Choosing a reliable truck can make or break your business. In the trucking industry, two main names are popular among truckers: The dry van and the box trucks. Both of the vehicles are different in nature and have perks and drawbacks. Dry van is approximately 13 meters and 17.5 meters long and is used for transporting large goods. On the other hand, box trucks are of 4.2 meters and 6.8 meters and are best for short-distance transportation. But what is the main difference between dry van and box truck? This article has a detailed comparison of both.
What Is A Dry Van
A Dry van, or non-temperature-controlled trailer, is used to transport dry goods. It involves an internalized shipping container, which is usually a rectangular box on wheels, that secures cargo against bad weather, including rain and snow, during long-distance transit. In contrast to temperature-controlled trucks or reefer trucks, dry vans do not have a fridge or cooling systems and are therefore best suited to transport non-perishable goods such as canned food, retail goods, machinery, or palletized cargo. The average size of a dry van trailer is between 48 and 53 feet long and has a capacity of 41,000-45,000 pounds of products.
What Is A Box Truck
A box truck, also known as a straight truck, is a kind of medium-sized truck used to transport goods from one place to another. In recent days, box trucks have become a foundational piece of the supply chain in the logistics industry. According to the USA laws, a box truck should not exceed 26,000. If you want to carry, then you must have a commercial driving license (CDL). If talking about the box truck sizes, they range from 10 to 26ft.
Dry Van Vs Box Truck- The Main Differences
Dimensions And Capacity
Straight trucks are available in several sizes and length, and they are usually 22, 24 or 26 feet. Box trucks have an internal capacity of 96 inches wide, 96 inches tall and able to accommodate up to 8,000 pounds of cargo.
Comparatively, a dry van trailer is of size 53 feet by 8.5 feet by 8.5 feet, which provides a giant area of about 3,500 cubic feet. A typical dry van is capable of carrying 26 standard pallets floor-loaded in a single layer, or even more with stacking, and tens of thousands of pounds per load.
Freight Types And Uses
Dry van trailers transport a variety of freight, especially non-perishable goods, such as non-perishable food products like potato chips, canned goods, and cereal, along with clothing. Moreover, you can transport home items such as appliances, furniture, and garbage cans, plus machinery, equipment, and construction materials like paint, hammers, and nails.
Box trucks are capable of handling partial and small-volume loads of traditional dry van cargos, such as non-perishable dry goods, retail and consumer items, electronics, machine components, and palletized cargo, despite their reduced internal size and overall length.
Cost And Operational Considerations
Box trucks, with their smaller size compared to dry vans, can easily maneuver through local suburbs to deliver products to home addresses at an affordable shipping cost versus large trucks, making them ideal for delivery in areas with congested traffic. A new 26-foot box truck ranges from $50k to $70k, with used ones being considerably cheaper.
Insurance costs for commercial trucks show that insuring a dry van rig costs more than a box truck, with an owner-operator under their own authority paying annual insurance of $15,000 or more for a single dry van truck. On the other hand, box truck insurance ranges from $9,000 to $12,000 (up to $15k) per year for a 26-foot non-CDL truck. Dry trucks cost more, but they differ in transportation scale, with dry trucks being the more profitable ones. If your budget isn’t high, you can start by running a box truck first.
Advantages And Benefits
Box trucks require no trailer, saving time otherwise spent mounting and hauling a trailer that could be used to transport products to their destination. They offer a free advertising platform since when transporting goods, a box truck moves across cities where many people can see it, allowing you to promote your brand with a business banner on the sides or wheels.
Using straight trucks proves faster since, instead of sharing space on a large trailer and waiting for multiple picks and drops along your freight route, straight truck transport puts your needs first, helping get freight from A to B quicker than partial-truckload (PTL) and less-than-truckload services. On the other hand, dry vans lack flexibility since they’re simply too big and inconvenient to drive on city roads.
Licensing Requirements
Straight trucks that are full-loaded do not usually surpass the 26,000-pound gross combined vehicle weight limit, which means that drivers without a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) can drive them. Licensing is a significant distinction, as with a dry van trailer on a big rig, a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License, Class A) is required practically everywhere.
In contrast, many box trucks with a GVW of 26,000 lbs or under can be driven with a standard driver’s license, with no CDL needed. To drive a dry truck, you might need a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) due to strict requirements and more training needed. Box trucks can be driven with a regular driver’s license, having lower requirements that can save both time and money.
Difference Between Dry Van Vs Box Truck – A Quick Glimpse
| Aspects | Box Truck | Dry Van |
| Usage | Best for city deliveries, short trips, and smaller loads | Best for long trips and moving large amounts of goods. |
| Size | Smaller trucks, usually 4–8 meters long | Big trucks, usually around 13–17 meters long |
| Load Capacity | Can carry lighter loads, usually 2–10 tons. Some go up to about 15 tons | Can carry very heavy loads, over 20 tons |
| Driving License | Some can be driven with just a regular driver’s license | Requires a special commercial license (CDL) |
| Structure | The driving cab and the box are one unit | The trailer is separate from the truck head (tractor) |
Final Thoughts
Although these two types of vehicles are a little different but we hope that our guide on Dry Van vs Box truck will be helpful to your queries. Choosign between a box truck and dry van is an important decision. But you have to do it by yourself smartly. So, are you ready to make the most out of your truck? Get in touch with Rock And Roll, the best truck dispatching company and keep your vehicle moving and your profit rising.
