What is a van in trucking?
A dry van is a type of semi-trailer that's fully enclosed to protect shipments from outside elements. Designed to carry palletized, boxed or loose freight, dry vans aren't temperature-controlled (unlike refrigerated “reefer” units) and can't carry oversized shipments (unlike flatbed trailers).
A dry van is any truck trailer that is enclosed and protected from the elements—think of your typical semi-truck or 'box' truck with a door on the back. Although the cargo is protected from rain (hence the “dry” van), it is not temperature-controlled.
Van trailers are fully enclosed boxes fit carried by trucks designed to transport a wide range of freight safely and securely by road. Dry Vans or van trailers aren't temperature-controlled (unlike refrigerated “reefer” units) and can't transport big goods.
The 53′ dry van is the most common truckload trailer on the road. Dry van trailers are fully enclosed boxes designed to transport a wide range of freight safely and securely.
So starting at the lighter end, the legal definition of a CDV (ie, Ford Fiesta or Renault Zoe is as follows: 'Car-derived van' means a goods vehicle which is constructed or adapted as a derivative of a passenger vehicle and which has a maximum laden weight not exceeding 2 tonnes.'
Gross vehicle weight is defined as the maximum weight of the van including the driver, any and all passengers, the fuel, and the load itself. Most vans are Light Commercial Vehicles, which means that their gross weight must stay under 3.5 tonnes (3500kg) for them to remain road legal.
The main difference between these two vehicles is their makeup; box trucks have two separate parts, while cargo vans have one continuous design. Box trucks can also be much bigger than cargo vans. Both vehicles have a time and place to be used and are useful for transporting large items.
Box trucks often have their cargo area separated from the cab and attached to the frame, whereas in cargo vans the transporting area has connection to the car, making it a one piece machine.
The light-duty truck class includes pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), vans, and minivans. Since light-duty trucks are typically used for utility purposes rather than personal use, they have lower standards for fuel economy than cars do.
Van meaning a type of vehicle arose as a contraction of the word caravan. The earliest records of a van as a vehicle in English are in the mid 19th century meaning a covered wagon for transporting goods; the earliest reported record of such was in 1829. Caravan with the same meaning has records since the 1670s.
What is a semi-trailer van?
A semi-trailer truck, also known as a semitruck, (or semi, eighteen-wheeler, big rig, tractor-trailer or, by synecdoche, a semitrailer) is the combination of a tractor unit and one or more semi-trailers to carry freight. A semi-trailer attaches to the tractor with a type of hitch called a fifth wheel.
A dry van is a type of semi-truck trailer that is fully enclosed to protect your shipment from the elements. A dry van trailer is designed to carry palletized, boxed, or loose freight, making them a highly versatile option that is suitable for many types of products, materials, and other items.

A reefer, often known as a refrigerated trailer, is essentially a dry van equipped with insulation and refrigeration. Reefer vs dry van dimensions are usually the same. At a length of 48 to 55 feet, they are meant to transport many LTL goods in a single run.
primarily used to transport general cargo and most suitable for unit loads. often referred to as general purpose as they are able to carry most goods. other terms: Dry Cargo Container, Standard Container or Box.
53-foot dry van trailers can typically haul between 43,000-46,000 pounds.
Driving most vans is pretty simple, so if you have a full, B category car license, you're permitted to drive any van weighing up to 3.5 tonnes. But what does the weight of the van have to do with your ability to drive it? Well, vans are split into different weight categories called gross vehicle weight (GVW).
Thus a double-cab pick-up may be classed as a van, as may certain other van-derived vehicles, referred to by HMRC as combination or combi vans. For a double cab-pick up, what matters is the payload which needs to be one tonne or more.
What are vans? Vans are part of a category known as 'light commercial vehicles'. The European classification system defines vans as “motor vehicles with at least four wheels, used for the carriage of goods and having a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes”. They are classified as the N1 category.
What vans can I drive on my licence? If you have a full driving licence you can drive any van up to 3.5 tonnes. If you want to drive anything bigger such as 7.5 tonnes vans, you may need to take an extra test if you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997.
As a refresher, traditionally one ton is 2,000 pounds, meaning a half-ton truck would have a 1,000-pound payload, three-quarter tons are rated to 1,500 pounds, and one-ton trucks can carry 2,000 pounds of payload. Actual vehicle payloads are far higher, but we'll get to that in a moment.
What weight is a transit van?
Most Transit vans are plated (that's the official term for the legal amount the vehicle and its contents can weigh) at 3.5-tonnes or 3,500kg but you can actually get Transit vans at smaller weights or 2.9-tonnes (2,940kg), 3.1-tonnes (3,140kg) and 3.3-tonnes (3,365kg).
Cargo vans usually have a rear door used to access the cargo area as well as a sliding door for additional access. The driver seat is often placed over the front axle, so the front end of the vehicle is flatter.
With a regular driving license, you can drive any van that weighs no more than 3,500kg. Examples of this include: Ford Transit.
Popular box vans include the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter and the Volkswagen Crafter.
Hotshots are generally Class 3, 4 or 5 trucks pulling a flatbed or other type of trailer for extra capacity. They're often delivering an item needed to prevent a failure, such as in the power grid, in a factory or plant, or a pump in an oil field. They also often tow cars, equipment, machinery, boats and even RVs.
Box trucks are used to transport large objects like appliances, furniture, oversized boxes, and other kinds of freight that often need to be delivered quickly — and in one piece.
Qualifying light commercial vehicles include pickup trucks, vans and three-wheelers – all commercially based goods or passenger carrier vehicles.
The Volkswagen Transporter T5 range is the fifth generation of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV/VWN) 'Transporter' series of medium-sized light commercial vehicles and the people mover Caravelle/Multivan range.
The three main classifications for road truck by weight are light trucks, medium trucks, and heavy trucks.
- camper.
- caravan.
- truck.
Is A SUV a van?
An SUV is an acronym for Sports Utility Vehicle. Usually, these vehicles have off-road capabilities, feature 4-wheel-drive, and built on a truck chassis. According to Kelly Blue Book, an SUV “is a vehicle that combines the interior space of a minivan with the towing capacity and off-road attitude of a pickup truck.”
June 16, 2021. Dually or DRW are terms that refer to a vehicle having Dual Rear Wheels - that is, a pair of wheels on each side of the rear axle. While usually these vehicles are pickup or utility trucks, some large vans also have dual rear wheels.
53-foot trailers – On today's highways and byways, this is the most common dry van being used. By length, width, and height, common dimensions applying to this trailer are 53′ x 8′ 6″ x 8′ 6 inches. Across their floorspace, 26 standard pallet positions are provided, and 45,000 pounds of freight can be accommodated.
Typically measuring 53-feet long, Conestoga trailers are a great alternative to many open-deck trailers as they commonly come in step-deck, double-drop and flatbed iterations.
It's important to remember that your van's payload figure is the total weight, including all passengers and goods. So you need to bear in mind the payload figure of the total passengers' weight before working out the weight of the goods you can safely carry in the van too.
Fixed Assets are business purchases which will be used by the business for a few years. Examples are machinery, vans and computers. To be classified as a Fixed Asset, rather than an Expense, the purchase would tend to have significant value.
Van Payload - Maximum Legal Weight
A van's 'payload' is the maximum weight the van is legally allowed to carry, and includes all contributing factors including the weight of the van, a full tank of fuel, the driver, passengers, equipment, supplies and any racking etc.
Vans enable a broad range of activities, including: – construction; – postal and courier services; – ambulances; – policing and rescue operations; – mobile workshops; – passenger transportation (eg school buses, airport shuttles, etc).
Hotshots are generally Class 3, 4 or 5 trucks pulling a flatbed or other type of trailer for extra capacity. They're often delivering an item needed to prevent a failure, such as in the power grid, in a factory or plant, or a pump in an oil field. They also often tow cars, equipment, machinery, boats and even RVs.
In legislation, a van is defined as: A vehicle primarily constructed for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description. A gross vehicle weight – fully laden – not exceeding 3,500kg.
How much weight can a van load?
A standard dry van typically can be loaded up to 44,000 to 45,000 pounds, where a temp controlled reefer can only be loaded between 42,500 and 44,000. The reason for the lower weight is because of the thicker walls lined with insulation and the refrigeration until used adds more weight to the trailer.
Most 9-foot cargo vans have up to 20 cubic feet of cargo space in the back. They have an average maximum load of 3,880 lbs.
Oftentimes, service-related businesses use cargo vans to transport equipment and products to customers' homes. The main difference between these two vehicles is their makeup; box trucks have two separate parts, while cargo vans have one continuous design. Box trucks can also be much bigger than cargo vans.
You can earn money with your own cargo van by providing part-time or full-time hauling services as well as towing services where you help businesses to remove junk from the office premises.
Sprinter Van / Small Box Truck Owner Operator (C)
Pay is from $1,000.00 - $3000.00 per week (depending on miles ). Cargo van/ Sprinter Van/ Box Truck/ Straight Truck.
Generally, hot shot load rates sit around $1.50 per mile. Jobs that are more complex or more urgent can pay up to $2 per mile. And, of course, jobs that are easier to complete sometimes pay a minimum of $1 per mile.
The term Commercial Vehicle or CV usually refers to a vehicle (either a car or a van) whose primary purpose is to transport materials or goods as opposed to passengers.
A taxable benefit in the form of a Van Benefit Charge (VBC) arises when an employee is provided with a company van and it is used for personal journeys. This is a freeview 'At a glance' guide to Van Benefit Charges. There is a tax charge on the private use of an employer's van.
In general, a significant advantage to buying a company van over purchasing a company car is that 100% of the cost can be claimed as a capital allowance. This means that the full value of the van is offset against your company profits thereby also reducing the amount you'll need to pay in corporation tax.