Looking to become a fleet owner.

[Taylor506]

I just need some opinions

What brand of sprinter/cargo van is the most profitable in your opinion?(Assuming you finance the whole thing)
Are curtainside vans viable (Planning on doing a Chevy express cutaway with the cab extended for a sleeper, NOT ROOFTOP, and long enough for 3 skids)

For a NEW fleet is it more efficient to buy used or new?


FOR DRIVERS(old and new):
What do you look for in a fleet owner?
What would you say is the MOST important trait that a fleet owner would have?

 

[danthewolf00]

Don't forget you need....
Aux heating for in the winter.
Aux a/c for in the summer.
A generator to power the a/c
And thats just the basic stuff.

 

[danthewolf00]

And a house battery bank to power the aux heating.

 

[sarniko]

Ok you asked the question that I am been figuring out for 6 years
Vans make 20cents less money averaging 80 cents per mile but less work and easy to drive, load and unload more time to rest and sleep
Box vans average $1 for mile but involves
More work
4-3 skid vans do not make sense as it is same as cargo van.
Box van should be longest widest and tallest as much as possible to accommodate 8 skids and unusual loads
Drivers must have clean driver records otherwise insurance cost is outrageous

 

[danthewolf00]

Your problem is weight....the max weight you can haul plus gear and driver.....so those 8 skid box vans are going to be over 10k pound vans which means you or your driver is going to have to log hours and go into scale houses. You need to have vans with a max of 10k pounds loaded with freight and gear and driver AND has to be single rear wheel. If you get a long and tall van you want a single rear wheel and a door sticker of 9990.

 

[piper1]

To the OP, your Chevy cutaway idea is interesting but not worth it. To get enough wheelbase to do 3 skids and have a bunk you will need the 177 inch wheelbase and it's a dually. To convert to single rear wheels that will have the safe capacity to haul the weight, and the proper track width to not destroy the wheel hubs/bearings is extremely tricky...and expensive, trust me I know.

To do 3 skids on the single wheel 159" wb requires a bunk inside the freight area that can be broken down, or an elaborate moving wall (I built one, wouldn't recommend it). To do a separate bunk and 12 foot cargo area would result in a very long body and a very dangerous axle loading/overhang situation on a 159" as well.

If you are willing to leave the duals on a 177", it's all very buildable, but....the body manufacturer will need to "de rate" the trucks GVWR to under 10,000 lbs, and, with 6 wheels on the ground you will attract DOT attention and likely get stopped/weighed etc.

Or....do what most of the little box trucks do.....break the law every day by being over 10,000 lbs and pretending they aren't.

 

[Taylor506]

Your problem is weight....the max weight you can haul plus gear and driver.....so those 8 skid box vans are going to be over 10k pound vans which means you or your driver is going to have to log hours and go into scale houses. You need to have vans with a max of 10k pounds loaded with freight and gear and driver AND has to be single rear wheel. If you get a long and tall van you want a single rear wheel and a door sticker of 9990.

I'm aware. They would be under 10K.

I just want to know if the extra cargo area is worth the 10/20K for a small fleet.

 

[Taylor506]

To the OP, your Chevy cutaway idea is interesting but not worth it. To get enough wheelbase to do 3 skids and have a bunk you will need the 177 inch wheelbase and it's a dually. To convert to single rear wheels that will have the safe capacity to haul the weight, and the proper track width to not destroy the wheel hubs/bearings is extremely tricky...and expensive, trust me I know.

To do 3 skids on the single wheel 159" wb requires a bunk inside the freight area that can be broken down, or an elaborate moving wall (I built one, wouldn't recommend it). To do a separate bunk and 12 foot cargo area would result in a very long body and a very dangerous axle loading/overhang situation on a 159" as well.

If you are willing to leave the duals on a 177", it's all very buildable, but....the body manufacturer will need to "de rate" the trucks GVWR to under 10,000 lbs, and, with 6 wheels on the ground you will attract DOT attention and likely get stopped/weighed etc.

Or....do what most of the little box trucks do.....break the law every day by being over 10,000 lbs and pretending they aren't.

It would be a LWB chevy with curtainside. It would work fine, if not better than the one I use now. It's a Chevy express woth a box on the back. I want basically do the same thing but with a longer overall length to accomidate a separate sleeper and a curtainside body to lighten the weight. Will be able to haul 2500lbs or more after the driver and his belongings. I've already done the math. Im just wondering if the extra cargo space for weird sized loads is worth it.

 

[danthewolf00]

It would be a LWB chevy with curtainside. It would work fine, if not better than the one I use now. It's a Chevy express woth a box on the back. I want basically do the same thing but with a longer overall length to accomidate a separate sleeper and a curtainside body to lighten the weight. Will be able to haul 2500lbs or more after the driver and his belongings. I've already done the math. Im just wondering if the extra cargo space for weird sized loads is worth it.

Weird size loads can get you out of some bkackhole places like Laredo,tx or Tampa, fl.
Just remember to have a good load strap set up because those curtains will not slow anything down.

 

[danthewolf00]

Btw whats the cost of a curtain side body?

 

[Taylor506]

Btw whats the cost of a curtain side body?

$10,500 if I do a Chevy express and do a rooftop (which I'm not doing, they can custom build one for me but I may not do that either. They offer standard options for sprinters that I I going to talk about but should be about the same price point for an extended cab)

 

[danthewolf00]

There is a shop out in Texas that will add a extended shell to the body of a van chassis. I forgot the name because it was 15 years ago but it might be what you need.

 

[sarniko]

$10,500 if I do a Chevy express and do a rooftop (which I'm not doing, they can custom build one for me but I may not do that either. They offer standard options for sprinters that I I going to talk about but should be about the same price point for an extended cab)

Where is the manufacture for curtain sides with roof top sleeper for that price?

 

[dalscott]

There is a shop out in Texas that will add a extended shell to the body of a van chassis. I forgot the name because it was 15 years ago but it might be what you need.

Anyone ever heard of the Chevy Cargomax?
They were a cutaway Chevy van with a fiberglass body and were really neat. I think they were made in Oklahoma. Always wanted one but could never work it out.


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[danthewolf00]

I had the ford version of it. The big problem was the crappy roll up door. If you find one with 50/50 barn doors you would love it.

 

[kg]

It’s been 10 to 15 yrs now at least, since owner operators moved from the “standard “ 2 skid configuration and gave shippers 3 plus skid capacity. This while maintaining about the same pay scale.
Just wondering how many got rich and or retired because of this change? My guess is not many if they honestly look at it.
My take is just buy a van, install a bunk and haul some loads. “Special loads”, 3 plus skids, and other give- aways are not the norm for most expeditors.
Stay safe, stay available, and deliver as promised, you will do as well as possible in today’s expediting climate.
My take on it. Good luck!

Stay safe
KG

 

[Taylor506]

Where is the manufacture for curtain sides with roof top sleeper for that price?

Synergy Upfit


I THINK they're in Ohio

 

[Taylor506]

Anyone ever heard of the Chevy Cargomax?
They were a cutaway Chevy van with a fiberglass body and were really neat. I think they were made in Oklahoma. Always wanted one but could never work it out.


Sent from my iPhone using EO Forums

I drive literally that. But with a Supreme box on the back

 

[Tkayclark]

Are there any other manufactures of rooftop sleepers? I spoke with a driver today with a Synergy sleeper and he said that it was about 8500. He said he found another company that was 1/2 that price after he had the Synergy model installed but I can’t find them online.