Hey guys,
Just a quick update and question...I've been watching some YouTube videos recently about one expediter in particular driving a Ford E350 van. Similar in just about every way to cargo dimensions of a Chevy Express.
These videos are dated between the end of 2016 and beginning of this year. This guy had some great weeks ( I counted at least two 3K+ Miles and most pickups were less than 500 pounds. He is driving for a lesser known carrier, but watching these videos gave me some hope that I would be just fine out there in a Chevy Express "flat top".
It's funny because I was a little discouraged after asking my question and receiving all of the responses that I would not be getting freight and in one of this guy's videos, he even mentioned the negativity in these forums.
So I guess my question is, how is it this guy is running so well but I was told I would be lucky to average 1000 miles a week? It seems to me like there are plenty of opportunities out there for "smaller" vans.
you must be talking about apex, havent seen him post on youtube in a while but i remember this video, i think you should expect somewhere between what that guy WAS getting (that video is like 2+ years old) and the negativity on here. I posted on here years ago when i was a few months into driving tractor trailers, realizing i hated it, wanted to try a van to bring back some of the "fun" of this job, instead of literally only being able to go to a truck stop. People told me i was making a huge mistake, i wont make
compared to the TT....idk if i got lucky but boy were they wrong. I made more money in the promaster driving for an owner than i was making at "take advantage of new drivers and pay them 1/15th of what the load is paying trucking LLC". Doesnt mean you will experience the same, because there was plenty of times
really sucked, but i think you can definately make money in a van. You wont get rich, and it wont be worth it if you dont have a "wanderlust" and just feel awesome about getting to drive all over the country.
The other thing to consider about buying a regular vs high top van, the market is much more heavy with regular vans, expediting aside. You can find a used regular van much more easier than the ideal sprinter for expediting, for a lot less money. So when you consider making back your inital investment, and not just the miles you will get, i think low top wins, considering you were a savvy shopper and found what i call a "just gotta get rid of it" seller.
To me though, the lifestyle is hard enough in a big sprinter, a low van is even worse, you will always crouch and hunch over, besides the money of a load, have less loads meaning more time sitting in a van in a parking lot, which is madness. when you do it for days at a time, you really reconsider everything in your life. So to me its better just for your health to have the bigger vans. thats just me though.
