Pickup vs Cargo Van

mister_newbie · Aug 19, 2004

I was wondering if anyone has experienced either of the two, as far as expediting goes? I have heard that some people use the shorter cargo vans, and bungee strap a mattress to the inside wall, while loaded, then take it down, if empty, to sleep in the back. Heard some people taking an extended van, and putting a bed, and a bulkhead behind the drivers seat. Both of these sound adequate to me. I talked with a carrier, that uses pickups to haul freight, but is treated the same as cargo vans, as long as you had a 8' box, and a suitable topper. I thought of taking a extended cab, or a crew cab, and taking out the back seat, and making a bed back there. Has anyone ever done this before? Also, I would feel safer being away from the cargo, instead of being in the same compartment as it.

Glen Rice · Aug 19, 2004

Talk to the sleeper conversion companys, such as Bentz at 1800-664-2864.

guest · Aug 21, 2004

Like I told people for the 2 years that I was an Independant Owner-Operator ................. you can put a small load in a LARGE hole - but I'll be damned if you can ever put a BUG load in a small hole!!!

Pickups and cargo vans are for wannabe trucker dopes! Go buy something that will CARRY something, or you're going to spoend your road life DEADHEADING to your butt off. The car van business DIED in the spring of 2000, when the auto industry toook an DUMP!!! if anyone tells you that they are making $1500 - $2000a week GROSS with a van, they're doing one of two things:

1. They're lying through their TEETH.

2. Or their daddy owns Fed-Ex !!!!!!

Cargo vans are great to fishing in and Pickups trucks are great to carry bricks and plywood home from Lowes. NEITHER will make an intelligent way to make money in the freight business. All else is total B.S.!!

Phil Moore
Former Independant Owner-Operator and owner of Nationwide Delivery Services. ICC MC 362423

RichM · Aug 21, 2004

Forget Pickups,but a cargo van can generate some bucks, lots of small stuff moves around the country every night. Don't know who this Phil guy is but I don't think he knows expediting. Talk to Terry/Renee,Geo and some of the others including the founder of this site Lawrence plus Jeff and they can give you a idea of what you can earn..

captain · Aug 21, 2004

I have a GMC extended cargo van, and I just took a fold-up cot that I bought at Cabelas and use bungee cords to hold it up against the side of the truck above the wheel well. I cut off the center legs about an inch from the bedframe and put a sleeve on each end of them so I can slip them on and off. To use the bed, just slip on the center legs, unfold the legs at each end, and unhook the bungee cords, and you're ready to go. I use a model 3500 van, which has a max. payload capacity of about 4000 lbs., subtract the drivers weight and weight of all the gear and fuel, and I can haul about 3500 lbs of freight, and I have just over 11 feet of cargo space. If you use a pickup, just make sure it's one of the heavy duty models or you will really limit yourself to light loads.

Good luck, Captain

mister_newbie · Aug 21, 2004

After looking over the GVWs of the vans, and pickups, I have ruled out the pickups. I appreciate all the comments, even the bad ones. There is always two sides to every story. I am just looking into it, and don't have to do it. I have been driving, and owning 18 wheelers for the past 24 years, so know that business too. Just getting bored of the big trucks, and of DOT too. Thought I would buy something cheaper, and if it doesn't work, just use it to go fishin', lol. Not a big deal. Thanks again for the comments.

Doggie Daddy · Aug 21, 2004

oh great, just what we need another guy named phil who knows it all. just one day on the site and already telling us "wanabee trucker dopes" that were liars and that the expediting bussiness "isn't exactly booming" and if ya wanna sell those straight trucks take those "doofy 9' sleepers off of them".where do they come from? DD. x(

Dreamer · Aug 22, 2004

>Pickups and cargo vans are for wannabe trucker dopes! Go
>buy something that will CARRY something, or you're going to
>spoend your road life DEADHEADING to your butt off. The car
>van business DIED in the spring of 2000, when the auto
>industry toook an DUMP!!! if anyone tells you that they are
>making $1500 - $2000a week GROSS with a van, they're doing
>one of two things:
>
>1. They're lying through their TEETH.
>
>2. Or their daddy owns Fed-Ex !!!!!!
>
>Cargo vans are great to fishing in and Pickups trucks are
>great to carry bricks and plywood home from Lowes. NEITHER
>will make an intelligent way to make money in the freight
>business. All else is total B.S.!!
>
>Phil Moore
>Former Independant Owner-Operator and owner of Nationwide
>Delivery Services. ICC MC 362423

This guy's killin me! Dang.. I haven't laughed so hard in months! Thanks I needed that!

Sounds to me like this was someone who tried to make a go of it on his own and couldn't find the freight...

My friend, don't compare a one man operation in a van, with the possibilities of a van leased to a major company...

I left a van for a straight truck back in 2000, driving for FedEx..and at THAT time I was averaging $1000.00 to $1300.00 a week in revenue.. from what I hear, it's only gone up.

terryandrene · Aug 22, 2004

2legman

I can't imagine what your agenda is; however, this site is not an appropriate arena for your uninformed, nonsensical statements. If you are a successful owner of an expediting related business, and/or you have something of value to contribute, please do so.

If you actually believe your own statements concerning cargo van success, I would guess you you were an unsuccessful Independent Owner-Operator because of your attitude. I trust you don't talk to your customers in the same manner as your fellow expediters. If you do, you'll soon be an unsuccessfull former delivery service owner.

davekc · Aug 22, 2004

Cargo vans are great to fishing in and Pickups trucks are great to carry bricks and plywood home from Lowes. NEITHER will make an intelligent way to make money in the freight business. All else is total B.S.!!

Phil Moore
Former Independant Owner-Operator and owner of Nationwide Delivery Services. ICC MC 362423

P. Mmore

With the posted comments you list, I don't think you have ever owned a delivery service. Well, maybe for a couple of hours. Most of the ability to generate income is based on geographics. Vans do well with expediting primarily east of the Mississippi River. Excellent income can be achieved with a pickup or pickup with flatbed or gooseneck in the south. By south I am refering to TX,LA,AL,MS. In those areas, pickups do well servicing the oil industry which is booming right now. While not a winning lottery ticket, they generate net income simular to a TT.
If you have the experience that you claim, you wouldn't be making the comments that you are.
Read and educate yourself through these posts, then you will be able to put forth some factual and intelligent information.
Then at that point, maybe you won't be a "former" owner.
Davekc

pIIdrivers · Sep 2, 2004

Wow we had no idea that we couldn't make a good living in this business. We drive a b-unit Dodge cargo van. This business is about freight not necessarily weight or size, although the more you can carry the better the money quite often. We have found that more often than not we carry only one skid and have no problem with sleeping arrangements nor getting the miles. We average more than 2000 miles per week, and since we own the van our profit margin is quite high. So as too lying through my teeth we will make that your little secret to share with yourself.