Tractor/Trailer vs Straight??

[flatbedin]

I'd like to have a good, clean, honest debate about the advantages, and disadvantages of having a t/t vs a straight.. Pros vs Cons.. Money vs Money.. For not only the O/O, but the carrier..

I've been at home this week getting some maintenance done on the truck that I needed to do.. So during my down time in the evenings I've done alot of research about t/t. In the expediting field and in the full load field.

I'm just wandering what other's think...

 

[kwexpress]

KW Express
o/o till i die

well my take on it is a trator will last longer seeing 1 million plus miles is not uncommon.

A tractor can take straight truck and cargo van loads so I would say more load options plus a tractor can find a load most anyplace so less deadhead.

its easy to buy a different type trailer so if you want to do van or flat or step deck or whatever you feel.

that would be the pros to a tractor

the cons
less fuel mileage
takes more space to park you just cant zip into a cracker barrel for a bite to eat
more parts means more things to replace like 18 tires
so added expence for repairs and replacement parts
just harder to get around in

a tractor will gross alot more money but the profit margin is not as large as a straight when all is said and done
ie. insurance for 100k cargo 1 Million Liability and physical damage on my tractor runs about $520.00 per month on my straight it about $320.00 per month so I have to work more days in a month with the tractor just to cover my fixed expence.but the flip side to that is I can load my tractor everyday even saturday and sunday.

 

[kwexpress]

KW Express
o/o till i die

thats my take as a carrier not just an o/o

but I dont push my straight when I load it I load it out and back cause I prefer to spend my time at home and just need to a couple grand per week with it and thats done in 2 days

as a carrier who does more than expedite freght if your in a tractor and not doing 5k per week your doing something wrong and when I dont drive my straight and just dispatch both trucks then 3k a week is my average with the straight.I am sure there are those that do better than me but I have a life,hometime,and a family I enjoy but with 3 kids its nice to get away a couple days a week

 

[wallytrucker1]

I recently "unstretced" my straight trk, and now will be pulling a 28' pup, 28 x 102, airride, tuck under liftgate. I figure 12 pallets and room in front for my junk. Landstar will still show me as a D unit as long as pup is under 32'. I kicked my gross wt. up to 54k. Should be able to service the agents I pull for better and open me up to more loads and still be eligble for FEMA loads. Keep ya posted..

 

[wallytrucker1]

P.S. Tractor is 2000 fld120, 10 spd, 12.7 detroit,rigmaster and runs great at 920,000 miles. Tried to sell, miles were the issue so I punted...

 

[Crazynuff]

I've seen many D units on class 8 chassis . These will last as long as any tractor . The use of pup trailers has come up before and I'm surprised there are not more of them . A 32' pup is much easier to manuever than a 24' straight truck . If a tractor is disabled a new power unit can take the load without having to transfer it . An ideal situation would be 2 or more trailers with a dedicated customer that would preload them .

 

[flatbedin]

Wally, the setup your running now, is just like the setup I am running, except mine are attached... If you build a "loft" in the front of your box, say about 7' off the floor, you'll have plenty of room for pads, straps, ect. Put a short peice of E-track right behind the loft and store all your load bars. On a regular 40x48 skid I can carry 14 pallets on the ground, and if they are stackable, I can carry 26. (2 less because of loft)

One reason I am looking into a T/T is because we are in a revolving industry, in which there are more and more carriers popping up daily hauling expedite freight..

So trying to "think outside the box", I am always looking at ways to keep money not only in my pocket, but also make my carriers business grow.. I think that without your carrier, the O/O won't make a dime, and without the O/O, the carrier can't make a dime..

 

[louixo]

The long and short of it is this simple explanation in my view:
Running a TT will give you much more flexibility in getting loads, which means you will be running more loaded miles. It costs the same 365 days a year to move freight from point A to point B, no matter what size truck it goes on. A straight truck on the other hand gives you more access to diversions on the road (shopping malls, restaurants etc.) The tractor costs more to maintain, but is offset by more loaded miles. The straight truck is lower maintenance, but in general will run more deadhead, and less loaded miles. The difference is in the application of course. If you can find a high paying dedicated in a straight truck, then that´s obviously going to work for you. But if you´re out there like most looking for loads, and chasing the buck, I´d go TT. The small percentage of maintenance will be out weighed by the overall increase in loaded miles. And one big thing of course is you can always take a TT and go work almost anywhere in trucking. In a straight you´re locked in.