Day cab or sleeper?

I would get a small sleeper if only running close to the house. I'm usually within 300 miles of the house and home on weekends but love my big (72in) sleeper. I spent over 10 years on the road in a management position. Planes and hotels about 30 weeks a year. I hate hotels!!!! My sleeper is clean and comfy and my stuff is always with me.

With e logs I'm sure I'll spend some overnight at a shippers. Heck I spent 4 hours at a reciever today. It would suck being stuck in the drivers seat all that time? Elogs will make a sleeper almost mandatory if your going to work off of load boards even semi local I think?

 

Let's be honest. If you are planning on running the load boards, your wife had better make a lot of money. I try to not run any broker loads. There just isn't enough money in it. I think you'd be more happy doing something like end dump or dump truck work where you can be home most of the time. I've done both, and I'll tell ya, it s fun to get to go for a ride now and then but being home most nights is where it's at.

 

You can sleep in a hotel even if you have a sleeper. I would get one unless you are interested in hauling max weight. A longer truck rides better. An old longer truck rides way better than an old day cab. If you are waiting for a customer and get to take a nap it is very good. If you are stuck somewhere for hours a little tv and place to stretch out is almost heaven. I have spent years in day cabs and years in sleeper truck. I will take the sleeper every time. I have a home every night except once every two weeks job. I have a new sleeper truck.

 

Leased on with the company I'm with two and a half months or so ago. On the flatbed side we run 99% load board freight. I was looking at the numbers last week, I am well above 2.50 all miles gross. I mainly run the southeast. 300-600 miles a run. I shoot for at least a grand a day. I got all the way down to $500 bucks in my business account starting out. I have a substantial amount built back up.

I disagree and my opinion you can make a good living running load boards and brokered freight, at least on the open deck side.

 

Personally, I would have a sleeper. I run within a 150 mile radius here in Michigan. I rarely leave the state, but sometimes do. Short haul is where the money is, and having that sleeper can be a real benefit if you finish up late and find a load for in the morning that you may have to pass on due to your accommodations. Sleeping across the seats is no fun, trust me on that.

 

Read this, it will be a great help to you. http://rawze.com/book/The First Time Class-8 Lease-Purchase Owner-Op Guide.pdf

I know the author, and can tell you he has saved my bacon more than once. Oh, he is not selling anything, so no worries there. This is geared for the first time truck purchaser, not just the lease op. Some good advice on which truck to purchase and what to look for. Rawze.com

 

Really? Last two broker loads average 2.76 per mile for 2100 miles total.

 

Speaking of load boards, my buddy runs Los Angeles to Phoenix regularly, he lives in Phoenix. He found a gal to dispatch him, she runs her husbands truck and one or two others for a small fee. He loves her, right now she is bagging $3.50 a mile out of CA. There is money out there, you just need to know where to look, and have a good rapport with the folks offering the freight. Been there, and done that. Oh, this is van freight.

 

I run a day cab for years. Slept in way more than I should have. It got to the point that a two hour nap would kill my knees. I've had a 389 Pete, with a 36", bunk now for a few months. I've only slept in the sleeper three times but I've napped in the seat a bunch. Being able to fully recline the seat is WONDERFUL. The added storage is nice too.