What percent of the freight you haul measures between 48" and 50" high?
Cargo Van Need opinions on van replacement
- Thread starter Dave Sullivan
- Start date
Dave Sullivan
Seasoned Expediter
Most of what I haul isn't higher then 50 " Like a hydraulic piston for a mining machine 8" round 9.5 " long 1000lbs I don't need a sprinter to haul. also I do a regular run of test gel in a box 48"X 48"X49" 2200lbs I've never had any crazy, high or weird freight I hear about but again maybe I don't look for that stuff.
l thought the 2002 dodge was 46" tall.
Dave Sullivan
Seasoned Expediter
yes the door opening is 46" but the ceiling height is 52" we take off the lid on the Gaylord box which is about 4.5" the product is sealed in by a plastic film. Again I can't justify the tall sprinter or the price to gain an inch or two. Any thoughts Paulnsteff ????
lMHO, Used 2010 or later Chevy/GMC 3500 extended. Gas engine. Pay cash, set 4% aside for maintenance, put $100 a week into van replacement fund, use for 3 years. Sell van, take that money and the $15k you saved and buy what is new on the market in 2018, putting roughly 50% down. Maybe there will be a toyota long and tall in 3 years???
Dave Sullivan
Seasoned Expediter
Thanx Paulnstef I can pay cash for it. I am hearing horror stories from some of the driver I know that have sprinters or promasters,. One driver was down for 3 weeks with a sprinter for a rear end and it cost $7000 when it was done. I rescued a load from a promaster that was stuck in gear and it was so new it had temp plates on.
jojosilver
Rookie Expediter
Honestly all I hear is we want a sprinter...whether load is originally specified as true sprinter load or not. And since someone has made their sprinter a specialized one I am hearing more of we want a sprinter with a lift gate or with ramps. Longevity wise the diesel is supposed to be better but finding parts for some of the newer one is hard. The transit and promaster are a bit more economical for maintenance n repairs than the Mercedes or freightliner. Fair warning the transit with dollies will not fit a regular pallet between the wheel wells. And as for sales person telling you new transit will take 4 pallets...well yes it will take 4 pallets ----4 EURO Pallets that is.
Dave Sullivan
Seasoned Expediter
Dave Sullivan
Seasoned Expediter
The companies want us to take on the expense of a sprinter or promaster and transit. but when it comes down to it you can"t make money at .85 cpm. The amount of work you get more than 2 skids is few and far between.
As CV owners we only see the loads that we see on any given day.
It may be true that CV's with less than 3 pallet length and only 50" height miss loads on a regular basis due to their limited capacity.
It may also be true that Sprinter size vans miss loads on a regular basis due to their excess capacity.
In any case you should be compensated based on the vehicle and service that you provide to a customer.
Stay safe
KG
Why in the world do sprinters miss loads because of excess capacity. That really makes no sense to me. Been driving them for years, some loads might pay less because they are cargo van loads. If it fits it ships.
Dave Sullivan
Seasoned Expediter
I know sometimes I'm offered a load from one female broker, and she has 4 levels of loads TT-ST-SPT-CV. for the newbie's among us that is Tractor Trailer- Straight truck-Sprinter-Cargo van. she is stuck in the 80's when we were with Roberts Express its A-B-C-D Units. But she still doesn't want to cross the loads unless you stop her and tell her " HEY I CAN TAKE THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO GO IN A SPRINTER " and she will say to me well the customer sent it to me as a sprinter haul. I think that is what Kg means
Or, they save you for a true Sprinter load and load cargo vans around you first, if the freight fits in a CV.
Not how it works anywhere I've been. Also in today's market often shippers call and simply say I need a sprinter even if it is a small load. They like the ease of loading and having the option to ship more. It's pretty much a fact most loads that go on large capacity vans would fit in a normal cargo van but I have never felt like I lost loads because I have to much space. If one looks around you'll notice there are less and less small vans on the road and they will continue to shrink in numbers.
Perhaps if your company only runs Sprinter vans you would not feel that you could not see a load.
However with companies that run both Sprinters and CV's it is possible that dispatch would be inclined to "save" Sprinters in a busy area for that larger load.
True there are less CV's in the fleets today, due to manufacturers change of van styles, but the conventional van still has a place in the expediting field in my opinion and will be around for a while.
I am not sure how it is easier to insert towmotor forks into a Sprinter over a CV, but I am heartened to learn that shippers still care enough about their freight to specify a particular vehicle.
Stay safe
KG
I have 4 choices in the next few months.
1. A new sprinter that's cost 50k for long and tall. Does have 15 foot in the back but has to big of a overhang for me. Shorter with 14 foot in back is 45k
2. Ford transit 14 foot in the back but over a 5 foot overhang on the long and tall price about 50k for diesel and 42k up for gas
3. Dodge promaster only has 13 feet in the back and only 69 inches for rear door, just like my 05 for door opening . 43k for deisel or 37 or so for gas.
4. Rebuild my sprinter and hope for the best
The above said, I'll more then likely buy a gas promaster gasser, pay the 37k or less and be good to go for the next couple of years.
1
1. A new sprinter that's cost 50k for long and tall. Does have 15 foot in the back but has to big of a overhang for me. Shorter with 14 foot in back is 45k
2. Ford transit 14 foot in the back but over a 5 foot overhang on the long and tall price about 50k for diesel and 42k up for gas
3. Dodge promaster only has 13 feet in the back and only 69 inches for rear door, just like my 05 for door opening . 43k for deisel or 37 or so for gas.
4. Rebuild my sprinter and hope for the best
The above said, I'll more then likely buy a gas promaster gasser, pay the 37k or less and be good to go for the next couple of years.
1
My thoughts: Your interior dimensions (H/W/L) are known by the load planners/dispatchers.
Turbo diesel Sprinter receives a higher % of the load than a CV. I will accept CV loads and often do, one skid or two, but I will request more $..don't always receive it. I love my Sprinter and the comfort and longevity it provides me. I drove another Owner's Sprinter first to find out what is Expediting is all about. Change my own filters and oil to save $, plus it's more convenient.
So it's the $ amount per mile, Miles to DH the vehicle, how long the driver has been sitting/waiting and available room for a prospective load from my brief 4 yrs. of expediting that determines who gets assigned the load.
Coming from operating a Tractor Trailer/Solo, I knew I wanted to be able to carry 3 Skids. I also wanted a permanent bunk in place. Since I can't idle my 2011 170" WB 2500 Sprinter, I had to figure out how to provide myself heat and air. So, my dog and I have about a full size bed right behind the driver's seat. Two wall-mounted thermostats, one for heat, one for air. Penguin Dometic 13,000 BTU Air conditioner run by 2 Honda 2000 Generators (neede min. of 3500 watts), 30 amp Shore Power, Espar D2 Airtronic Bunk Heater that sips off my diesel tank. So, beyond my permanent bunk I have 12' of available length, 52" wide and 6' height. Very rustic, yet comfortable set up...wood shelves both sides for my clothes, water, load straps etc..
Turbo diesel Sprinter receives a higher % of the load than a CV. I will accept CV loads and often do, one skid or two, but I will request more $..don't always receive it. I love my Sprinter and the comfort and longevity it provides me. I drove another Owner's Sprinter first to find out what is Expediting is all about. Change my own filters and oil to save $, plus it's more convenient.
So it's the $ amount per mile, Miles to DH the vehicle, how long the driver has been sitting/waiting and available room for a prospective load from my brief 4 yrs. of expediting that determines who gets assigned the load.
Coming from operating a Tractor Trailer/Solo, I knew I wanted to be able to carry 3 Skids. I also wanted a permanent bunk in place. Since I can't idle my 2011 170" WB 2500 Sprinter, I had to figure out how to provide myself heat and air. So, my dog and I have about a full size bed right behind the driver's seat. Two wall-mounted thermostats, one for heat, one for air. Penguin Dometic 13,000 BTU Air conditioner run by 2 Honda 2000 Generators (neede min. of 3500 watts), 30 amp Shore Power, Espar D2 Airtronic Bunk Heater that sips off my diesel tank. So, beyond my permanent bunk I have 12' of available length, 52" wide and 6' height. Very rustic, yet comfortable set up...wood shelves both sides for my clothes, water, load straps etc..
