Need advice desperately.

Is the 5 ton you looking at a sleeper? The van can be converted to have a sleeper. Having a sleeper would open up more options .

 

Not sure what kind of advice your looking for? If you want to know which will look better, as driving experience, neither requires a CDL so neither will count as experience if you tried to move to a CDL job.

 

Think he is asking which would weather a economic down turn ?

 

Here is a little hint I got by reading your post... You ARE going to fail so don't even try. If you don't know enough about the industry to make a judgement call on what type of truck to hot shot with (and what else would you be doing with those trucks?) You might a well take all the cash you are about to spend and toss it in a river. At least then it might wash up downstream and be found and used. I mean you are planning on throwing it away, so at least throw it where it might help someone...
Now that you are hopefully not going to waste your money... Go get some experience as a company driver to figure out what it takes to actually succeed, and good luck when you do.

 

I will take your money and kick you in the balls, save you the trouble. My advice though is to invest it and get your CDL. Live on that money while getting it and sign on with a company who reimburses tuition.

 

Sounds like a shady 1099 deal which always makes me think run for ze hills.

Who would hire an 'owner operator' who really isn't because he owns no equipment? Someone looking to pass his costs onto someone else, that's who.

If you're bent on being a pretender operator, I'd go with the straight truck for the sole reason that you'll have more load options in theory.

 

Or are you actually looking to buy a truck independently? Your OP made it sound as if you only had those two trucks to choose from because that's all your future bubba has on his lot.