royalforest Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Any suggestions on the type of vehicle to use> Thanks Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo Duck Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 http://www.hackneyvending.com/tour.htm http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/cto/1378660779.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ifishli Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 While I am just in the start up phase with vending I do have truck and van exp in the construction bus. 1, van can be parked in a drive way, in my town if it is over 5500 gvwr it is a commercial truck and cant be parked overnight on residential property. 2, vans are not subject to stops by dot, as a truck is. I know someone with a brand new (less then 1000 miles) flatbed tow truck . obviously it was too new to have worn out brakes tires etc. so the inspector went around with a light meter to see if the side marker lights were bright enough. He ended up getting a ticket for an improperly secured load. what load trucks empty??? work gloves directly behind the rack. I am thinking a trailer, a bit of a pain parking a maneuvering wise but reg. & maintenance costs are low no insurance, and for a quick run just leave it at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technivend Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 A properly setup box truck will be easier on your back. It may not matter now if you are 20 but it can (and probably will) catch up to you as you get older. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalforest Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 What box truck do you recomend? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxer518 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I have a Nissan UD 1200 as well as a Isuzu NPR, they are both nice trucks bad parts are for the most part universal on these trucks. I would personally stay away from the truck front ones as they are less reliable and harder to work on. I would also suggest getting once of the two that I mentioned above and get it in the 4 cylinder turbo diesel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 I've got two Isuzu NPR, love 'em. A box truck is absolutely the way to go. Stay away from the Ford E series and the Chevy version. The Isuzu, Nissan and Mitsubishi all can carry more weight without having to spend more $$ on improving the suspension. They also handle better on the road. FYI, a case of 12 oz soda is 20lbs and a case of 20oz. is 38 lbs. For me a full load is around 100 cases of 12oz and about 60 20 oz. plus shelving, chips, candy, freezer, ice chests etc so I'm north of 5000 lbs for a full load. The suspension on the Ford I used to have collapsed under that weight. The Isuzus are going on 2-3 years with no problems so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalforest Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 Does your box truck have side doors. I just can't figure out why a comercial van won't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbishop Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Look at what these guys have and you will see why they say box truck mxer518 33 snack 90 Soda machines, just picked up a big route! 16 combo machines 4 coffee machines mission vending 54 Snack machines 38 Bottle/Can machines 7 Frozen food/ice cream machines 1 Hot Beverage I have 18 soda/snack/cold food A van came with the route. It works fine for me. My van has a cage behind the front seats and shelving down both sides. It has a siding door on the side. I load the soda right behind the cage and put the snacks in the back. I also have a hand truck that folds out into a cart that I stick right inside the back door. The only thing i would change is I want some dividers made so I can stack the cases higher with out them falling. If you are going BIG, do not waste your money on a Van. If you are starting small and growing slowly a Van might work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalforest Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share Posted October 10, 2009 Thanks but I fell it does not matter even if they are 5 times that size because one man can only handle approx 100 cases of soda a day. I would think that can fit in a van. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coinvestor Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Thanks but I fell it does not matter even if they are 5 times that size because one man can only handle approx 100 cases of soda a day. I would think that can fit in a van. It can, but do you plan on doing snacks too? I bought a cargo van and it worked for about 4 months before it got to the point that I was spending more time loading and unloading the van and worry about what was in it than actually stocking machines. A cargo van does not have enough room to carry soda, and full cases of 40 + snack selections. This leaves you packing tubes full of products which gets messy in a hurry and makes dates very hard to control which is especially hard starting out. Cargo vans are very hard on your back, and will leave you standing out in the rain and reaching in at strange angles. I like my step van. I can get in to the cargo area without going in the rain, and can keep all the doors closed in the winter. JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalforest Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share Posted October 10, 2009 NOW THAT MAKES SENSE. THANKS! Can you explain to me why a van will hurt your back but a box truck won't. It is my understanding that in the box truck , you have to move all the product you need to the back of the truck. Then you have to jump down off the truck to the parking lot. Then load your dolly. In the van you open the door pull the product out and put on the dolly. How can the van hurt your back but the box truck does not? Thanks for all the responses! Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ifishli Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 If you want to go box route.I Have had an npr, mitsubishi fh, and a ud 1800 ,the ud was by far the best of them all. But none of them crashes very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 How can the van hurt your back but the box truck does not? Thanks for all the responses! Rich Very simple, using a box truck you have more room to employ safe lifting techniques and can stand up straight. Using a van you are all hunched over and your spine it supporting weight (yours and whatever your lifting) at unnatural angles. You shouldn't be jumping out of any kind of truck, that's why they have step bumpers. I started with a pickup, moved to a cargo van, then an old bread truck, after that a Ford E350 box van and finally my Isuzu's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxer518 Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Don't get me wrong, I have a few ford E350's that run the routes but let me tell you it really feels like a downgrade when I have to drive that around compared to a box truck. The box truck is just so much better for keeping everything organized and you don't feel as beat at the end of the day with being able to stand up and lift correctly. The NPR's are the best trucks on the road for this, just look at all the big national company's they are using them every day for years on end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo Duck Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 The Hackney vending body like I posted above is faster with a lot less lifting involved. When you place cases of sodas in this van. thats where the sodas stay,YOU DON"T MOVE THEM AGAIN, even with a box truck you have to move the sodas again once you put them on the back. The body lasts a long time and you can move it to a new truck when you get one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalforest Posted October 10, 2009 Author Share Posted October 10, 2009 Thanks mxer! If I was to go with a van, should a E250 be enough or do I need a E350? Does you box truck have side doors or a lift gate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxer518 Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Both of the trucks are NON lift gate trucks, its just not worth it for me since it makes it much harder to vend out of one with a lift gate. Renting one a few times per year is still a lot cheaper and easier for me to deal with than having my own. As far as a van goes I do not think you can go wrong with a E350 since they are so heavy duty you will never wear them out with vending, depending on how much soda you carry a E250 should do the trick just fine without an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coinvestor Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Mixer, how do you get stuff out of the truck? Lift it down out of an NPR? or do you use a ramp? JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxer518 Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 No ramp just lift it down directly onto a dolly, a ramp is more work than it is good and in most places there is no room to pull one out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyinchville Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 HI, I vend snacks only and have worked out of both a step van and a regular cargo van and can say for sure that the Step van wins hands down....It it sooo much easier to work out of and has enough space to carry everything in a neat orderly fashion...Plus as mentioned earlier you don't have to hunch over or contort yourself to get to things and you are inside all the time until you are ready to leave....A big plus if it is nasty out.... I have not used a box truck (other than moving when I came to VA) for vending so I cannot comment on that....Of course it is interesting that "hard core" delivery companies like UPS or Fed Ex use step vans.... Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalforest Posted October 23, 2009 Author Share Posted October 23, 2009 Thanks mission and mxer for your advice! Is the gas bill double for a box truck vs. a van? My problem is I need to deliver my machines and vend but your saying you can't vend with a lift gate. Any suggestions? Thanks Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mxer518 Posted October 23, 2009 Share Posted October 23, 2009 No it will make no sense to ever attempt to vend out of a truck with a lift gate. Do what i do and most other vendors that I know of. We go and rent one, you can rent a real nice Ryder for less than 100 per day including mileage and fuel. I try to line up installs on the same day so that I can move as many as possible while I have the box truck for the day. It should also save you a few grand on buying a box truck without a lift gate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalforest Posted October 23, 2009 Author Share Posted October 23, 2009 Thanks! A big help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 Thanks mission and mxer for your advice! Is the gas bill double for a box truck vs. a van? Thanks Rich I wouldn't say double. In my case I used a Ford E250 for a while with extra springs added to help with the load. 6 cylinder gas engine got around 12-15MPG. My Isuzu NPR's are diesel can carry about 3X the load and get 10-11MPG. I don't have the exact figures but in my head I'm thinking my fuel costs went up around 25% when I made the change. One little additional note, the added comfort and efficiency by being better organized made me more productive and to me at least was well worth the expense.Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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