The commercial driving industry spans a wide range of load types, distances driven, and the number of deliveries. Because of this, there are a number of different kinds of rigs you can choose from, each of them best suited to serve a different kind of driver on different kinds of routes, with different types of loads. If you’re not sure whether you should pick a box truck or a semi-truck, then odds are, you’re not yet sure what kind of driving you’ll be doing. Let’s take a closer look to see what you should consider when choosing the right type of commercial truck for your needs.
Size of the Load
One of the biggest considerations you’ll need to keep in mind is the size of the loads you plan to haul. Semi-trucks are designed to connect to massive storage containers or flatbed trailers and haul much larger loads than a box truck can handle. By comparison, a box truck is about the same size as your average U-Haul that you could rent for a private move. These have much less room for cargo, so you’ll only be able to handle smaller loads.
Type of Driving
You’ll also need to consider what type of commercial driving you’re hoping to do: long-haul drives across state lines, or in-city and nearby deliveries? Semi-trucks are typically intended for the long-haul treks, where you will often be on the road for days at a time to deliver a load to a location in another state. Because of their sheer size, they’re difficult to handle in-city, and so aren’t the best option for more localized deliveries.
Because box trucks are smaller, they’ll handle better with in-city driving and local shipments. While there’s certainly nothing stopping you from driving a box truck across state lines for long-haul deliveries, the time and fuel spent doing this generally isn’t worth the cost when the cargo space is so much smaller. So, most people with box trucks stick to deliveries within a few hours.
Available Budget
Of course, you’ll also need to consider your available budget when deciding what kind of truck you want. If you’re very limited on what funds you have available to bring into the commercial driving business, it may be best to start with a box truck. These are more affordable and typically cost less to fuel and maintain. Semis come with a much higher price tag, so they can be difficult to afford if you’re just getting started in this industry.
Ultimately, whether you decide to look for used semi-trucks or used box trucks will depend heavily on the type of driving you want to do and the size of the cargo load you want to haul. If you want to stick to smaller loads and stay closer to home, a box truck is the way to go. If you want to make long-haul runs with larger loads, go for a semi-truck.
