Fuel Mileage in Cargo Vans

[porkchop1981]

I'm sure this has been asked, but I couldn't find a specific thread with this info.

I need to know some specs and mileage for these cargo vans, not a sprinter, but a cargo van.

1. What kinda loaded/empty miles are you guys running??
2. What is the general empty weight on a 2500/3500 Van.
3. What is the estimate gross that you can haul being registered at either 9,999lbs, or 10K even?

Thanks in advance and look forward to the info I recieve!

Chop

 

[greg334]

1. What kinda loaded/empty miles are you guys running??

Can't answer that, got rid of the van but if you are asking the MPG, I averaged 18 loaded and unloaded.

2. What is the general empty weight on a 2500/3500 Van.

Well for me it was a 3500 GMC (9500 or so GVW) with a Diesel. It weighed 7000lbs and had pretty much a 2500lbs payload.

3. What is the estimate gross that you can haul being registered at either 9,999lbs, or 10K even?

See my second answer but I am trying to figure out the registration thing, the GVW is what governs what you can carry by law.

 

[porkchop1981]

Thanks for the feedback. The GWV is what the vehicle is rated for at full load *including van and load/passengers/fuel*. Thats why I was wondering the empty weights.

I'm thinking of just buying one of these and finding coast to coast loads. Its either a straight truck with a sleeper or a van. The van gets much better mileage, but a straight holds alot more and is a more comfy legal sleeper, so...I have some decisions to make.

Is your van leased on with anyone???? What is a rough weekly average in running a van with a large company? I know it vaires from week to week and month to month, but waht is a # that I could guess on for weekly income???

Thanks in advance,

Chop

 

[ebsprintin]

search technics

Try running a search for--"cargo van", miles. When you see how much information comes up you'll see why many people are going to say that it's a topic already covered heavily. It might be a lot to read, but it is also a lot of material to retype.

It took me a while to figure out a better way to search on this new forum, and it is the quote marks that help me the most these days. I want to find something about, let's say--sprinter van oil. The search engine doesn't like to look for three letter words, and I don't know of too many other words for van or oil. Quote marks lump the phrase together and give a search result more closely related to what I am looking for. So now I do something like, "sprinter van oil", or "cargo van", miles.

After that then fire away with more specific questions.

eb

 

[greg334]

Is your van leased on with anyone???? What is a rough weekly average in running a van with a large company? I know it vaires from week to week and month to month, but waht is a # that I could guess on for weekly income???

Who, me?

Well I got rid of the van. Had problems with finding drivers, even with a 70/30% split, so I had to focus on other important things and gave the thing away.

 

[dhalltoyo]

I have a 2008 Chevrolet Express Extended 3500 with a 6.0L.

Empty - 6064lbs

GVWR - 9600lbs

Load capacity - 3300lbs would be the maximum safe limit, but I would never carry much over 2000lbs. Fuel efficiency markedly begins to drop when hauling more than 2000lbs.

On flat land I can pull 19.2 mpg @ 60mph.

On hilly roads it averages about 18.2mpg.

If you decide on a cargo van, make sure you get a 1 ton with an extended wheelbase.

PS. There is really very little cargo van freight that travels coast to coast. A team might get an ocassional load offer to the west coast, but a solo driver...well, probably once in your lifetime.

Driving a cargo van is cool, but living in one is like learning to become a sardine. I hope you like fish.

 

[greg334]

David, the word that comes to mind is troll. I had to get my back straighten after spending too much time hunched over and my wife called me a troll.

 

[porkchop1981]

Thanks for all the feedback. Yes, I understand I ask questions that have been answered, but I honestly can spend here 1 hour and not find what I'm looking for sometimes. I'm still learning the site.

As far as hiring on with a Larger company and expecting coast to coast runs......NO....that is not my intention. BUT.....I'm going to purchase a van or straight truck with cash so its paid for. I'll try to load myself under my own auth. and if that falls through, then I have consider'd signin on to one of these companies. **** Can anyone actually give me a VERY ROUGH weekly average to take into consideration****?????

I feel confident that I can run a van and make money at it, esp if its paid for. I don't care about time on the road as I have no family at home, and I love being out there. I pulled a trailer with my dully for months, and I slept in the back seat....being 6'0, 360lbs....I think I could stretch out in a cargo van with a made bed.

I just like to ask, ask, and ask some more. I was always taught if you dont know or hesitate, ask someone. I do that, and I know it bugs people sometimes, but then again.......I'm sure Bill Gates n them have asked alot of questions along the road.

Anyways.....Thanks for everyone that has, and that does reply to my ad (s). I have been on the road, and I'm jus tnew to the smaller size trucks. T/T is getting too much for me to handle as my loads are always in places that I can't easlily get to.

Everyone have a save week!

Chop

 

[dhalltoyo]

1000 miles per week x $1.00 cpm (.77 + .23 avg FSC) = $1000.00

1000 miles per week x $.42 cpm (operating costs) = $420.00
{Fuel, oil changes, tire rotations, filters, windshield wiper blades, tolls, alternators, water pumps, fuel pumps, broken windshields, frozen door locks, license plates, insurance....ad infinitum!}

Net to you = $580.00

90%+ of the drivers I have spoken with average 1000 miles per week over the course of a year.

Yes, there are exceptions...but a new driver may not even average 1000 miles per week and a more experienced driver might average more.

If you have medical benefits, a 401K, decent miles, etc...I'd stay put.

But, what do I know?

 

[porkchop1981]

WOW, thats a good mileage average for 7 days? Thats much lower then I was hoping for. I mean, its not bad, you survive, but I'm trying to build something for myself with doing this.

I have been looking at the loads I could get myself, and I could run to Cali for like $1500-$2000 with a van. In a straight truck I could run it anywheres from $2000-$4500 depending on how the freight looks.

A van would cost me about $900 on the highside to run 3500 miles and a Straight would cost me roughly $1,500 on the high side for 3500 miles.

I guess finding my own loads will be more profit for me in the long run then with leasing on somewhere.

If you or anyone else has more ideas/opinions, Id love to keep reading!

Thanks to all you guys who read and write , lol...(back that is)

CHop

 

[dcalien]

David, the word that comes to mind is troll. I had to get my back straighten after spending too much time hunched over and my wife called me a troll.

I thought everyone living below the bridge was a troll.

 

[dcalien]

WOW, thats a good mileage average for 7 days? Thats much lower then I was hoping for. I mean, its not bad, you survive, but I'm trying to build something for myself with doing this.

I have been looking at the loads I could get myself, and I could run to Cali for like $1500-$2000 with a van. In a straight truck I could run it anywheres from $2000-$4500 depending on how the freight looks.

A van would cost me about $900 on the highside to run 3500 miles and a Straight would cost me roughly $1,500 on the high side for 3500 miles.

I guess finding my own loads will be more profit for me in the long run then with leasing on somewhere.

If you or anyone else has more ideas/opinions, Id love to keep reading!

Thanks to all you guys who read and write , lol...(back that is)

CHop

I have not been doing this for long, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night.

You are talking about going across the country, and I think it is unlikely you will get many loads like that running solo no matter what kind of truck you drive.

I am averaging about 1000 miles per week, and I see you have hopes of doing better than that. So do I. It is great to have hopes, just be careful that you don't have to have more miles than that.

I started this business with a lot of money. If I had not done that, I would already have gone out of business.

I wish you the best of luck, I only caution you not to let your expectations cloud your judgements. These guys on here, oops and gals pretty much know what they are talking about when it comes to miles and such, and I have not found many that think you can get 3000 miles per week as a solo on a regular basis.

 

[dhalltoyo]

At 6'4" I really feel cramped in a standard cargo van.

If I am not bumping my head; I'm falling over trying to put on my pants.

But...I may have found a solution to satisfy some basic creature comforts. If it works out, I keep you up-to-date.

Dave C. I did visit a Sprinter dealer right off I-75 and south of Lima. Nice folks! Very knowledgeable service tech. Their price including labor an oil change was $135 and fuel filter $179.

Probably another reason why I have stayed with GM. I can change my oil and filter in the back lot at trucks stops in 20 minutes. Including the use of Mobil 1 and an OEM AC Delco Filter it runs me $34.50.

 

[porkchop1981]

Dave,

Thanks for all your feedback and insite. I know 3,000 miles per week from a leased/large company isn't going to happen. I'm not a rookie, nor a road wizard, but I do know that kind of mileage for an expedite van isn't going to happen!!!

I have a couple sources to use to load a van with. I figured if I can fit small items such as boxes, or a motorcycle or things of that nature, small 1 item shipments, then I could load a van for Cali for about $1500 average. After fuel that would be about $1,000 or just a little under.

I'm also planning to buy the van with cash out right so in turn I won't have the payments over my head. Only insurace (which is alot cheaper then straights or my dully) and normal operation expenses.

I love being on the road, weither it be in a car/van/truck/bus, what ever it maybe, I love driving around and being in a different place every night. Or getting a load somewhere and taking 2 days to just explore. I'm trying to support myself but enjoy life while I can. I don't have a wife or any kids and right now, is the time to get out there and do this.

Maybe it grows to 6 vans, or tts, or straights one day. That isn't a huge goal right now, but my goal now is to work for myself and provide a comfy living for myself. Thats it. Selfish as it may sound....I don't have to deal with the nitty gritty same days in and out.

I am stuck on the decision of straight truck, or van. Pros vs Cons I guess.

In a van you don't need to log, there are no iftas, and better fuel milegae and cheaper upkeep *I would think*. A straight truck that grosses 33K is going to leave you with a legal/comfy place to sleep, regulated hours, more taxes, and worse fuel mileage.

I prices between the 2 setups isn't that much of a difference actually. I have found a couple NICE vans for around 12K-15K and also straight trucks in that range. I would like a T-300 if I go straight, but I keep hearing that the FL-70s are good trucks. I suppose its all in how it was used, and maintained.

The other difference is I'm finding more bulky items for a straight vs a van, but it's not paying much better then smaller items, the only catch is you can haul more in the box. The other pros of a straight is being able to utilize a generator on those cold and hot nights.

My thoughts are here and there and I'm sure yall can tell in my typing, but....I'm determind to make it on my own as I cannot stand working a deadend job just to pay bills. I would rather take the hits and struggle and enjoy what I do, then to be home every night, be wealthy and hate my boss....ya know?

Ok, I'll send off for tonight, but thanks again to everyone!

Chop

 

[dhalltoyo]

For the exact reasons you mentioned everybody wants to become a cargo van expediter.

The key word is "Everybody".

You'll simply be limited by the numbers; that being too, too, too many cargo vans in service.

And you can't discount the "Learning Curve". It's going to take time to figure out this business. For example, I am building my third unit with a two and half year time frame. Gee, maybe I'll get it right this time.

If you have OTR experience (HOS and Scales) a straight truck will provide more load opportunities and you'll already be up to speed on the rules and regs.

 

[CharlesD]

I've never done this in a straight truck, so I don't really have the experience there, but I've been running in vans for a while and probably made every mistake in the book. Yes, you're right that booking your own loads will give you a little more money and you can potentially have more sources for loads, but you're not going to find too many of those long coast to coast runs unless you're combining LTLs. When you do see one of those long trips to California, you pretty much have to be sitting almost on top of it anyway because of when it needs to pick up. I've been running on my own for a while now and I don't get 3000 mile weeks too often. Yes, I have more sources for loads, but sometimes you're just in an area where none of those sources have anything or there's so much competition you're up against. And with a van, competition is fierce and the loads go fast. You step away from your computer for two minutes and miss a $2000 load. It's happened to me twice recently.

 

[Crazynuff]

O.K. , many questioned have been asked before but I haven't noticed this one . Do any of you with diesel vans have performance chips to improve performance and mileage ? I know several diesel pickup owners that have improved their mpg considerably with chips .
On the not worrying about payments because the truck is paid for .... Unless you also have cash set aside for your replacement in 2 or 3 years you'd better be banking money each month to pay for the replacement .

 

[RLENT]

I do not have a performance chip in our Sprinter - I am however considering getting the Diesel Power Tuning Module that the Sprinter Store sells - they claim approximately 3% better fuel economy in highway driving and 8% to 10% better economy when towing or hauling heavy loads.

Assuming a fuel cost of $4 a gallon diesel and that I get 24 mpg average without the module, and that I could get 25.2 mpg with the module (a 5% increase) here's the cost savings, based on running 100K miles per year:

Without: 4166.66 gallons of fuel used at a cost of $16,666.66

With: 3898 gallons of fuel used at a cost of $15873.01

Annual fuel cost savings: $793.65

Cost of module: $619.95

Pays for itself in less than ten months.

I drive fairly conservatively and I'm guessing that the above estimate is realistic and possibly conservative.

I like the fact that the unit is plug and play (hooks into the fuel rail pressure sensor) and can be removed with no indication that it was ever there. It is also adjustable and can be set for higher performance or better fuel economy. I just rolled 97K last night .... so the Mercedes engine warranty will expire in another 3K miles ..... so ..... (reaching for wallet ....)

 

[terryandrene]

PorkChop, you asked about fuel mileage in a cargo van and mentioned that the van would be paid for so you "can make money with it" because of that. You would best be advised to step back and look at your desires as an attempt at operating a business and not just a job driving a van. One of your business expenses is the cost of a van and that cost must be included in your computation to determine the true cost per mile of operating your business.

Take a look at the computation in the following and do something similar for yourself by including your own forecast expenses. http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/29963-cargo-van-owners-cpm.html