What’s the deal with the sprinter vans? What kind of loads are they hauling? All I’ve seen is Uship loads (I guess that means they haul anything that will fit). Is there an advantage of a sprinter over a regular cargo van? What would you expect to charge per mile in a smaller vehicle like this?
I've looked at them quite a bit, and my guess is you aren't gonna do well on your own trying to get loads off load boards with a van. It seems to be successful you need to run under a company that has it's own contracts.. The problem is there is a lot of competition for the freight you are looking for.. It's not just other vans, but also the common carriers like Fed Ex, UPS, Estes, Old D.. ect.. All those common carriers hauling LTL loads are hauling what you can fit in a sprinter van but they have a bigger network and are probably even cheaper.. Most smaller companies or even bigger companies are just gonna call up a LTL common carrier like Estes, Old Dominion, Fed Ex Freight, USP ect.. vs call a broker. Even if they call a broker it still doesn't mean that load will go to a expediter as it might just as easily go onto a dry van LTL hauler..
A sprinter van is just a niche market for red hot need it now and immediate pick up. Anything else like the man above can be shipped LTL or FedEx and UPS.
advantage, more cubic space. charge the same as any other van. all kinds of loads are being hauled. maybe some are even set up for hauling small animals, either to and from pet stores (i have seen them at the local Petsmart), or even laundry services..the possibilities are nearly endless. i would however highly recomend a dual rear wheel set up, for more stability, since they have a higher center of gravity than an ordinary van, for the same purposes.
Well.The Advantage I seen was driving from Missouri to Texas (straight). No logs,no scales,no shakedowns from DOT etc.Most were owner ops...delivering a "hot load" somewhere...like an emergency part to keep a big boiler operating at a factiry or a machine part at an assembly plant,faster than ups could do it with all the switching trucks.Just what an owner op told me.Also was a Dodge body with mercedes diesel,hammering down 20 mpg! Jmo
that van thing has been greatly reduced from the auto makers kinda switched away from just in time , landstar isnt taking any more vans on they are keeping what they have but not adding any . but they are still taking on straight trucks and hot shot pickup trucks with trailers ........ I just don't see the sense in the straight trucks i can haul the rush stuff on a big truck in the same amount of time and fuel mileage is not much better than mine ..... then you usually have to take a ltl load which doesn't pay much
