C van markings

BobWolf · Sep 7, 2012

O.K. this is a newbee question.
The C van is almost ready so I wanted to know what markings if any are required in an express van? Can I run it plain jane or do I have to logo, M.C. and dot number it ?

Also any tips for outfitting would be good right now I have a bulkhead that came installed behind the seat. Other than that its pretty much a stripped down basic work van.

Bob Wolf.

purgoose10 · Sep 7, 2012

If it's 10k GVW or less you can run it plain Jane. I do on two of mine. You don't need MC or DOT numbers on a C/Van. Good luck.

Like Ken said, it does change the rules with Hazmat or if you are contracted to a carrier who requires it.

OntarioVanMan · Sep 7, 2012

purgoose10 said:
If it's 10k GVW or less you can run it plain Jane. I do on two of mine. You don't need MC or DOT numbers on a C/Van. Good luck.

as long as Bob does not do hazmat....changes the rules....

Turtle · Sep 7, 2012

Or plated in Michigan. They have their own rules.

BobWolf · Sep 8, 2012

Nope, I dont transport anything that will glow in the dark or detonate, no hazmat works for me.
I kinda think that stickering your vehical can be a liability magnet I noticed it within a couple days when I did my truck five and a half years ago. I just wanted to ask so I dont get overkill with the van.
BTW, cargo wise other than E track what works and what is a waste of money, and if I were to build in a bunk what are the specs if any and what is the recomended distance from bulkhead to rear door distance. I dont plan to run long distance yet but if the money is there and local / regional work dries up its always an option.

Thanks again.
Bob Wolf

OntarioVanMan · Sep 8, 2012

If you are not going to go long....I'd say keep it simple...don't load it up with a a lot of toys....keep it freight happy....the Pragma bed folds up real small and is light and take a big man about 1,200 lbs worth!(mattress to sidewall or air mattress)..you'll be home most of the time for now anyways...

BobWolf · Sep 8, 2012

My thought exactly. Im planning on installing some E track got some on hand. What is the best height I figure abbout 30 inches off the floor as the door clearence is 48 inches.

Turtle · Sep 8, 2012

The best height for e-track in a van is on the floor, with the e-track flush with the plywood deck. You may want to supplant floor e-track with some on the walls, as a few loads can be better secured from the sides. But in a van, the vast majority of loads are best secured with straps on the floor in an X pattern over the freight.

Then again, some vanners have no e-track anywhere.

OntarioVanMan · Sep 8, 2012

depending on the build of the driver e-track on the sidewall can be just a little challenging to get at....The floor is much easier....

BobWolf · Sep 9, 2012

Yeah, id rather not have to catch or buy somones freight. Kinda feel like a newbie with the van.
Anyway, any good advice will be applied.

Bob Wolf.

OntarioVanMan · Sep 9, 2012

I can attest to air borne freight ....when i was new in a CV I had a 550lb crate and stuck in on the tail NOT strapped down.....well anyhow...a deer run out, snapped on the brakes...thankfully we carried our sleeping bags and blankets behind the seats....that darned box flipped over not just slid up but air borne...and bang right into the back of my seat throwing me forward and I almost lost control making things almost worse...never again, lesson learned.

BobWolf · Sep 9, 2012

Sounds familliar when I had my 24 foot S/T on the road just a couple weeks strapped a 2,000 skid of coppier paper to the wall at the tail. Cross town trip, 25/30 m.p.h. Had to brake hard, slamed the front wall of the box, blew out the rear glass on the cab. The car driver didnt even look back.
Luckily I have plywood and E track the otherwise Im sure the skid would have blown strait through the cab. Yeah, I drive shippers absolutely nots when it comes to loading large heavy freight.
Bob Wolf

mzraik · Sep 9, 2012

I use wood boards on the floor with the e track. The boards are just a bit higher than the e track and prevent the pallets from snagging on the e track. The plank setup also allows me to use my straps to hook onto the forward pallet, without digging into the wood when it come time to unload.

I use a 5" thick piece of foam covered in a bed sheet for my bed. It stands up out of the way for freight. It is 46" wide and 81" tall (I have a Nissan NV Hightop). I too, mostly run regional and spend more time at home than on the road.

The only ting I would be careful of with the e track on the walls is how heavy the freight is. If it's heavy freight, a hard stop could cause the walls to collapse inward, and the freight will come up a join you in the front seat! Van walls are on not designed for restraining freight like a box truck or bigger (trailer). E track on the floor and D-rings in the floor give you securement options of front to back and side to side. For my van, anything over the 800lbs per pallet weight is heavy. I combine my securement to prevent the pallets (especially double stacked pallets) from shifting in any direction. I use 2 crossed 3888 lb straps for the most part front to back, and 1000lb straps for the side to side, all of them are ratchet straps. I think of it like a flatbed with walls.

blizzard2014 · Sep 10, 2012

Turtle said:
The best height for e-track in a van is on the floor, with the e-track flush with the plywood deck. You may want to supplant floor e-track with some on the walls, as a few loads can be better secured from the sides. But in a van, the vast majority of loads are best secured with straps on the floor in an X pattern over the freight.

Then again, some vanners have no e-track anywhere.

Some vanners have a death wish lol. If i wanted to shed an extra couple of pounds I'd throw out the E-track and let a nice 1000k load push me into the steering column and iorn out the bubbles in my stomach region.

blizzard2014 · Sep 10, 2012

mzraik said:
I use wood boards on the floor with the e track. The boards are just a bit higher than the e track and prevent the pallets from snagging on the e track. The plank setup also allows me to use my straps to hook onto the forward pallet, without digging into the wood when it come time to unload.

I use a 5" thick piece of foam covered in a bed sheet for my bed. It stands up out of the way for freight. It is 46" wide and 81" tall (I have a Nissan NV Hightop). I too, mostly run regional and spend more time at home than on the road.

The only ting I would be careful of with the e track on the walls is how heavy the freight is. If it's heavy freight, a hard stop could cause the walls to collapse inward, and the freight will come up a join you in the front seat! Van walls are on not designed for restraining freight like a box truck or bigger (trailer). E track on the floor and D-rings in the floor give you securement options of front to back and side to side. For my van, anything over the 800lbs per pallet weight is heavy. I combine my securement to prevent the pallets (especially double stacked pallets) from shifting in any direction. I use 2 crossed 3888 lb straps for the most part front to back, and 1000lb straps for the side to side, all of them are ratchet straps. I think of it like a flatbed with walls.

Imma give up a secret to help prevent skids from getting snagged on your E-track and for those who want to preserve their pristine hard wood floors. Buy you three rolls or carpet, each one 48x48x48 wide. Take the carpet part and put that down onto the floor leaving the abrasive scratchy part on the top for the forklift driver to lower the skid down onto. Not only will the skid slide right across the wood floor like a truck on the ice, the carpet will prevent the skid from scratching the surface of the floor. It is meticulous but it is a pretty inexpensive solution for a rather common problem!