On February 2, 2020 at 11:08, 3PedalMINI said...
Here it is:
[Link: remotecentral.com]Pics are blurry because of photo buckets shenanigans.
I wholly disagree with that point. Maybe it’s because I’m a one man band, I have to think in shear efficiency. Most of my jobs are long multi day/month projects which means there is plenty of time to get equipment and gear there. No sense in dropping off all the gear at once. (Which makes sense if you have a crew)
I’m not sure what the future will hold in the way of 85” TVs, but I can get a 75” in the back. When I was forced to work out of my F150 I figured out JIT and drop shipping. For the most part I have it down to a science for the larger items (racks, large TVs, screens etc.
If the van is organized, you can get a BOAT load of gear in a transit. Think of access, from the outside. Nobody is bending over, and a lot of times it can be more efficient. In my new design I’m going to not have anything accessible from the inside, things will be done all from the outside, utilizing drawers and clever storage ideas.
Look, there are days i sometimes wish I had larger van, but, being small far out ways the cons. Fuel is far cheaper, it forces you to stay Lean and efficient. When you have a MASSIVE van it invites disorganization, it invites “I have space, I need to fill it” when I did the original downsize in 2013 I looked at the amount of crap I was carrying, and it didn’t make sense at ALL. When you really look at the tools you use daily, the parts you use daily, you will be amazed at how much you don’t need to carry.
I am in agreement with Gerard.
For a service truck that only needs minimum materials the connect works. If this is your everyday service and install truck there is no space to fit everything you need. For us (a company that does a lot of one/two day installs and prewires) these trucks are not big enough for the boxes of wire, tools and ladders. Albeit we have shelving on both sides and have contemplated of removing the one side of shelves, still doesn't increase the cargo space enough to make it any easier to work out of. We try and do everything possible to utilize space by using totes for prewire materials (Screws boxes, LV brackets, CVAC) but they still don't help. Trying to utilize two ladders is almost impossible. You can't fit a 6' ladder in the back without angling it so it either has to go on the roof (eliminates having a larger 8-10' ladder or angle it which takes up necessary space. On a retrofit job the rear isn't long enough to house fish stick so we need to angle them to get them in.
As for fuel I don't see it being any better/worse than a full sized van. We have two crews going to the same site for a week, one in the connect the other in a Ford E-250. Both trucks could be filled up Monday Morning and the Connect would need Fuel on Wednesday and Friday where the E-250 may need to fill up Thursday, Friday at worst. The cost is typically $40-$50 to fill up the Connect and $90-100 for the E-250 so I don't see the fuel benefit (we are in Canada please don't question our gas prices). The Connect is more of a hinder since I am needing to get fuel twice as often. I don't know the Tank sizes but would think that the E-250 is about double to connect.
