Just Getting started with 16' diesel cutaway box

[Brothers Expediting Inc.]

Hello to All... I'm new to the forum and I first want to say "thank you" to all the seasoned veterans who take the time to respond to the "newbie" questions. I recently purchased a 2006 Ford E450 Super Duty Cutaway with a 16' box plus a 4 ft attic that hangs over the cab area. The truck was a one owner and fleet serviced regularly. Typical repair history for a 6.0 with 140k miles injectors, brakes, tires, batteries, etc. It has a 14,050 gvwr so I will have to log miles and adhere to driving hours etc. the cargo area dimensions are 8' wide by 9' tall by 14' long plus a large attic area directly over cab.

Sorry to ramble about equipment specs but I want to get best advice and felt it is important to spell out what I'm working with. Oh btw the floor height of box is approx 38" tall off the ground and it does not have a ramp or a lift. Previous owner told me he could get 17-18 mpg always with 3500 lb load and sometimes better depending upon wind weather etc. the fuel mpg appealed to me and my thinking was I could take cargo van type loads because of the fuel economy the truck can achieve.

My purpose of this post is I NEED ADVICE from You "older wiser" Drivers on where I should start... My research locally has netted me the following info;

1) for the most part I'm hearing that $1.00 per loaded mile is the going cargo van rate

2) and for the most part I'm seeing 1.20 to 1.50 per loaded mile for straight truck rate

I've been told by many brokers that I have an advantage of jumping from cargo van loads to straight truck rate because of the size of my rig and fuel economy being a diesel can still make cargo van rate make sense. However, I have also been told that because my GVWR is over 10k that some companies can't use me and they said they don't want to be restricted to DOT driving restrictions. I was told by one company that they couldn't write a check to my corporation I recently set up because they didnt have broker status.

There is one more element I think I need to share with you and that is I really don't want to get out more than 500 miles from my home base of Indianapolis. I do not mind over night a couple times in five days but I'm not even remotely interested in getting out there like these guys gone two weeks at a time with a sleeping bag driving 16 hours a day.

So with all of that being said I would love to hear some suggestions on where to start... I have a couple places right now that have daily Chicago runs from Indy. They don't sound like they can guarantee back haul loads very often and one said "it makes it a little tougher because I'm restricted to 11 hours to get me there and back." I had a friend tell me to start driving for brokers and also market my company directly to businesses who have regular freight services needs. He even recommended Craigslist posting my services under jobs area.

Sorry for being so long winded but I wanted you all to have all the details and THANK YOU IN ADVANCE for helping me out!!!

Jeff

 

[str8trk]

I presume you are Brothers Expediting in Westport, IN and it appears you intend to operate as a carrier (rather than leasing on to someone). If so, then the first thing you need to do is get your operating authority & insurance in order. The FMCSA database clearly indicates your status as not authorized ... No one will conduct business with you until you have operating authority.

 

[Brothers Expediting Inc.]

I presume you are Brothers Expediting in Westport, IN and it appears you intend to operate as a carrier (rather than leasing on to someone). If so, then the first thing you need to do is get your operating authority & insurance in order. The FMCSA database clearly indicates your status as not authorized ... No one will conduct business with you until you have operating authority.

I'm not out of Westport. I am out of Indy and only recently set up Corporation on advice of my acct. I spelled out in my post that I was looking for advice and just getting started. I also said one person told me that I could not drive for them if I was set up independent from their company as he said they were not set up with broker authority. I don't know which way to go which is why I posted JUST GETTING STARTED WITH A 16' BOX TRUCK. I am trying to figure out the best route to take... I may realize that I might even have more options dropping down to a Sprinter w/ GVWR under 10k. I was hoping that someone out there might be willing to respond with insight on the best option for me to maximize my opportunity with the 2006 Ford E450 CUTAWAY 16' BOX. I am aware of DOT MC requirements and insurance requirements and Medical requirements etc. I was hoping to get some advice before I jumped through all of those hoops. So I guess I need to throw this question out there as well. If you could choose between starting out with a 170" high top sprinter with a gvwr of 9990 or a E450 16' cutaway box with a 6.0 diesel and a gvwr of 14,050 which one would you go with. I have that option still right now... ANY ADVICE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED

 

[xmudman]

Between the two? The box truck. That sprinter, at 9990 GVW, would be a dually, which means you'd never get a skid between the wheel wells.

Another issue, since you'll be stopped at the scales anyway: if you're out overnight (one night or 100, makes no difference), you will need to either put in a proper sleeper, or have motel receipts. That's part of the inspection. If not, you're begging for trouble. Also, if you put the sleeper inside the box, like you'd have to, that will prevent you from hauling hazmat.

 

[Brothers Expediting Inc.]

XMUDMAN. Thanks for the reply... Would you answer the same if it was between the box truck and a 2500 sprinter long wheel base with a high top roof? I have nothing to guage anything by weight wise on the loads that I may be hauling. Based on your expertise should I be able to charge straight truck rate in some situations with the ford e450 with 16' box? I could haul approx. 3700 lbs and not go over gvw rating. Also, who would you pursue as a customer with the 2006 Ford e450 box truck?

 

[xmudman]

I am actually the wrong guy to ask about box trucks of any kind, although I stand behind my answer above. I'm a vanner and most likely always will be, as I cannot get a medical card. That said, a 2500 Sprinter would be a better choice than a 3500, although I know squat about either of them. How much you could earn with the box depends on who you work with. For that rig, I would want "small straight" rates.

 

[str8trk]

Equipment considerations aside, I would suggest to you that operating under your own authority compels a pre-existing network of industry contacts and relationships with tangible freight movement needs that you can potentially support. From my perspective, it is absolutely imperative to know where your first load will come from. If this is your situation, then some conversations with people in your network will likely lead you down the path to a vehicle decision that makes good business sense. If you're completely new to the industry, you should consider driving for someone else or leasing on with an established carrier as an owner/operator to get some experience and insights.

 

[Brothers Expediting Inc.]

str8trk. thanks for the response. I agree and understand the points you are making in your response. I have a few places that want me to drive for them. Two of the three said I would be driving under their MC DOT numbers. They said that is the only it works for them as they do not have broker license. They said they would pay me as a 1099 employee and that they could not write a check to a corporation due to non-broker authority. I was really just trying to "pick the brains" of the more experienced expediters on how I can fully maximize my opportunities with my E450 Diesel 16' Box truck. The reason why I threw out the Sprinter Scenario is I have someone who is currently interested in my box truck so it would be very easy for me to move into a sprinter. I was eyeing a 2007 Sprinter 3500 with 170" box and high top ceiling. I don't want to go to a 24' or 26' box truck starting out so if you had a choice would you go with the Sprinter or the Ford E450? Thanks for your advice...

 

[Brothers Expediting Inc.]

XMUDMAN. I was considering making the attic part of the box that hangs over the cab my sleeper area if I keep the e450 Box truck. I can choke off two feet of the box length in the front cargo area and still end up with a true 14' inside length. That extra two feet will make it easier to get up and down from the loft sleeping area. If I built a true wall separating the box cargo area from the sleeper area would I then still be able to haul hazmat? I would still be able to haul 6 skids even after incorporating the sleeper into the equation. BTW, that is really the max amount of skids I could haul without stealing the two feet...

 

[xmudman]

IDK but I SERIOUSLY doubt it on the hazmat. Wiser ones please chip in!

 

[str8trk]

Although I'm generally not a van or sprinter advocate; with my limited understanding of your situation and desire to run regional / short-haul, I'm inclined to suggest a 2500 sprinter over the small box truck. I definitely would not recommend trying to build a sleeper into the box truck ... Incorporating insulation, ventilation, heating, lights, etc. Some guys have done it, but, I just don't see it as a viable scenario. I would also suggest to you that shippers requesting straight trucks are generally expecting a dock-high vehicle ... Sooner or later the low deck on your E350 will present a customer issue in a straight truck environment. Not sure if this has come up in your research, but, I would suggest that you contact local air freight cartage companies and see what opportunities may be available as a 1099 contractor, straight sub-contractor, or owner-operator. Pace Air Freight and Towne Air are a couple that come to mind ... These companies will have needs for both local and regional hot-shot / expedited services.