Best ST box size??

[jjoerger]

We have a 24 foot box that can easily take 12 skids.
Most of our runs are 2-6 skids, but by having that extra capacity we have been able to take loads that 20 foot and under boxes could not handle.
The truck is a Freightliner Columbia with the factory 72" condo sleeper.
H/W team and we stay out 4-6 weeks. We have only gotten a hotel room once in the last 20 months.
A larger sleeper would be nice, but not necessary for us.
My advice is to go for the larger box unless you are going to be doing speciality reefer work and know you can get by with a 16 footer.

 

[bentleytech1]

Thanks jjoerger for your response post. That's the kind of Data that I'm looking for!! I won't argue that 16' reefer may be a "specialty load hauler". I was just using that as an example. Data is the kind of stuff that business decisions are built on, and yours is very helpful.

What's everyone else doing??

 

[ATeam]

You will also notice that Phil and Diane chose to spec their truck to answer the needs of a specific carrier. They made the right choice for themselves.
If someone is just starting out and hasn't driven for an owner (or two) first, they might find that they don't fit well with the carrier. Not all carriers are set up to use the 16' reefer to it's full capacity. I don't mean freight capacity, but wallet capacity. If you are going to have a specialty truck your carrier needs a specialty customer base.

Very well stated. We drove three years in other people's D and DR units with FedEx Custom Critical before getting into a truck of our own. We knew our carrier and the freight we haul very well before we began spec'ing our CR truck.

Having driven D and DR units for three years and then getting into a CR unit, we know for a fact that the smaller box size did not hurt us, our run count or revenue.

 

[davekc]

Another one of those don't complicate the simple. The industry "standard" is 22 feet. There is a reason for that. That is the most requested size by all carriers.
Any size outside of that usually has to be ordered unless they have one that somebody backed out of the deal.
A 16 footer or a 3 footer is fine if it is working for someone, but in general it has some limitations.
Add a reefer to that and limitations increase. Only two carriers can really satisfy the needs of that type of truck.
Outside of those two, you have no where to go short of your own authority.
In fact that basically applies to expediter reefers in general. They are almost non-existent on a dealers lot.
Like anything, there is a reason for that.
No reason to have all your eggs in one basket.

 

[layoutshooter]

We have a 22' box with 20' of usable space. We are a reefer truck. We have a 48,000 GVW. Our normal load is under 1500lbs. Seldom use more than the first 10' of the box. Most of our loads are temp controlled. We have filled the box and put as much as 12,000lbs. What the large box gives you over the short one is a bit more versitility.

 

[bentleytech1]

Layoutshoooter.....thank you Sir. More really helpful data. As you are running a reefer, I assume (may be making an A$$ out of me) that you also are hauling "specialized" expedite freight.

My thought was possibly a used tractor with sleeper with frame stretch and 16'-18' box all in an effort to reduce the "point of entry cost". Haven't actually tried yet, but seems like everything I read says that financing a truck, new or used for a "newbie" is nearly impossible.

Would like to get into the business, and don't want to drive for a fleet owner. Why you ask?? There is just something the rubs me wrong about giving someone 40%. If fleet owners can make money paying for a truck, repairs, upkeep, and pay a driver, there just must be money there somewhere.

Not that fleet owners are a bad thing. (Have gotten some really good advise from several on this forum), just doesn't seem to work in my brain. I'm willing to take the risk for 40% or I wouldn't be considering expediting as a carrier change. It's a life change/lifestyle not just a job change.

 

[LDB]

You might be the exception rather than the rule but I'd say that going with less than a 22' box is not a good plan in general. If you get a tractor and stretch the frame, unless it's something like a W900 with an 86" factory sleeper you may be able to fit a 24' box. The saying "it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it" holds pretty true whether talking box length, lift axles, pallet jacks or whatever.

 

[greg334]

I guess advice is like fish ...

 

[x06col]

Seems it is like fish...Seems you should just throw a dart there Bently. The "advice" I read on here is mostly "cookie cutter" advice so's if you go for it you'll look like the rest of em out there. Jes maybe, you should distinguish yourself and build something a tad bit different. If entry cost is a concern, I once purchased a 9700 Farmall with 239K miles on it for 3K, a 30 foot box (18 skid spots on the floor) for 2.5K, and did some maintenance for 5K, and started rocking and rolling for less than 11K. Added a steer tag axle for 2.5K, and really started rocking and rolling because the box was 110" tall, I could deck, and "carry" 34,000lbs. Now, this ain't for the faint at heart, but, if you don't wanna look like the rest o the clowns out there.....it might be a choice....but find a Carrier that will use ya first.
Here is a pic of a similar machine.

 

[bentleytech1]

x06col, thanks for the encouragement!! Great story and great picture. Thank You!!! This fish is a keeper!!!!

 

[davekc]

The Colonels Arogosy is the route I would go if doing this as a solo. As a team, only a maybe.
When I drove with the wife had to go to the "camping machine".
Have to know whether the extra freight opportunities are greater than the divorce costs.
There is always that bigger picture.

 

[ATeam]

My thought was possibly a used tractor with sleeper with frame stretch and 16'-18' box all in an effort to reduce the "point of entry cost".

See this: The $5,000 Expediter Truck

 

[x06col]

See this: The $5,000 Expediter Truck

My 11K truck is still going strong and is not affected at all by CARB (it is outside the date time group),( kinda like an antique car) so...the only thing left to mention is the extra twenty inches of "camper" you may have. Believe I mentioned before somewhere, that I do not get in my truck to go camping.....I have a seperate RV for that. I get in a truck to make money and take care of my customers freight. And, i'll betcha a dollar to a doughnut, the last year I ran, my 11K truck grossed more than your 240K truck.

 

[ATeam]

I didn't get into trucking to live like an infantryman on the road. I got out of the infantry and into our truck so I would not have to. My truck works for me, your truck works for you, and off to the sunset we happily go.

Diane and I got into expediting for the money and that part is working, but if money was the only reason, we would not be in the truck we are in. As I said earlier in this thread, spec'ing a truck is an exercise in trade-offs.

 

[greg334]

But Phil I would venture to guess that if you would go to another company who isn't catering to the apartment on wheels crowd, that you won't do anywhere near as well as you are doing with FedEx.

You fit your truck around FedEx's business model, not the model around your goals and truck. If you went to panther, you may be ok inside FedEx but outside of that, I think you will have a really really hard time.

Col has it right. There are a lot of cheap trucks out there.

 

[piper1]

I'm not sure anyone is catering to the big bunk crowd anymore. If I had one, I would be very happy if it was (like Phil's) paid for. The rate pressures are everywhere, and at every division.

I still think new is an option for some, but unless you are looking at lifestyle first, it will be much smaller.

 

[moose]

. There are a lot of cheap trucks out there.

Not enough to effect rates.

The 5K$ trucks are a Discounted Entry ticket .
a well implemented business plan for a newer truck ,can easily compete with the parts Dep. trucks .

 

[greg334]

It seems the price of the truck actually does effect the rates. Cheap trucks open the door for lower operating costs which seem to allow the owner to operate with less overhead than the guy who has a $2000 a month payment.

 

[bentleytech1]

Well...........This has certainly opened a "spirited discussion". That was not my original intent, but it is interesting getting everyone's view, and the DATA for my "continuing education".

If any one runs across another $11k expedite truck, I'm interested. Like I said before, start-up costs are important in this equation, especially with financing being what it is today. Finding a "cost effective" truck hardware solution that meets my needs, isn't outside of what carriers will accept for age, and is dependable mechanically is one tough search.

My overall "value proposition" is that as the economy improves (difficult to see at time) and freight increases, and CSA2010 really kicks in, I probably will fit in as a valuable O/O for some company.
I'm just sort of "betting against the house" at the moment as I finish my education, and my Business Plan.

 

[moose]

If any one runs across another $11k expedite truck, I'm interested. Like I said before, start-up costs are important in this equation, .

Call Volvo in Amarillo , T.X