Medium-Duty Trucks: A Woman's Point of View

Guys always want bigger trucks, right? Well, my husband is no different. When he told me we "needed" a bigger pickup truck, I suspected he just "wanted" a bigger pickup truck. In questioning him about our options, I discovered I had two or three to choose from. Lucky me!

Knowing we were about to become full-time RVers, I began thinking about all the stuff we would have to bring along with us. We also have a business that travels with us, so that meant bringing even more things along. As it was, we were already at the weight capacity for towing with our pickup. Going with a larger pickup would not give us enough extra carrying capacity before we maxed out again. We also knew that with the nature of our business we would be putting a lot of miles on the pickup and it wouldn't last very many years.

Taking all of this into consideration, I presented my solution to my husband: We should get a medium-duty truck. I thought he was going to faint! But sure enough, about a week before we became fulltimers, we took delivery of our Weirs Towmaster International medium-duty truck. I immediately felt safer in our new truck (it doesn't hurt that I've taken an RV safe driving course).

The truck's exhaust brake system provides extra braking power. With the riding height being so much higher than a pickup's, we have greater visibility. The larger transmission and beefier engine help us handle the long climbs much easier, and the truck barely breaks a sweat. (Now I sound like my husband.) I know that overworking and overheating an engine and transmission reduces the life of a vehicle. With the capacity of our medium-duty truck, we don't think that will be a problem. In fact, we don't anticipate having to buy another truck for a long time. And, you should see the looks we get when we pull into a Wal-Mart and I'm behind the wheel!

Medium-duty trucks are relatively new to the RV world. Many insurance companies are still not quite sure how to insure them. Medium-duty trucks don't fit into a regular auto program, so even though they are used recreationally, they are often rated as commercial vehicles.

We went to Aon Recreation Insurance with this problem, and they came up with a solution. They rated our MDT like an RV, without a surcharge, and offered us Agreed Value Coverage. That way, we have locked in the value we'll receive in case of a total loss. With Agreed Value Coverage, a bill of sale or qualified appraisal is all it takes to protect your investment in a medium-duty truck.