So, I parked my flat and bought this dry van . My experience

I live in a good freight area, and have 0 debt of any kind. That helps a lot I suppose. I don't sit and I haven't spent a weekend away from home in 25 years. I normally do 100 - 450 mile loads. If I'm sitting I am at home in my recliner. Lol. I normally don't touch 2000 miles a week.

 

Yeah, I'm trying to be able to retire in my 30s so that wouldn't really appeal to me, but I could see how that would work in your situation.

 

I remember last summer going to the trailer dealer for some maintenance and they had 0 flats available for sale everything was spoken for... Just went to that same dealer last week and you couldn't barley get turned around... flatbeds stacked to the sky... LOL...


Way to many companies got involved with flats last year putting "flatbedders" in the position we are in now....

How long will it continue? I dont think it will change anytime soon..........

 

Same thing with trucks. Couldn’t find a new truck on a lot. Now they are bursting at the gates with new trucks on every lot in the country.

 

I don't get this. You're obviously interested in working yourself to death now so you can retire in your 30's? What are you going to do with the rest of your life, sit on the porch? If you don't like trucking then I'd just go do something else now.

I run the same area as whoopnride for the same money, same schedule and I'm also home every weekend. I also rarely bust 2000 miles a week. I plan to keep doing this pretty much forever if I can. I will never retire. If I want time off I just go home for awhile, then the wanderlust kicks in and it's time to take a trip.

 

Henboy, you gotta get away from hauling for those huge 3pl's and megas (Schneider/CHR/etc). They will drive you insane with all of that middle of the night food DC crap and lousy accounts they have. Spot isn't bad, I'm still averaging $2 a mile and I always haul what I want and haul light. I actually only have 2 regular brokered loads I pull every week or two.

 

You know it is funny how you change as you age. I always said I couldn't wait to retire when I was younger. I am only 53 but finally got to the point where I can do this when or if I want to. I have been off 10 days and am already getting stir crazy. I don't know if I will ever be able to retire, but it is nice to do this the way I want to.

 

And I thought I was doing good to get my tare weight down to 35k. That must be one light truck you got.

 

Dry Van's mty are light,air rides are different if you pulled a spread axle on your flatbed.best rates are trade shows for a van provided you have the bars,straps and blankets to do the job.I pull nothing but trade show with my lift gate truck.4 bucks a mile +.always under 25,000 lbs.

 

How much time goes into waiting to load/unload at trade shows? I've heard its generally a long wait... Does that $4 include you loading/unloading or that's a separate fee?