For those of you who use vans for your business, and also use extension ladders, do you have a ladder rack mounted on the van to hold the ladders? It has been suggested to me that we go with a van for gas mileage and better advertising of business, but we use a 20’ and a 28’ aluminum extension ladder. Just wondering.
Brian Anderson
Master’s Window Cleaning
Sacramento, CA
I have a Ford E350 standard length cargo van with a WeatherGuard ladder rack. I typically carry a 24’ and 28’ extension up top, but it easily holds more at the same time, including my 40’.
What do you really want to know? Surely you’ve seen a gazillion service vans out there with ladder racks and ladders, right?
I have an o6 Tacoma long bed(wow 6’) As for advertising, you be the judge and in the pic there is a 28’ and a 32’ extension ladders on the rack. I think you are open to whatever you decide will work best with all your gear.
Wow!!! That is a sweet truck! Now I want one like that. That IS a work of Art. --Nice
I have an extended wheelbase Chevy 3500 cargo van. Love it to pieces. But yes, I do use the ladder racks. We carry a 6’ and 8’ step ladder inside, and a 12’ stepladder and a 20’ & 28’ extension on top. The ladders will all individually fit inside if needbe (the 28ft is tough, but it does fit) but I doubt I could get them all inside at once…at least not and carry anything else.
The 20’ easily lays down in the back of the van though, plenty of length for it.
just wondering why you didnt get a commercial shell with a ladder rack on top, that way everything would be locked up and safe plus alot more advertising space. that is what i will be getting soon, im not saying anything bad about your rig, its real nice. do you load every thing up in the morning and unload at night or what?
work of art…very clever :)…love the truck too looks terrific!
I have a ford windstar van, love it, everything that needs to stay dry does. I carry up to 4 ext ladders and sometimes a 12 ft a frame. Ladder rack was factory installed, came on it.
Everything stays on the truck 24/7
Thanks, I like it. It has been a great truck, dependable, decent gas mileage, etc. Can’t say enough good things about it really.
I have an E350 and got a ladder rack (3 cross pieces) with spring loaded locking mechanisms for front and back. Sure beats bungee cords and ratcheting straps like I used back in the day.
the only way to go
Ford F250. My ladders are chained and padlocked at night. Everything else comes into the garage
Do you always have to be a smart alec Larry?
While I love Art’s truck I personally love vans. In fact I think Art’s graphics would look way sicker on a full size cargo van!
We just went w/ the full size van and I have a ladder rack to carry large extensions when I need them.
Yea…But my airplane is better.
Full size vans are great because of the abundance of inside storage space. Everything is out of the weather and under lock and key 24/7. The only draw back is putting the ladders up on top of a van verses the ease of putting ladders up on a small pick up truck ladder rack. I have seen an alarm company in my neck of the woods that has a great set up in my opinion. They have commercial grade ladder racks on mini vans. The racks a sweet. They are tilted to the side a bit (like on inverted V) so you can put your ladders on the rack from the side if you like. Low to the ground and very easy to use.
Do you know the name of the company? Perhaps they put photos of their vans/crews on their website…
Alternatively, if you can take a photo of those mini-vans, I’d love to see them because I own multiple Chrysler Town & Country’s which I use for my residential cleaning business. converting one of them to carry ladder racks would be an interesting option.
Hey Todd who is the pilot? You or Eddie? Might the plane be called “Ed-Force One”? 
We have a Chevy Astro. It works well and gets decent gas mileage. We carry a 24’, 32’ and 16’ ladder on top.
Good one Nate…Working on snappy comeback…Nope can’t think of one. Darn!..Getting old sucks!
