Flat or Van?

[BlindDriver]

I want to use my dually for freight hauling duties. Most guys are pulling goosenecks, but I'm also looking at pulling a van. Vans are cheap and light. A 40' gooseneck weighs in at 8500+ lbs and costs up to $10k.

I can't seem to find a van with a flat floor that I can fit two 48" square pallets. All have wheel wells. I suppose I could have a trailer custom made. My thought is to buy a 26' or so van and add sleeping quarters in the front. With a van, I can haul Sprinter and straight truck loads.

If I choose a gooseneck, sleeping quarters may have to be a small camper on the front of the trailer which will limit what I can haul.

Which one will make me the most money?

 

[purgoose10]

Flat bed, higher rates.

 

[BlindDriver]

Flat bed, higher rates.

Then I have the issue of where to sleep. I doubt if I should buy a bumper pull.

 

[purgoose10]

Flat bed is more flexible for LTL. Even if it's a couple of pallets you can use a tarp to hold it together. Most guys buy a 4 dr Dodge and use the back for a sleeper but I have heard that DOT doesn't recognize that. If your running 26000 GVW or less it doesn't matter.
I would never use a bumper pull.
The reason the flat weighs more is the frame under the trailer. A van's frame is the box.

 

[xiggi]

You should search out a site that deals with hot shots. There would probably be more overall experience relating to your question.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using EO Forums

 

[Rocketman]

You should search out a site that deals with hot shots. There would probably be more overall experience relating to your question.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using EO Forums

Ditto... I dont think you would find much marketability in expedite. You wont get the straight truck loads since your not dock high.

I have known a couple guys that did pull the enclosed trailers like your talking about and claimed to do well. They were running hotshot stuff though, not expedite.

There is such a thing as gooseneck curtainsides....seems like the best of both to me.

Contact Brisco....he can hook you up with hotshot info.

 

[robh2]

Blind--I just messaged you a great website since I am not sure if it is ok to post other truck websites here. Brisco will probably send or has sent the same.

Good luck.

Robert

 

[BlindDriver]

You should search out a site that deals with hot shots. There would probably be more overall experience relating to your question.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using EO Forums

Ditto... I dont think you would find much marketability in expedite. You wont get the straight truck loads since your not dock high.

I have known a couple guys that did pull the enclosed trailers like your talking about and claimed to do well. They were running hotshot stuff though, not expedite.

There is such a thing as gooseneck curtainsides....seems like the best of both to me.

Contact Brisco....he can hook you up with hotshot info.

Which website would that be?

Technically, hotshot is for the oilfields, but, well, ya know

 

[BlindDriver]

Ditto... I dont think you would find much marketability in expedite. You wont get the straight truck loads since your not dock high.

I have known a couple guys that did pull the enclosed trailers like your talking about and claimed to do well. They were running hotshot stuff though, not expedite.

There is such a thing as gooseneck curtainsides....seems like the best of both to me.

Contact Brisco....he can hook you up with hotshot info.

I was thinking about going after Sprinter loads that would be more then 2 pallets. With my truck and trailer combo, I would want a minimum of $1.50 a mile, or I may as well haul RVs. But without a backhaul, that's not happening.

 

[Rocketman]

I was thinking about going after Sprinter loads that would be more then 2 pallets. With my truck and trailer combo, I would want a minimum of $150 a mile, or I may as well haul RVs. But without a backhaul, that's not happening.

For me, if I wanted to haul Sprinter loads, I would buy a Sprinter or sprinter-type van. The cost of the truck + the cost of the trailer will be more than you could buy the van for. On top of that, any combination of truck and trailer will use more fuel. The $1.50/mile is straight truck pay if your leased to a carrier. Your not going to get $1.50/mile for Sprinter loads, at least not consistently. You don't need a 28' trailer to haul Sprinter freight either. A 16' trailer would carry more than a Sprinter (4 skids on the floor).

The hotshot trucks do more than just oilfield work these days. They do a lot of multiple stop LTL stuff too. That is where a curtain side would pay off. You could get to either side of the trailer at any place on the trailer.

One thing to keep in mind about a 28' van trailer. If it's not dock high and if a forklift can't get in it, your going to have to sit the pallets on the back and slide them forward and then drag them back to the back for unloading. You'll basicly be in need of a pallet jack to load and unload the trailer, which is not a big problem. You'll have to leave room for the pallet jack though unless you want to leave one on the dock every now and then.

As for rv's? I would be pulling them too, if they weren't all one way. Had a buddy who tried for years to get me to do it. He kept telling me numbers, I kept cutting them in half to account for the deadhead back to Goshen. He never understood.

 

[BlindDriver]

For me, if I wanted to haul Sprinter loads, I would buy a Sprinter or sprinter-type van. The cost of the truck + the cost of the trailer will be more than you could buy the van for. On top of that, any combination of truck and trailer will use more fuel. The $1.50/mile is straight truck pay if your leased to a carrier. Your not going to get $1.50/mile for Sprinter loads, at least not consistently. You don't need a 28' trailer to haul Sprinter freight either. A 16' trailer would carry more than a Sprinter (4 skids on the floor).

There's no way I would consider living in a Sprinter van. I was wanting to haul 6 pallets and I know about sliding them back and forth. The curtain side sounds like a great idea, but the start up cost may be a bit high. I never saw a small curtain side. I'll expand my searching. 8' of sleeper in the front of the trailer is my minimum, 12' is preferred.

The hotshot trucks do more than just oilfield work these days. They do a lot of multiple stop LTL stuff too. That is where a curtain side would pay off. You could get to either side of the trailer at any place on the trailer.

One thing to keep in mind about a 28' van trailer. If it's not dock high and if a forklift can't get in it, your going to have to sit the pallets on the back and slide them forward and then drag them back to the back for unloading. You'll basicly be in need of a pallet jack to load and unload the trailer, which is not a big problem. You'll have to leave room for the pallet jack though unless you want to leave one on the dock every now and then.

I was thinking of a roller system on the floor would make life easier.

As for rv's? I would be pulling them too, if they weren't all one way. Had a buddy who tried for years to get me to do it. He kept telling me numbers, I kept cutting them in half to account for the deadhead back to Goshen. He never understood.

Sometimes it's best not to beat the dead horse if it doesn't want to drink the water.

 

[Brisco]

With my truck and trailer combo, I would want a minimum of $150 a mile......

If $150 a mile was obtainable in the Dually / 40ft Lowboy LTL-HotShot Industry......I dang sure wouldn't be selling furniture right now!! I'd be out there running just 10 miles a day........

Right now the Guys are averaging a good mid $2-2.50+ a mile range NOT using all their trailer space up in the $3-$4.00 range with their trailer fully loaded. One guy last week only used like 1/3 of his trailer for a $3.00 a mile run........

$5-$6.00 a mile is Obtainable when Freight is abundant and Rates are good..............

Check your PM's......I'll send you the same info I'm sure Rob sent ya.


But....Do what you think will suit your needs.....whether it be Expediting or LTL / HotShot.

 

[zorry]

I'm sure he meant $1.50 per mile.
The rates you're tossing out there I would guess are pretty low mileage situations.
This is with own authority ?
Standard size or oversize ?
And do we figure on the rate being halfed by deadheading back to a home base ?

 

[purgoose10]

I'm going to steal Sprinter loads as well with a Max. It's much easier.

 

[BlindDriver]

The truck that I have is a '92 F350 crew cab dually. It has the 7.3 IDI diesel that will run on nearly any petroleum product. I'm currently running a blend of 75%wmo/25%diesel. Since it's an older truck, I don't want to haul more then 18k worth of trailer on flat ground. I thought a 8500# trailer was going to be the lightest, until I got sent some links that led me to find a 40' stepdeck spec'd at 7000#. Now I can haul more freight then the trailer weighs

If I want to keep this style engine, I may have to find a stretched frame like a rollback, then add a sleeper unless I can measure a way to add a sleeper behind my cab. Doesn't look like the DOT likes the sleeper on the trailer for whatever reason

Or I could just log off duty.

Still doing my research

 

[zorry]

I had a 2001 F350 Crewcab. I had a customizer put a hide-a-bed in the back.
My understanding was the cab was too narrow to be defined as a sleeper.
If you took the interior door panels out and measured doorskin to doorskin you could be wide enough.
Truck stop rumor ? Don't know.
It may be worth accouple hours of researching.

 

[BlindDriver]

Here's the DOT regs.

Sleeper berths. - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

But I'm 6'2" and can't lay flat in the back seat. I may be able to remove the passenger and back seats and instal a mattress on the right side. I would rather have a real sleeper. A 36" flattop would be perfect.

Regs don't say anything about logging off duty and sleeping in a small camper on a trailer.

Keep in mind, RV transporters are except from having a sleeper.

 

[Eastex]

Here's the DOT regs.

Sleeper berths. - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

But I'm 6'2" and can't lay flat in the back seat. I may be able to remove the passenger and back seats and instal a mattress on the right side. I would rather have a real sleeper. A 36" flattop would be perfect.

Regs don't say anything about logging off duty and sleeping in a small camper on a trailer.

Keep in mind, RV transporters are except from having a sleeper.

Try Cowtown Sleepers in Ft. Worth, TX. You can Google it and find their website address. They manufacture bed mount sleepers for pickup trucks.

 

[Rocketman]

Try Cowtown Sleepers in Ft. Worth, TX. You can Google it and find their website address. They manufacture bed mount sleepers for pickup trucks.

That would be your best bet since you want a minimum of 12' of sleeper. They would probably set up the truck and/or the trailer. You'll be all set!

 

[NWMAXI]

would someone be kind enough to pm me the links to some ltl hotshot info

thanks