# Work trucks for the city?



## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

Anyone here work in a urban areas with tight parking? Most of my work these days is in Center City Philadelphia and my E-250 is not cutting it. Not that there are tons of parking spaces but half the ones I find are not large enough for me to fit into. Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem and came up with a creative solution, I'm thinking about buying a honda element (don't hate me) I've been searching for a while and it seams like the only vehicle thats short but also has a ton of cargo space. I tried out a Chevy Astro van but the leg room is horrific, any ideas folk?


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

I see a lot of contractors using those Chrysler mini vans, they may even have a contractor series, I know they used to have them.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

Chevy HHR panel wagon.


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## ConstSvcs (Nov 22, 2007)

On a recent trip to Spain I was amazed to see how contractors in Europe handle confined space issues within large cities with narrow streets. This is at the city park. If you look close.........you'll see that it is actually a mini hook-lift rolloff truck. It is very small but simply an example of inginuity that I found to be common in the cities. This was taken at a park in Madrid. This truck also had a box type storage body which was left of this image. 

Point is...........I came home with new thoughts in mind about the vehicles I drive and the fuel that I use. *I NEVER SAW A CONVENTIONAL CAB WORK VEHICLE in the ten days I was there! * Everything was a economic, tight turning cabover. MANY with detachable body systems. 

Should I mention that fuel was 1.26 euro / litre which equals $7.13 US / gal (please correct me if my math is wrong) 

In these times...............we need to re-think the things and "re-tool" for more efficient operation.

I understand your problem.........I recently purchased an Isuzu cabover (used) but my daily driver is still a 2003 2500HD extended cab with long bed. I'm trying to make the switch.

You can't beat those tight turning work chassis for the city.

TomT


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

I've seen a couple Sprinters that are shorter than an E250. I have no idea what the wheelbase dimension is, but they look funny. 

Ford is bringing their UK staple "Transit" to the US market:

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/06/chicago-2008-ford-transit-connect-arrives-in-the-state/


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## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

Yes gas is becoming a major concern also, my van is getting somewhere in the upper single digits through stop and go which unfortunately is what I spend most of my time doing, I wish that new ford wagon was a diesel, what a bummer. In most of Europe ford sells ranger pickup and a few other vehicles with small diesels, and most car manufacturers have extensive diesel lineups as well. No clue why we are getting the shaft with the gas hogs. On a trip to france I noticed that a lot of carpenters, plumbers, and electricians were using volvo station wagons as work trucks, the only problem I see with doing that here is that clients may view me as some sort of a hack working out of car instead of a truck. We've all seen the jerk with the wood paneled station wagon with a ladder twined to the roof rack trying to stuff 2 x 4's into his back window at the lumber yard, never wanted to be that guy.


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## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

And those sprinters are a small fortune, I went into a dodge dealership to check them out, they are really nice and are good on gas with their 6 cylinder diesels but starting prices are around 37K, too rich for my one man operation


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

Solo flyer said:


> And those sprinters are a small fortune, I went into a dodge dealership to check them out, they are really nice and are good on gas with their 6 cylinder diesels but starting prices are around 37K, too rich for my one man operation


Seriously, we just replaced one of our Astro vans with this;


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

mickeyco said:


> I see a lot of contractors using those Chrysler mini vans, they may even have a contractor series, I know they used to have them.


Contractors or deck builders?? :furious: Real contractors drive F250's and up


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## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

Hows that working out for you guys? it looks like the low roof line would make it hard to find your stuff inside the cargo area. I've seen a few of those around town, theres a Telecom company thats using them but I dont think they haul much. Whats the fuel economy like?


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## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

rbsremodeling said:


> Contractors or deck builders?? :furious: Real contractors drive F250's and up


so if I don't continue to drive my e-250 that doesn't fit in any parking spaces and also uses obscene amounts of fuel then I'm not a real contractor? thats the dumbest thing I've heard in a while. If you need the capacity of an F 250 thats great for you, but by no means does the fact that you own one make you any better (or real) than anyone else.


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

Solo flyer said:


> so if I don't continue to drive my e-250 that doesn't fit in any parking spaces and also uses obscene amounts of fuel then I'm not a real contractor? thats the dumbest thing I've heard in a while. If you need the capacity of an F 250 thats great for you, but by no means does the fact that you own one make you any better (or real) than anyone else.


 
ummm it was a joke. Take it easy tiger it drive a toyota


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## ConstSvcs (Nov 22, 2007)

rbsremodeling said:


> ummm it was a joke. Take it easy tiger it drive a toyota


Now that I have a cabover I' love to dump the 2500HD for a Toyota extra cab :thumbsup:


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

I Bought an 07 Tundra and love it to death gas is ****ty and it feels as wide and long as a mack truck but i looove it


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## threaderman (Nov 15, 2007)

Being in service/repair I can't provide great service and run efficiently with-out an extensive inventory,and I guess I still have faith in American Autos.My E-250 [extended van] is a bit expensive to own and operate but what a fine tool.Solid,reliable powerful and extremely comfortable,of course ,you get what you pay for.There are some places I just can't fit and have to walk a little ways,but ideally,someone is paying for that walk .I never did care for the rigs with the boxes on the outside,just not my style.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

I drive a step van, and if I can't find a legal parking spot, I make my own. Private lot, on the sidewalk, blocking an alley, along a yellow or red curb, etc. That's why I carry orange cones. Makes me look "official" when I'm illegally parked. I was parked almost for a full day, two wheels up on the sidewalk, right smack in front of a police station.


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## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

rbsremodeling said:


> ummm it was a joke. Take it easy tiger it drive a toyota


Sorry about that, I thought you were being serious, there are quite a few people out there that really do think that way.


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

mdshunk said:


> I drive a step van, and if I can't find a legal parking spot, I make my own. Private lot, on the sidewalk, blocking an alley, along a yellow or red curb, etc. That's why I carry orange cones. Makes me look "official" when I'm illegally parked. I was parked almost for a full day, two wheels up on the sidewalk, right smack in front of a police station.


It's funny what you can get away with when you have a pair of those orange cones, in Chicago that wouldn't fly, the city even has a low clearance tow truck that can tow large trucks out of parking garages. I found out the hard way, I had a Freightliner box truck towed from the garage beneath Water Tower and it wasn't cheap.

.


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## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

mdshunk said:


> I drive a step van, and if I can't find a legal parking spot, I make my own. Private lot, on the sidewalk, blocking an alley, along a yellow or red curb, etc. That's why I carry orange cones. Makes me look "official" when I'm illegally parked. I was parked almost for a full day, two wheels up on the sidewalk, right smack in front of a police station.


I'm right there with you, I am the pirated parking spot master but I've been getting killed with tickets lately and I've been towed on more that one occasion, this city is rough. The cones seem to work well with the police but the meter maids and parking authority people just don't care.


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

rbsremodeling said:


> Contractors or deck builders?? :furious: Real contractors drive F250's and up


Mostly guys that do service work in the City, a place I worked at before used to use mid-size station wagons.


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

How many of you guys have used the truck to push a roll off dumpster up a little bit to get a spot, I have.


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

Solo flyer said:


> I'm right there with you, I am the pirated parking spot master but I've been getting killed with tickets lately and I've been towed on more that one occasion, this city is rough. The cones seem to work well with the police but the meter maids and parking authority people just don't care.


I have 6 work vehicles we do about 6500 a year in tickets


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

mickeyco said:


> It's funny what you can get away with when you have a pair of those orange cones, in Chicago that wouldn't fly, the city even has a low clearance tow truck that can tow large trucks out of parking garages. I found out the hard way, I had a Freightliner box truck towed from the garage beneath Water Tower and it wasn't cheap.
> 
> .


How did you manage to make the dock manager mad enough to have you towed? Or were you parked on the residential side in the parking garage?

I have done many jobs at Water Tower place and parked in the loading dock, they don't care as long as you leave the keys in the ignition if they have to move it.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Get yourself one of deeze.


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## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

I've been averaging a solid $500 a month in tickets, each time I got towed it was $275. Just time to find a better solution. I met a plumber from NYC that sends his guys out in yellow cabs and then has them call back to the shop for a materials and tool list that are then dropped off by a stocked box truck that he has circling around the city, thats a hell of a way to live. Sometimes I think about getting a horse drawn wagon and loading up my gear, the ticket people wouldn't have a wiper blade to stick the ticket under


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## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

I'd buy that in a heart beat, seriously. Great marketing tool also. what is that? is that made by mini cooper?


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

I don't know, but I think you could keep it sideways in the back of a F250 and just launch out of the back when you were in the city. Maybe just bungy it into a lift gate or one of those reciever hitch platforms. :w00t:


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

KillerToiletSpi said:


> How did you manage to make the dock manager mad enough to have you towed? Or were you parked on the residential side in the parking garage?
> 
> I have done many jobs at Water Tower place and parked in the loading dock, they don't care as long as you leave the keys in the ignition if they have to move it.


It was residential, before they had the low clearance tow trucks, you'd tell them you're only going to be there for a half hour so they'd let you in quickly and stay for 4 or 5 hours and there wasn't much they could do.


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

Mike Finley said:


> Get yourself one of deeze.


That's a Mini Cooper (10" rims), they also made a van, when I was younger they had a Mini dealer in Skokie (Skokie Blvd., just south of Main) and they had a mini displayed in each window on a shelf, it was quite humorous.

Side note: There's someone near where I live now that has one of those Smart cars, it's the funniest thing to watch that thing zipping around town.


Here's the van:


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## JT Wood (Dec 17, 2007)

mickeyco said:


> How many of you guys have used the truck to push a roll off dumpster up a little bit to get a spot, I have.


I have hooked a chain on the bin and dragged it 50 yards down the street and left it in the middle of the road!!! The **** parked it crooked (2 spots) in front of my truck!! I couldn't get out. I borrowed my friends truck and "moved" it out of the way.


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

I was tempted by a diesel VW rabbit pickup as a second car, but I use 4wd practically every day, so I wouldn't get enough use out of it. But still, a pickup that gets 50mpg...

Around here, if there isn't a parking space for a big truck or a truck and trailer, at least for a quick stop, they will put the rig in park right in the middle of the road, put on the flashers, and leave. In a parking lot, you just pull in perpendicular to the parking spaces, and take up 5 or 6, or how many ever it takes.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

mickeyco said:


> It's funny what you can get away with when you have a pair of those orange cones, in Chicago that wouldn't fly, the city even has a low clearance tow truck that can tow large trucks out of parking garages. I found out the hard way, I had a Freightliner box truck towed from the garage beneath Water Tower and it wasn't cheap.
> 
> .


Got any other parking garage stories? I'm the only guy I know of, for sure, that ripped out a sprinkler pipe with the ladder rack on a Dodge van and started a minor flood in a parking garage. I just fit under the clearance thing-a-ma-jig they had on the way in, but I guess that one sprinkler pipe several decks up was just a tiny bit low. Embarrassing, to say the least. It doesn't take much to rip a Victaulic fitting apart, in case you ever wondered. The horn on a ladder rack will do the trick.


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

mdshunk said:


> Got any other parking garage stories? I'm the only guy I know of, for sure, that ripped out a sprinkler pipe with the ladder rack on a Dodge van and started a minor flood in a parking garage. I just fit under the clearance thing-a-ma-jig they had on the way in, but I guess that one sprinkler pipe several decks up was just a tiny bit low. Embarrassing, to say the least. It doesn't take much to rip a Victaulic fitting apart, in case you ever wondered. The horn on a ladder rack will do the trick.


Any open convertibles on the lower levels? I hate that it's not really your fault but embarrassing just the same.

I've ripped down a few cable TV lines that were hung to low and damaged a roof going under a viaduct after they repaved the street and there was less clearance. The guys from Chicago (maybe elsewhere) will know what I'm talking about, Rogers Park has viaducts all over the place and some are higher than others so you write the ones you can make on the visor and the one I hit was on the visor as okay to clear. To find out if you can clear them you have to go real slow with your head out the window watching.


.


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## KillerToiletSpider (May 27, 2007)

mdshunk said:


> Got any other parking garage stories? I'm the only guy I know of, for sure, that ripped out a sprinkler pipe with the ladder rack on a Dodge van and started a minor flood in a parking garage. I just fit under the clearance thing-a-ma-jig they had on the way in, but I guess that one sprinkler pipe several decks up was just a tiny bit low. Embarrassing, to say the least. It doesn't take much to rip a Victaulic fitting apart, in case you ever wondered. The horn on a ladder rack will do the trick.


Was this a heated parking deck?

Most parking decks are dry systems.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

KillerToiletSpi said:


> Most parking decks are dry systems.


Yeah, it was a dry system, and out comes the water after holding charge pukes out.


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## john5mt (Jan 21, 2007)

The only time i ever had trouble with my rig being too big was when it was pulling our 22' Job trailer. I downsized now so i get wherever i want. Problems getting in places never really occurred to me. We've always had plenty of space around here. :thumbup:


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## TempestV (Feb 3, 2007)

john5mt said:


> Problems getting in places never really occurred to me.


I've never really thought about driving a smaller rig due to it being easier to maneuver in town. I'd look at a smaller rig for gas millage and getting around in tight off road areas though.


john5mt said:


> We've always had plenty of space around here. :thumbup:


That's one of the things I love about Montana.


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## Fox Flooring (Feb 26, 2008)

In the beginning of the year we got a very large account in Center City and will be working there for a few years...we use 2 Express 2500 in the city, and we got a contractor parking permit. That helps a lot...do you have one?

A Contractor Parking Permit is a cardboard placard that is placed in the window of the vehicle to indicate that the vehicle is only used to perform a contractor service. This program was established to enable licensed contractors to access their vehicles during the workday to retrieve materials and tools. 
Contractor vehicles may park in metered and timed parking zones without limit, and in loading zones for up to four hours. 

Eligibility
Four requirements must be met in order to obtain a Contractor Parking Permit:



Vehicles must bear commercial license plates and be registered to the business applying for the permit.
Vehicles cannot have three or more outstanding parking tickets.
The business must possess all trade, occupation and business privilege licenses as required by the City.
The business must have no unpaid taxes or fees due to the City of Philadelphia.


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## Solo flyer (Mar 17, 2008)

Fox Flooring said:


> In the beginning of the year we got a very large account in Center City and will be working there for a few years...we use 2 Express 2500 in the city, and we got a contractor parking permit. That helps a lot...do you have one?
> 
> A Contractor Parking Permit is a cardboard placard that is placed in the window of the vehicle to indicate that the vehicle is only used to perform a contractor service. This program was established to enable licensed contractors to access their vehicles during the workday to retrieve materials and tools.
> Contractor vehicles may park in metered and timed parking zones without limit, and in loading zones for up to four hours.
> ...


Thanks for the info! One of my biggest problems is that I am doing a lot of repair work for a management company in Rittenhouse square so I'm stopping at about 10 different locations a day, I never really stay in one place long enough for the permit to help, its just a matter of finding spots I can fit into along spruce and pine st. and I'm also interested in saving some money on gas, getting tired of being raped at the pump.


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