Are you thinking about buying a truck to work for Guthrie Express?
In this business, you don't just need a good truck; you also need good people that will not only get you a good deal on it but will also stand behind you and your truck when you need them the most. We all know that we are never lucky enough to have troubles in our own driveway. We are always 100's of miles away and on a time-critical load. That's why for years, we have recommended and relied on with our own trucks, Seth Wadley Ford of Perry OK for Fords, Chevy GMC, and Seth Wadley Dodge of Pauls Valley OK for Dodges. Over the years, Seth Wadley has always proven to have our back and our driver's backs from sales, service, and when the occasional "oh s@@T" happens, that we all know happens in this business.
Ford, GMC, and Chevy fans, please call George Barnes at 405-204-1931 at the Perry OK location. Dodge fans, call Mike Carden at 405 331-0911 at the Pauls Valley OK location. When calling either or both of these guys, please tell them Guthrie Express Trucking sent you, so you get our discounts and our red carpet treatment. Using our name will also tell them what you're going to be using the trucks for. They already have all of the truck specs that we suggest for a Hot Shot driver, both CDL and Non-CDL, so half the work is already done for you. Also note, that it does not matter where you're located in the US; they can get you a truck! They will get you the best deal and take care of you and your truck.
1. What truck manufacture do you recommend?
In our experience, Ford is the best brand to buy. Why? We have had 100's of trucks leased to us, and we own several ourselves that we have put drivers in and put on the road. We have had every name brand that there is, and in our experience, Ford lasts longer, has fewer mechanical issues, and has less trouble towing heavier loads. This does not mean; you should not buy a Dodge or a Chevy; 50% of our drivers currently drive those. Our experience is just that, ours, and does not mean it will be yours.
2. If I am a NON-CDL, what size truck is the most load productive and efficient for me to buy? ¾ ton truck with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs.
3. If I am a NON-CDL, can I drive a single-wheel 3500 or F350?
YES, but you must still have a class A license to drive for us to drive a single axel 1 ton for us.
4. If I have a 1-Ton dully, but I do not have a CDL, can I drive for Guthrie?
NO! A 1-ton dully has a GVWR of 14,000. This means your trailer must have a max GVWR of 12,000 lbs. The trailer itself will weigh around 8,000 lbs., meaning that leaves you only 5,000 lbs. left for load weight (8,000 + 5,000 = 12,000). 60% of the Non-CDL loads we do are over 5,000 lbs. Meaning you will sit 60% of the time with no load, become unpleasant with Guthrie when all we are doing is following the law, and you will quit. "Why can't Guthrie load me more than 5,000 lbs.? The trailer can handle more than that." Your right; the trailer physically can hold more than that, but according to the manufacturer sticker and the trailer registration, it cannot, and that's what the DOT goes by. Let's say we load you to 7,000 lbs. You go into a DOT weigh station, and your rear axles say you are over the 12,000 (remember to add the dry weight of the trailer) your trailer is registered for; therefore the DOT says you are overweight, and they will immediately ground your truck and trailer on the spot, which causes a very expensive chain reaction to
fix. There are companies that will run like this, but Guthrie Express will not.
5. If I am a CDL, what is the best truck I can get? We suggest one of the two:
A) F350 Crew Cab, GVWR of 14,000, 4.10 gear ratio, 8' bed, dully. You can go with the standard factory 3.55 as many do, but if you can, we advise getting the 4.10 so you get the extra pulling power. That extra power is not required but sure makes it easier when going up steep hills or passing when you're loaded heavy.
B) F450 Crew Cab, 4.30 gear ratio, 8' bed. The F450, because of the additional cargo capacity, will allow you to have a deck on the neck of your trailer and be loadable up to 4,000 lbs. The deck on the neck will give a CDL driver 48' of total load space instead of 40'. The F450 will also allow you to go over the standard 26,000 GVWR trailer range, which will increase your loadable weight and increase book ability.
6. If I buy an F550/5500 is that even better than the F450 or 4500?
NO. All 550s are sold as Chassis Cabs, and if you do your research, you will find that these have been powered down by the factories (ask your local dealer). Compare the TOWING specs to a utility bed F450 vs. a Chassis Cab F550 (same goes for 4500 vs. the 5500). Now the F550 does have more cargo capacity but in the general freight hotshot world, your weight is on your trailer not so much the bed of your truck. Please note that for auto hauling, where you use something like a mini 5 car hauler where there is a car over the bed of your truck, that's a different world altogether. Also, in the general freight world when you get to a load weight of more than what an F450 can do, the customers want a semi-truck instead of a hotshot.