Fleet Solutions for Engineering

Engineering

Cargo vans, trucks, and other commercial vehicles for all types of engineering

Merchants Fleets offers a wide variety of commercial vehicles for every sub-specialty of engineering — including industrial, civil, electrical, mechanical, environmental, aerospace, biomedical, petroleum, marine, and more. Choose from cargo vans, trucks, passenger vans, and flatbeds from top manufacturers such as Chevrolet, Ford, and RAM.

Vehicles can be upfitted to accommodate your business needs and special types of engineering equipment, including hand tools and machinery of all sizes. We also offer electric vehicles, including exciting new models from Ford such as the Mustang Mach-E, E-Transit, and F-150 Lightning, that decrease fuel and maintenance costs as well as offer excellent tax incentives.

Engineering Fleet Management Overview

Benefits of partnering with a fleet management company include:

  • Lower Costs
  • Improved Fleet Safety
  • Customized Short-Term and Long-Term Leases Available
  • Key Data to Manage Your Vehicles
  • Faster Deployment to Job Sites
  • Trackable Fuel Spend
  • Visibility Into Vehicle Lifecycle Costs
  • Ability to Monitor Equipment

 

 

Vehicle Considerations for Different Engineering Sectors

There are no major differences in vehicles for residential, commercial, and industrial engineering sectors. Here are some major considerations that apply across all three:

Off-Road Driving

Depending on the circumstances, commercial vehicles for engineering can undergo a lot of wear-and-tear due to an abundance of off-road driving. In some cases, employees are often driving frequently to different locations, which means it is important to consider the tires, maintenance, and lifecycle of a vehicle. These commercial vehicles may also need to accommodate many types of specialized equipment.

Diesel vs. Gas

It’s no surprise that fuel consumption is a top consideration. Initially, diesel engine-equipped vehicles have a higher acquisition cost, but you also need to consider the total cost of ownership (TCO). This includes the total fuel, maintenance, depreciation, and financial spend over the vehicle’s lifecycle. If properly maintained, diesel engines typically have a longer service life compared with gasoline engines.

Your choice of a gas vs. diesel engine will depend largely on mileage. Typically, 30,000 to 35,000 annual miles is a good baseline to start seeing the fuel economy advantages of a diesel engine. But there’s a lot to consider, which is why Merchants Fleet is here to help.

½ Ton vs. ¾ Ton vs. 1 Ton vs. 1½ Ton

You will likely see diesel trucks listed by the ton. This is just a classification based on their payload capabilities, otherwise known as the maximum amount of weight they can hold in the cargo and passenger areas.

For example, a ¾ ton truck offers more power and towing capabilities than smaller trucks and is a good middle-ground option for anyone whose diesel rental truck needs include heavy lifting. A popular example of this type of truck is the Ford F-Series.

A 1-ton truck can tow anywhere from 35,000 to 37,000 pounds and has a weight capacity of up to 7,800 pounds, depending on the make and model. If you’re looking for even more power and payload and towing capabilities, consider a 1 ½ ton diesel truck, which typically comes as a classic cab that you can upfit to your needs.

Vehicles for Engineering

The most popular type of commercial vehicles for engineering are typically light duty pickups, sedans, and SUVs. We also offer vocational trucks in gas and diesel options, depending on your intended towing capabilities, and crew cabs designed to transport multiple people.

No matter what you need, we offer a variety of commercial vehicles to accommodate all types of engineering equipment:

Our most popular vehicles include:

Light Duty Pickups

    • Ford F-150
    • RAM 1500
    • Nissan Titan/span>
    • Chevy Silverado

Sedans

    • Chevrolet Malibu
    • Honda Accord
    • Hyundai Sonata
    • Toyota Prius

Vans & SUVs

  • Chrysler Pacifica
  • Ford Transit Connect
  • Ford Escape
  • Jeep Grand Cherokee
  • Toyota RAV4

Upfit Applications

Upfits are often essential for vehicles in the engineering industry. Common ones include:

  • Logos, Branding, and Decals
  • Truck Bodies Designed to Carry Specific Equipment
  • Truck Boxes and Toolboxes
  • Safety Lights
  • Ladder Racks
  • Drawer Units
  • Shelving Modules
  • Alarm Systems
  • GPS Systems

Comprehensive Fleet Services & Technology

Fleet Maintenance

Control spending and simplify maintenance with our fleet maintenance programs. Benefits include controlling costs, reducing administrative burdens, minimizing downtime, and eliminating unpredictable expenses.

Our Merchants Fleet Roadside Assistance program provides fleet maintenance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Whether it is a flat tire, dead battery, or empty gas tank, you and your drivers will have a toll-free number to call — any time of day or night.

In addition, our network of ASE-certified technicians will take care of all your fleet maintenance and repair management needs, in addition to offering guidance and support for routine services or emergency repairs.

With TotalView fleet maintenance reporting, you can access purchase order data, backup documentation, and key reports through TotalView, our fleet management software, and easily track maintenance expenses and vehicle maintenance history.

TotalConnect

Merchant Fleet’s connected vehicle technology, TotalConnect, powered by MOTORQ, gives you the deep visibility into your fleet in order to make effective, analytic driven improvements. With TotalConnect, you can expect:

  • Real-Time Data to Guide Important Fleet Decisions
  • Seamless Integration of Fleet Data
  • Cost Savings Potential
  • A User-Friendly Data and Analysis Platform

Leasing & Funding

Flexible leasing and funding options are available for all types of engineering vehicles, including:

  • Open-End Lease
  • Closed-End Lease
  • Short-Term Lease
  • Rent-to-Lease
  • Value Lease

We’ll work with you to customize your financing terms and structure. Electric vehicle fleet leasing and funding is also available.

Fleet & Driver Safety

The best way to save on insurance premiums is to reduce your number of accidents, and the best way to accomplish this is with the right safety and training programs. With Merchants Fleet, you can ensure your drivers have the tools, education, and resources they need to avoid accidents or injury.

We can see what’s available through the OEM in terms of safety features, help you budget accordingly, and accommodate any special safety requests or needs.

You can choose to implement driver safety training — either with a generic program or one customized to your needs — and monitor driver behavior with our connected vehicle technology TotalConnect, telematics, and GPS tracking.

Fleet Fuel Management

In partnership with Mastercard® fuel credit cards, we offer fuel management programs backed by a nationwide vendor network for security, convenience, and cost management. Our TotalView technology allows you to:

  • Track Fuel Spending
  • Streamline Expense Management
  • Manage User Profiles
  • Set Up Overspending and Fraud Alerts

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of a fleet management solution?

There are many benefits, including the ability to lower costs, improve fleet safety, and track fuel spending. You will also have full visibility into vehicle lifecycle costs, and our customized short- and long-term leases make it easy to find exactly what you need to fit your business goals and budget.

What kind of fleet leasing and funding terms are available?

We provide a variety of leasing and funding to meet your needs. Closed-end leases offer a fixed monthly payment. An open-end lease gives you complete leasing structure flexibility. If you have purchased your own vehicles, we can add fleet management services.

What are the best vehicles for engineering?

Our most popular vehicles for engineering include a range of sedans, light duty pickups and SUVs. The Ford F-150, Honda CR-V, Nissan Pathfinder, and Chrysler Voyager are all popular options.

What upfits do you offer?

We offer a lot of upfit options, including logos, branding, decals, truck boxes, safety lights, lift gates, cranes, shelving modules, drawer units — and much more. Check out our page on vehicle upfitting and branding for more information. If you aren’t sure exactly which type of upfits you need, we can help with that, too.

How long does the upfitting process take?

It depends on the number of vehicles and which types of upfits you’ve chosen. Contact Merchants to discuss your upfit needs, and our team can provide more detailed information about potential costs and timeframe.