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Route truck / trailer?


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I use a 10' box truck with custom shelves I built. I tried to post a pic, but couldn't figure it out! Mt truck was an old Budget rent a van. Got it with 130k miles. It runs well and effectively serves my needs.

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I'm currently providing my route driver with a Chevy 3500 Express van (V8) but plan to downgrade in the next month or so to a Chevy Astro cargo van (V6). I believe this will reduce my weekly fuel expenses, while continuing to serve my needs nicely.

I have thought about trailers, and definitively see some advantages to using one, but I think the additional fuel expenses it would incur has me thinking about other options first.

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I have a 12'x6' cargo trailer with a ramp and side door I bought to fix up to pull with my truck. Will put a ac and small motor to run power to cool off trailer in hot summer. I have not started adding shelves to inside just yet. It is a dual axle with brakes was able to pick it up brand new second hand, it was only used once by person who bought it new. When i have it finished i will post pictures.

mike

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I use a GMC Safari cargo van V6 - same as the Astro. It does pretty well handling the 25 machines I have located and gets decent gas mileage.

When I start out in the morning it's very clean and organized but by the end of the day it looks like a hurricane hit it. It really could use a shelving system and I have a good plan for one, but if I do that I won't be able to load machines in there. I'm considering getting a landscape trailer with the 3' high sides and drop gate for machine moving.

The perfect solution would be a step van with a lift gate but right now I've got nowhere to park that monster and the Safari is easier to navigate through traffic and park.

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I have a 12'x6' cargo trailer with a ramp and side door I bought to fix up to pull with my truck. Will put a ac and small motor to run power to cool off trailer in hot summer. I have not started adding shelves to inside just yet. It is a dual axle with brakes was able to pick it up brand new second hand, it was only used once by person who bought it new. When i have it finished i will post pictures.

mike

Why don't you just pop a 12v (Igloo style) boat cooler in there Mike? That'd have to easy and cheaper than trying to A/C the whole thing (unless you're planning on sleeping in there - deux,deux)

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Why don't you just pop a 12v (Igloo style) boat cooler in there Mike? That'd have to easy and cheaper than trying to A/C the whole thing (unless you're planning on sleeping in there - deux,deux)

i agree or u can get oen of those like an icecream truck has that runs off cold plates that u charge at night

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I use a 4cyl Honda crv. Works good. After I run the route it looks like the war Of the worlds. Plus I usually munch on a nutty bar lol. For machines I use my Nissan frontier and a 4x6 trailer. I actually just bought a 4x14 trailer 4 hours ago because I'm going for 4 machines this weekend. I think this method would work up to 30-40 machines. As some I service twice a month and the best location once a week. Always wanted a small box truck w lift but couldn't justify the expense.

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Why don't you just pop a 12v (Igloo style) boat cooler in there Mike? That'd have to easy and cheaper than trying to A/C the whole thing (unless you're planning on sleeping in there - deux,deux)

I already use a yetti cooler for my chocolate with some frozen jell ice packs, works great. I just don't want my product in trailer get over cooked from heat! No! wait maybe I will deux deux in the darn thing especially when we get a "tompet" one of those blow hard we get once in a while, "hurricane". I kinda did look at the blazer with the 4.3 plenty of power and enough room in back but since my truck is paid for I decided to try the cargo trailer instead. how is that GMC holding up for you?

mike

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Why don't you just pop a 12v (Igloo style) boat cooler in there Mike? That'd have to easy and cheaper than trying to A/C the whole thing (unless you're planning on sleeping in there - deux,deux)

I already use a yetti cooler for my chocolate with some frozen jell ice packs, works great. I just don't want my product in trailer get over cooked from heat! No! wait maybe I will deux deux in the darn thingespecially when we get a "tompet" one of those blow hard we get once in a while, "hurricane". I kinda did look at the blazer with the 4.3 plenty of power and enough room in back but since my truck is paid for I decided to try the cargo trailer instead. how is that GMC holding up for you?

mike

The GMC is great - drives like a car and should have enough room to handle the 40 or so machines I'll ever have if I put some good shelves in there and stop using it to haul machines.

I started in a Blazer - three accounts is all it could manage at a time. A camper shell on your truck would beat that.

I'm still not sure what that a/c is going to do for you - it gets hotter here (less humidity) and I just leave everything in the van except the candy bars and any left over pasteries (my dog takes care of those).

Is your trailer high enough to load a machine?

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The GMC is great - drives like a car and should have enough room to handle the 40 or so machines I'll ever have if I put some good shelves in there and stop using it to haul machines.

I started in a Blazer - three accounts is all it could manage at a time. A camper shell on your truck would beat that.

I'm still not sure what that a/c is going to do for you - it gets hotter here (less humidity) and I just leave everything in the van except the candy bars and any left over pasteries (my dog takes care of those).

Is your trailer high enough to load a machine?

I'm 6' tall and I just have to duck a little to walk thru door, I have hauled my tallest vending machines with it no problem, I would not try to haul any cold drink machines because of weight of those suckers and some of my machines is 6'5" plus tall. I could lay them down inside to bring to site, but then I would have to let them sit a day before I could put them to use. I have a 6'x18' long utility trailer I bought thirteen years ago to move those big suckers! I stand them suckers up and strap them big suckers down with trucker straps with 2x4's front and back screwed down just to make sure they don't get away from me!

I have made a friend in Lafayette that been doing vending since 2006 and he uses a cargo trailer to do his vending out of, I like the way he has it set up. plus he moves his machines like I do with a open utility trailer. I had bought my cargo trailer before I met him and will do mine like his with just a few changes.

I had a lid on back of my F150 for years and one day I had a guy offer me more money for it then I paid for it and sold it! lol!

mike

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I'm 6' tall and I just have to duck a little to walk thru door, I have hauled my tallest vending machines with it no problem, I would not try to haul any cold drink machines because of weight of those suckers and some of my machines is 6'5" plus tall. I could lay them down inside to bring to site, but then I would have to let them sit a day before I could put them to use. I have a 6'x18' long utility trailer I bought thirteen years ago to move those big suckers! I stand them suckers up and strap them big suckers down with trucker straps with 2x4's front and back screwed down just to make sure they don't get away from me!

I have made a friend in Lafayette that been doing vending since 2006 and he uses a cargo trailer to do his vending out of, I like the way he has it set up. plus he moves his machines like I do with a open utility trailer. I had bought my cargo trailer before I met him and will do mine like his with just a few changes.

I had a lid on back of my F150 for years and one day I had a guy offer me more money for it then I paid for it and sold it! lol!

mike

Well,

If you've got your heart set on an a/c unit, make sure you insulate that sucker before you it get full of shelves. You can get those 4' by 8' fiberglass sheets that work pretty good - they're about an inch thick and you just stick them to the walls and ceiling (not pretty, but effective)

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I have a Chevy Astro 7 passenger van with the seats removed.I put 4 2x2's on the floor and screwed plywood to and built racks to slide totes in like drawers so it makes it easy to slide totes out to fill with snacks for the machines.The van also has rear air,with both ac's on high I can get the inside temp down to 66 degrees on 99 degree days.I have a 12volt cooler for chocolate but found that running it heats up the interior so now I put 6 ice packs in every morning.I have a dual thermometer to keep track of the temp in the cooler and the interior of the van.I have a bil-jack drop deck trailer for moving machines.

John

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I have a Chevy Astro 7 passenger van with the seats removed.I put 4 2x2's on the floor and screwed plywood to and built racks to slide totes in like drawers so it makes it easy to slide totes out to fill with snacks for the machines.The van also has rear air,with both ac's on high I can get the inside temp down to 66 degrees on 99 degree days.I have a 12volt cooler for chocolate but found that running it heats up the interior so now I put 6 ice packs in every morning.I have a dual thermometer to keep track of the temp in the cooler and the interior of the van.I have a bil-jack drop deck trailer for moving machines.

John

This sounds like a nice set up!

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This sounds like a nice set up!

It has 237000 miles on it but its still getting the job done.If I remember I'll take a picture of it and post it on here.Just overlook the mess.The best part is I only paid 1500 when I bought it.It came without the seats and a non working ac.

John

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I already use a yetti cooler for my chocolate with some frozen jell ice packs, works great. I just don't want my product in trailer get over cooked from heat!

Same here except I use 1 liter bottles refilled with water and frozen. 3-4 in each ice chest will last for 24 hours in August.

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Famous Amos cookies, man I couldn't give away these type of cookies! Now the 24 variety pack of Nabisco cookies does great for me!

TKK, man you got that truck stuffed! LOL!

Hey, I'm no better I load up my truck with cases of drinks too, bed and inside of cab! Good thing I'm just part time, then I would have to get serious and do my cargo trailer.

I move my cold drink and snack machines with a 6'x18' utility trailer, I bought thirteen years ago.

mike

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It sucks and then say u open a box of cookies and you only load half then u have empty and half empty boxes and you end up putting them in one box full of random snacks lol. Famous famous mnm cookies and knotts do great for me sell for $1

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I use two diffrent style of trailers for hauling my snack and game machines. The one trailer I use most was custom built just to move large snack and claw machines. I use full size quade cab trucks with bedliner covers to transport my snack products daily. When the snow melts off my trailers I'll post some pic's.

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