Publish Date
December 10, 2024
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Do you transport and handle large, heavy, or bulk quantities of items and feel uncertain about the best mode of transportation? We provide step-by-step guidance on how to make an informed decision on the vehicle solutions that will best serve your operation.
What is a cargo hauling vehicle?
A cargo hauling vehicle is equipped to hold, transport and sometimes assist with loading and offloading of goods, materials or equipment between locations such as:
- Businesses
- Facilities
- Job Sites
- Residences
- Storage Yards
- Suppliers
- Warehouses
Some examples of cargo hauling professionals include:
- Contractors
- Distributors
- Farmers
- Landscapers
- Miners
- Retailers
- Waste Managers
1. Review vehicle options
How do you know which vehicle is most suitable for your application?
Every vehicle is designed to transport both passengers and cargo to some extent, but not all options are ideal when it comes to holding or handling specific contents. Pickup trucks are generally more cost-effective, excel in off-road capability, and feature a factory-installed open bed designed to accommodate oversized or irregularly shaped items. Cargo vans, on the other hand, provide enclosed storage for enhanced protection of contents, superior fuel efficiency, easy maneuverability in urban settings, and a spacious, customizable interior. A chassis offers the flexibility of either a truck or van, featuring a bare rear frame where an aftermarket bed or body can be installed to more effectively meet the hauling needs of the operation. Other factors to consider when selecting a vehicle include costs associated with purchasing, insuring and operating it, customization options, seating, comfort, safety and technology features, performance, handling, and reliability.
2. Assess storage requirements
How much space and payload capacity are required to handle your cargo?
Catalog all goods, materials, and equipment you may transport, including their dimensions and weight, while also accounting for any pallets, skids, packaging, or restraints used to contain and secure contents. A factory installed bed or cargo area offers limited storage area, but an aftermarket body can be ordered to support a range of cargo shapes, heights, and lengths. It’s essential to consider the vehicle’s “Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)”, which is the maximum weight it is designed to safely carry, including the vehicle’s own weight, passengers, cargo, and any aftermarket modifications (such as bodies or equipment). Exceeding this limit can lead to safety risks, higher maintenance costs, and potential legal penalties.
3. Consider cargo access
How can retrieving and returning your cargo be made more efficient and convenient?
Popular add-on options for pickup trucks include material racks and bed cargo slides, while cargo vans can be equipped with fixed shelving for organized storage in compartments or bins, or folding shelving that collapses when not in use to create additional open space. For chassis, an added aftermarket flatbed can often be customized to permit better cargo access through removable or folding sides, swing-out rear gates, overhead racks, and optimized tie-down systems. Alternatively, an aftermarket dump bed can be ordered with drop down sides, metering chute doors for controlled flow of loose materials, and removable sideboard extensions.
4. Safeguard assets
How can your vehicle and cargo be better protected from elements, damage or theft?
Just because items you haul are too large or heavy to be easily stolen doesn’t mean a determined thief won’t try. Take measures to reduce the risk of theft while also ensuring loads are properly contained and restrained during transit, which could otherwise lead to property or vehicular damage, injuries to your crew, or hazards to bystanders. You might also consider upgrading your vehicle to withstand weather, filth, impacts, scratches, dents, rust, and corrosion from daily use or unexpected incidents. Pickup trucks can be upgraded with bed caps, covers or liners while cargo vans can be outfitted with side or roof racks for stowing and locking ladders or interior wall and floor coverings. Aftermarket flatbeds or dump beds for chassis can include integrated tie-down or tarping systems, solid, slatted or punched side panels (which influence other’s visibility and access to cargo), reinforced flooring or understructure, or sometimes even full enclosures.
5. Prioritize people
How can your vehicle better support the satisfaction and well-being of its users?
Think about adding features into the vehicle that boost the health, safety, comfort and happiness of its users and potentially others as well. Ergonomic seating and climate control are mostly considered standard amenities nowadays, but additional customizations can make a tremendous impact too. Steps, handles, treaded surfaces, racks, bed slides and other auto accessories and equipment can be applied to prevent fatigue, strain and injuries caused by getting in and out of the vehicle and accessing cargo. Other modifications worth considering include flexible cargo restraining systems, cab-and-crew protecting bulkheads, partitions, or headache racks, backup cameras, reverse alarms, grill guards, beacons and clearance marker lights.
6. Explore marketing opportunities
How can your vehicle better promote and present your brand?
As your vehicle navigates roads and sits parked at various locations, it transforms into a powerful advertising tool for your business and its offerings to a wide audience within your service area. By incorporating brand logos, colors, relevant graphics, compelling messaging, and contact information on your vehicle’s exterior, your company gains continuous exposure and is both recognizable and memorable to existing and potential customers. It is equally important to keep your vehicle clean, organized and well maintained too as it creates a positive perception, builds trust, and will ideally result in driving interest in your products and services.
7. Identify support needs
What essential capabilities or assistance should your vehicle provide?
Consider any necessary functionalities, support, or specialized gear your vehicle needs to meet the demands of your operation. Tasks like lifting, loading, emptying, or moving cargo on and off the vehicle—or around the jobsite—can be too complex or physically taxing to handle manually. In such cases, add-ons like cranes, liftgates, winches, dump hoists, or ramps become indispensable tools. Additional goods, materials or equipment may need to be held in toolboxes, tanks, on overhead racks or attached trailers for extra storage or protection. Certain cargo may require on-board equipment and accessories for collecting and dispensing fluids, placarding for handling hazardous materials, or resources for preparing for a range of emergencies or incidents.
