I seen just about all the different commodities here except furniture haulers. I know it's a different type of lifestlye because they're hardly ever off the road. I was at the 76 Truck Stop in Salt Lake (I know it's been years since the 76's) and was in the shop and there was this beautiful stretched out Pete with a beautiful lady sitting shotgun and I got to taliking with her. She told me that for years her husband was trying to get her out on the road and she held out for awhile. But then she said since she's be out there she wouldn't change a thing. They sold their house and was living in the hotel they had behind the cab. The company put her through the school and she said the company loved husband and wife teams.

I know they have to know how to move and pack the furniture but they get paid for it. Every time I've moved with the Navy or on my own the truck that shows up is the one that came across country. And just about all the teams liked what they were doing. I did notice that most of the teams are family or friends for many years. There's no stranger assigned as co-driver.

I'd like to hear from some that have done the furniture part and maybe some information for the husband and wife teams might help.

When I was starting out years ago, I rode as a helper with an O/O for Atlas Van Lines. He was in Special Products, not household. We moved computer servers, art shows, etc. He made good money, work was steady, wasn't physically demanding, but he stayed out for a month or more at a time. That part I didn't care for.

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Go, and beat your crazy head against the sky.....

The mover rigs have hotel-style sleepers for a good reason--the drivers of those rigs do some serious sitting at times. But with furniture being so light, one can put an apartment-sized sleeper on the frame rails.

What I don't understand is why the drivers of those rigs think they need 600 horses under the hood. Maybe they need those horses to power all the electrical appliances in their hotels?

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--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

Ah, come on TIP. That one's easy. They're moving a "whole house full" of funiture. And then there's the freight in the trailer too. What that's not it??

I don't know either man. I've just always guessed they thought it would look "dweeby" to have that big ol' truck with a little teeny engine.

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Headed the Wrong Way...makin Real Good Time!

Tip hasn't learned the most valuable lesson of all, yet.............. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH POWER.

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Hee-hee. That's true, Brickman. If I were getting one of the true "condo-cab" trucks to move executives across the country, I'd probably build something like this:

Rig: 379 (is there anything else when you have a choice?)
Powerplant: 3408 (can you even fit one of these between a Pete's rails?)
Tranny: 18 shifts (of course)
Plus: 24.5 tires, queen-sized bed, kitchen, and shower, and maybe an LCD TV.

Yeah, I'd do it right for sure, you know what I'm sayin'?

__________________
--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

I assume that you are going to buy a real old truck to get your engine choice? I don't believe Cat even makes a road legal and emissions capable version of the 3408 any longer, and the only versions left are for off road use only.

Hey gas hauler,I had my own truck,lease truck driving for North American,it was a good co. to drive for,not like freight,normally you had a window,time to deliver,most of the time you could get a good nights rest,I never had a late load,no reason you had plenty of time.And they gurnteed you would make 150,000 the first year,and I did,thats gross you see.

If I did drop that engine in, it'd probably weigh too much to even drive, as it'd be too heavy on the front rubber. I believe somebody out there put a V-12 boat engine in a 379 and made it work, but the rig was a trailer queen/show lizard.

__________________
--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

Aww come on, if the 3408 could fit in trucks before then it'll fit in a 379: you just need a BIG shoehorn! I mean people have been shoving Cummins K's into trucks for a while.

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