24' Straight Truck (33k gvwr): Curtainside vs Dry Van?

Dry van freight is cheap, and better so box on the back is better to contain it.

However, why are you looking at 24-foot trucks and picking cheap loads off of load boards?

Buy something decent, don't get an IH.

 

May want to give the folks at Landstar expedited a call.

See if they see a consistent demand for either truck. Would look to talk with an agent (internal broker) to get a more real world perspective.

Lease To Landstar | Expedited

 

Buy something decent, don't get an IH.[/QUOTE] I 100% agree with @Ridgeline, in small trucks, IH and Frightliner are bottom of the totem pole. If you’re planning to drive it everyday, you will thank yourself many times over if you buy a Kenworth or Peterbilt. If for no other reason than the fact that the cabs are waaay tighter and quieter.

 

A curtainside will leak in the upper corners and spray can come up from the bottom edge, along the deck. That’s fine, if you’re talking about certain types of cargo. But, I don’t see any customer accepting their pallets and boxes being wet. Also, a curtainside truck leans to the wall side, if you should be looking at a truck with only one side being a curtain.

I wouldn’t touch a Freightliner or IH. Pure junk. I’d buy a Hino, before either of them. They’re a very nice truck to drive. I haven’t driven a KW or Pete.

Lastly, you’ll make way more money and have benefits, getting your Class A and going to work for a reputable, 18-wheeled company. There’s no money in a box truck, unless you have mail contracts.

 

Amazingly you are going into a segment where rates are generally lower than other segments and expect to pick up work easily.

I would consider just a box truck, lift gate and a nice sleeper if you are gong expedite freight but then this site isn’t the place to ask questions, expediters online is.