Sleeper compartment section in trailer?

In Searcy there is a shop that rebuilds totaled tractors. And sometimes tears em to useable parts including engines, bodies, sleepers, seats etc and parts em out when they are beyond restoration. Im pretty sure there might be a couple old sleeper bunks on the gravel waiting for a home behind some lonely daycab.

 

CDL Up to date is something a little bit different. I was after I stopped driving due to medical retirement and loss of sight, grandfathered under Arkansas Law to keep my CDL and all the endorsements etc. All I was required to do was pass the eye test and renew. There was a sworn affidavit that needed to be signed by the State as explained to me under what is called Tier Two. Tier Two is non Medical Cert holders of Grandfathered CDL's, those involved with very particular short farm work with limitations without medical and particularly those who will be called up to serve as rolling mortuaries hauling dead bodies after the USA gets hit with Nuclear, Bio or Chem attack in future.

Tier one is full Medical certs, commerce across state lines and intrastate etc. No limits or restrictions. And some other states have tiers three through 5 which makes my head hurt today. I'll leave that off for another day.

Many truckers myself included at one time or another had plans to use the sleeper truck reequipped as a RV and if money is availible ship tractor to have a custom apartment built on among other luxuries for RV purposes. Sometimes the third axle is cut off bobbed for tax purposes and painted private, not for hire. Etc. Or simply buy a RV 5th wheel trailer and match the tractor to it and go.

The day of the retired ad-hoc trucker is pretty much over. Times have changed and not for the better. I forget exactly which recent threads discussed the rate environment versus excessive ongoing fixed costs such as freight insurance, other required insurances etc and taxes and so on imposed on a owner of at least one 18 wheeler still hauling for revenue. The losses in fixed costs will bankrupt the retiree right quick.

I think maybe there is a touch of a dream to be able to toss a load in there and roll once a year or whatever and pocket 5000 dollars. But that dream has to be popped like a bad balloon in today's glare and sharp increasing regulations that apparently to ME... seem designed to destroy whatever freedom we have left to make a dollar.

 

You'd be better off (versatility AND dollars) getting a longer wheelbase tractor (>300" ) with a large sleeper (>100" ...saw one that was 200", which at the time was impressive since my company truck's wheelbase was only 198")...basically a class 8 truck that has been converted to an RV that still has a 5th wheel to pull a semi trailer.

 

I was raised among drivers, when I started made many good friends that were on up there. Only ones I seen retire was from medical reasons. The rest well pretty well drove up till........not that they didn't have the money to retire

 

The simple fact is it would take away valuable cargo space so why would a company use a trailer for sleeping quarters? On the other hand a horse trailer has probably enough space for both the horse and the person.

 

Back in the late 90's expediters were putting bunks in the first 5 feet or so of the box on their straight trucks. It kind of faded away. Not sure if some leagal issue came up. Back in the early 80's l worked for a firestone distributor that suplied tires to a racing series. They bought a 48 foot van and converted the front 20? feet to a living quarters. That was to be used only when it was parked though. We never had any issues from anyone but that was a long time ago plus a private carrier emblazoned with racing graphics seemed to get a free pass lol

 

This is where cabovers would be nice. That 4 feet of hood could translate to a 9 foot sleeper on the same wheelbase.

 

One thing I didn't notice mentioned is security. You will play merry heck going through customs, in ports, rail yards, etc. Any officer will see it and wonder what else is being hidden.

Then there is high value loads. I can't see a hvl shipper liking that. While sure there is a bulkhead there, I'm sure plenty will not trust it to not be removable. And basically any shipper will question it. As simple as a seal is, it does it's job. It shows there has been no tampering since the seal was put on. Can you guarantee that with a bulkhead that may or may not be able to be opened?

I agree with others. If you want an RV/work truck, simply get a long wheelbase vehicle and drop a camper on the back. We had one poster not too long ago that posted the inside of his rig. Very nice with kitchen, shower, and all that sort of stuff.

 

Yes just for giggles New W900 day cab setting at the local dealer is $ 157,000

 

You know, I try and comprehend that,,what that translates into actual work to pay for that. I mean, my 1st truck in 1988, a 1982 Western Star, cost me $22,000 ( or about $47,000 today) and I knew what it took to make THOSE payments, I couldn't imagine tripling that. And the real kicker, especially that Volvo for $112g's, is it's going to be worth 2/3rds that as soon as you drive it off the lot. Who is buying these $160g trucks, and take that kind of loss right off the bat? I tell ya', this economy HAS to implode one of these days.