Trying to Find a more efficent truck

[Johnson LCO]

I currently drive a f350 diesel dually that has served me well for landscape jobs and maintenance accounts but I find myself needing a dump truck more everyday. I am planning on going solo next season as I am fed up with employees so having a dump truck seems even more necessary as I can spend a lot of time unloading debris. I am considering a 450/4500 or 550/5500 but am worried about the difference in mileage during my maintenance route. I am going to get a ford or chevy stakebody dump used and the brand doesnt matter I am going mainly on price. I guess the question I have is, is it worth getting a second truck for maintenance or using the larger truck all the time? I am leaning towards using the larger truck all the time becuase of the high cost of insurance and the fact that smaller trucks may get bad mileage anyway pulling a 14ft enclosed. Just want to hear some opinions, especially from those that use a med. duty truck for maintenance. Thanks

[Gravel Rat]

If you want fuel mileage the F-450-550 4500-5500 trucks are not the answer.

I would be looking at a Isuzu/GMC cabover they are more fuel efficient.

My 2003 F-450 6.0 gets 12mpg loaded or empty my previous F-450 trucks got the same mileage except for the one with the 460 gas it was 6mpg.

[johnsonslawnmanagement]

Went from a 2500 Dodge Pickup to a Mitsubishi Fuso cabover dump. Don't regret it a single day. I now run the Dodge on installations, while the dumper is used for my maintenance crew.
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[Hanau]

The new Mahindra diesel pick up is advertising 30mpg.

If you don't mind a butt ugly truck with third world engineering it might work for you.

My F-650 gets 7 to 9 mpg. Big trucks drink diesel, and lots of it.

[Johnson LCO]

I am not looking for fuel efficency at all, I am just looking at not reducing fuel mileage too greatly over what I already have. I guess if the 450/550 gets 12 mpg thats not much owrse than the 14 I am getting with my 350.