Transportation/Truckinig Questions

[mindflayer]

Previous info

I import non food/dry goods from China
I sell locally.

Ok so I am continuing my importing business and am now considering selling into the interior of British Columbia.
Distance is appoximately 400 kilometers = 250 miles.
I need to transport a lot of Volume and am considering buying my own truck to move the goods.
It is easy to get transport costs for moving my goods from trucking companies, I just call them up and ask for prices to move X skids from Vancouver to XYZ. I want to know if I can do it more cost effectively myself.

I am estimating I need to move 250 skids over 6 months.
0 skids for the rest of the year.
The skid size is 45" x 45" x 75" tall and weighs approximately 500 lbs each.

I need a crash course on 1 ton vs 5 ton trucks. 12,14,16 foot boxes, Disel vs Regular gas, engine sizes 6 litre+-, engine numbers such as 350/450 etc. Special upgrades such as a Refr units, power tailgates and vortec engines etc.
Also any comments on Fuel Effeciency and maintenance costs would be a huge help too.

I don't need a refrideration unit, but I may be able to offset some of the costs of tranporting buy hiring my truck out on the return trip from the interior back to Vancouver. The most likely goods would be Fruit wich would probably need a refr unit.

[lozen]

In Todays economy I still think your better off hiring trucking firms nad negotiating a better rate.

For size you are looking at Hino good bet