A little quick background. I'm not an expediter but I've been checking out the site and it seems that there's a lot of trucking knowledge here. We deliver products within 150 miles of my warehouse to Universities and some other places with very tight delivery areas. Currently there are 3 or 4 runs per week that exceed the weight on our 33,000 GVW straight trucks so we're sending extra drivers and trucks down to keep the customer stocked. It's stretching us very thin around here and now that it's time to replace one of the old trucks I'm looking to get one that can haul more and hopefully keep some of the drivers in here to help more often. I need to haul another 10,000-15,000 lbs and I think we're stuck with a straight truck. A few universities require straight trucks only, and others would be very difficult deliveries with a trailer (some people could do it, my drivers-not so sure). Here are my questions and I'm hoping someone can help:
How much more weight can we haul (product is on pallets) with a tandem axle straight truck over our current 33,000 gvw fleet, assuming we load it properly of course?
As far as I can tell, the tandem axle trucks are pretty much custom jobs. Do you know of dealers that are good at this in the Cincinnati, Indy, Louisville, Columbus, Dayton area?
Any opinions on buying used, fairly low mile trucks? We've always bought new, but recently had an international engine rebuilt and the thing is now the best running truck we've ever had. Anything I find used will likely have to have the box scrapped for a new FRP body, that's a requirement for our deliveries.
What am I looking for as far as power? We drive a lot of 70 mph roads so the truck will have to do 70 when loaded. In my mind I always picture tandem axle trucks as dump trucks or garbage trucks barely able to chug down the highway. I know that's not always the case, but we need to be sure our drivers can go the speed limit.
I've asked a lot of questions, and I'm sure there's some info I should have given but forgot, but any help you guys can offer would be great.
Thanks!
How much more weight can we haul (product is on pallets) with a tandem axle straight truck over our current 33,000 gvw fleet, assuming we load it properly of course?
As far as I can tell, the tandem axle trucks are pretty much custom jobs. Do you know of dealers that are good at this in the Cincinnati, Indy, Louisville, Columbus, Dayton area?
Any opinions on buying used, fairly low mile trucks? We've always bought new, but recently had an international engine rebuilt and the thing is now the best running truck we've ever had. Anything I find used will likely have to have the box scrapped for a new FRP body, that's a requirement for our deliveries.
What am I looking for as far as power? We drive a lot of 70 mph roads so the truck will have to do 70 when loaded. In my mind I always picture tandem axle trucks as dump trucks or garbage trucks barely able to chug down the highway. I know that's not always the case, but we need to be sure our drivers can go the speed limit.
I've asked a lot of questions, and I'm sure there's some info I should have given but forgot, but any help you guys can offer would be great.
Thanks!
