c unit-need help identifying

[Jack_Berry]

i know the b class vans, sprints, chev and ford, the d class trucks of fl, keno, hino and sterling and e truck tractors but what is a c unit? i see references to them but i can't find a good pic or a mental image to figure these out. i know the weight limit is 10-26k# would this be like a kodiak chev or the isuzu trucks in the classifieds?

Jack Berry

 

[RichM]

Jack a C unit can be any vehicle that has a minimum of a 12 foot box nd can haul 5,000 pounds. it can be a small cabover Mitsi or a Class 8 Century or Volvo. Smart C owners have a small vehicle that meets C requirements but gets bettr mileage,costs less to insure etc. You get the picture.
Last year at the F/Liner plant in Cleveland NC a guy with FEDEXCC had a F/Liner Class 8 with a 14 foot box on it. He told me he would give it to me if i took over the payments. payments were about $2600 a month. No Way am I going to pay that,I work for myself not a truck payment. Unfortunately it was a EO member that recommended this setup to the O/O. If you are going to run for B/C rates have the appropiate vehicle.

 

[redytrk]

Spec`s for a FECC "C" unit.Other companies may vary.

14' Weather-tight Cargo Box Vehicle Specifications



Vehicle Specifications
Unit must be able to legally scale 5,000-pound payload
Box floor must be dock high, 48-52" from the ground
Inside dimensions must be 90" wide x 92" high
Rear door opening must be minimum 88" high, 85" wide (roll up or swing doors are optional)
Safety support legs at the rear of the frame of the unit (minimum rating 25,000 pounds)
Legal sleeper between cab and box
Box must be white
Freight Securement

Two rows E-Trac (one at floor level, one at 36" above floor at each side)
Four E-Trac ratcheting straps
Two E-Trac shoring beams
Four four-foot pieces of 2x4
Hammer and nails
Cargo door lock

 

[ATeam]

.

 

[ATeam]

Here is a photo of a CR-unit I saw at the Louisville truck show two years ago. The reefer body is 14 feet long. The sleeper is 156". It all sits on a Class 8 Kenworth W-900 cab and chassis. Note how the reefer is mounted under the sleeper, since the tandem axles do not leave enough room to mount it under the body. This truck is owned and operated by a White Glove, married-couple team. We met them on the road not long ago. They were doing fine and loving their truck.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Three words... O VER KILL

But dang that's gotta be nice!

 

[ATeam]

Here is another photo of another CR-unit. Saw that one on the road. Don't know much about it, but it is a creative use of two Kenworth sleepers, don't you think?

 

[ATeam]

Here is a photo of another C unit on another Kenworth cab and chassis. Took this photo at night at Bordentown, NJ. Don't know anything about this truck beyond what you see in the photo.

 

[ATeam]

This is the Glen and Janice Rice CR-unit that many folks know about. Sadly, it was destroyed in an accident. Still, the Rices loved the truck and drove it profitably while they ran it. Box size: 14 feet, sleeper size: 186", Volvo cab and chassis.

 

[RichM]

All those bells and whistles are nice but what happens if you have some bad luck or accidents and the company you lease to deactivates your unit. Perhaps the Special Services or white Glove Management personel decide to no longer run your unit,a few cargo claims and you are out then you are stuck with a small capacity unit and a large capacity payment.

 

[ATeam]

>Jack a C unit can be any vehicle that has a minimum of a 12
>foot box nd can haul 5,000 pounds. it can be a small cabover
>Mitsi or a Class 8 Century or Volvo. Smart C owners have a
>small vehicle that meets C requirements but gets bettr
>mileage,costs less to insure etc. You get the picture.
>Last year at the F/Liner plant in Cleveland NC a guy with
>FEDEXCC had a F/Liner Class 8 with a 14 foot box on it. He
>told me he would give it to me if i took over the payments.
>payments were about $2600 a month. No Way am I going to pay
>that,I work for myself not a truck payment. Unfortunately it
>was a EO member that recommended this setup to the O/O. If
>you are going to run for B/C rates have the appropiate
>vehicle.

For a solo driver, a fully-appointed CR unit is beyond practical reach. But for a White-Glove team with a good work ethic and money management skills, a $2,600 monthly truck payment is an affordable and managable item.

 

[arkjarhead]

ateam,
that third "kenworth" that was leased on to landstar is not a kenworth. It's a peterbilt. model 379 to be exact. just thought i'd let you know.

 

[RichM]

The particular truck that I saw was not a CR unit,just a normal C unit which of course gets offered B Loads.Truck was out of MN with a H/Wife team in it. Even it was a CR unit,best hope that no one gets ill for any extended time or an accident puts you down for any length of time.
What we try to do on EO is to tell people to forget the ROSE colored glasses and do what is practical. You can always trade up but if for whatever reason business goes south the $2600 payment stays the same.

 

[redytrk]

Not a lot of bells and whistles,just a good working "c".

 

[greg334]

Phil,

I am wondering about your comment; "For a solo driver, a fully-appointed CR unit is beyond practical reach." What by chance do you base this on?

 

[RichM]

My personal plan has to never buy a truck that requires a team in it to make the payment plus pay road and living expenses. This has worked out well for us and I wouldn't be in the position that I am in now had I gone the huge payment route. My wife and I ran team for many years and did OK. These days I run single and it is by choice. Sure our trucks were not fancy but they were adequate and did the job.
Some expediters sell the barn to get into the business and give up homes and lifestyles for large cars. If that pleases them more power to them, but to me my home lifestyle is far more important then a $200k truck. Just my thoughts on a hot day.LOL

 

[redytrk]

My own personal rule of thumb is to not spend more than what you expect to earn in a years time.

IE: Avg earnings for a "C" solo drvr $61k. Dont spend more than that.
Team $102K

 

[davekc]

I would follow Rich's advice. Never over extend yourself. Way too many times we see this and what can happen. Many times they look at just that payment, and forget about insurance and other items that aren't covered under a warranty.

If just starting out, start with a vehicle that you can move from one company to the other with the most load capacity. Who is good this year, may not be next. Because of that, a "C" unit has much lower residual value after a year. In otherwords, no real value verses the original purchase price when compared to a "D" unit.
Look at auctions and your question will be answered.
2600 payment means the truck financed is 125,000 to 130,000 with roughly 10 percent down.
Too high for a single or a team just starting.

The other side as Rich mentioned is total payment. I personally like cash for everything. Case in point. We just hired a team that was doing the WG thing but wasn't getting over 2000 miles a week for 4 to 5 months. Well, you quessed it, on the verge of going broke.
We compared statements and he about fell out of his chair.
They got out of their truck while it still had alittle value.
They got in a situation of just staying out to make a payment.
Never assume you can just make a payment.
Flowery tourist stories get real old if you can't make those payments. Kinda like having a RV that you can't afford to put gas in.













Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[arkjarhead]

I personally think if someone is gonna run a straight truck they should run a d unit. all few more loads will be available to you that way. think about the time you took that run with good pay and good miles but got out of a good service area. it's a lil bit easier to get one of those ltl loads when you have that extra space and not have to deadhead very far. cheaper freight is better than no freight at all in my oponion. and as far as the northeast goes i've run it in a century class with a 22 footer, and i've run it in a long nose peterbilt pulling a 53 footer where my total lenght was around 70 feet. having said that i used to drive a tractor trailer i'm sure i will get another class in expediting 101 which is great b/c i learn something new everytime. all i have to say about people's dislike for my reefer pullin experience is i'm doing good in a straight truck and i did good in a t/t.

 

[jaminjim]

Would love to have a giant sleeperwith all the bells and stuff, but I want the flexability of my 22' box. After all It's all about the money.

$2,600.00 truck payment? I could have 2 1/2 of my trucks for that.