6 Common Issues With Cargo Vans

Are you looking to invest in a fleet of cargo vans for your business?

This is a great alternative to having to depend on third-party transportation.

But before you shell out for a few cargo vans, you want to make sure you can handle the downsides.

There are many issues with cargo vans that can include maintenance and engine issues. You want to make sure that you can handle these issues before investing in cargo vans.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Overheated Engine

When looking at cargo vans for sale, you want to first consider the reliability of the engine.

Many cargo vans suffer from coolant leaks. This leads to an overheated engine which can slow down the van.

It can also cause the cargo van to stall or malfunction entirely. As such, many cargo van drivers need to have an abundance of coolant on hand.

The best solution is to choose a cargo van that has a stable water pump. If your water pump gets damaged, you must tend to it immediately.

2. Rear Lighting

Don’t you get annoyed when your car’s rear lights go out? With cargo vans, these are even more common.

This can be a problem with new cargo vans as well as used cargo vans. The main reason isn’t so much with the van, but with your goods. The greater the number of goods, the more likely your rear lights will go out.

The heaviness of the goods can damage the wiring for the rear lights. As such, you want to ensure you don’t overload your cargo vans. Make sure you also give them adequate rest as often as possible.

3. Electrical Damage

The cargo van’s electrical framework is often kept in the rear, where your goods get stored.

As such, you want to make sure that this area is maintained as often as possible. You want to make sure that you clean this area after every trip.

You want to be careful that you don’t use an excess of water or chemicals. These can cause further damage to the electrical equipment.

It’s also ideal to take each cargo van to the mechanic at least once per month. Ask them to look at the electrical equipment to check if there’s any damage.

4. Flat Tires

Cargo vans are made to work for long-distance driving. Nevertheless, it’s always imperative that you be wary of flat tires.

Every cargo van should have an air pump on hand. You should also have a spare tire for each of your tires. Make sure drivers get trained on how to handle flat tires.

It’s also important to research the best tires for your cargo van. You want to make sure that you always choose high-quality tires that’ll last for longer distances.

5. Discomfort

It’s not just the goods that you have to consider for your cargo vans. You also want to keep the well-being of your drivers in mind!

Make sure you assess the comfort of a cargo van for your drivers. For example, is there adequate headspace for your driver? If your driver is tall, you want to make sure there’s adequate space while they’re driving.

You also want to make sure there’s adequate headspace in the loading area in the rear of the van. If you hire an experienced van driver, make sure you ask them which types of cargo vans they prefer.

This is something that many companies disregard altogether. But the lack of comfort for your van driver can lead to accidents, delayed transportation, or even your drivers quitting altogether!

6. Reliability

This is especially a concern if you buy used cargo vans. There’s a possibility that your cargo van can stop in the middle of the road. Other times, you might not even be able to start it.

The older the van is, the harder it’ll be to drive long distances as well. If you have to depend on used cargo vans, make sure you take them in for regular maintenance.

You also need to communicate with your drivers as often as possible. They need to inform you of any issues with the cargo vans. It’s important that you set aside a budget for repairing the vans.

Best Practices

So what are some of the best practices to follow when you invest in a fleet of cargo vans?

The first step is to research the different types of cargo vans. You want to research which cargo vans are among the most popular transport vehicles. You also want to see which ones have received regular negative reviews.

You might also want to consider branding for your cargo vans. This is something that smaller businesses postpone or ignore altogether.

However, what happens if the cargo van stalls, gets abandoned, or is stolen? You want there to be proof that the cargo van belongs to your company. Make sure your company’s name, address, logo, and contact information are on the van.

You can also request each driver keep copies of your business card in the cargo van. This way, there’s information on whom to contact if there are issues with the cargo van.

It’s also important to clean the exterior of the cargo van as often as possible. You should consider making this a responsibility of the driver. Each driver should feel that the van belongs to them.

They’ll take pride in caring for their cargo van. This will help improve the reliability of each of your cargo vans.

If the budget allows as your company scales, you might also want to consider replacing your cargo vans every few years.

Get Your Cargo Vans

Now that you know the challenges of cargo vans, you’re ready to choose the right ones for your company.

Make sure you spend time assessing the best cargo vans for transporting goods. You want to also ask about how to maintain the van’s components if there are issues.

It’s imperative that you teach your drivers how to care for the cargo vans. You want to make sure your fleet lasts for several years.

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