what vehicle for alaska delivery service?

[steveh2112]

i'm a big fan of the Gold Rush TV show. It seems to me that they are always in a fix for getting spare parts out to their mining equipment ASAP as time is gold.

Mostly idle daydreaming here but i was thinking about running a delivery service for the miners up in the Yukon, picking up parts in Canada and the US and driving them 24/7 (with 2 people splitting the driving) back to the mine, at premium price of course.

What do you think would make a good vehicle for 2 people to drive/live in than can also carry a load of say about 1 ton and go anywhere and not cost a fortune to run.

A 1 ton 4x4 pickup would be great for the delivery anywhere part but no comfortable place to sleep. A 1 ton van like the one I have now would be great for 24/7 driving/sleeping/living but not much space for picking up larger, heavier items and not great off road.

Any ideas anyone?

 

[Milk Hauler]

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[WheelEstate USA]

A helicopter might get the job done.
Just curious...have you ever driven those roads up there??

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

http://www.farmshow.com/a_article.php?aid=25649

Regards
John

 

[steveh2112]

hard to get 1 ton in a heli and kind of blows the cheap to run part out of the water. no, i haven't in Alaska but I have driven in a lot of crazy places. anyhow, i'll most likely not do it, just thinking about how someone would go about doing it.

 

[Canine]

Try this:  



Dusty

 

[WheelEstate USA]

That's the ticket Dusty

 

[ZoNiE]

Cessna 172 with skis

 

[Canine]

Impractical he says, a van with wings. Ok then:

 

[Canine]

:s   Or:  (from Idaho Motor Pool Military Vehicles)

$18,500

 

[Canine]

$9500, has a heater too!  

 

[Canine]

Bob says, "Dusty, get practical or your banned,"

Ok.  

How about a 1966 Dodge Power Wagon for $2,500 then? 1966 Dodge D200 4x4, Four Speed With High and Low Transfer, Slant 6 Gas Engine, Winch, New Tires, Runs Good. This is a Rare Military Truck (See Data Tag), Washington Title, Genuine Military Vehicle.

 

[Canine]

:angel:   "You guys should quit playin' with Steveh2112..."

   "Nahh!"

 

[Patrick46]

http://www.sportsmobile.com/sections/gallery/workvans/russian01.jpg


actually...I'd do a 1-ton Sprinter with 4WD

 

[MikeRuth]

before worry about a vehicle you would want to talk to the folks up there and see if they would actually call on you to run stuff> Have prices for a haul ready. In any case you will have a minimum that you will need to charge just to cover your expenses. It's called a business plan. work on that first.

Mike

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah I think they already have that service in place. but a 6x6 like dusty posted would work. put a sleeper on it and a trailer. however the mining goes on in the summer so your 2wd van with a locker would work. btw I like the gold rush shows too. highdesertranger

 

[Canine]

Sure they have the service now, they'd have to. The trick is to be able to do it quicker and cheaper than the other guy. If a newer 1 ton van works, great. If a 4x4 conversion for a van is needed, maybe that.

My tongue in cheek postings, while all would "work", are actually impractical for a business. Parts and fuel mileage isn't something the government usually was too concerned with but you as a businessman must be.

Maybe PM Bob and try to pick his brain for what the most efficient vehicle would be, knowing that weather conditions will vary and you must be prepared for breakdowns.

Over the highway, well maintained roads allow a two wheel drive van to be cost effective. Mining camps aren't usually off those roads so a stouter vehicle is needed. Stouter equals more costly to operate. Like the person said a couple posts ago, it takes a business plan.

Go over to expeditersonline, a forum for over the highway delivery contractors. Spend some time seeing what their lives are like, their equipment and operating costs are like. Then relook at your idea with that background knowledge.

Dusty

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Its fun playing with the idea tho

 

[Canine]

Oh, I've played with it... No doubt there.

 

[akrvbob]

First, I seriously doubt it is a viable business. But, just to play with the idea I would only do it with a 4x4 for two reasons

1) They get some heavy rains and then those roads turn into mud and only 4x4 will keep you going. I'd also want a heavy brush bar and winch.

2) Spring and fall you can get sudden snowstorms and all of a sudden you are in a foot or more of snow.You'll want 4x4.

I'd get a 4x4 Dodge Cummins diesel with a crew cab, take out the back seat and build a bed back there with storage underneath. It would become my sleeper. Dodge is BIG in the Canadian olifields.
Bob