It is necessary to have a especially when it comes to guaranteeing the safety of your drivers and other staff. Storage systems can make it much easier for tradespeople to find their equipment and have access to safety equipment when they needed. Custom van shelving provides safety for drivers as well as materials inside the van.
Aluminum sheets used for van shelvingare super light-weight, making it the number one choice for professional van interiors. But aluminum van shelving systems are somewhat expensive and not always the best option.
IDEA ONE: Clear Out Old Storage and Supplies in Your Van
Go through what you have and assess what you need to keep and remove anything old or unnecessary. Sort what you wish to keep into storage bins.
IDEA TWO: Arrange your van storage area
Organize your tools and parts into storage that suits your needs such as the Fischer Stor-Pak, Spare Parts Trays or an Ezi-Pak Carry Case. Label your containers and tubs, so it is simple to find and put away your items. Ensure your area is clutter free by designating areas for specific items. You can code these areas by choosing different color storage bins for each particular need.
IDEA THREE: Clean and organize
Look through your existing and new items, checking that they are still high quality. By ensuring the condition of your storage units are high quality from the start you will be able to identify any signs of early damage.
Shelving units are a fundamental component in any upfit. Designed to support and contain your tools and consumables, our shelving lines come in a variety of widths, depths and heights to make sure you get the right shelving to accommodate the tools and consumables you use everyday.
If the inside of your cargo van is getting too crowded, consider having a ladder rack installed. A ladder rack will free up space inside by allowing you to store big bulky items, like a ladder, on the outside. If your cargo van needs involve transporting large items like a ladder, you have every reason to have a ladder rack installed.
If you’re in an industry where paintbrushes need to be safely and cleanly transported, a magnetized paintbrush rack may be just the thing you need to make the most out of your cargo van. Magnetized paintbrush racks can easily store your brushes in a way that optimizes the space of your van.
Refrigerated truck hire is becoming more common among business owners looking for peace of mind when delivering perishables. As a service growing in popularity, customers are now able to hire a truck that fits their individual needs perfectly, allowing for greater control of their business.
You Can Protect Your Cargo Without Breaking the Bank
Depending on the scope of your business, hiring a refrigerated truck can be the more cost-effective option. There can be significant additional expense when buying a refrigerated truck, with insurance, maintenance and running costs all needing to be considered. For business owners and entrepreneurs who need to transport perishables on an infrequent basis, hire companies can offer flexible and cost-effective options.
They Offer Scalable and Efficient Transport Solutions
By making use of a refrigerated truck for hire, you have the benefit of scalability. If you are regularly transporting perishables for a business where quantities are based on demand, hire makes more sense than buying as you can change the size of the truck you use on a needs basis. Hiring is also efficient as you can control exactly how your goods are delivered, mitigating the risk of a freight provider making a mistake in delivery that could negatively affect your business. You can also control timeframes for delivery better than you might when dealing with a freight provider.
You Can Ensure Your Goods are Handled Correctly
If you were to put your trust in a third party freight provider, it is hard to be confident that they will handle your goods exactly as you intend. For example, if you run a cake making business and need to transport elaborate cakes to an event, you cannot expect a freight provider to know how to best make that delivery without endangering your products. Different goods require different storage and delivery techniques, and it is best to put faith in your own ability when it comes to managing your business.
You Can Control Temperature Ranges
When utilising a refrigerated truck for hire, the hire company will allow you to set temperature ranges that suit your cargo. Whether your goods need to be chilled or kept entirely frozen, you can be sure that the hire company will be able to offer a truck with an ideal temperature range for your needs.
You Can Try Before You Buy
Established businesses who offer refrigerated trucks for hire have flexible loan terms. As a business owner weighing up whether to purchase a refrigerated truck, you might first consider an extended loan to better understand the nuances and efficiency of your desired vehicle.
What are the benefits of using a Ladder Rack for your van
Using aladder rack for your van can instantly transform it from a simple vehicle to a fully functional eco-friendly mobile workshop. If you are an avid worker, travelling to different jobs and enjoying flexible and smart solutions, than a ladder rack for your van is just the thing for you.
Instead of carrying your ladder around using old school ropes and trying to fix it in place with whatever material you find, you caninvest in a ladder rack that guarantees stability of the ladder during transportation.
The most important advantage of a ladder rack is the fact that it can be universal and compatible with most ladder models out there. This means you do not have to worry about your vehicle not being appropriate for it because any vehicle can be turned into a mobile workshop. In addition, they are easy to assemble on your van as all they require is a flat surface.
One other importantbenefit of a ladder rack is its safety feature. They are easy to use and cause no damage to the operator, therefore anyone can use them. Adding to the advantages of using a ladder rack is the material it comes in.
The ladder can than be dropped to the ground and shifted up onto the rooftop of the van in a few minutes. This is an operation that can be repeated effortlessly throughout the day. Therefore, you, the operator, do not have to tire yourself out with this simple task.
Get more cargo space
Rather than cramming things into the bed of your work truck, ladder racks deliver extra cargo space instantly. Rather than place a large ladder in the bed of your truck, you can secure it on top of your van or truck and fit more in the truck. It’s a very cost-effective solution.
Work more efficiently
If you stop and think about it, you’ll quickly realize how much time it takes to load ladders in your truck. Our auto-retracting rack straps help get everything stored up top much faster than using bungee cords or straps. This makes your drive to the job site and contractor store much more efficient.
When your ladders and materials are stored properly, you are able to work more efficiently. Cleaning up the job site is simpler too. With your ladders and materials properly placed about the truck, you’ll have more space in your truck bed for tools and equipment.
Secure storage
Trucks are expensive and if your ladder isn’t properly stored, it could become damage your truck. Ryder Racks keep ladders and materials stationary, so you don’t need to worry about anything slipping or falling. Always buy the best ladder rack you can afford, as it will perform better and last longer than a budget version of this work essential.
The daily grind of shoes, mud, crumbs, and spills can take a toll on a commercial van’s carpet, creating a messy eyesore and dragging down your vehicle’s resale value. That’s why a good floor mat or liner can pay for itself over time.
After over 100 hours of researching dozens of models, talking with experts, and testing 23 sets, I recommend Weather Tech Floor Liners. Unlike typical add-on liners, they’re designed to fit specific vehicles and have raised edges that trap liquid.
WeatherTech Floor Liners provide edge-to-edge coverage of a vehicle’s foot wells that better protects the carpets from water, snow, muck, and other messy things that can get tracked into the vehicle or spilled onto the floor.
In addition, compared with other similarly priced liners I looked at, the WeatherTech Floor Liners include a taller, more pronounced lip around the edge—particularly at the rear—as well as a pattern that channels fluids away from your feet to a reservoir at the rear. They also come in a far wider range of fits than any other liner, with designs for more than 1,000 vehicles.
If you want a custom-fit floor mat but don’t want to spend the money on a premium liner, we recommend the Intro-Tech Hexomat, which splits the difference in cost and coverage between a universal mat and a model-specific liner.
The Hexomat lacks the higher side walls of liners like our top pick, but it does provide wall-to-wall footwall coverage and a design that helps contain spills.
If you just want an inexpensive, basic universal floor mat to provide some protection for your van’s carpet or spruce up an older van on a tight budget, I liked the Motor Trend Odorless Rubber Floor Mats best.
They have a look and feel that belies their low price, and a relatively flat design that makes them easier to clean than more aggressive-looking mats I tested. But like other inexpensive mats, they tended to move around more than I would like and will require periodic adjustment to keep them in place.
Like all traditional mats, they also lack the high side walls and precise fit of our top pick, and therefore don’t provide the same wall-to-wall coverage and protection.
GPS Tracking and Performance Monitoring for Refrigerated Trucks
When moving perishable goods over long distances, it’s absolutely vital that those good are moved as quickly as possible while in tightly-controlled conditions. This is why countless companies rely on refrigerated trucks to transport perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, ice cream, and frozen food.
However, managing a fleet of refrigerated trucks introduces new challenges.
For example, if the refrigeration fails during transit, the entire load of perishables may be lost. Also, a significant delay in getting to your destination may put some perishable goods with a shorter shelf life past their sell-by dates. Additionally, there’s a greater need for maintenance and power consumption with refrigerated trucks.
Detecting Refrigeration Failures
One of the biggest worries with any shipment of perishable or frozen goods is that the refrigeration in the truck may fail, causing a loss of all product in the shipment.
The issue is that, unless the driver is constantly stopping the vehicle once every couple of hours to get out of the cab and into the refrigeration unit to check the temperature, it’s all too easy for a refrigeration failure to go undetected long enough for the cargo to spoil.
GPS tracking for refrigerated trucks can help alleviate this worry. Specially-designed GPS trackers for refrigeration trucks can include special capabilities such as temperature monitoring, which is incredibly useful for detecting a refrigeration failure straight away.
With temperature monitoring, you can set a temperature alarm for each refrigerated truck being tracked in your fleet management software so that when a trailer’s temperature gets too high, you’ll be alerted right away.
This cuts the time it takes to respond to a refrigeration failure down from hours to mere minutes, giving you the chance to save the perishable cargo by either fixing the issue causing the refrigeration failure or transferring the load to a different truck with working refrigeration.
Better yet, GPS tracking software allows you to create a trip report complete with a temperature readout of the trailer at the time of each update sent to RASTRAC. You can show this report to your customers as proof that the temperature in the refrigeration trailer consistently remained at the required level throughout the trip.
Preventing Breakdowns
On the road breakdowns are bad enough with regular cargo deliveries. With refrigerated products, such breakdowns can be disastrous.
GPS tracking systems for refrigerated trucks can help to prevent costly breakdowns on the road by providing you with automated engine performance reports for your fleet vehicles. With these reports, you can identify which vehicles need preventative maintenance and when.
This helps you optimize your preventative maintenance scheduling so that vehicles don’t break down while transporting perishable, time-sensitive cargo.
Improving Route/Detour Planning
When dealing with long-distance cargo delivery routes, it isn’t always possible to anticipate every instance of road construction, traffic accidents, and other random events that can cause traffic to come to a grinding halt.
GPS tracking for fleet vehicles can make it easier to change a truck’s path once it encounters heavy traffic, allowing you to reroute the vehicle along roads that are less congested so that delays are minimized.
This helps keep trucks on-schedule for deliveries of highly perishable goods, maximizing their saleable shelf life.
For companies with refrigerated trucks and other specialty equipment listed among their fleet vehicles, using GPS tracking and remote diagnostic equipment is a must to maintain peak efficiency and prevent costly equipment failures.
How to Buy a Wheelchair Van Without Leaving Your Home
Buying a vehicle online these days is literally as easy as the click of a button. With the spread of the Coronavirus last year, many more traditional car sales dealers turned to online sales, making it more of an industry standard than it ever was before. For wheelchair users, this allows them access to a wider variety of dealers across the country, so they can get exactly what they need from their wheelchair van.
But, just because a wheelchair vans dealer is selling online, it does not necessarily mean the entire process will take place online. In this post, we will cover our standard sales process from browsing online through delivery at home, so you and your loved ones know how easy it can be to buy a handicap van without ever leaving your home.
Browse Inventory Online
Most car dealerships and even wheelchair van dealers across the United States have some or all of their inventory online. This is a great place to start when looking for a new or used wheelchair van. Researching inventory online gives you a chance to see what makes and models exist in the marketplace, what some of your conversion options might be, and even what the process looks like for working with a dealer.
While no two dealer websites will ever be the exact same, we recommend looking for dealers that share full images (detailing the inside and outside of the vehicle), a description for each vehicle, and pricing details. This level of transparency with potential customers is important when finding a great dealer, so you can be sure there are no hidden issues with the vehicle and no hidden costs when it comes time to sign on the dotted line.
Chat with a Sales Representative
While shopping online is a great starting point, speaking with a sales representative from a few different dealers will help you to narrow down what you are looking for and which company you want to work with. Most dealers will connect you with a sales representative when you contact them either by phone or via email when you submit the contact form through their website.
When speaking to the sales representative, you will want to get any and all questions that you have answered. You will also want to make sure they talk you through their entire sales, conversion, financing and delivery processes to ensure you know what to expect from the process, including how much contact you are required to have in person with their team. We also recommend going beyond the initial process and ask the sales representative about the policies for service after your van has been delivered. It is important to get a clear picture of what you will be getting from the company, especially if you are doing all of your communication with them over the phone or through email.
Customize Your Wheelchair Van: Conversion Features
Once you have selected your dealer and have worked with a sales representative to choose the make and model of your new or used wheelchair accessible vehicle, it is time to select your conversion options. Some dealers will have only a few set packages for you to choose from, while wheelchair vans manufacturers will have a range of customization options available.
At Rollx Vans, you can expect that your experienced sales representative will provide an entire range of options for customization from ramp or lift type to steering options and hand controls, and transfer seats to tie down options. We also provide a range of flexible seating options, so your van works for you and your unique family and/or caretakers.
Signing on the Dotted Line
No purchase is complete without signing on the dotted line. When you have finalized your conversion options, your sales representative will cover financing options and warranties with you, and go over your final sales contract. This will look similar to buying from a traditional car dealer, but this can all be completed from the comfort and safety of your own home.
Request an At Home Delivery
Many wheelchair van companies, especially those that sell vans nationwide, will have an at home delivery option. Often this means that a technician will bring your completed van right to your driveway, hand you the keys and show you how to access and operate the features of your new vehicle.
Camper Van Roof Racks, Ladders, Awnings & Storage Boxes
Once all the necessary aspects of your van build are planned, it’s time to start thinking about van accessories that will make van life even more enjoyable. In this lesson, we’ll cover add-ons and exterior van accessories you might consider and some things to keep in mind, including:
Van roof racks and ladders for your van
Safety add-ons like backup cameras and an in-dash GPS
Air Compressors
The Moonshade is a new, portable, lightweight awning that attaches to the outside of your van (or any vehicle). It stows away when you are driving and helps your van be more discreet if you stealth camp on occasion.
Van Roof Racks & Ladders
A van roof rack needs to be planned out before you install anything else on the roof, like solar panels and a fan. It will need to work around your solar panels and fans or be custom-built to do so, so as you’re planning your solar installation you should be simultaneously planning the rack to accommodate the panels.
Think about what you’ll want to use your roof rack for when deciding what type you want. You may want to use it to hold your solar panels, to store gear, or to have a space on the roof to sit on. One thing to consider is that roof racks add wind noise and make the van less aerodynamic which can reduce gas mileage so keep that in mind.
A ladder rack for van may also be an accessory you’ll want to consider, especially if your van of choice is a Sprinter or other high roof van. Ladder racks make it easier to get up onto the roof to store gear, check on your solar panels, or simply to enjoy the sunset.
Your van might come with a roof rack, but if it didn’t there are many aftermarket companies that make high-quality racks. If a conversion company is converting your van, talk to them about roof and ladder rack options.
Van Backup Camera
Another van accessory you might want to consider is a backup camera. Consider this an essential item if your van is long and/or if you don’t have rear windows. They’re pretty inexpensive aftermarket, but can also be installed by your dealer or conversion company.
Air Compressor
If you do a lot of off-roading, an air compressor is a valuable resource to have in your van. When driving through sand, letting air out of the tires provides more surface area to navigate otherwise tricky sections, ditto for driving on dirt roads, but then you need to refill once you are back on pavement. Having a compressor on board allows you to do this and makes it more feasible to comfortably tackle this type of terrain.
Air compressors can also come in handy for topping off bike tires and for vehicle recovery. When we were off-grid in southern Utah, our friend had a serious flat tire on her van. We were able to use our compressor to blow up her tire enough so she could drive to our campsite where she put on her spare.
Van insulation may sound like a boring topic, but if you’re converting a camper yourself, then it is one of the most important things to do correctly. Choosing the wrong type of insulation, or not using it correctly, can lead to uncomfortable temperatures inside your rolling home. Being too hot or too cold is annoying and can really lower morale on your trip. This is especially true if it interferes with your sleep.
Installing van insulation is one of the first steps in a conversion, so you will want to do your research before starting your build. It is also tough to go back and add insulation once your build is complete. You would basically have to deconstruct your whole van to add it in and then rebuild, something you definitely want to avoid. This is a process you want to get right the first time.
What Is Van Insulation For?
Van insulation is the first defence against the outside temperature. Without it, your camper is little more than a tin can, and heat will escape, or enter very quickly. You will also find it challenging to keep your van warm when the heater is on, as all of the heat will escape through the walls. The same goes for keeping it cool inside if you have an air conditioning unit.
Proper insulation is especially important if you plan on travelling in colder climates or anywhere you might want to wear a coat outside. You don’t want to have to wear a jacket inside too! Even if you plan on only using your camper in warm climates, you will probably find it gets cool enough at night to warrant installing insulation, and you will want it to stop your van getting too hot.
Types Of Insulation
There are many different types of insulation that you can use in a camper van. Some factors in choosing what is right for you include, price, efficiency, how environmentally friendly the product is and how you plan on installing it.
We’re going to go through several types of van insulation to help you decide what will work best for your camper.
1. Spray Foam Insulation
Spray foam insulation is the most efficient form of insulation that you can find. It creates a thick, even layer of insulation that expands to fill every crevice on the surface it is applied to, creating an airtight seal in all areas.
This means there won’t be any draughty spots and that you can insulate even the trickiest places. Spray foam insulation also creates a moisture barrier, ensuring no damp will build up behind your walls, due to condensation.
On the downside, spray foam insulation isn’t something you can do on your own as it requires specialist equipment. Therefore, you will need to hire a company to complete the task for you, which will be considerably more expensive than any other DIY solutions.
Another hurdle unique to spray foam insulation is trimming the foam down once it has been installed, to create a flat surface to build on. This process can be time-consuming, tricky and messy.
2. Foam Board (e.g., Celotex)
One of the most popular van insulation types is a foam board product such as Celotex. These rigid boards of insulation are easy to work with, as you can cut through them with a saw to fit the space you are working with.
Celotex comes in different thicknesses, so you can adjust accordingly depending on how much van insulation you desire. It is a very efficient product that is relatively affordable.
While the rigidity makes Celotex easy to use, it does mean it is not suitable if your camper walls are even slightly curved, which is the case for many vans.
If your insulation isn’t flush with the wall of your van, you will create an air pocket, meaning the insulation is less effective and moisture could build up. If your walls are straight, then you will need to build a frame to secure the foam boards in place.
3. Roll Insulation (e.g., Rockwool)
If your van does have curved walls, then Rockwool is a good van insulation solution. The easiest way to install this insulation is as you construct the wall.
As your build can feed the insulation behind your wall panels, so they hold it in place. This means you do not need to create a whole frame just for the insulation. Roll insulation is the most affordable insulation option as it is widely used and is easy to source.
However, although roll insulation is an efficient product, you may need to use more Rockwool to achieve the same level of insulation as the foam boards, as it is not as dense.
4. Sheep’s Wool Insulation
If you are conscious of the environment and are looking to convert your camper in the most sustainable way possible, then sheep’s wool insulation could be the option for you.
This product works much in the same way as roll insulation but is more environmentally friendly as it uses only natural fibres, from sheep. It is also renewable as the sheep need to be sheered every year and it can be recycled at the end of its life, or made from recycled products.
The main downfall to using sheep’s wool insulation is that it is much more expensive than other forms of insulation, except for spray foam. This is often the case with sustainable products, and if you can afford it then, in my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons.
5. Foil Insulation
Foil insulation is a good form of van insulation when used in conjunction with other products. The idea of foil insulation is that is reflects heat back into your van. This won’t be sufficient as your only form of insulation but might help he overall effect. It is cheap and easy to work with.
Insulating The Floor
Insulating the floor of your campervan is essential to keeping your tiny home warm. We somehow forgot to insulate our floor and regret it massively every time the cold weather kicks in.
Many heaters in campers are stored at floor level, and without insulation, much of this heat instantly escapes through the thin floor.
Any type of van insulation can be used on the floor of your camper, but I think foam boards would be most effective due to their rigidity. This solid platform would make a great base to lay your flooring on and would be easy to work with.
Van insulation for light commercial vehicles have become an increasingly essential component in the overall build of a new van for many fleets. Simply throwing parcels, materials and tools into the back of a van can be dangerous and inefficient, though there are many companies that still do just that.
Properly designed and crash-tested racking systems, both internal and external, provide van operators with a safe method of carrying goods and tools, with less risk of harm, both to the vehicle and to its occupants, in the event of an accident. Racking manufacturers can also easily demonstrate the efficiency benefits of decent storage systems.
When a tradesperson such as a plumber spends five minutes at every visit searching through the van for tools or spare parts, that lost time can soon add up. If they make six visits each day for instance, that can be 30 minutes lost, or 2.5 hours over a five-day week. Racking can be a financially effective solution.
So, what should you consider when assessing the racking market?
Plan the installation. What do you need to carry, will it fit on shelves or in drawers, do you need additional specific storage systems within the main shelving, such as plastic drawers or tool boxes?
Is overall weight a major consideration, can you work with regular steel racking or do you need a lightweight aluminium or composite racking system to keep weight to a minimum and boost payload?
Check the weight limitations of the racking itself, most manufacturers will publish the weight capacity of shelving, drawers and locker systems. Is it sufficient to carry your heavy tools or materials?
Can you install the system in-house, or would you be better off using a professional installation business that can plan, assemble and install the complete system, adding vehicle electrics, signwriting and graphics and internal lighting?
Does the racking layout ensure that the van is loaded in a way that maintains vehicle stability – don’t just have racking on one side of the van holding all of the heavy materials and tools.
Do you need flexibility, will the racking system be re-used when you change vehicles and can it be reconfigured to work with a range of van models?
There is certainly no shortage of racking suppliers providing a wide range of systems, or types of racking layout. As with any addition to the base vehicle, weight can be an issue for some users, as any increase in van mass will cut into available payload, but there are many lightweight aluminium and composite solutions on offer to minimise this.
Companies such as Sortimo, System Edstrom, Modul-System, Bri-Stor, Bott and Van Guard all offer a broad range of racking solutions, designed to meet the needs of various trades and van operators. Van Guard’s Trade Van Racking range, for instance, is constructed of lightweight aluminium to keep weight down. Every Van Guard unit has passed an ECE Reg 17 crash-test however, to ensure driver safety in an accident.
A simple, modular design makes it easy to change the design to suit different trades and the Trade Van Racking range is easy to move between different van models. Options include shelving dividers, non-slip matting, plastic bins and unit height extensions, to allow fleets to customise the system to suit. Van Guard also offers a wide range of roof bars, roof racks and pipe carriers.
Joining these established players, hardtop and 4×4 accessory specialist Truckman has launched a racking fit-out service, to provide a bespoke storage solution to small fleet managers and sole traders in particular. From racking to vehicle security, graphics and specialist electrics, the conversion service will also provide ply lining, inverters, electrical charging systems and other racking accessories.
Truckman’s Aluca racking range is available for a wide variety of vans and pickups and is claimed to be up to 20% lighter than some competitors. It too has been crash-tested and comes with an eight-year warranty, which should see it used in at least two van generations.
Truckman recently introduced the Decked range of drawer solutions for vans too. Developed in the US, the Decked range was originally introduced for use in pickup beds. However, it has now attracted a number of van operators looking for a similar solution. Truckman has developed the drawer system to work with Ford’s Transit as well as the Ducato, Relay and Boxer vans from Fiat and PSA.
The system has two bed-length drawers that can be rolled out to provide access to tools and equipment. It also comes with four integrated storage bins for smaller items such as fasteners and tools. Made from recycled high-density polyethylene, the Decked system can hold up to 1,000kg on its raised deck, which is supported by a galvanised steel frame.
Self-assembly and installation
While there are undeniably benefits when talking to a racking specialist, to design a system that will work well for a specific application, it is also possible to fit your own racking, using pre-designed no-drill kits. Bott’s Smartvan system is an example that, despite having been fully safety tested, can be installed independently, using the van’s built-in fixing points, so there is no need to drill into a van body or chassis. Smartvan can accommodate options including roof racks, pipe tubes, van vaults and lighting systems too.
A racking and storage solution can involve external elements as well as internal shelving. Rhino Products has recently added a redesigned pipe carrying system, called PipeTube Pro, to its offer. This is the first major update to the firm’s PipeTube pipe, conduit and trunking roof box. It incorporates a PVC lining material to protect against the oxidation of copper pipes with the aluminium of the tube.
Nose cones at the ends of the PipeTube Pro have also been redesigned to improve aerodynamic performance and improve anti-theft performance. The locking mechanism is now housed within the product and there is an O-ring seal to reduce water ingress. PipeTube Pro is available in 2m and 3m lengths with a universal fitting for a range of van makes.
Trades that use a lot of power tools may also be interested in systems such as the Vantainer line-up, from German firm Tanos. Made from aluminium, with a typical system weighing just 50kg, the Vantainer Case System allows trades to store all tools, accessories and consumables in a series of stackable boxes. This means there are less shelves required, providing more space and payload.
Cases can be easily removed, to allow workers to transport tools and materials to the working site and the flexible shelving requires no fixing or drilling of the van to install, making it easy to fit and remove.
Power provision
Many racking providers can handle far more of the vehicle conversion than simply fitting shelving, undertaking signwriting, interior coatings, adding power systems and undertaking electrical engineering. Bri-Stor has developed a mobile power system, called EasiPower, that can be used in both diesel and electrically-powered light commercials.
EasiPower is a 2.5kW lithium battery pack from Clayton Power that can be used to provide 230V and 12V simultaneously, to drive ancillary equipment or electric power tools. Weighing just 28kg, the EasiPower pack can be recharged from the mains, from a solar charger or from the vehicle’s electrical system. A mobile phone application provides remote monitoring of power levels.
Bri-Stor recently demonstrated the system on a Renault Trucks Master Z.E. showing how the charger can be used to operate electrical tools without depleting an electric van’s traction batteries. The power pack can also be removed from the van to provide remote electrical power, for site operatives and trades.
Buying trends
If you don’t have the facilities to self-install, racking specialists are not the only suppliers that customers can turn to. The majority of van dealers will either be able to call upon a racking firm’s services through their own workshops, or the van manufacturer may provide basic racking systems as part of its accessories offer.
One of the benefits of using the dealer or the van manufacturer to provide the racking directly, is that in most cases it should then be possible to include that additional equipment as part of the van purchase or finance deal. This spreads the cost and ensures that the system in use conforms to the van manufacturer’s specification.
Earlier this summer we spent a lot of time talking about the current Covid-19 pandemic, how it was shaping future Vans policies and procedures, and how it was affecting the wheelchair vans industry as a whole. At that time Chrysler’s facilities had just reopened to production at a portion of their previous manufacturing capacity. We also saw wheelchair vans dealers that were previously brick and mortar (and primarily in person sales only) had turned to online sales and appointments to connect with customers.
With the autumn months just around the corner, many wheelchair users may be wondering where are we now? How have we continued to evolve during these unprecedented times? How has Covid-19 changed the wheelchair vans industry? In this post we will take a look at how Covid-19 is continuing to change our industry and what that means for our customers.
What Has Changed for the Wheelchair Vans Industry Since Then?
The wheelchair vans industry has been fortunate throughout the coronavirus pandemic and has continued to run as an essential service to wheelchair users, their caregivers and their families. This includes van sales, wheelchair van conversion and also vehicle service. Our industry has had to implement additional health and safety practices like social distancing and additional cleaning and sanitizing protocols. The largest change to the industry being the implementation of social distancing with customers.
As we mentioned in our last post, many brick and mortar dealers have turned to online sales and at-home demos to continue offering vans to their customers. For many of them, providing a contactless experience is an entirely new process. And with every new process there are bound to be a few kinks to work out. Luckily wheelchair users looking for a seamless van purchasing process will not have to look far.
Are Wheelchair Van Manufacturers Up and Running?
The automobile production industry came to a full stop for nearly two months in the United States (longer in other parts of the world) earlier this year. As of this update, all of the North American manufacturers are up, running and rolling vehicles off the production line. This includes all of the major auto brands we convert for wheelchair users including Chrysler, Dodge, Toyota, Ford, and GMC. While they are all running, they are continuing to do so at lower production capacities than they were producing at during pre-Covid times. This is to keep all of their employees and their families as safe as possible during these unprecedented times.
Commercial Van Solutions 