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Are you a contractor? We’ve compiled a couple of the best cargo vans, best chassis cabs, and best work trucks for contractors.
Get the Right Vehicle for Your Work
General contractors need a great work vehicle. Being a contractor means you travel to and from different job sites around your area with a bunch of tools, job materials, specialized equipment, and maybe other contractors too. So having a vehicle that can do it all is an important piece to a contractor’s livelihood. There are a lot of different trucks and vans out there that are great for contractor use, but we helped shorten the list a bit. We brought together some of the best work vans, work trucks, and chassis cab trucks for contractor use to make shopping for your next work vehicle easier. Now, let’s find your next contractor vehicle with the help of Carsforsale.com!
Best Cargo Vans for Contractors
First up is a great choice for contractors that want to keep their equipment and work materials secure. Cargo vans are a great choice for those in plumbing, painting, or electrical job fields. These specialized work vans feature not only plenty of interior space to work with but they can also be outfitted with a number of organizing accessories like shelving or cabinets. Plus, towing may not be needed for every job in your contractor field when considering a van, but these choices all provide the capability to hook up to a trailer should the occasion arise. Here are the best cargo vans for contractors.
RAM ProMaster Cargo Van
To start off the cargo vans, we have the RAM ProMaster series. This cargo van comes in 8, 10, 12, and 13-foot cargo lengths that can all be outfitted with a number of storage and organization solutions. Customers also have the choice of a 1500, 2500, or 3500 model to fit their payload and towing needs. Along with those options is the choice of different roof heights that amplify the available interior cargo room. New for the upcoming 2023 model, Ram has included an all-new Super High Roof option and a new Crew Van design that splits the interior for second row passenger seating.
The RAM ProMaster can provide a 4,680-pound max payload and can also tow up to 6,910 pounds when properly equipped. The lone 3.6L V6 engine found in these vans puts out 276 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque, plus it can handle up to 10,000 miles of work before needing to get an oil change. RAM allows you to craft your interior workspace how you want it with seating options, additional storage compartments, extensive available technology features, and extra power outlets throughout.
Chevrolet Express Cargo Van
The Chevrolet Express design has gone virtually unchanged since 2003, but that shouldn’t scare you off. While it may look outdated, the Express Cargo Van is a suitable option for any working contractor. The current 2022 Chevrolet Express Cargo Van comes as either a 2500 or 3500 model and provides the choice of either a 4.3L V6, 6.6L V8, or a 2.8L Duramax turbodiesel four-cylinder engine. The most powerful of those choices is the 6.6L V8 engine making 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque. That engine also helps the Express Cargo trailer up to 10,000 pounds.
As for interior space, the regular wheelbase models provide 10 and a half feet of useable room while the extended wheelbase expands to just over 12 feet. Chevrolet also provides a number of different cargo management accessories for the Express that appeal to different types of contractors. Multiple lockers, shelves, coolers, and even cylinder mounts. On top of that, Chevrolet gives the option of throwing a second-row bench seat in too. The main drawback is when it comes to modern technological features, there really aren’t any aside from a few available advanced safety alerts.
If the Chevrolet Express Cargo Van is something you’re interested in, take a look at available GMC Savana models that are essentially identical too.
Ford Transit Cargo Van
The Ford Transit was originally an exclusive van option offered internationally, but it eventually replaced the E-Series in North American back in 2013. The Ford Transit Cargo Van comes as a 150, 250, or 350 model each with a standard 3.5L V6 engine making 275 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, but 3.5L EcoBoost V6 is also available that bumps those numbers up to 310 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Paired to either of those engines is a 10-speed automatic transmission sending power to the rear wheels or all four optionally. The Transit-350, when fully equipped and not weighed down by interior accessories, reaches the highest max towing capacity of 7,500 pounds.
Ford offers contractors a lot of choices when it comes to crafting their own Transit Cargo Van. There’s the choice of the standard two front seats or the Crew Van model that installs a second row for three more passengers. The transit also comes in a number of different sizes with low, medium, and high roof options combined with cargo lengths of 9.7 feet with the regular size, 11.1 feet with the long, and 13.5 feet with the extended length option. Ford leaves most of the of the cargo management solutions to aftermarket upfitters, but they do provide available features like roof lighting, additional outlets, and heavier duty materials. Ford also offers one of the best infotainment systems in the segment with the SYNC 4 12” infotainment touchscreen.
Contractors who mostly stay in town and are looking to save at the pump can look at the unique E-Transit, one of the only all-electric cargo vans in the USA. That added battery power makes the E-Transit a helpful power bank for tools at any job site.
Best Work Trucks for Contractors
A good all-around work truck can be a helpful tool for years to come in the contractor business. Pickup trucks feature the utility of a bed that can help with hauling around lumber, tools, or whatever you need to every job site. These truck options have grown to be more than just a great contractor option because of their bed though. Auto manufacturers have integrated a number of helpful features aimed directly at those hardworking general contractors. Power your tools anywhere with the electrical outlets integrated in the bed, additional locking cargo areas to secure your stuff, modernized interiors that act as an on-the-go workspace, and much more. There’s also the added benefit of some great towing numbers. Check out these best work trucks for contractors!
Ford F-150
Ford is the premier pickup truck brand across America with their F-150 continually topping the best seller lists year after year. Their entry level XL trim is an affordable and handy work truck for any contractor. Shoppers have the choice of either a regular, Super Cab, or SuperCrew cab to fit how big of a crew you may be hauling around. There is also the choice of a 5.5-foot, 6.5-foot, or 8-foot box lengths to fit your needs. Ford opens up their catalog to six different engine options, but two work the best for contractors.
First, there’s the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 that’s one of the best for towing. It offers 400 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque that combines with the Max Trailer Tow Package for a 14,000-pound towing capacity. The other option is Ford’s hybridized 3.5L PowerBoost V6 setup that not only helps with power and fuel economy but makes the truck a mobile generator for power tool use. Pro Power Onboard allows you to access up to 7.2kW of usable power wherever you park your F-150.
There’s more to a work truck than just the power inside, it also has to have the utility contractors want. Ford provides that utility with an extensive list of available bed storage solutions, utility racks, bedslides, and much more. The interior can also be upgraded to feature a center console that flips into a work surface, install a locking safe, and a tow technology package that makes pulling a trailer a breeze.
Ford also recently introduced the F-150 Lightning that’s completely electric without losing the towing or utility performance you expect from a work truck. So, if you want a highly advanced work truck that has enough power to act as a generator for a house and gives you more storage in its frunk, check out the Lightning.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Work Truck
GM’s work truck champion comes in the form of the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Work Truck trim. This truck is a stripped back, no nonsense pickup truck option that’s ready to help with contractor work. Chevrolet provides the choice of either a turbocharged 2.7L I4 or a 5.3L V8 engine in the Work Truck trim that’ll both handle day to day tasks, but you’ll need to travel the trim ladder to achieve the max towing capacity of 13,300 pounds. Higher trimmed Chevrolet Silverado 1500s with the 3.0L Duramax turbodiesel straight-six engine get the best towing capacity when combined with the Max Trailering Package installed.
Chevrolet adds some nifty features to the Silverado for work use like 12 standard bed tie-downs, one of the largest standard bed volumes, power motion tailgate, and the available Multi-Flex Tailgate that can contort itself for different applications on the job. Speaking of the bed, Chevrolet allows for configurations of the 5.8-foot, 6.6-foot, or 8.1-foot bed lengths in conjunction with the regular, double, or crew cab sizes.
Once the work truck’s configuration is established, customers can then install a number of packages and accessories that make the Silverado a rougher truck that’s equipped for almost anything. Ladder racks, cargo boxes, bed nets, bed covers, toolboxes, and a number of other helpful additions. Inside of the Work Truck models is a pretty bland experience featuring cheaper materials and an all-black appearance that’s rounded out with a small seven-inch infotainment touchscreen. Traveling up the trim level opens up better interior options like leather and a 13.4-inch touchscreen, but that’ll cost you a bit extra for a daily work truck.
RAM 1500 Tradesman
RAM enters the work truck game starting with their RAM 1500 Tradesman that comes in a unique alternative called the Tradesman HFE. HFE stands for High Fuel Efficiency, so if you’re looking for a truck option that’ll sip on fuel, this could be it. The 3.0L EocDiesel V6 in the HFE can reach a combined 26 mpg while traveling between jobs. Otherwise, customers of the option of a 3.6L V6 with eTorque, 5.7L HEMI V8, 5.7L HEMI V8 with eTorque, or a supercharged 6.2L HEMI V8. Of those options, the 5.7L HEMI with eTorque that makes 395 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque is the best option for towing. When equipped with that engine and the proper towing items, the 2022 RAM 1500 can tow up to 12,750 pounds.
Like most of the other best work trucks for contractors, the RAM 1500 comes with available trailer technology that helps with towing and some unique gimmicks of its own that can help on the job. The first unique towing feature is a trailer reverse steering control that works with a steering knob on the infotainment system in conjunction with the backup camera. Then there’s the multifunction tailgate that splits the tailgate 60/40 so that it can swing horizontally to access the bed easier while still providing the typical tailgate functionality. And finally, be sure to take a look at the RamBox Cargo Management System that provides additional storage along the sides of the box and a helpful power outlet.
If you want some additional work truck related accessories though, you’ll have to shop through the Mopar store or look at aftermarket options.
Best Chassis Cab Trucks for Contractors
Are those basic work trucks not enough? Maybe you need to look at the capability and power you can get from heavy-duty chassis cab options that you can put together to meet your needs. These heavy-duty trucks drop the bed and allow you to upfit it with a flatbed, gooseneck, dump body, mechanical crane, or a utility box. With these chassis cabs typically being heavy-duty trucks, it allows them to not only haul heavier equipment but also pull larger trailers of lumber, bring an excavator, or tow whatever you need to a job site. If you’re a contractor that does a lot of heavy lifting between jobs, then take a look at the best chassis cab trucks for contractors.
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Chassis Cab
The 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Chassis Cab comes available as a regular or crew cab, three wheelbase lengths, and comes equipped with either a 6.6L V8 gas engine or a 6.6L Duramax turbodiesel V8 engine. The Duramax option is capable of handling up to 36,000 pounds of towing when properly equipped. With only the Work Truck or LT trims available, inside isn’t going to feel especially luxurious with all of the lower quality materials and the tech is lacking with only either a 3.5-inch or 4.2-inch infotainment touchscreen. The truck does, however, offer a number of power outlets around the cab and some upfitter switches for aftermarket additions. Chevrolet themselves won’t upfit these chassis, but they do demonstrate different configurations that can be made to their chassis cab truck option like a dump truck, utility box, or flatbed.
Ford F-350 Super Duty Chassis Cab
Ford’s F-350 Super Duty Chassis Cab is another option to look at with its multiple configurations available. Regular, SuperCab, and crew cab can be mixed with a couple wheelbase lengths and three different engines. Between the 6.2L V8 gas engine, 6.7L Power Stroke turbodiesel V8, or 7.3L V8 gas engine, the Power Stroke achieves the highest towing capacity of 24,300 pounds when properly equipped.
Ford provides the XL, XLT, and Lariat trims on the F-350 Super Duty Chassis Cab which makes the interior scale from basic up to pleasant. Top Lariat models feature leather upholstery, power seats, premium audio, and a 12-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen system. The F-350 also features an available upfitter interface module, available additional lighting, among a number of other optional accessories. However, like Chevrolet’s chassis cab, you’ll have to look at the aftermarket yourself to set up your contractor vehicle.
RAM 3500 Chassis Cab
The RAM 3500 Chassis Cab is available as a regular or crew cab in similar fashion to the Silverado 3500 HD, but only comes in two wheelbase lengths. RAM’s chassis cab also differs by offering four trims – Tradesman, SLT, Laramie, and Limited. This allows the RAM 3500 to be both a practical hauler and offer a nice cab space for you and your crew. The Tradesman comes in pretty lackluster for the interior, but moving up the ladder opens up the options to have better quality materials, technology, and even the giant vertically oriented 12-inch UConnect touchscreen.
As for capability with the RAM 3500 Chassis Cab, shoppers have the choice of either a 6.4L HEMI V8 or a 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel straight-six engine. The Cummins will provide the highest towing capacity when equipped with the Max Tow Package of 25,890 pounds. RAM provides a number of packages for the 3500 Chassis Cab and even provides an upfitting guide so that you can craft your next contractor vehicle.
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