8 Mistakes to Avoid When Ordering Medium-Duty Box Trucks

To achieve balance between required cargo space and weight, experts share ways fleet managers can reduce the risk of error when spec’ing and ordering.

  1. Selecting an Underweight Chassis
    Consider what you’re hauling (light vs. heavy cargo), and select a truck to achieve balance between required cargo space and weight.
  2. Mismatching Chassis & Box Lengths
    When the box of a truck has a big overhang past the rear wheels, this causes the front wheels to get ‘light’, the tires start wearing out and cupping. Purchasing truck stock from a dealer can help you confirm that the chassis cab-to-axle length can safely accommodate the length of body to be mounted.
  3. Overlooking Box Height
    Will the truck be loading or unloading in low clearance areas?
  4. Forgetting About Interior Lighting
    If the truck will be delivering at night, you’ll want to have proper lighting. For day-time use only, consider installing a translucent roof to allow natural light.
  5. Trying to Spec a ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Truck
    Using the same truck for a variety of loads is inefficient. For example, a too small truck means making multiple deliveries to the same location, causing higher operating costs.
  6. Forgetting Cargo Containment Considerations
    When loads shift, this causes damage to the truck interior and the cargo. Determine load locks and their location.
  7. Neglecting Floor Type
    If you’re hauling liquids or find that you’re pressure washing your truck regularly, don’t spec a wood floor. Keep in mind what will work best with your application.
  8. Overlooking Specs for Efficient Dock Delivery
    If the truck will be loading and unloading at a dock, consider:
         Rear door type
         Chassis wheel size
         Forklift package

 To read about floor types for medium-duty box trucks as well as a list of handy questions to ask before your truck purchase, go to the story at Work Truck Magazine.