van vs straight truck

[GroundHawk]

Just my thoughts.Look at the price of a van and look at the price of a straight truck,lets make the straight under 26,000 lbs. You can get a nice straight truck for less than what you pay for a van,new or used.I the time I run a van and I can get to skids in it,but you bet my next truck will be a straight truck,I can carry much more and get paid more for the same money that a van cost.I know that some companies want you to have a new van,but hell a good used van with a new motor and trans can still do the job,thats why I got my own authority.A 30,000 -40,000 van?? and than you want me to sat!!! no way.Like I said before "Just a Thought" Hawk

 

[Weave]

The straight trucks definitely have many advantages utility wise, and the potential to make much more money than a van, and with a sleeper can provide one a decent place to rest while running. But, along with that carry many disadvantages. Some of these are places to park (I have to park my D unit at a lot 3 miles from my house when there), they are quite a bit more costly to run overall (do a CPM comparison, and you'll see), they are subject to many more DOT rules and regulations, they are much more challenging to work on (I could strip a van to its chassis in my garage, I can't so much as change my truck's 40 quarts of oil there), and regardless of how good a straight truck it is they are all louder and cause more fatigue than a van, and require more driving skill to run. One has to weigh all the factors before choosing what type of vehicle they want to run.
-Weave-

 

[SHARP327]

HEY WEAVE HOW YA DOING? WELL YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT STRAIGHT TRUCKS COSTING MORE TO RUN,AND A LOT MORE PAPER WORK TOBOOT BUT I THINK YOU SAID BEFORE WHEN I WAS THINKING OF GETTING THIS CLASS 8 TRUCK THAT A BIG TRUCK CAN HAUL SMALL LOADS BUT A SMALL TRUCK CAN'T HAUL BIG LOADS!MAN THERES BEEN TIMES I'VE HAULED SMALL LOADS CAUSE I WAS WHERE THEY NEEDED SOMEONE. I LIKE MY TRUCK ALOT, AND SO FAR WOULD RECOMMEND A STRAIGHT TRUCK WITH SOME HORSEPOWER /24 FT. BOX / SLEEPER AND BARN DOORS, BUT THEN AGAIN I'M STILL NEW TO ALL THIS! TAKE CARE SHARP327

 

[Weave]

I'm doing well.. one thing I did forget to mention is a straight truck is impractical to double as a personal vehicle, which is something I know many van owners do. But, my straight truck does come in handy when I need to take big loads to the dump:7
-Weave-

 

[GroundHawk]

Well when you move up in anything it cost more---bigger house---bigger boat----better school--you name it,I quess it is a choice,try it get a back haul with a van,and one thing for sure,you can't put a big load in a little truck. Hawk

 

[RichM]

Parking is my major problem,for years I was able to park my D unit in a gas station,paid the owner $25.00 a month and it was great. We would share a 6 pack and tell stories,then he retired and since then it has been nothing but problems. Just 2 weeks ago I was parked at a local K Mart lot and on Saturday morning 12/28 I drove by in my car and lo and behold the truck was in the air getting ready to be towed away.I shot in there and it cost me $100 not to get towed.I have a friend who also parked a tractor there and he was towed,cost him $450 to get his tractor back.Since that time I have been looking everywhere for a convient safe place. No One wants trucks in their neighborhood. Right now I am parking 8 miles from home and it is a real pain. So think about that issue..