Van vs. Straight Truck

[runswthxcissors]

I am a newbie with recent CDL. I am thinking of entering the expediting industry. I have never driven professionally before. I have been in the IT industry for over 30 years and been weeded out due to age and salary requirements.
Enough said. The real question is which is better? Van or straight truck? What are the differences and where can I make the most money? I have spoke to a few people and been told you cannot make money in Van's and straights are the way to go.

Any thoughts?

 

[JohnO]

I suggest you do a search listing van also include archived topics for a wealth of information on vans. That should answer a lot of your questions.

 

[LDB]

John hit it just right. Go back through a dozen or so pages of general, truck and newbies forums and you'll find lots of discussion on topics you need to know about. The condensed version is the larger the unit, at least in B, C, and D units, the more money opportunities. If they have to they can pay a D to take a small box somewhere. Even if they want to they can't pay a B to take 4 skids somewhere. Take the time to read through lots of pages of the forum and you'll find your answers.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[ronandpam]

I am an owner with a partner as operator of a Sprinter for 2+ yrs.
I also work in IT and have seen my skills become obsolete very quickly. My advice would be to stay out of expediting.

There are straight trucks and vans out there that are definitely making money or they would go out of business fast. The key is minimizing expenses and downtime. One way to do this is to be a driver/mechanic. Buy a used van or truck maybe 5-10 years old. Then buy another one just like it that has been wrecked badly on the side or rear. Use the wrecked van for parts, do all your own maintenance.
Are you an experienced mechanic? Keep in touch with local junkyards. Sometimes they will sell you an entire transmission, engine, etc. Another reason it is important to do your own work is to keep downtime to a minimum. There are busy times and there are slow times. Usually the slow times are when the repair shops are closed. Using these slow times to do vehicle maintenance is key. If you start making money with a van then you might want to buy a straight truck as well so you carry more variety of freight. Good Luck!