A great many successful kludges are the result of bright ideas by bright people. Still a kludge, though.
windows on van
- Thread starter Everything Apax
- Start date
You Sprinter volks talk funny.A great many successful kludges are the result of bright ideas by bright people. Still a kludge, though.
guido4475
Not a Member
My feelings and opinion is that of how the customer sees you and you're vehicle when you pick up or deliver. We are there to service them, and I feel they will feel more comfortable knowing it is the right van for the job, not looking tacky, and properly labeled.The same with the driver, and his personal hygiene. Do you feel more comfortable buying an alternator from Napa, with a warranty, or from a junkyard, wondering just how long it will last? Please don't get offended, but this window van thing kinda reminds me of the Clint Eastwood movie "Any which way you can" where the one guy is sitting in his beat up tow truck, listening to the other towing companies dispatches on the radio, and he says I can get there faster and goes through several towing company door magnetic signs, and slaps the appropriate one on the door and takes off....lol..I'm not saying window vans and their drivers are fly by night operations, but it just looks so much more professional when the appropriate vehicle pulls up to the customer, in my opinion...
I'm thinking, in our business I'll feel better in the right equipment to begin with. In this case, that means a cargo van. No windows back of the driver's door. I don't even feel good about windows in the back doors, steel is better.
About cruise control, rear heat and air and so on--- these things can be fitted aftermarket if you have need for it. Personally, I find cruise to be debatable at best, but you may make a pretty good argument for heat and air in the rear. Sometimes you do have temperature-sensitive freight.
About cruise control, rear heat and air and so on--- these things can be fitted aftermarket if you have need for it. Personally, I find cruise to be debatable at best, but you may make a pretty good argument for heat and air in the rear. Sometimes you do have temperature-sensitive freight.
What's to debate? Improved fuel mileage and a rested right leg, what's to debate? Of course there is a proper time, place and road conditions for the use of cruise control.
I have never hauled temperature sensitive freight in a cargo van, at least not freight where the BOL indicated that the freight was temperature sensitive. If so, I would certainly make sure I was well compensated for said freight. Temperature controlled freight requires, um temperature controls as well as the added risks and costs associated with it and thus extra compensation.
I once hauled a couple of barrels of something or another that was temperature sensitive. It was critical that the freight not be subjected to temperatures below 40 degrees F. Because of that, the load paid nearly triple what it would have otherwise. It picked up in Houston and delivered to New Orleans. In July.
I'm just not seeing anything wrong with using a window van. If the freight can be properly secured, then it's all good. I know somebody that's used only window vans for close to 20 years and he's never had an issue with a customer or his carrier. Put some curtains on the windows and it's all good.
Lets see. A person can pay $5000 for a window van, have no markings on it and haul freight safely for $1 mile. Another person can buy a sprinter for $45,000, slap stickers all over it and haul freight safely for $1 a mile. Seems like a tall price to pay for that professional feeling.
guido4475
Not a Member
There are other alternatives to a Sprinter, where you can still look professional in.For alot less. And alot less operating cost.
If shippers and receivers ever had a problem with windows (let's be honest, they don't ), then what about the yellow penske trucks backing up to their doors? Ever see them being turned away? It's a non issue imho.
zorry
Veteran Expediter
Most shippers want it cheap and fast. Windows shouldn't hurt your dependability.
What do the two Johns think ?
If one of your good ICs came to you with a window van would you say no ?
As a shipper I wouldn't want to ship in unmarked vehicles.
If I shipped valuable stuff I'd require permanent markings. And take pictures.
What do the two Johns think ?
If one of your good ICs came to you with a window van would you say no ?
As a shipper I wouldn't want to ship in unmarked vehicles.
If I shipped valuable stuff I'd require permanent markings. And take pictures.
cubansammich
Not a Member
I have to agree. It can't be any worse than a cargo van with a room air conditioner hanging out the back window or a platform on the front carrying a portable generator and a can of gasoline. At least the windows were designed and installed by the factory.
You're comparing a used van with a new Sprinter? Really? Well, you can also buy a used Sprinter for $10,000 and haul freight for $1, and another person can buy a new cargo van for $38,000 and haul freight for $1. Seems like a tall price to pay to avoid owning a Sprinter. <snort>
A professional looking generator mount isn't really unprofessional looking. A portable generator hanging out the side door tethered by a power cord and bouncing down the road as you drive, that's unprofessional (something I saw last summer).
But I agree that a window air conditioner sticking out the rear window has a very "seen at a Walmart parking lot" look to it.
A window air conditioner mounted while parked, but removed while moving, that's a completely different thing.
That would be a $5000 used window van and even tho I wouldn't have that professional feeling it would be more cost effective than a $10,000 sprinter.
Yes that's true.