Multi-stop truck

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A multi-stop truck operated by FedEx Ground Multi stop truck FedEx Ground 410620.jpg
A multi-stop truck operated by FedEx Ground

A multi-stop truck (also known as a step van, walk-in van, delivery van, or bread truck; "truck" and "van" are interchangeable in some dialects) is a type of commercial vehicle designed to make multiple deliveries or stops, with easy access to the transported cargo held in the rear. They first appeared in the United States in the 1920s. [1] They are usually vans or trucks designed to be used as fleet vehicles by businesses within local areas.

Contents

Former and current manufacturers of multi-stop trucks include Morgan Olson, Utilimaster, Workhorse Group, Freightliner Trucks, Navistar, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, International Harvester, Flxible, Pak-Age-Car, Gerstenslager, and Divco.

History and usage

The first walk-in truck is generally considered to be the Pak-Age-Car, which first appeared in 1925 and entered production in 1926. [2] The concept had been developed by two men named Oldfield and Rollston, both of Chicago, with the intent of providing a direct replacement for the horse. [3] The Divco entered production a little later the same year. The first iterations were low-powered vehicles, designed to replace the horse in last-mile deliveries, and were often marketed as "mechanical horses" and the like; White's offering was even called the White Horse. [2] They are designed for frequent stops with ease of access being a priority; load floors are low and the driver can exit on either side. Early versions were often designed for the driver to be standing up. [2]

They typically use commercial truck chassis with a generally larger, taller body and sometimes also a longer or shorter wheelbase. Though they have traditionally been powered by internal combustion engines, into the 21st century many multi-stop trucks have begun shifting to electric truck platforms. Multi-stop trucks are primarily used as cargo delivery vehicles, but are also popularly used as general utility vehicles, mail trucks, moving vans, aerial work platforms, food trucks, ice cream vans, milk floats, canteens, or bookmobiles. One common historical use for them was delivering bread, hence its nickname of "bread truck". Outside businesses, they are also sometimes used as mobile command centers, police vans, and SWAT vehicles by emergency services.

Multi-stop trucks are commonly seen in North America; in other regions such as Europe and Asia, their task is often undertaken by panel vans, light commercial vehicles, and box trucks. Nonetheless, there have been European walk-in trucks, with Commer's "Walk-Thru" truck being the most successful. [4] This was later sold with Dodge badging. Many other vans, like Citroën's HY, have a flat floor and allow the operator to enter and exit on either side or to the cargo area.

The bodystyle has also had a long-term presence in Japan, with the first model being the 1952 Toyopet Route Van, a cab-over version based on the Toyopet Model SB, with bodywork by outside specialists Shin-Nikkoku Kogyo. [5] In 1968, Isuzu released an aluminum-bodied walk-through van model of the recently renewed Elf, called the Elf High Roof. In 1982, Yamato Transport and Toyota jointly developed the Quick Delivery for home delivery duties. In 1984 the Daihatsu Mira Walk-Through Van was released, fitted with a panel van body with folding doors and a single seat but retaining the original passenger car's bonnet. This eye-catching vehicle is likely the smallest step-thru van, and several ofther companies like Mitsubishi and Suzuki followed suit. The Mira continued to be produced into the 1990s, but it too was discontinued when the kei car standards were revised in 1998.

The Toyota Quick Delivery ended production in 2016 (having been only built for Yamato Transport since 2011); there were no step-thru vans built in Japan until the Hino Dutro Z EV went on sale in 2022.

Manufacturers

A Frito-Lay truck driver washing his Grumman Olson Kurbmaster in New Ulm, Minnesota in 1974 RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE TWO MOBILE HOME PARKS, WASHES HIS TRUCK. THE TRAILER PARKS WERE CREATED IN RESPONSE TO WORKERS... - NARA - 558297.jpg
A Frito-Lay truck driver washing his Grumman Olson Kurbmaster in New Ulm, Minnesota in 1974

See also

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References

  1. Les walk-in[The walk-ins], Altaya: Camions d'autrefois (in French), vol. 64, Barcelona: Editorial Planeta deAgostini, 2010, p. 8, ISBN   978-84-487-2801-4
  2. 1 2 3 Altaya, Les walk-in, p. 9
  3. Godshall, J. I. "Pak-Age-Car: Old Dobbin's Last Stand". Autoenthusiasts International (March–April 1970): 1.
  4. Les walk-thru européens[The European walk-thrus], Altaya: Camions d'autrefois (in French), vol. 64, Barcelona: Editorial Planeta deAgostini, 2010, p. 12, ISBN   978-84-487-2801-4
  5. Ozeki, Kazuo. "日本の商用車列伝 第5回 三輪を終焉させたトヨペット・ライトトラック" [Japanese Commercial Vehicles: Part 5 - The Toyopet Light Truck, which brought an end to the three-wheeled vehicle]. M-BASE (in Japanese). MIKI Press. Archived from the original on 2014-07-17.
  6. GMC: The First 100 Years, by John Gunnell
  7. Crismon, Frederick W. (2002), International Trucks (2nd ed.), Minneapolis, Minnesota: Victory WW2 Publishing, p. 142, ISBN   0-9700567-2-9
  8. Siegel, Stewart (July 1990). "The New Models for 1991: Light Trucks". Fleet Owner. Vol. 85, no. 7. FM Business Publications. p. 62.
  9. Workhorse - About
  10. Workhorse - Step Vans