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Box Trucks

Smaller than a 53’ dry van or large straight truck, bigger than a Sprinter, a box truck is ideal for smaller shipments that need to move door-to-door quickly. Use the information below to decide if a box truck is right for your next shipment or delivery.

What are Box Trucks?

Youve seen box trucks around town, in light industrial zones, at convention centers and event spaces, and out on the highway. Small yet versatile, these are the choice when your load is too bulky for a Sprinter yet not big enough to justify a straight truck or dry van.
 

Box trucks fill the gap between compact cargo vehicles and larger freight options, offering the perfect balance of capacity and maneuverability. With their enclosed cargo area, they provide excellent protection from the elements, making them ideal for transporting goods that need to stay dry, clean, or temperature-controlled.

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Box Truck Advantages

Box trucks are highly advantageous for expedited freight due to their compact size, maneuverability, and versatility. Their enclosed cargo area provides secure and weatherproof transportation, ensuring that valuable goods being transported remain protected during transit. With their smaller footprint compared to larger freight vehicles, box trucks can navigate urban environments, tight streets, and loading docks more easily, enabling faster deliveries. 

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Capabilities

Box trucks have a square body on a rigid frame. That results in good payload and lots of interior space, while keeping them small enough for city streets. Their capacious volume creates room for multiple pallets, drums, totes or wheeled carts and shelving. If additional capacity is needed, some have more space for cargo over the cab.
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Design

A growing number of box trucks are of thecaboverdesign where the driver (and passengers(s)) sit above the engine. That reduces the overall length of the vehicle, improves visibility, and gives it an even tighter turning circle. This design makes cabover box trucks especially well-suited for urban and suburban environments, where tight streets and limited parking space are common challenges.
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Loading

The floor of most box trucks is below the level of the standard loading dock, (they wont take the weight of a fork truck). A few box trucks are equipped with a powered lift platform, but these tend to be the exception. Most of these trucks have a rear roller door that doesnt need extra space to swing open. Side doors are uncommon.
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Versatility

Whether cabover or the more standard design with the hood out in front, box trucks are nimble enough for urban streets and parking lots, yet large enough to carry a useful load. As stable and practical on the highway as at a sporting event or exhibition hall, they may be the ultimate in flexibility and versatility. Their adaptability makes box trucks a preferred choice for a wide range of industries, from delivery services to pop-up retail shops.
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Regulations

Like a Sprinter, box trucks dont typically need a commercial drivers license to operate. Box trucks usually only require a standard driver’s license when GVWR is under 26,000 lbs. They also get reasonably good gas mileage, (considering their boxy aerodynamics), which again serves to reduce operating costs.
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Efficiency

With a loading height compatible with most standard docks and roll-up rear doors for easy access, box trucks are designed for efficiency. They can navigate city streets with ease, park in tighter spaces than larger vehicles, and still handle substantial payloads. Whether you’re managing local deliveries or regional shipments, a box truck offers the flexibility and capacity to get the job done efficiently and cost-effectively.

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Why Work with FullTruckload.com?

A Single Point of Contact

From booking to delivery, you’ll have a dedicated expediter guiding you through every step of the logistics process. Experience seamless, personalized support from start to finish.

Real-Time Tracking, 24/7/365

With real-time updates and complete visibility, you can stay ahead of any potential delays and make informed decisions to keep your operations running smoothly.

Multiple Options

We proactively analyze ground and air traffic, anticipate weather challenges, and account for potential flight delays to keep your shipment on track. Our goal is to overcome any obstacles and ensure your deadline is always met.

FullTruckload.com’s Streamlined Process

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Single point of contact

Work with the same expeditor during your shipment’s entire process–no annoying call centers!
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shipment-to-vehicle matching system

We carefully match the size and weight of your shipment to the right vehicle.
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Vetted & exclusive carriers

We work with vetted, experienced carriers, so you get one vehicle for the entire delivery process exclusive.
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real-time monitoring & alerts

Our GPS tracking technology lets us know exactly where your shipment is at all times.

Types of Vehicles

BOX TRUCK
SPRINTER VAN
STRAIGHT TRUCK
HOT SHOT TRUCK
53' DRY VAN
FULL FLATBED

Box Truck Types of Cargo

These vehicles are so versatile it might be easier to list what they can’t carry. If it fits, with the exception of loose material that needs a hopper or tank, they’ll take it. Typical applications include:

  • Cartons, boxes, and other packages
  • Totes, drums and bins (covered or with lids to prevent spills)
  • Presentation stands and display materials
  • Industrial machinery (providing it doesn’t need to be moved with a fork lift)
  • Large or bulky spare parts
  • Engines, transmissions, anything similar that can be strapped to a pallet or cradle
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Range and Routes

Box trucks are at their best on short-to-medium range deliveries. Whether you need to get your freight or item across town or across state, a box truck is often the fastest and most cost-effective method. However, if you need a few cartons or pallets moving state-to-state or even into or out of Canada or Mexico, a box truck may still be your best option.

Two other factors to consider are reasonable fuel efficiency, and good for long highway hauls. Together, these can mean fewer stops and faster delivery.

The bottom line is, while box trucks are primarily intended for operations in built-up areas, where their agility and visibility translate to safe and quick journeys, longer trips are definitely not out of the question.

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Box Truck Cargo Capacity

There are some variations in size between box trucks, particularly in length, but when assessing if one will be right for your load, assume the following:

  • Width: 94”
  • Height: 70”
  • Length: At least 12’, some go up to 16’
  • Payload: 5,000lbs (some models will take more)
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Typically, the floor area is large enough for four standard pallets.
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Depending on pallet and exact model of van, it may be possible to fit two rows of pallets (standard width is 48”), for a total of eight.

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Box trucks are fitted out with plenty of attachment points, so there’s never any problem strapping down a load so it can’t move.

End to End Emergency Solutions with the Box Truck Service

When a business has invested a lot of time and effort in a special event, it’s essential every piece of equipment is delivered to the location well in advance. Unfortunately though, things can go wrong and problems can arise, which is often where we get involved.

For example, we were contacted by a manufacturer of recording studio equipment in California. They had created a special instrument for an event taking place in Indiana. The plan was to airfreight this high-value item on the Friday, so it would be on-site by Monday, but fate intervened and the flight was missed.

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The client reached out to us Friday evening and we picked up the instrument early Saturday morning, using a small truck equipped with our tracking technology. This meant they received regular updates on where the truck had got to, giving them confidence that it would arrived when needed.

Our drivers worked hard throughout that weekend, and the truck arrived at the event location 10 hours before the promised time. That let the organizers get the instrument into position and check it out carefully well before it was needed.

Of course, the client was delighted, and they gave us this quote: “If our product wasn’t there for the event, we lose momentum, which means losing money and damaging an important partnership. But [thanks to] FullTruckload.com, everything went as planned...”

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Industries We Serve

Aviation & Aerospace

Every moment a commercial airliner sits on the ground, it costs an airline money. Expedited freight services by FullTruckload.com can get you back in the air with the prompt delivery of parts and equipment throughout North America. With a nationwide network of carriers and access to dedicated box trucks, straight trucks, and tractor-trailers, FullTruckload.com offers reliable and efficient transportation tailored to the aviation industry’s needs.
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Construction

Because one shipping delay can snowball and cause delays throughout your entire project, you need an experienced 3PL provider who understands the construction industry and has the logistical reach to deliver your freight on time, anywhere. That 3PL partner is FullTruckload.com. From heavy machinery and building materials to specialized tools and equipment, our logistics solutions are tailored to keep your project on track. With a robust network of carriers and expertise in handling oversized, time-sensitive, and critical shipments, we ensure that every delivery arrives exactly when and where it’s needed.
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Energy

The consequences from lost power production are serious for any business. Equipment failure is one of the biggest causes of energy production downtime. Losses compound exponentially with delay, loss of energy capacity, or the idling of plants for scheduled or unscheduled maintenance. Whether it's a hydroelectric power station or solar farm, you need a 3PL provider who can move your parts and equipment safely and securely while meeting your most stringent deadlines.
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Manufacturing

Every moment a manufacturing facility or factory sits idle costs a company money due to the high costs involved in lost sales and lost customers. With many manufacturers building to just-in-time production rates, any disruption threatens parts and vehicle inventories. This is where the speed, expertise, and experience of freight services from AirFreight.com make a difference throughout the entire manufacturing supply chain.
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Oil & Gas

The oil and gas industry faces challenging conditions in offshore and onshore oil rigs, often in remote locations with limited infrastructure. Don’t let oil pumps or pipelines sit idle, waiting for equipment. By having the right plans, parts, people, and a logistics partner such as FullTruckload.com, you can effectively mitigate plant or pump downtime, unscheduled disruptions, and equipment failures.
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Renewables & Environment

Wind turbines can be as tall as an 85-story building with a blade radius of an acre. Transporting just one wind turbine can take up to nine separate shipments. Solar equipment includes sensitive electronics and glass that are easily subject to damage. Constructing one solar panel requires nearly 40 different components, including precious metals, that need to get to the factory on time. With requirements like this, it's critical to work with the right 3PL provider that can flex with your needs when situations and requirements change.
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Retail

During downtime, retailers experience lost sales with the inability to process credit cards, access customer purchasing history, or locate items in stock at a distribution center or another retail location. Don’t let unexpected downtime due to point-of-sale equipment failures impact your brand or frustrate your customers. If you can’t serve your customers, your competition will!
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Technology

Unexpected IT downtime can bring down even the largest businesses—just ask airlines when their reservation systems go offline. The importance of e-commerce, online sales, and the computing infrastructure that supports it makes getting systems and servers up and running even more critical. With 98% of organizations reporting that a single hour of downtime costs over $100,000, you can’t afford a slow logistics partner.
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3PL

With today’s broken supply chains, even companies that specialize in logistics find themselves needing help. We provide an expansive network of expedited ground and air shipping options to make the trip in the air, to and from the airport, or complete the entire delivery on the ground. Through these resources and our centralized planning operations, we help 3PL providers overcome all the challenges of their industry.
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WHAT IS FULL TRUCKLOAD?

Full Truckload (FTL) refers to a freight shipping method where an entire truck’s cargo space is utilized for a single shipment. It is particularly suitable for large, heavy, or time-sensitive shipments and is often more cost-effective for high-volume freight.

Dedicated Single Point of Contact

At the heart of FullTruckload.com is a dedicated team of professionals working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure every shipment arrives on time, and in optimal condition, at its final destination. We offer the fastest ground and air transportation options for B2B customers across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Get peace of mind with a dedicated single point of contact. We're with you along every mile of your journey. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT US

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Hi I'm Steve

Reach out today and let's solve your urgent shipping needs. I or a member of the team will be with you from start to finish. Let's chat

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