Freightliner M2 106 Reefer... Right Company? Good for Expediting?

[brent28]

I've been looking into expediting quite seriously and could use some feedback on making sure if I make the O/O jump that I buy the right truck. I have experience driving the M2 106 GVWR of 26,000 with reefer. Would I get plenty of work with a truck like this?

I was thinking of picking one up from Ryder used with 150k to 200k on it (probably a 24 foot box). I would then customize it with a small sleeper, small generator, tailgater sattelite for dish network, and mount a TV inside. The model years are normally from 2004 to 2008 so signing on with Fedex doesn't sound like an option. No platform.. liftgate, etc... the goal being to be as light as possible. I know the fuel economy is really good on these trucks compared to bigger ones.

Would I keep busy with this kind of truck? Would the reefer unit be worthwhile to have?

Thanks

 

[Rocketman]

Your not totally off base, but there would be some things you need to consider.

Alot of those trucks may be geared more for city driving and the fuel mileage running OTR may suffer. You need to do some research about that and be sure the mechanical specs are right. Fuel cost is one of the most inportant considerations in a truck purchase.

I personally, would go with a larger truck. I just sold a 2001 class 8 freightliner Columbia that was running at 10-10.5 mpg, so that part of your assessment doesnt exactly hold true.

What are your reasons for staying under 26,000? I think most of the carriers are probably going to require a cdl anyway. The only thing I know of that you will avoid is the IFTA filings and thats not worth the reduction in freight capabilities.

You need to understand that there is plenty of competition out here. You need to be able to offer as much capability as possible. The reefer will seperate you from the crowd in some ways, but it will hurt you with a lot of expedited freight when you lose that extra box width. The reefer unit would be a very carrier specific decision IMO.

For me, doing what your proposing (assuming your talking about building the sleeper into the cargo box?), I would try to find a 28 or30 ft dry box on a 32,000lb truck. I would build a good sized sleeper into that and keep at least 22' of freight capability (24 preferrably). There are not that many loads that will require that much space, but there are plenty of shippers that will order the larger box simply because the rate is usually the same between the two.

I have thought about the sleeper in the cargo box thing quite a bit myself and it could be done. I would suggest contacting the box manufacturer and see what it would cost to have them build a wall into the box where you seperate the freight area from the sleeper area. That wall WILL need to be DOT compliant.

I have never dug into this concept deep enough to know whether its financially feasable or not. Your probably just as well off to buy a truck about the same year model that is already setup and ready to go.

One last thing...educate yourself very, very well on the emissions systems on these trucks. The emissions systems alone (and their ability to be a huge steaming pile of...uh...garbage) can bankrupt a startup o/o. Do your homework.

 

[davekc]

You would likely be better served to find a truck specific to expediting.

 

[brent28]

Thanks for the comments. A little background might help you guys understand where I was coming from. I took a territory for a distributorship that involves, ordering, selling, delivering... the whole works. I didn't have any straight truck driving experience. I actually do pretty good driving now, but there is no chance for promotion. I am quite comfortable driving the truck so I started doing research into businesses I could start with a straight truck.

4.10 gear on the M2 seems to be right for highway driving. No IFTA is no biggie. My two main factors are price and non-cdl. At this point I would be pretty comfortable getting a class B, but I was thinking of this as a business and being a fleet owner.

I would have an easy time finding guys in their 20s out of college and not making good money. It would be inexpensive to buy a truck off ryder and get them driving it with a straight truck license.

I wasn't sure on the sleeper. Maybe extend the frame.. you can find some used ones without the box. If it is already setup for a 26 foot box I think you can get a sleeper and a 24 foot box without doing anything to the frame.

I think the truck I am driving now weighs 10,500 (with reefer) empty. So I am thinking more along the lines of having Ryder set it up and getting a service agreement with them. It would be pretty inexpensive to run a fleet of these in theory.

I think it was landshark that is guaranteeing 2500 miles a week or something like that. It seems like a solid business idea... but I'm not someone to just trust an advertisement or recruiter.

It seems there are companies that specialize in making sleepers. The 2 footer is tiny. Would be ideal if the bed could be a bit longer... not sure how much cost or weight that would add though.

 

[tknight]

I can't even begin to think a reefer truck at 24' could possably weigh in at 10.5k, ?

 

[Dynamite 1]

ya, you need to read and educate yourself a little more. you will have a tough time keeping anyone in a truck with anything less than a 72" sleeper. ofcourse that is my opinion. a driver does need some space for stuff and some comfort if you are going to be out a month. research past posts on eo about your carrier choice also. especially the one you mentioned.

the weight you posted is a little light. a m2 106 with a 96" sleeper and 22" box weighs in at approx. 19/20k. the sleeper would be grossly figured at 3k, so i dont see where 10500k would be close, with a reefer to boot.

 

[Rocketman]

That plan actually has so many things wrong with it (for this business) that I have....nothing.

Just because you can dream it up doesnt make it workable.

 

[layoutshooter]

I have a 2006 M112. It is almost not enough for expediting. With my 96" sleeper, lift gate, 22' reefer box and reefer our truck is 30K empty.

We have a MBE 4000 with 450HP and 3:56 rear end. We average 10.5MPG.

I believe your numbers may be out of line.

 

[brent28]

I have a 2006 M112. It is almost not enough for expediting. With my 96" sleeper, lift gate, 22' reefer box and reefer our truck is 30K empty.

We have a MBE 4000 with 450HP and 3:56 rear end. We average 10.5MPG.

I believe your numbers may be out of line.

Yea sounds like my employer is wrong on how much the truck weighs... I told them if I load it too much I could easily go over the 26k... I can tell that from going on the scales.