HELP Dry Van or Reefer or Trailer.

You can always use a reefer for dry van loads.

 

I think you need to slow down a bit. On one level you have a business strategy (long haul trucking) but clearly you have absolutely no business plan. Take a breath develop an understanding of the business, start creating a business plan, test your assumptions and then move forward.

It is clear you have no clue if you can make money at this because you are asking one of the most basic questions that should have been answered before deciding on wanting to do long haul trucking.

BTW, the answer to your question is reefer. But can you make a profit at it needs to be determined.

 

Recommend you join OOIDA also. This organization is designed for the 0/0. Google for their number.

 

Refer, then you can haul pretty much anything!

 

Reefers cost more but pay more. Repairs aren't cheap either. As others mentioned you can haul like a dry van but with a dry van you can take more weight. How much do you have to spend on a trailer?

 

Like Bill says dry van and long haul does not work. Vans can make as much or more than flats and reefers if you work one right, but not longhaul, and on average available van freight is much cheaper. Lots of competition with vans, any of them really but vans moreso.

 

Contrary to what you might think, you cannot carry just any van freight in a reefer. Matter of fact, you'll find more problems with it than you'd expect.

As duckdiver says, a dry van can scale about 2-3,000 more lbs. and you have another diesel and big a/c unit to maintain and fuel. Another not too obvious problem is less capacity (volume). A reefer has insulated walls and ceiling, and usually an air chute on the ceiling too, that take away about 4" inside width and about 6-8" inside height.

Along with less weight and volume, you also may have securement issues with some loads. Obviously you would not nail dunnage to an aluminum floor. Aluminum floor is a lot slipperier than wood, so not suitable for a lot of floor loads. Reefer vans with e-track/logistic posts, or even floor tie-downs, are rare. Since most of what goes in a reefer happens to be food for people, anything that might leak, stain, or stink up, or otherwise contaminate your van for future food loads should not go in there.

To add insult to injury, when a reefer carrier calls on a dry load, brokers will quickly assume you're only taking the load to relocate the truck and lowball their offer. That is, worse than they usually would.

 

While pulling a reefer ISNT for everyone--especially a newer O/O with one truck--IMHO as stated earlier--SLOW DOWN--as for your long haul coast to coast idea---SLOW WAY DOWN--first off start looking at rates both ways--they suck--then look at who/what you will be competing with! If you think rates going east r low--wait till you start looking at westbound rates...It is IMPERITIVE you know your operating costs--I would strongly suggested looking much closer at regional short haul freight in your area--it typically pays better--and will give you an opportunity to really learn/understand the market you are trying to operate in--it will also give you time/opportunity to develop some relationships directly with customer/shippers--and talk with O/O doing what you are trying to do! Honestly I would suggest if you just want to run coast to coast for the sake of running long--with your experience etc--sell the truck--and find a carrier that will let you do just that--because IMHO--just jumping off like you plan to--IF you manage to keep your head above water--you will be lucky to be clearing driver wages after it is all said and done--You may not like to hear this--BUT--it is an honest assesment--
just my $.02