Sprinter vs cutaway van?

[60MPH]

If the sprinter is to be considered a c unit, then it should be treated as a truck - logging and all.

A truck is more than 20% over the cost of a Sprinter to maintain too. So with that in mind, if a van gets $1.20 a mile, a sprinter gets $1.44 a mile then a C unit should be getting $1.75 a mile and a D unit would get 5% more.

I think the idea of a C unit, B unit and such has been outdated for a long time.

Greg I am with Marty on this, why should they have to log if they are to be paid more?? I see it as a smart decision to buy a cube or sprinter so you can net more on C loads. Net is what is important. If a sprinter picks up a 52" tall piece of freight that weighs 100 pounds and pays C rate, why should he log?? He is still way under GVW.

 

[geo]

i would go with a sprinter van as it's under 10,001 lbs
no log's
also here in newport news , va can park van in driveway
22.5 mpg
also sale sprinter van's at tysingers in hampton va
we have some great deals going on
if you want more info send me a pm

 

[guido4475]

The thing alot of people forget to take into consideration is the empty weight of a vehicle, especially the Penske dual rear wheel 14-15 ft cubes, under 10,000 gvw, which are heavy to begin with. I know of a few, which are over 9,000# empty weight. I'm sure the vehicle will handle the extra weight no problem, but it is the legal part of it that would bother me, such as getting pulled in and dot'd and weighed randomly.It seems I hear of this happening more and more lately.But, I have seen at least 6 Sprinters and Cubes on my way from Eagle Pass to Detroit this week, that were so overloaded, their rear bumpers were close to dragging.Sounds extreme, but it was real obvious they had more weight on them than should of been allowed.Where is the cut off ? It seems that alot are trying to make a Sprinter or cube into a straight truck, load wise.Overload the crap out of youre vehicle on a regular basis, and you'll pay for it in the end, I'm sure in alot of pre-mature failure on worn out and broken parts.I know of a lady who took 5,000# from Kentucky to Washington state in a Ford e-350.When she got home, she ended up spending over $700.00 in suspension repairs..Where was the advantage in this load?

 

[greg334]

Guido,
There are too many who don't get the entire GVW limit thing and think just because they are under 10k, they can put the weight on and still be legal.

 

[60MPH]

Guido,
There are too many who don't get the entire GVW limit thing and think just because they are under 10k, they can put the weight on and still be legal.

I think they do for the most part understand the GVW of the vehicle, they are just overloading it figuring they will not get caught. Most drivers I have talked to that admit to hauling over gross, said they did it knowingly because they knew it would be a slim chance they would be caught and there company did not care.

I also blame some of these carriers that turn a blind eye to it. They ask what you will haul at orientation oppose to requiring a CURRENT scale ticket (in full road dress) taken a day before you arrive at orientation. I know the larger carriers require this and that is how it should be. I rarely talk to a Fedex, Panther, Tri-state driver that says they get overloaded load offers. It ultimately is the drivers fault, as it should be. But some of these carriers make it way to easy for the driver to break the law, because they know the drivers will take the load because they want the money and don't care about the law or the motoring public.

Yet another reason why the rates are down, str8 freight going on overloaded vans and Sprinter type units

 

[Moot]

If you got a pc that was 100" long in your 04 Chevy then you should of been paid C rate. That day you where hauling a C truck load.

I believe the letter designation for load rates was developed by Roberts Express. Many carriers still use this classification but weight and size can vary. Individual carriers will list their weight and size limits for each vehicle type along with the corresponding rates in their published tariffs.

The letter classification system has become somewhat archaic with the popularity of the Sprinter. My former carrier based their rates on the A-E ranking. I ran a B unit but if I hauled an A load, I got paid an A rate, that of course was open to negotiation. On two or three occasions, at the shipper, the load exceeded the B weight max, so I negotiated a C rate.

With my current carrier I give them 100" and 2400 pounds. So no, a 100" piece would not qualify for a C rate. I don't believe my carrier charges customers more for the basic 96" x 48" x 48" shipment at 2500#, but I could be wrong. I think Express America had or still does a "super B" rate would cover Sprinter/cube van loads. Personally, if I was a shipper and was charged a C rate, even if only 2500#, I'd demand a dock high truck for my money. But that's just me and I'm not a shipper. I'm just a B type van driver who doesn't know his bung hole from a cork in a cask. Ban the van! Boot the Moot! Eat vegetables every day.

 

[zorry]

Greg, my d unit will haul 40% more cube than a c and more than 2 1/2 times the weight. Yet you state it should get paid 5% more. Your logic ?

 

[Pakrat]

FYI.......I got a decent deal on a 2011 sprinter. Picked it up yesterday. Hopefully I can rack up the miles on it! We'll see.....

 

[canesman07]

I remember back in the day if a load was 2k or just over I would negotiate a 1/mile instead of the 77c/m now they call me and want to put 2400 on my van for reg rate. I bought tires that barely allow over 2k to solve that problem.

 

[MSinger]

Two comments
1: If you want a Sprinter cutaway you better get the 2003-2004 model years which have the 9900# GVWR. The 2005-2006's were increased to 10,200# GVWR and I believe they were raised again for 2007.

2: My former GMC/Penske 15' was a 2002 and had an empty weight of 6800#.

 

[Deville]

I've been going back & forth with this one for a while. I would love a single axle dock high 8ft sprinter cutaway. But, they are so **** expensive.

I'm going to wind up buying a the same type of truck, but it will be a Ford or Chevy. I would love to find one in Diesel. but so far I have only seen them in gas version.

 

[westmicher]

Two comments
1: If you want a Sprinter cutaway you better get the 2003-2004 model years which have the 9900# GVWR. The 2005-2006's were increased to 10,200# GVWR and I believe they were raised again for 2007.

2: My former GMC/Penske 15' was a 2002 and had an empty weight of 6800#.

No, the info on the 2005-06 is incorrect. Our 2006 is 9,900 GVW. No option for 10,200 UNLESS it is a cab/chassis, which was 10,200 GVW.

 

[MSinger]

No, the info on the 2005-06 is incorrect. Our 2006 is 9,900 GVW. No option for 10,200 UNLESS it is a cab/chassis, which was 10,200 GVW.

I thought cutaway and cab/chassis were one in the same. But that's what I was referring to...a Sprinter chassis with a box on the back.