Larger Sprinters?

Billy The Impaler

Rookie Expediter
Researching
US Air Force
So I'm talking with a company that employs drivers to drive Sprinters, paying .35/mile. The owner said the Sprinter hauls 4 pallets and has a fold-up bed. The way I remembered, I thought 3 skids was the maximum for large Sprinters, and most people put in a bed, possible with a bulkhead, that capped it at 2 because 3 skid loads were rare.

So 4 skid Sprinters, is that a thing now? Have they gotten bigger?

By the way, she says her Sprinters and straight trucks are busy with little down time. That sound plausible in today's economy?
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
A very very very few times, did I say very few?, I got loads on some kind of special small skids like 32x32 or something. Four of those would easily fit. "Normal" skids the limit is 3 in a Sprinter. How is the 35cpm paid? Loaded miles? All miles? Are there any deductions or expenses you have to pay? It's possible they stay pretty busy, and equally possible they don't. Will they give you the names of other drivers to call and talk about the job? If they will the odds are it may be a good position. If they won't it's probably something to walk away from. At a brisk pace. Good luck.
 

Charity's Van

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
I had a 08 Sprinter extended. I did local delivery. I was paid by the stop. I got 4 pallets in it if I turn two of them on narrow side. it can be done. I would not want to drive cross country with the van that full, but often went couple to 300 miles. I was empty coming back.
 

rjrhiway

New Recruit
Driver
.35 CPM is not a normal rate, it is dreadfully low especially for 4 pallets in. I would not entertain her other sprinters and box truck
claims as they will not keep up with your needs. Let the greed bleed. All miles at .35CPM is disgraceful
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
That isn't 35cpm to the van, it's 35cpm pay to the driver. Not a fortune but with zero deductions not the worst either.
 
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danthewolf00

Veteran Expediter
.35 cents a mile is truck pay not great but then some companies pay .55 or higher to drive a 80 thousand pound truck.
 

PhoenixDawn

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
No way I would haul for .35 a mile. My van, however, has over 13’ cargo length. If standard skids are turned sideways, so 48” wide and 40” front to back, I can haul 4 at a time. It’s tight, but it it doable. It’s a transit 350 HR with the extended length.
 

FlyingTortoise

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
There are sprinters that can take 4 pallets that are 40x48, but most people will not do it as it takes every inch of their van.

Brokers will post 4 pallets for a sprinter, but they really need a small straight and they know this. But they want the small straight at sprinter rates.
They do the same thing for cargo vans, they will post 2-3 pallets that are over 60" tall, because they want a sprinter van at cargo van rates.
I see this all the time on load boards, usually from the :censoredsign:ty brokers.
 
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rjrhiway

New Recruit
Driver
We need to know who these crap brokers are so that we may avoid them at all cost. Don't go broke being desperate by accepting rates that don't make sense.
 

FlyingTortoise

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
We need to know who these crap brokers are so that we may avoid them at all cost. Don't go broke being desperate by accepting rates that don't make sense.
Absolutely not trying to diss you, just facts, but you have not been doing this long if you think like that.
These :censoredsign: brokers are everywhere, on all boards, not hard to spot, but in expediting you cannot afford to burn any bridges, you have to work with them sometimes.
It's easy if you have 1 van/truck and are working 1 area, but when you have a bunch of drivers all over the US and Canada you need every load you can get your hands on. You have to fight for every penny per mile, of course there has to be a point where you just can't accept a rate for being too low, but that point varies from day to day and area to area.
 
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Larry D

Rookie Expediter
Researching
Look at it this way, if you drive 100,000 miles in a year then you made $35,000.00 gross before expenses and taxes.

Yes, Mercedes make a long wheelbase extended tall van that will hold 4 pallets with the bed folded out of the way.
 
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