ team would be difficult so only allow solos/ upscaled vans are expensive, but comfort is very important to some/ what seems outragous to some is just practical to others/ some go broke while others are better business people (and luckier). I just wish everyone luck at what ever they attempt.

[davekc]

Money maker?

Well, if it has a custom manufactured sleeper with all the goodies installed...it could not even legally load 2000lbs of cargo.

Think not? Go back and read the post of the guy who bought two of these vans, loaded up their personal items, fueled the vans, drove them across the scale, got a weight ticket and showed up for orientation.

The carrier had a minimum 2000lb cargo requirement and the vans were not even close to meeting that requirement. Needless to say, they were turned away by the carrier.

He drove his $90,000 investment (both vans) to a nearby dealer that sells a lot of these vans, took a huge loss and sold the vans. I saw them both parked at the dealer.
============================================
Bingo.....the Rev figured it out
That is why I made the debt comment.

[dhalltoyo]

Davekc,

I read that sad story about the guy who wasted $90,000 so when I was considering a Sprinter, just before I ordered the new truck, I went to dealer and drove one across the scale myself.

No way could I have legally loaded 2000lbs in it.

Comfort is an issue, but you have to be able to LEGALLY and SAFELY transport the cargo.

Trust me, I am all about comfort! I agree it is important when staying on-the-road for any length of time, but buying a truck that can't be legally placed into a fleet does not seem to be a wise decision. The solar panels are a great idea, but not on a 2500 Sprinter with a manufacturer's sleeper package. Why? Because the weight of the sleeper package alone already makes it impossible to legally place it into a carrier's fleet. The solar panels only add extra weight.

[arkjarhead]

If I had to guess I would say that is pretty much a small RV that can handle 1-2 skids of light freight. You know the drill. As long as the truck pays for itself were happy kind of thing. More power to them is all I can say.

[x06col]

It's all relative. been watching folks wanting to go to the bush with the kid. Can't believe the creature comforts some tink they need. Wuz a rude awakening for some. Some made the cut for weight, an some said I can't live like that and forfeited their full reservation money. Many of the ones that made the cut, didn't fare too well while they were gone. It's all interesting. Folks try to tell em an help em, nope, got all da answers. Same ole story as this biz. I've been to the point for a long time now that i'm just easy. When folks differ over whatever, my answer is, in fact, whatever.

[OntarioVanMan]

If the custom bunk was made of plywood as opposed to that heavy particle board would of trimmed off at least a hundred pounds...

Custom bunks aren't neccessary to be comfortable...they are a waste of money, built cheap. as a single, van weighs out with driver at 300 lbs and full tank about 6150 lbs and ALL my gear that leaves 2400lb payload.

[dhalltoyo]

Yep, I have seen your van and that's the way to go.

Interesting how FedEx seems to be loaded with Sprinters, but they require a 2500lb minimum. Based upon your cargo limits, it would seem obvious that many in their fleet are operating outside the GVWR.

As professional as they seem to be it makes me wonder how the safety department isn't all over that issue; considering many of those Sprinters have a custom built sleeper package.

[late4dinner]

A couple years ago, Landstar let a driver bring on a Fun Mover as a cargo van. You know the RV's with space in the rear to haul your ATV or Motor Cycle. I met the Man and his Wife in Florida and they were two of the nicest people you ever wanted to meet. Problem was they could only haul 900# and their gvw was 12,500. Which meant that they had to log every mile.
Can you just see the face of the guard at a power plant or some such place when the RV came in the truck entrance.
They don't seem to be around anymore. I hope they found a nice RV Park.

[ATeam]

I tracked down the van moose spotted and wrote about here. The owner has a remarkable truck-driving career and an even more interesting van. The story is in the upcoming issue of Expedite NOW.

If you do not already have a free copy mailed to your home, click here to subscribe. The magazine can also be found on the racks at nearly 500 truck stops but copies go fast. Your best bet is to have it mailed to your home.

Excerpts:

Expediter Bill Allen had two problems. He did not like idling his Sprinter van to stay comfortable in the sleeper, and he did not like generators. He solved both problems by rigging his van to use solar power.

While the Espar heating and cooling components are yet to be installed, Bill knows their power requirements and believes that once they are installed, he will never again have to idle to stay comfortable in his sleeper.



The story is embargoed until the magazine is in print. It will appear online at Expedite NOW after the magazine is out.

[moose]

Thanks Phil.

Peoples Are easy to forget that this is a 5$/Gal. Time with the only exception being the oncoming elections that drive price down.

now is the time to save , invests in fuel saving devices , and change habits to get used to save money on fuel .
6 months from now , IF fuel prices will go up , this kind of vans will be the only ones out there ...

Now , 'bout that chicken & Egg...
sorry for breaking the story first...
as you know , Moose's are not hatch out of an egg...



Moose,
Dallas.

[ATeam]

There is nothing to be sorry about, moose. Without your post I would not have known about the van. And because of your post, 48,000 Expedite NOW readers will learn of it.

[moose]

Originally Posted by ATeam

There is nothing to be sorry about, moose. Without your post I would not have known about the van. And because of your post, 48,000 Expedite NOW readers will learn of it.

1st Time is always free.
Am expecting to get payed the next time around...



Moose.
Volvo,V.A

[Turtle]

"As professional as they seem to be it makes me wonder how the safety department isn't all over that issue; considering many of those Sprinters have a custom built sleeper package."

I don't know where the misconception came from that all Sprinters with a custom sleeper package cannot haul more than 2000 pounds of freight. Most can. For the 06 and earlier long and tall Sprinter, with the GVW being 8550 lbs and the curb weight being 4600 lbs, that leaves 3950 for outfitting and cargo. Incidentally, the Sprinter's curb weight as listed by Mercedes includes all operating consumables like gas, coolant, oil, and also includes 75 kilograms (165 lbs) for a driver. If you want to haul 2500 pounds, assuming 300 pounds for securements and personal items, that leaves 1150 pounds from which to construct a customized sleeper.

The Midwest Upfitters "Expediter" package, which is the most common manufacturer custom upfit for expediting, yields an "empty weight ticket" on an 06 and earlier long and tall of about 6250, which leaves 2300 for cargo. Other popular manufacturer upfits are in the same ballpark, give or take a couple hundred pounds.

Those two particular $90,000 vans obviously had something else going on besides a standard expediter upfit, be it special appliances, extra heavy anti sway bars or springs, something. I know too many people with the manufacturer upfits and have seen too many empty weight tickets not to know that many of these Sprinters can haul 2000 pounds of cargo without any problems. Some can haul 2500, some even more. Yeah, some can't even haul 1700 pounds.

I can haul 2290 lbs in mine. I've got those shelves, and the bunk, that are made out of some pretty heavy bookcase-type wood, and there's the Microfridge, and the batteries, etc.

[OntarioVanMan]

I weighed out last week...me and wife...didn't have the coolers onboard or her purse*LOL*...but it was 6040 and 3/4 tank of fuel...so call it 6200....leaving 2350 for cargo...when I was solo I could take an extra 100 lbs or so...