Swift flatbed

That would be yes and no. They have FL and Volvo trucks specifically ordered for flatbedders. They usually have longer wheelbase, and Columbias have twin exhaust stacks behind the doors, instead of single stack behind the sleeper. They MAY have slightly shorter axle gears, but don't quote me on that one. But other than that, there's nothing special about them as far as I know.

I was assigned to a van-spec Columbia with headache rack and a side tool box, and I knew a couple guys who had ProStars.

You will be switching trailers quite a bit at Laredo, Nogales, Phoenix, etc, so you have to carry all equipments on your tractor. They also ditch tire chain rack when they install the side box, so keep that in mind. I had to store some lumber (dunnage) on my upper bunk. So try to pack light.

Equipments are decent, except for tarps. When you swap equipments with other drivers, unroll the tarps to check its condition if you have time. One time, I was supposed to get a lumber tarp and ended up with a tarp for covered wagons. Of course, I found that out when I needed to use it a month later.

IF you have a chance, try to get the third steel tarp. The company only issues two for each truck, but once in a while, you'll stumble across a torn-up tarp some driver abandoned. Pick it up, and trade that in for a better one. It will save a LOT of grief/time when you haul something long and short.

 

Yup. They do take up a fair amount of room if you store them under the bunk, for example. They'll issue a pair of duals, and two pairs of singles.

 

Thanks. It's an ex-Melton T6. I started at the beginning of last month. Not much profit yet due to start up cost, but I'm enjoying it.

 

Hmmm, it is hard to say. I'm still paying what could be considered as start up expenses. It depends on where to draw the line.

$23,931.57 is what I have on my spread sheet, at the time I signed the lease contract with Mercer. This includes the purchase price/registration of the trailer, $10k downpayment for the truck and trip expense (bought it in Tulsa), various tie down equipments, repair, fuel, temporary trip permits, etc. It does not include living expense such as meals during the trips.

Honestly, there's a fair amount of waste in there. Also I wanted to get a truck with '04 EPA engine as I'd be stuck in Commie-fornia for the next couple years and didn't want to miss out on loads coming out of ports. There are cheaper ways to do it.

2006 T600, 435hp Acert C15, 13 sp, 3.36 axle gears 22.5LP tires, 381,400 miles at the time of purchase. Asking price was $35.5k at a mom & pop type dealership. Unfortunately, Paccar financial was the only place that approved me for a loan and they'd only fund KW or Pete dealers. So it ended up at $37k going through a middle man.

 

My mentor would not reccomend being a L/O here.

He used to plow snow in Minnesota. Told me when they offer you chains, get the singles.