One of the biggest struggles we hear about when it comes to work vans is the Catch-22 that comes with using a van in the trades or as a part of your fleet. Sure, some can tow as well as a truck, but there simply isn’t the space for bulky cargo. On the other hand, we’ve never seen anyone get more than a crew of six into even the largest “crew cab” truck.
Over the years, there have been all kinds of solutions created to try to make vans more like trucks and trucks more like vans, but in the end, vans usually win, if only for the fact you can create a workspace out of the weather and keep it locked up.
Now, at Expertec, we’ve spent three decades helping our customers to solve these types of challenges, because the simple fact is this: vehicles cost money, and businesses are not designed to waste money. Besides, one of the things we’ve seen is that “once a van, always a van” and the same is usually true for truck buyers, unless you consider utilizing a SpaceKap Diablo slip-in service body.
On the other hand, if there was a solution you could install in a work van that gave you the storage space and shelving you and your team need to do the job AND the seating space you demand to get the whole crew to the jobsite safely, how would you like that?
Well, there is, and Expertec has it – the Abilitrax Crew Van Modular Seating System.
Here’s what makes this so unique – we combine a flooring platform that not only helps to protect the van, it also serves as the base for a nearly endless variety of seating configurations. More importantly, since all the retainers for the seats are below the level of the floor, there’s no worries about tripping or equipment hanging up. Another nice thing about those retainers? They’ve been designed to work with many of the cargo fasteners and retainers on the market today, so they offer perfect tie-down points for cargo when the seats aren’t installed.
There’s one other truly unique aspect of the Abilitrax system: the Cam Lock seats can be installed or removed in less than a minute. Since the seats can be folded and stored in the floor tracks, you can keep them in the van at all times or simply store them in the shop until you need them.
It’s no secret that folks have been installing seats in cargo vans for years. Heck, anyone over the age of forty might even remember riding in a folding lawn chair in the back of a van when they were kids. Today, of course, our expectations of safety and compliance are far higher, so the safety of you and your crew is critical, and every seat in the Abilitrax system is properly and securely anchored to the floor and has a seat belt built right into it.
One of the reasons we’re so excited to be able to offer the Abilitrax Crew Van system is because it works with nearly all of the other solutions we provide when it comes to upfitting a work van or giving customers the options they need to carry cargo and crew safely. Since the Abilitrax flooring can be configured to fit nearly any floor “footprint” and can work with existing partitions and shelving, it solves the very real challenge of getting everything you need out of the van.
There are so many questions we hear when it comes to upfitting a van, and additional seating and shelving are always at the top of the list. One of the biggest concerns we get is the legality of adding seats to vans in the cargo area, and the truth is – it can be very dangerous if it’s not done properly. If you’re trying to get more space and safety out of a cargo van, then reach out to our team and find out how the Abilitrax Crew Van Seat system might just give you exactly what you’re looking for.
