16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfort/c

[thaddeus]

I've been filtering through posts over the past few days and my eyes feel like their bleeding. So I decided to drop a post of my own. I am about to pull the trigger on a '03 16 foot Penkse cutaway. My only hesitation is the deck height and the 72 inch door opening height.
1. Does the deck height that is not dock high cause problems in not being able to get gigs? 2. Also, does a 72 inch door opening limit the height of skids that can be brought on and therefore limit gigs?
3. One more question, I am going to put a 40" sleeper in the front of the box and that will leave 12' 2" for cargo. That will fit 6 skids. Is that a smart move or would it be better to have no sleeper area in order to fit two extra skids?

I want to balance comfort with having the space to open up myself for more runs.

 

[terryandrene]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

I'm not the expert in the cutaway area, but I'll share an opinion or two. First a couple of questions. What is the GVWR of this truck. Is it a 4 or 6 wheeler.

The truck you are planning is a hybrid among the common expedite vehicles. You may be considered a heavy van (B unit) in some circles and a light C unit in other arenas. If you plan to lease with a prominant carrier, you would likely be classified as a van and typically not be offered loads that equal your capacity. The typical van has no problems not being dock high so neither would you. Your 72" opening would be good for a van because you don't often have a towmotor driver coming down a ramp with loads that tall, but you could get some freight greater than the 48" Ford or Chevy maximum height.

You will most definately want a sleeper area in this line of trucking. Remember, much of what we do is "hurry up and wait" and a lot of that wait is spent sleeping. Two more skids capacity won't help you much because you'll likely be weight limited at four or six.

I think it would be wise for you to ask these questions of each of the expedite carriers in which you might be interested. If you plan to seek your own authority and loads, it won't matter.

 

[thaddeus]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

I am going to be getting jobs from a broker so I am unsure of what the companies will want. My wife and I will be teaming up for this gig. We're wanting to go with the cube because of more load options but we looked into a Sprinter as well. So if we would be getting mostly van loads would the pay be the same as a sprinter or no? I mean, if there is a load with 4-6 skids as opposed to 3 skids it would pay more than Sprinter rate right?

 

[highway star]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

Most likely, 4-6 skids would pay more than 2. But, that's really not a question that can be answered in a definitive way here. It depends...

 

[targuard86]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

The fuel milleage on an old cutaway will cut into your profits BAD! Working the way you will, you'll also have alot of unpaid head......no money comming in but still sucking fuel like crasy.

I've been your route and after you get established you'll have cash comming in like crasy but at the end of the year you will have nothing to show for it.

It doesn't matter what goes into your bank account, what counts is whats left after the bills are paid.

SLOW DOWN AND DO MORE RESEARCH!

 

[thaddeus]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

???? Reallly? I have been researching a great deal and I thought this would be the best idea for me. What suggestions do you have as opposed to a cutaway? Here is why I chose a cutaway as opposed to something else. Please feel free to critique, I'm trying to get this right.

1. A cutaway can take 2 or 3 skids like a Sprinter, but can also take up to six if needed which should open up more doors for runs. (I've read many posts that said that Sprinter work is "scarce")
2. A 15 1/2 foot cutaway is right under the 10,001 lbs. and my wife and I wouldn't have to go through the pain of logging.
3. If a Sprinter averages 25 mpg it costs about 10.4 cents per mile and a cutaway at 11 mpg costs 20.4 cents per mile. From what my broker says I would make at least 30 cents more per mile with loads bigger than a Sprinter could handle so it would seem to even itself out. Even if it doesn't, if I drive 50,000 miles next year, and lost a dime each mile, I am out $5,000 as opposed to a Sprinter. However, I should be getting more runs because I can take more loads, so if I got and extra ten runs in a year because of the bigger size, I should make up $5,000.
4. I can get a well taken care of Penske cutaway 2003 model with 90k for 10 grand. A Sprinter is going to run me at least 17 grand for something dependable.
5. I don't want to get into something too big like class C or D. I want something I can still park in a restaurant parking lot or my yard. Weighing the options I've seen, it seemed like the best option.
6. Sprinters are expensive to maintain.

Please tell me where I am off on my thinking. I have drawn these conclusions from research, not from experience. Anyone with any insight please jump in. Thanks!

 

[terryandrene]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

Just a guess. Your cutaway may have a GVWR of <10,000 but your curb weight will be about 7000+ after you outfit it for driving, sleeping and a co-driver. If I'm right you'll be limited in weight to less than 3000#. I'd suggest you take your intended vehicle to a comm'l scale and weigh it empty then add you anticipated additional weight to determne your reasonable weight capacity. You'll not want to get a DOT weigh with more than 10,000 loaded. You'll face the probability of a nice monetary penalty plus the liklihood you'll be placed out of service until you can get the extra weight off the truck.

Keep up the research and validate anything a broker says that you can do.

 

[highway star]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

My standard E350 extended is at 7k curb weight. I'm surprised to hear that a cut away with a box that big has a 10k GVW. Does this van have dual rear wheels?

 

[thaddeus]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

It is a DRW unit. Here is a link to a similar vehicle. The sleeper I would be making will consist of some 2x4's a few sheets of plywood, and 36 inch wide, 4 inch deep memory foam mattress. So I don't think it would add a great deal of weight to the rig. But as always I could be off.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...RK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=120060369798&rd=1,1

 

[greg334]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

I looked at several Penske trucks and I could not haul more than 2000lbs if I didn't take a thing with me.

The biggest issue is how much does it actually way, I mean if the truck weighs in at 7500lbs, OK it is a strech but if it gets close to 8000lbs, forget it. My cube trucks if I remember right came in at 7800lb on average but I had one that weighed 8300lbs because of the decking.


the penske saleman (I think there is only three for the country) should get a weight ticket for that truck for you. I would get the ticket and then figure on how much stuff you will need to bring and don't forget how much you both weigh to be included.

 

[terryandrene]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

Your wood decking, if needed, wood for sleeper is 100# minimum. E-track, straps, load bars, CB, office supplies and a fixture to stow them, another 100#. You and your wife a gentle 300# +/-. Clothing for a couple of weeks, laundry supplies, porta-a-pot, cooler/reefer, TV, fire extinguisher, triangles, tool box, jumper cables or spare battery(s) yet another 100#. We've now got a realistic 600 pounds of stuff and people that takes away from your freight capacity.

We're not trying to be a spoiler for your ideas, just want to give you some food for thought. If you're anyone close to average you'll probably add even more weight each time you visit a mall or return home. Be realistic in determining your real capacity. I'd also investigate the DRW GVWR, I'd bet a cuppa Dunkin' Donuts coffee that it's greater than 10,000

 

[Moot]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

If you and your wife will be teaming and that rig is over 10,000 GVWR, build a D.O.T. approved sleeper and run a log book.

Do you know who your broker's customers are? Or what type freight you will be hauling? A dock high straight truck with sleeper may be the way to go.

 

[thaddeus]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

Terryandrene...
I appreciate your imput greatly. You're not being a spoiler at all. That is the exactly the kind of feedback that I was looking for. I figured I was thinking certain things that weren't necessarily going to play out like I thought they would. I guess I will try and find a 16 footer that is dock high. Opening up the over 10,000 # will open up some options for me. MOST OF the 16 footers I found were over that weight. How annoying or difficult is logging? Is it more just tedious that anything else? If I am over 10,000 # does that mean I have to stop at all weigh scales? Thanks again for everyone's imput. Cheers

 

[nightcreacher]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

just find someone with the know how,logging is actually very easy,just takes a little common sence,you can pick it up from them very easy
and as im not a straight truck,i agree with terry,your best bet would be a 16'dock high truck with a sleeper,expedite is hurry up and weight,more compfortable your weighting the better
good luck

 

[MSinger]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

The Penske 16' GMC box vans are labeled as 10,000 GVWR. GM is the only mfg I am aware of that makes a DRW chassis with a GVWR less than 10,001. I am currently operating one of these trucks and have been running the wheels off of it. However, if I was going to team I would go with the bigger truck as logging would not be a problem. I am a full time firefighter who works 24 hours on 48 hours off so I always have to beat feet back to be back for my duty day. Logging really screws that up.

 

[Moot]

RE: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

Thad: I went to the link you provided and one of the pictures showed a placard listing the load capacity to be 2,600#. Figure in a co-driver, gear and a sleeper and you don't have much left to work with.

You may want to do some more research. A Sprinter or AeroCell maybe the way to go if you want more room and greater payload capacity.

 

[OutstateDel]

Re: 16' box truck, door opening/deck height? comfo

It also appears that the 2002 and older GMC units with the 5.7L run 4.56 Gears while the 2003 and newer GMC units with the 6.0L run 4.10 gears. Since they both run LT225/75r16 tires, the 4.56 would have to run at higher rpm on the highway can drop fuel economy. Not sure if the 0.3L difference in engine size makes a huge difference.

Anyone have some real world MPG for these units?

On a side note, someone mentioned that the 16' Penskes no longer have a pass-through door to the box on the newer trucks. I was in formed by a saleseman that sells them that this was due to a lawsuit where somenone got stuck in the opening. Unreal...

 

[OutstateDel]

We now run one of these former 10,000 GVWR Penske units. We have a 2003 model with the 6.0L. Rear door opening is about 70".

It weighs in at around 7250 Lbs. empty with no driver and a full tank of fuel.

With a driver and his gear it weighs in about 7700-7900 Lbs. depending on if the Pallet Jack, 2 Wheeler, and Pallet Puller & Chain are in the truck or not.

It seems to travel on the Highway best at about 60-65 MPH. MPG at these speeds is between 9.5-12.5 MPG.

Windy Conditions and Cold Winter days 9-10.5 MPG. If you drive 65-75 MPH the MPG is 7-9.5 MPG.

It has 4.10 Gears that wind up pretty good at highway speeds. It sees 600-1000 RPM more than our Standard Cargo Van.

It's a foot lower than dock level. Some dock plates drop down
fine, but many do not go low enough and you must load at ground level.

It gets tossed around in the wind pretty good. On an Icy road the back end will sometimes break loose just with a strong crosswind.

We do not have a Wind deflector or AirTabs at this time, but it's on our list of things to "try".

It's a lot of truck to only be able to carry about 2,000 Lbs.

The newer versions of this van are 12,300 GVWR so don't make that mistake if you are trying to stay under 10,001.

If you only carry 3 skids max you would be better off with a Sprinter or a Single Rear Wheel 3500 12' Box Van with 70" door that can hold closer to 3,000 Lbs. -They often have a built-in Air deflector as well.

One of our customers has a 12' former DHL model with Duramax Diesel. All the others I have seen in the GM's have a 6.0L or 4.8L gas engine.

 

[Rocketman]

It seems to travel on the Highway best at about 60-65 MPH. MPG at these speeds is between 9.5-12.5 MPG.

Windy Conditions and Cold Winter days 9-10.5 MPG. If you drive 65-75 MPH the MPG is 7-9.5 MPG.

It has 4.10 Gears that wind up pretty good at highway speeds. It sees 600-1000 RPM more than our Standard Cargo Van.

Ouch! I know of a couple straight trucks that can compete with that fuel mileage. Of course, we have to log though. One thing, I would look at for sure is changing the gears to 3:42. From the comments I've seen on here, that would probably get you a good 2-4mpg gain. It would probably be well worth the cost.