Day cab or sleeper?

I love my day cab and wouldn't truck any other way. I try to be home every night, but have no problem going out OTR so long as the run pays enough to be profitable staying at a Holiday Inn Express (or nicer). Sure, there are cheaper hotels out there...but when I park the truck and settle in for the night, I want to be comfortable.

When I bought my truck, fuel was up around $4 or $5 per gallon. I was paid by the ton, and averaged about 2 nights per month away from home. Dragging around that sleeper (extra weight = less tonnage able to be hauled) didn't make sense, especially when you figured idling it for 10 hours would burn enough fuel to pay for a motel room...then add in the complimentary breakfast (instead of buying it at a truck stop), clean shower with NO waiting that I could use as long or as many times as I wanted during my stay, and usually decent grub within walking distance, it was a no-brainer. Didn't make any sense to buy anything BUT a day cab.

About the only advantage a sleeper truck will have is the ability to overnight at a shipper or receiver to be there first thing. Spent a night out on the road a few weeks ago because I got an early start to be at a FC/FS receiver bright and early, only to find 3 OTR trucks ahead of me in line that had spent the night. If I wanted my good paying back-haul, I'd have to wait until the next day because by the time I was unloaded and could get there, they'd be gone. But for as often as stuff like that happens, I wouldn't give up my day cab. For an average paying backhaul, I usually tell 'em "If I get there and nobody is there to load me, I'm heading home and you can find another truck." Sometimes it works and I haul their load. Other times it doesn't and I bounce home. Load has to pay enough to justify a nice room before I'll lay over.

A BIG benefit of a day cab, though, is it isn't hard to convince a cop that you're local and not required to have a log book IF you are close enough to home and your BOL doesn't rat you out. ELD mandate pretty much wipes that out, though. Another HUGE benefit is that with a day cab, as long as you drive like you know where you're going, you can get by with driving roads trucks aren't typically seen on...because everyone assumes you're a local driver and know where you're going. The extra visibility is nice, too...no such thing as blind-side back.

 

I'd get a small sleeper truck. Even if you don't use the bunk, you can log "sleeper berth" at times and save your hours or not get stuck on the road. Put a sleeping bag and pillow back there so it looks legit.

 

I am similar as you but "The Bravest" not "The Finest"! FD retired, but trucking my entire adult life.
I built a day cab mainly for the extra capacity. The extra car will often pay my hotel all week when I run the road. I wouldn't use a sleeper if I had one and in my industry I can often haul more with a daycab than I could with a sleeper.
As far as is it financially smarter, I think even if it costs more to stay in a hotel, quality of life is worth paying for in my opinion. When fuel is $4 a gallon it is easier to justify on paper a hotel.
In general OTR freight I don't know that there is an added bonus to owning a Daycab unless having a short wheelbase Daycab could net you more payload when hauling bulk loads. However in the used truck market it seems that sleepers are often cheaper than a good daycab. If I were to go back to general freight I probably would have a small sleeper just in case, but still stay in a hotel.

 

You must not be in law enforcement from California ??? They all retire early then lounge around with big big pensions. Many millionaires created through government largesse in California.

 

id always have a sleeper, i guess i don't mind sleeping in the truck if i need to and the sleeper really isn't a problem when doing local runs where i am home at night. plus i still have a fridge for lunch and cold drinks extra storage for tools or other things i might need for the day. i guess i like the flexibility. to me i get more rest staying in the truck than packing my things in and out of a hotel room at the end/begging of the day. plus time spent finding a hotel room with truck parking and spending money i could otherwise be putting in my pocket if i need to stay out overnight.

 

California Gov. Brown signed two new pieces of legislation the other day that will cost the California taxpayers 10's of millions of dollars:
1. Free immigration lawyers for illegals to fight deportation.
2. Free college/university tuition for illegals.