What brand drop deck should we buy?

We've got a couple of trailers with 17.5. If we stay below 65 and stay on top of tire pressure, they do ok.

If you run 17.5, always carry a spare. Replacements can be hard to find out on the road. Trust me, you'll need a roadside repair.

 

Mac or Reitnouer are top of the line in my opinion (for the all aluminum trailers).

 

I have a Mac that's highly optioned & on 22.5's. I have considered wanting to have a lower deck height but absolutely don't want anything to do with the 17.5's. Besides running 55 in 95+ temps there is also the special brakes & drums also that aren't cheap & not everyone carries them, so my Mac rep suggested going with 19.5's & leave the headaches to someone else.

 

I'm currently leased to Mercer and while part of me really wants to buy a lopro step on 17.5s i would never ever ever make an equipment purchased based on input from a new hire. 90 percent of the guys pulling steps here do no better than guys with flat beds. And i guarantee you this driver will be no exception.

To be brutally honest, it takes a real go getter that has his act together to make a step perform better than a flat. And if this guy was an above average dude he wouldn't be driving your truck. He would be driving his own truck. Buy a good flat and give the coordinator the authority to dispatch the truck. Do not put your business in the hands of some random truck driver. He might be a great driver but there is absolutely no reason to believe he has the knowledge and ability to be profitable running the truck. At the most you could have the coordinator(or you) give him an option of loads. But to give him full control? That's just stupid. And to go spend tens of thousands on a specialized piece of equipment that very few succeed with? Thats ridiculously stupid.

 

I was with mercer with this trailer & I don't see the need for the low pro or ramps at mercer, I guess maybe low pro to haul those cheap JD tractors was really the only freight I seen.

 

There is good opportunity for them. But just like a conestoga, you gotta really be an above average operator. It's less of a driving gig and more of a sales gig.