A Husband and Wife’s Growing Business
Benefits of Step Vans and How To Choose The Right One For Your Business – Before the pandemic, in one of the more far-flung provinces in the south, a young couple had decided to set up a food business. A small one, but a proper eating place nonetheless. It was one of those diners located in the outskirts of a humble American town. Husband and wife had the place opened from 6AM to 10PM, with their employees in revolving shifts. megaslot
At first, the couple thought that their pickup truck of 3 years would be enough to serve their daily supply runs, after all, the market is not too far from the diner. But when their business gained considerable traction in the following year, with the possibility of opening another branch presenting itself, the couple knew that they needed a vehicle that would be able to suffice the growing demand.
They decided to buy a Step Van.
What is a Step Van Anyway?
A Step Van is another term for a multi-stop delivery truck, which is used for industrial purposes, mainly for the delivery of large or numerous items. Such a vehicle is a 1/2- or 1-ton panel truck that provides space for its driver to either sit or stand as he drives.
Alluding to the opening narrative, Step Vans started to become a regular part of the traffic ecosystem in the 1930s as refrigerated food delivery services became a staple in the industry. One such example is the door-to-door delivery of milk.
Despite the rise of prices in fuel and the problem of swelling vehicular traffic in the city compelling the milk delivery business out of circulation in the 1970s, the usage of Step Vans persisted. In fact, in the succeeding years, the Step Van saw numerous iterations, gaining further industry usage.
Choosing a Step Van for Your Business
As with its initial utility, Step Vans are still largely known today as a food delivery vehicles. They were not simply confined to the trucking business.
A number of other businesses had seen the value of purchasing or renting the services of these delivery trucks in light of the capacity and apparent practicality. For instance, private and municipal power companies have also chosen to get Stepp Van units to be more mobile.
Both government and non-government agencies also employ the use of Step Vans in instances of relief operations or disaster response efforts as these prove to be durable, and able to withstand harsh weather conditions.
If you have a business that is steadily seeing demand, getting your own Step Van might prove a good investment.
But it must be pointed out here first that the differences across Step Vans are determined by their capacity. The key concept here is what is called, Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR pertains to the weight of the actual truck plus the maximum weight that it can manage. This comes in 4 classes
- GVWR Class 4 – 14,000 to 16,000lbs
- GVWR Class 5 – 16,001 to 19,500lbs
- GVWR Class 6 – 19,501 to 26,000lbs
- GVWR Class 7 – 26,001 to 33,000lbs
All Step Vans that fall under these GVWR classes require Commercial Drivers License (CDL) alongside other standards.
Ford Step Vans are usually built with lower weight limits compared to a Freightliner. For instance, the Ford E450, which came from a long line of Ford E-Series trucks, is engineered to carry between 14,000 and 14,500lbs, falling under GVWR Class 4. Likewise, an F59 unit is also limited to a low capacity, ranging from 16,000 to 22,000lbs, thus playing between GVWR Class 5 and 6.
With these specifics, businesses that need numerous tools will be better served by the Ford E450 and F9. Plumbing, electrical, and carpentry services are the types of businesses that can employ the use of these Ford Step Vans. While these require a lot of professional effects relevant to the business, these cannot hold mammoth weight. In addition, these trucks allow sufficient space for professionals to get in and out of the truck to get and return tools. Allowance in space is important as this would prevent possible damage in the tools and supplies that the trucks carry during travel.
As we have also mentioned the Freightliner, it must be pointed out that its MT55 unit has a capacity ranging between 20,500lbs and 30,000lbs, between GVWR Class 6 and 7. While this is the case, its smaller unit, MT45 can carry weight that only ranges from 14,140lbs to 19,500lbs, falling under GVWR Classes 4 and 5.
Such carrying capacity allows for its utility in mobile food businesses and health and human services. With the former, the MT55 would be ideal in light of heavy kitchen setups that require complicated industrial arrangements. From cooking consoles to wash areas, the Step Van need not only be expansive, but able to accommodate large and heavy logistics. The latter which caters to health services would require medical machines and equipment like a mobile x-ray machine, beds, and defibrillators, just to mention a few. In some countries, company Annual Physical Exams are administered in the offices themselves so that each employee would have easy access to the medical services. MT55 units are able to measure up to this type of demand.
Meanwhile, MT45 units are also utilized for the purpose when the medical company is only required to bring minimal medical equipment. That said, the MT55 is still ideal for such purpose.
Another business that has been seeing the wide usage of Step vans of late is package delivery. With the public shuttered in their houses, shopping online has been a viable option for those who do not want to run the risk of the coronavirus. And while the world is evidently easing up with the restrictions, the world is not seeing any signs of online retail shopping going away any time soon.
For this purpose, it is recommendable for courier services to get Step Vans with rear doors, ideally those that roll up. It would also be advisable for them to set up a delivery operations dashboard. Step Vans that are classified under GVWR Class 4 and 5 should already prove sufficient.
Meanwhile, home or furniture moving services should secure Step Vans that fall under GVWR Classes 5 and 6. As with the package delivery services, it is recommended that moving services get Step vans with roll-up doors.
Further Potential
When you choose to use a Step Van for your business, it will also open you up to mobile advertising. With a traditionally huge and long frame, these delivery vehicles are perfect to place the name of your services. Suffice it to say, you can be flexible and do transit ads using your chosen van. This will also serve to widen your exposure to potential clients.
Concerns
While the usage had risen in popularity over the decades, tracking emissions on Step Vans have yet to be addressed. The concern had become especially important in light of climate change. Given that Step Vans still run on gas, they are still a part of the yearly emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) which are worth billions of tons.
A Step Van Will Drive Your Earnings
Regardless of what your business might be, if it requires mobility and delivery, then getting a Step Van would be advisable. Apart from allowing your business to easily get from one point to another, a Step Van may also allow you to drive further profit through ads that can be installed on its side.
Truly, purchasing or leasing a Step Van would reap great benefits. The first thing that you have to do is determine what type of van would fit your business.
