Box trucks are one of the most popular types of hauling vehicles on the road today. The term covers a range of sizes and types of trucks: everything in between passenger vans and tractor-trailers. Buying a box truck gives you the ability to move large amounts of raw materials, equipment, or finished product – without the need for a specialized drivers license.
When shopping for a box truck, you should start with a basic idea of what size you want, based on the length of the cargo area (not the whole truck). 14' to 24' trucks are the most common, and provide plenty of space for most small to medium-sized businesses.
Buying more truck than you need is a waste of money, both on the initial purchase and on ongoing fuel costs, so take some time to consider your average load and how often you'll really be maxing out the cargo area.
Gas or diesel?
Make sure you know whether you want a gasoline or diesel engine. Diesel engines tend to last longer because they operate at lower temperatures and pressures. Gas provides better acceleration, and is cleaner and quieter.
These days, when gas prices fall, there's little difference in price between the two types of fuel. When prices spike, though, diesel prices tend to increase more slowly than gas, so you can come out ahead with diesel.
Other terminology
You may hear box trucks referred to as cube vans or cube trucks – even though they're usually more rectangular than cubic. The term box van is also used to refer to the same vehicles.
Typically, cargo vans are more like regular passenger vans. They're built with a one-piece body for both the cab and the body, as opposed to the two-piece construction used for box trucks.
