No matter the trade, an organized and well-outfitted truck makes workers more efficient, enabling them to complete jobs faster and finish more tasks every day.


For electricians and technicians who install and service building surveillance, alarm and control systems, the selection of work trucks and custom upfits has never been better. This category includes compact vans; low-, mid-, and high-roof vans; and cab-forward box trucks. Pickups also have a good selection of toolboxes, racks and utility bodies. Vans remain the most popular work truck for the electrical and structured wiring markets.


A few years ago, truck-upfit-equipment manufacturers described the market as stable. Little had changed in upfit products offered for standard vans and pickup trucks. 


It’s a completely different world today. Due to the radical evolution in types and sizes of vans and trucks, upfit companies are developing new products to fit new options. High- and mid-roof vans are one of the fastest growing segments in the commercial vehicle market, said Jeff Kotz, senior product manager for Weather Guard, a Knaack LLC company.


“Every manufacturer for commercial vehicles in the U.S. now is, or soon will be, selling low-roof, mid-roof and high-roof van models,” Kotz said. “What this means for the upfit market is that many commercial vehicle fleets will be turning over from the traditional style of van into one of these new van types. With that comes entirely new van interior shelving packages and drop-down ladder racks.


“Electrical contractor companies that specialize in alarms, controls and service work today can find exactly the right vehicle or vehicles for their business. We are finding that companies in the cities and suburbs are giving serious consideration to the newer compact vans with extra power and payload capacity in a small van. The low-roof van is a popular vehicle that can carry plenty of equipment inside and accommodate a ladder on top.


“Work locations also influence the type of vehicle selected. Truck buyers may prefer a pickup with appropriate upfits when they need four-wheel drive to serve rural customers,” Kotz said.


In Kotz’s experience, electrical, security and communications companies are more likely than other trades to invest in a professionally upfitted work truck.


“They are looking for a mix of large storage areas with cabinets, drawers and parts boxes to keep everything organized,” he said. “These upfits typically include floor- or panel-mounted spool and cable holders and pullout drawers to store tools and materials.


“Most vans also have a ladder rack—usually something to hold an extension ladder for outside work or a stepladder for the inside—as well as a conduit carrier. The advantage of a rooftop carrier for conduit or long materials is that it keeps them off the floor of the van. An ideal upfit provides enough room for scheduled work and keeps everything handy for unexpected jobs,” Kotz said.


Custom configurations also are available to help upfitters and end-users design a system that fits specialized needs.


“For low-voltage and fiber system installers, upfits include shelf-mounted cabinets, drawers, bins and parts’ boxes as well as pull-out storage like Weather Guard’s Itemizer and Pack Rat drawer units make accessible everything from tools to small and large parts,” Kotz said. “Upfits also include a collection of hooks, bins and holders mounted to end panels or inside doors that let technicians take advantage of van dead space and access frequently used items without actually going into the van.


“Electricians’ packages include parts bins, wire-spool holders and independently locking cabinets to keep tools and accessories organized while carried and stored inside the van.


“We also offer a variety of accessories that facilitate organization and provide security for items only electricians use. Examples include a spool holder at the rear of the van for quick access to wiring and storage drawers offering quick access to small parts and accessories without having to enter the vehicle,” Kotz said.


Weather Guard introduced a second line of shelving last year directed specifically toward the service industry.


“The benefit of the new shelving is more space and flexibility inside the van,” Kotz said. “We’ve also updated some accessories to take advantage of the extra height inside new vans, for example, a taller, three-spool cable-reel holder providing greater cable capacity in a smaller space. All products are tested to the same tough standards as the current van and truck equipment to ensure many productive years from the upfit investment.”


Good commercial truck managers understand vehicle needs of the various major trades, including electricians, and maintain working relationships with upfit distributors who carry quality products and know how to correctly install them. Working with a commercial truck manager, an upfit distributor can recommend and provide upfit products to meet customers’ needs. From the buyer perspective, many prefer the single source, turnkey delivery provided by commercial truck dealers.


Purchasers of multiple truck fleets with several delivery destinations can have the vehicles equipped using an upfitter located near the vehicle’s assembly plant, a process known as “ship through.” Before final shipment, vehicles are diverted to an upfitter for equipment installation, then returned to the manufacturer’s traffic system for final delivery to the truck dealer, providing fleets with a standardized installation and savings on the transportation costs of shipping vehicles or upfit equipment to multiple locations for installation.


However, Kotz said the upfit installation and delivery process is changing.


“With tradesmen and technicians now having so many more choices in both vehicle and upfit options, truck manufacturers have gotten away from having vans sitting at dealerships with someone else’s idea of what buyers want,” he said. “Because of this change, some work truck dealers have started getting into the upfitting business, too, and buyers may find the local upfitter may actually be the dealer’s service department. Either way, the local truck upfitter is a great resource to find the right equipment set for a new van.”