Photos of Big Sleeper Expediter Trucks

[ATeam]

Truck photos are always fun to look at. This is an invitation to those who have them to post photos of big-sleeper expediting trucks they have seen. It can be your own truck or others, straight truck or tractor. There are a bunch of big-sleeper trucks out there. Let's see and hear more about them. For purposes of this thread, "big" means anything bigger than a factory sleeper that would normally be found on a truck chassis.

 

[ATeam]

Here are a few from my collection.

 

[ATeam]

A few more.

 

[Lawrence]

AWESOME! Thanks for sharing!

Lawrence,
Expediters Online.com

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[Broompilot]

Do these bigger sleeper trucks really equal Bigger Dollars? Or just a nicer Hotel Room?

Not trying to be a smart Arse here, but see my post regarding the $26K 2005 M-2.

Who is the BETTER BUSINESS MAN?

From my LIMITED EXPIERENCE, seems to me that this business or industry is about HAULING FREIGHT, not Household Personal Items for the Driver. Just an observation, have been wrong before, maybee I am again.

Many nice trucks and many more UGLY ones. The Pete who ever owns that gets my VOTE. NICE very nice as a matter of fact OUTSTANDING, but % of investment vs dollars comming in can one really pay for it and come out any further ahead than the truck mentioned above the M-2 dollar income vs investment? Be smart Be a Business Person, keep ones EGO at home and enjoy Profits not a truck to live in?

Unless of course I am not seeing something here others do. Like I said willing to how wrong I am.

P.S. I have delivered freight to Winnabago in Iowa, Very nice Campers also.

 

[FireGears]

Very Nice Rigs...!!!!

I love to drive...
put some miles down, see some country...
It's even more rewarding when there is a "mission"
(ie.. a job to get done in a professional manner...)

I'd love to have one of these beauties...
It would be my home for the next 5-years

Live to drive, Drive to live...

Now, that might be a different reason from
why you have a driving job...
That's OK... different strokes

 

[Turtle]

It depends on what you're (they're) doing out here. Some expediters have sold their homes and live nearly full time in their truck. Others have scaled back their housing expenses dramatically, be it moving into a smaller place, or whatever. I don't have a house payment anymore, nor the associated expenses that go with it, like taxes, utilities, lawn and other maintenance, etc.

 

[ATeam]

>Who is the BETTER BUSINESS MAN?
>
>From my LIMITED EXPIERENCE, seems to me that this business
>or industry is about HAULING FREIGHT, not Household Personal
>Items for the Driver. Just an observation, have been wrong
>before, maybee I am again.
>
>Many nice trucks and many more UGLY ones. The Pete who ever
>owns that gets my VOTE. NICE very nice as a matter of fact
>OUTSTANDING, but % of investment vs dollars comming in can
>one really pay for it and come out any further ahead than
>the truck mentioned above the M-2 dollar income vs
>investment? Be smart Be a Business Person, keep ones EGO
>at home and enjoy Profits not a truck to live in?
>
>Unless of course I am not seeing something here others do.
>Like I said willing to how wrong I am.

Broompilot, I was hoping this thread could remain upbeat for even one day but with you jumping in, that is not going to happen, is it?

I'm glad to see you are open to being wrong because in this case that is exactly what you are. That Peterbilt you are so fond of? It was for sale by it's owner when I met him. He and his wife had been team driving for seven years and in the end had no money to show for their efforts and no interest in continuing as expediters.

You talk about the better businessman (with women expedeiters every much as involved in this business as men, the proper word would be business person). There is no relationship whatsoever between the size of one's truck and success or failure in the business. People in trucks of all kinds do well. People in trucks of all kinds do poorly.

You talk about ego. Again, there is no relationship whatsoever between the size of one's truck and the size of one's ego.

Give it a rest, Broompilot and let folks have some fun talking trucks. The thread is about trucks, not the worthiness of the people who drive them.

 

[LDB]

Do they cost more? Yes. Do they generate more revenue? No. Are there intangibles such as comfort and convenience? Yes. Do they provide more comfort and convenience? Yes. They aren't for everyone. Many couldn't afford one. Many others don't want one even if they can afford it. Some can afford it and want what it offers. For them it is the right truck. There's nothing wrong with that and nothing wrong with a 2005 M2. Buying more than you can afford is wrong. Buying what won't do the job you want it to do is wrong. Buying what you want, can afford and will do what you need it to do is right, for you and not everyone. That's the important part to remember. There isn't a one size fits all. I like the Rice's truck best of all these so far. It's all personal choice.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[greg334]

But Leo, Expediting is just like trucking in general, it really matters to some that they have the biggest, baddest truck out there no matter if the kids go without a meal or two, the truck rules.

I was at a shipper the other day and here comes one of these apartments on wheels, had a difficult time backing in with guidence. They were in a big hurry and even though I was there for 5 minutes before they arrived, I had to wait for the egomaniacs to get thier truck loaded. The dock manager said that these trucks are a pain for them to get in and out and wish that the carriers would not send them. She also mentioned that they are only an extention of the owner's ego and make up for some short comings - I think she got that right.

Other than that, thanks Phil for posting the pics. I know I will never own something like that even if I had the money.

 

[davekc]

Phil.....your dead wrong. Ego has everything to do with it.
My wife and her ego (need for a personal bathroom) had everything to do with all the large sleepers we have had.:7
Up until that time, I was happy with all of our little 36's.
My first luxury hotel many years ago was a FL70 with a Bentz 72" I bought from Dan Schultz in Ohio.
Amazing how things change when you get married.







Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[ATeam]

Well, when we built our truck with an 11-foot sleeper, we could have built one with a 15 foot sleeper instead; flush mount the lift gate, use a VNM chassis instead of VNL, go with the minimum required box size of 14 feet instead of sixteen and, presto, we have a 15 foot sleeper. I guess that means our egos were kept in check. But no matter what, we would have a sleeper with a bathroom. Bladder trumps ego every time.

 

[RLENT]

I enjoy seeing the big tricked out trucks - they are interesting - to some degree they are functional works of art.

Having said that, would I ever own one ? Not very likely - I drive a van - largely because I find it easy to drive, manuveur (sp ?), park, etc. I like it - partly because it's not much different than driving a car. Even if I were to get my CDL and were able to drive a larger truck like that I doubt that I would - at least at this point in time. Maybe someplace down the road, in another 10 years .... if the wife wanted to go on the road fulltime or something .... yeah, maybe.

At any rate, any disagreement about these trucks stems largely around the subject of what is one's PURPOSE for doing what one does. If it is your purpose to invest the minimum amount of $$$ for the maximum return, then I'd guess that one of these trucks are probably not for you. But as Leo points out, there are other things than the ROI equation - life on the road in comfort and ease being one of them.

Neither of the above is right or wrong - they are just DIFFERENT

 

[Paul56]

We own/operate a rig where the sleeper is larger than the box.

In our case that decision was not based on ego, but rather on common sense. The smaller box enables us to serve all of our customers just fine where the larger box would be a waste. For us it made sense to increase the living quarters and amenities within rather than our ability to carry sail boat fuel.

 

[Broompilot]

So Sorry Phil, that I rained on your Parade. Post. It is an open forum is it not? I failed to see all the negativity you said I brought into it, and still do after reading it. Brought up some questions is all.

So Sorry Phil, hope you will forgive me.

 

[lanier1]

I have to agree with ATeam. It seems Broom takes alot of threads and seeks out whatever he can find in them to be negative about. Perhaps its just his form of entertainment but I have to say it has caused me to visit the forums less and less.

I think ego can enter into it to a degree but so what? Who among us can really say we wouldn't like to be driving what ourselves and others would consider a good looking, nice truck. I know I bought the nicest looking one I could find in my budget and I keep it as clean as I can and I am proud of my little truck. I would love to have a bigger one but this one works for me for the time being. Maybe I will upgrade to a nicer one next time. Isn't that kind of the idea? ATeam and the others that have the big mega trucks make those work for what they do and my hats off to them. If I were running a husband wife team truck I would want the same thing.

Broom, I think you need to take a hard look at your outlook on life in general. But hey, thats just my opinion, I could be wrong. But, after all, this is an open forum...

 

[Doggie Daddy]

I also agree with Lanier,Broom you just have WAY too much negativity these days.I see in another thread that you are upset with Dreamer for not making you a mod in a financial forum.I don't think that would be a good fit,but how about a "This really chaps my azz" forum?You could have the Col.be your co moderator.DD.:7

 

[RichM]

Getting close to locking this thread. Lets keep it on track about the trucks and not personal.

 

[pelicn]

Thanks for posting the pictures! It's interesting to see the well put together trucks vs the ones that look like they'd break apart. I would have to say as far as sleeper size goes I would go as large as I could and still be able to haul different sizes/weights of freight. I wouldn't want a large sleeper if it limited what I could haul. I'm all for "pampering" if I can get it! :7

 

[TeamCaffee]

I agree we really enjoy seeing the big sleepers just as I also enjoy going through neighbor hoods looking at neat houses! Doesn't mean I want one but I have to admire what people build. It would be even more fun to see the inside of some of those sleepers!