While consumer-grade trucks like the Chevy Silverado 1500 are great for a wide range of tasks, they can fall short when you need something for your business. That’s when models like the Chevy Express Cutaway and Chassis Cab options become ideal, with impressive power and capability you won’t find elsewhere. Most dealerships that sell these commercial models also act as a Chevy upfit dealer, which means they provide upfit options for your truck. With the right upfit, you can tackle work that you might otherwise have to pass on or get your jobs done a lot quicker and easier, boosting your profit and productivity.
Choosing the right upfit for your needs is not always simple, however, and these trucks and their options represent a major investment in your company. With that in mind, I’m going to take you through some of the options available to you based on the type of business you have. You might have some specific needs not covered here, of course, so it’s a good idea to go to your local upfit dealer to explore your options and make sure you’re getting the most from your commercial truck, but I’ll get you started.
Landscaper Options
Commercial trucks with upfits offer a fantastic number of options for landscapers in order to help you get your job done. What you need will depend on the types of projects you tend to take on. For example, if your landscaping services include tree surgery and similar options, then you might need a truck with a crane and bucket on it so you can get up to trim and check on trees. On the other hand, a truck with a flatbed is a great choice if you need to be able to transport a small earth mover or compact excavator to a client’s location.
Similarly, a dump truck body for your commercial vehicle is a great choice for transporting large amounts of materials. There’s nothing easier than a dump truck for moving soil, dirt, gravel, or any other loose material from one site to another. You might also consider a snow plow attachment to help with work in the off-season, particularly if you live in an area with a lot of snow and rough weather in the winter.
Construction Options
There are honestly too many options for people working in construction to possibly list them all, but I’ll give you some suggestions. Plumbers and electricians often find side and roof racks helpful for transporting ladders, as well as long lengths of pipe or conduit to a job site. Upfits can also include a wide range of storage options, including utility and service bodies with numerous compartments and drawers for tools, equipment, and supplies.
Much like landscapers, you might want a flatbed upfit for your commercial truck if you need to be able to transport small loaders, earth movers, or similar equipment to a job site. Upfits that include a crane can be an excellent solution if you want to be able to raise pallets of materials up to the second floor of a building without having to have people carry each item up one at a time. Dump truck upfits can also work well for clearing out materials during and after demolition at a site, making it easy to toss everything into it and then dump it out at another location.
Florist Options
Florists often find box upfits a great choice for being able to transport and deliver flowers from one location to another. Whether you need a truck for picking up flowers from a central location, one for delivery, or both, a delivery box and upfit options can work very well. Rather than simply having a large open area inside, you can customize these upfits with additional shelving, storage compartments, and other options to perfectly meet your needs. These kinds of upfits are especially nice for deliveries since you can secure each bouquet or order individually, keeping them safe and ensuring they reach their destination looking stunning.
Caterer Options
Much like florists, commercial caterers often find a truck with an upfit to be the perfect option for getting food, supplies, and other equipment to a location. Catering at a place with a kitchen can be pretty easy, but if you need to be able to provide food services for events and functions without a kitchen, then transportation solutions become much more important. A good truck and upfit make it easy to get all of your equipment to any location, with plenty of interior compartments and storage solutions for transporting dishware, cutlery, and everything else you need to the client’s location. You can even get refrigerated boxes for use as a caterer, so your food is kept at a safe temperature while transporting it before heating at your destination.
Utility Contractor Options
While major utility companies typically have their own vehicles, many companies rely on contractors at a wide range of locations to handle a lot of work for them. Whether you’re a private contractor or building a company to handle work for utilities, a commercial truck with an upfit can make your job a lot easier. There are options called “utility boxes/bodies” designed specifically for this kind of work; you’ll also see them referred to as “service bodies.”
In general, these options are pretty similar, but a “service body” features an open cargo area, much like a standard pickup truck, while a “utility body/box” has an enclosed cargo area. The right option really depends on your needs and what you’re looking for, though both include a number of compartments and storage areas accessible from the outside of the vehicle. This makes it easy to access your tools, equipment, and supplies, with additional cargo area for larger objects that you need. You might also consider a commercial truck with a crane upfit and a bucket on the end of it, which will make it easy to access high utility lines and junction points, as well as to deal with trees growing dangerously close to lines.
Passenger Transport Options
While you might think a passenger vehicle like an SUV is the best option for all transport needs, in some cases, you want something larger with more room for your passengers. Bus bodies, for example, provide a tremendous amount of additional passenger seating, so you can load up with everyone that you need to be able to take to a destination. These bodies include not only proper seating but can also come with other features like air conditioning and more to ensure your passengers are safe and comfortable.
Delivery Options
If you’re looking for a vehicle to help with deliveries – either for your company or to provide third-party delivery services to other companies – then there are numerous upfit options that can work for you. Delivery boxes have large, open cargo areas that you can walk through and load up with the cargo that you need to deliver. Beyond this, however, they also include solutions to ensure your cargo stays secure while you’re on the road so that your deliveries aren’t damaged while you’re driving.
These solutions include netting, shelving, compartments, bins, and numerous other options so you can choose what will work for you. There are refrigerated boxes available to keep your deliveries at cool temperatures; depending on what you’re transporting, this may be essential for your business. With the right delivery upfit, it becomes much easier for you to maintain your schedule as your cargo remains organized and in place even throughout a full day of driving. This helps boost productivity, as well as ensures deliveries are made on time and in one piece.
Many, Many Ways to Configure Your Truck
As you can see, there are many ways you can upfit your truck so it will work for your specific business. Whether it’s just you running a small business or you need a fleet of options to get the job done, there will be a configuration tailored to your needs. Just stop by your Chevy upfit dealer to look through all your options and see what will work best for your business. An upfitted truck tailored to your specific way is one of the best ways to make your job easier.
