small trailer for expediting ?

[moose]

Yea one more thing, any money in pulling trailers across country?

being there done that ,
the truck is in M.N if any of you like to try .
yes ther's plenty of money to be made ,
but only if you smarter then the rest of the herd ,
which i was not .
i can be a great Monday morning quarterback tho'w...

 

[moose]

better get your own authority,don't think any of the companies are going to put you on with that set up.The fed has a guywith a tractor that pulls a refrigerated pup,but thats the only one I've ever seen[/QUOTE

correct ,
many costumers will wonder if the freight is safe inside a trailer that can be dropped .
beside ,if the trailer not dock high ,you'd be just about the only wooden Vanner out there .

 

[idtrans]

better get your own authority,don't think any of the companies are going to put you on with that set up.The fed has a guywith a tractor that pulls a refrigerated pup,but thats the only one I've ever seen[/QUOTE

correct ,
many costumers will wonder if the freight is safe inside a trailer that can be dropped .
beside ,if the trailer not dock high ,you'd be just about the only wooden Vanner out there .

Well how many cargo vans are dock high ? LOL or you all have air lifts on your vans to raise them to dock high ?

 

[Brisco]

A long time ago, years, somebody here once talked about trying to put a single axle class 7-8 truck with a full blown sleeper conversion(shower/toilet/ect) pulling a 30ft "pup" trailer on with an Expediting company.

Said he talked with every Expediting company there was, Panther-FedEx-Bolt-everybody, and NOBODY was even interested in signing on such a setup. But yet the same companies were running "E" units all over the country 1/4 to 1/2 full 75% of the time.

Anybody else remember that conversation???

IMO, a truck like that, in between a D and an E unit, would be a great setup for Expediting.

 

[Crazynuff]

do any of you pull a small trailer with you to expedite with ? I have a 2007 united cargo tandem 16' trailer enclosed of course. I have thought of throwing some etrack in her to haul more freight. or at least open possibilities of getting better freight. of course if I have the trailer it does create a few headaches such as not as easy parking, sticking to main roads no getting around traffic jams easy. but it will also add more fuel expense.

The van I pull the trailer with is my 03 e350 diesel. I get around 17mpg if running light without putting my foot into the speed. and if real smart driving i get around 18.5 with trailer.

But the best part is I should be able to get freight easier to have less lay over time.


It's just a idea I am tossing around before I spend the $200 on etrack for the trailer.

Thanks ahead of time for your inputs on my idea.

You will have more layover time because you will have to log which will limit your driving considerably compared to cargo van drivers .
How often do you think you'd get loads that exceed the capacity of your van alone ?
Fuel is a major expense and you'd use a lot more fuel dragging the trailer around as well as the expenses and downtime caused by failure of trailer tires , brakes , bearings , etc .
More freight ? What is the GCWR for your van ? If you load the van , how much more can you haul after you add the weight of the trailer ?

 

[MCBuggyCo]

I used to have to pull a small trailer on occasional expedited runs. The biggest problem I saw was in how it was perceived by the customer. If you think you get funny looks when you tell them you are in a van multiply that by 10x if you mention a trailer. You are in reality just a smaller version of a tractor/trailer but most people will instead associate you with U-haul and the baggage that brings with it.
On the practical side you also have to consider how you load/unload the van with the trailer on. If you jackknife the trailer in the parking lot a forklift can come to you but not all companies and/or dock setups allow such forklift "freedom". This can lead to a lot of hand loading/unloading.

 

[Jack_Berry]

bumped to the top.

 

[jansiemoo]

A long time ago, years, somebody here once talked about trying to put a single axle class 7-8 truck with a full blown sleeper conversion(shower/toilet/ect) pulling a 30ft "pup" trailer on with an Expediting company.

Said he talked with every Expediting company there was, Panther-FedEx-Bolt-everybody, and NOBODY was even interested in signing on such a setup. But yet the same companies were running "E" units all over the country 1/4 to 1/2 full 75% of the time.

Anybody else remember that conversation???

IMO, a truck like that, in between a D and an E unit, would be a great setup for Expediting.

FedEx CC had one (maybe two) of those for years. I met him in AZ, he's since downsized- I believe the unit 'aged out'.

 

[BillChaffey]

I'm a bit confused (nothing new there) and a little curious and lucky I would guess. I have a 24 ft Gooseneck flat bed, 12,000 capacity. I pull it with a 1999 F 250 super Duty. There is a Scale house on US 60 between Cabool & Willow Springs, MO. I haul Hay, move tractors for locals. Have hauled a car to New Hampshire with it. Also used to have a 28ft fifth wheel that has gone to New England and back a few times. I have NEVER pulled into a Scale house and NEVER been stopped for going by one.
Basically when going up to New England I go #63, #44, to St Louis #64 to Charleston W. V. to #79, #86, #81, #87, #95, #91 Haven't been East in a couple of years so ther may be a Interstate missing.
I have a class B CDL with Air brakes, tanker & Haz Mat endorsements.

 

[Godwindaniel]

Small trailers is essential for cargo pickup and delivery. Generally trailers are used to carry heavy weight materials.

_______________________________________
gps tracking | gps fleet tracking

 

[goslow]

I pull a 20' enclosed trailer behind my Chevy 3500 express van with a Duramax. My GCWR is 17,000 and I do not need a CDL. I do log and run over the scales and follow all other DOT rules for CMV drivers. My trailer GVWR is 10,000 and my van is 9600 lbs. One thing no one mentioned is that you MUST have a sleeper berth in your van defined by FMCSA regs 393.76. If you do not have a sleeper berth you may not use line 2 on your log books and if you travel more than a 100 mile radius of your home terminal you MUST provide hotel/motel receipts.

When I first started doing this I did not have a proper sleeper and got busted in NM. I had no hotel receipts. They put me OS and I had to pay a ltl company to come and get the freight at the POE "Clovis if anyone is wondering". I also got fines for running over my 10/8, since I had no Sleeper and I just happen to be split logging at the time.

I went round to round with the FMCSA in D.C. stating what if I just logged on line 1 and and did not split. I went as far as bringing up the guys the pull new campers for a living. They told me I must show PROOF of my off duty time with a hotel receipt or be at my domicile or terminal for line 1 to be used since I ran outside of the 100 mile radius. They also stated that the guys pulling campers and sleeping in there back seat was not legal. They to must provide a hotel receipt and that they are playing with fire and will be fined and put OS if caught. It was just as easy to build a proper berth in the van.

I still do log on line 1 when I am looking for a load or taking time off when not at home. I have never been asked for receipts ever since that one time in NM. So I guess it is up to whether or not the officer want's to ask/enforce that law. Who knows they do what ever they want out here as most of ya'll have figured out!!