Dump Truck O/o general questions.

You are from allentown so you will have to get a Mack thats for sure. I think the biggest things that I can see about dump hauling is the ups and downs. You need to save up so that you can buy the truck cash or get a year that you can buy for cash. There may be times when the work will dry up and you will have to sit the truck for a few days or a few weeks and you don't want to have to keep on making payments.

I would also suggest going for the MP8 over the MP7. You will see the same if not better mileage as you wont be running the engine at full throttle with the extra power behind it. I haul 140k with the MP8 and it pulls as well as a 15L. For the longevity of your left leg I would suggest an automatic or m-drive (i am sure they will offer it in the granite at some point). I know a few old gravel truck drivers that are loving the mdrive now because their knee is worn out from shifting so much in city traffic over the years.

I don't know what weight limits are allowed for you but to me you need to spec your rig to haul the highest amount possible as that is what the rates are set so that is the only way you can make money. If a triaxle is what it is then go for it.

 

Get Atleast 550 and a 18spd or 8ll

 

If you're gonna run a triaxle, you want horsepower. PA is pretty far from flat, and legally they're darn near 80K gross (our triaxles are tanks, but plated for 73K gross). If you're only in the 400's you will want more gears, for sure.

 

Just be sure you never drive anything but a mack, if you dont, you will want to slit your throat if you have to spend 10 hours in a mack again. I had 6 or 7 of them, speck to speck, they fall far short.

 

i'd never buy a mack. pete and kw make much better trucks for off road use. they can stand the abuse way better and won't break down as much.

macks like to break drivelines and axles. get something of a newer vintage you might be already. better comfort too. but stay away from the old tank looking like trucks.

 

Don't let the price of insurance scare you off. The first year I was in business insurance was very high and could only find 2 companies that would even quote it. I had 10 years of dump truck driving but was driving for someone else. After the first year the quotes started coming down after you show that you are not making any claims on insurance. Like my agent told me you have to prove yourself to them before they would give me better rates.