Highway star: a strong truck is the lifeblood of a service technician's business. Here's what industry veterans say you should have in your garage

Pool & Spa News, Jan 31, 2005 by Bob Dumas

Bob Foutz opened his garage door early one morning to retrieve his newspaper as he had done countless times before. But this time, as he looked out onto his front lawn, something seemed amiss. Suddenly, it hit him.

"My truck wasn't where it was supposed to be," recalls Foutz, owner of Purity Pool Service in Huntington Beach, Calif. "It was like a bad dream in slow motion."

From the veteran pool technician's point of view, the thieves didn't just steal a truck: They took away his livelihood. "I look at my truck as a tool," he says. "It's a very important tool."

As the backbone of his business, Foutz knew his new ride had to be reliable, durable and cost-efficient. When he set out to purchase a replacement, he laid out some criteria.

To help guide you through your truck-buying decisions, Foutz and other veteran service techs offer tips on what sort of wheels are best suited for you and the job you do.

Maintenance time

Pool maintenance routes involve a lot of driving, with many stops and starts along the way. So, for maintenance/service trucks, most business owners prefer the smaller, light-duty vehicles that get about 19 to 25 miles to the gallon, and range in price from approximately $12,000 to $16,000.

"Our service trucks are Chevy S-10 long beds," says David Hawes, owner of H&H Pool Service in Dublin, Calif. "I like them because they are low enough for techs to get their caddies and poles in and out [of the bed] without straining."

Hawes says that some of his S-10s have four-cylinder engines, while others are equipped with six cylinders. "I haven't found gas mileage to be that much different [between four and six cylinders]," he says. "But with some of the heavier loads we carry, I prefer the six-cylinder engine."

With the smaller pickups, the size of the engine is not as crucial as how the purchase impacts your bottom line. "With the smaller trucks--most of ours are Ford Rangers and vary from four to six cylinders--we choose whatever has the best deal at the time," says Sterling Kropp, president of Roberts Pool Service in Carrollton, Texas.

"But we like to drive [either one] because of the fuel economy."

A region's topography also can factor into a truck-buying decision. For example, even though you're driving a maintenance/ service route, if the terrain is steep and hilly, the smaller, four-cylinder models might not work for you.

"In the peninsula area that we have here, there are lots of hills and lots of stop and go, and those small trucks can't take it," says Dave Ferra, general manager of Hill's Pool Service in Burlingame, Calif. "I know a lot of guys who have bought inexpensive trucks, and ended up blowing out their transmission and killing their brakes."

For solo service technicians who perform maintenance and repairs, two questions factor into the track-buying equation. Should you buy a smaller model to get great gas mileage, or forego the savings to get a larger truck that can haul equipment and parts to repair jobs?

Foutz, a solo tech himself, found a simple solution. "I bought a smaller truck, took it into a frame shop and had shims put into the suspension," he says.

Today, he gets good gas mileage on his maintenance routes. Foutz is also able to load and transport big items such as filters and heaters.

Repair service

Trucks designated specifically for repair work need to be stronger than maintenance vehicles. They should have beefier suspension for hauling pool equipment and heavy-duty tools.

"We go with the half-ton trucks like the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma," says Keith Reuter, owner of Reuter's Pool Services in Napa, Calif. "I stay with the four cylinders, though. I don't seem to have any trouble hauling what we need to haul."

Reuter prefers these Japanese models due to their reliability. Mid- to heavy-duty trucks range in price from about $25,000 to $35,000 and get about 12 to 16 miles per gallon, depending on engine size, cab size and bed length.

For repair calls, some companies prefer vans, which range in price from $20,000 to $25,000 and get about 16 to 20 miles per gallon. One plus is the van's security against theft. Would-be pilferers are less likely to be enticed to steal something they can't see, which is an advantage a van has over a pickup truck.

However, critics say that if a thief does break into a van, they can remain inside the vehicle indefinitely. They can also pick and choose their loot without being noticed.

This possibility doesn't bother Steve Bludsworth, owner of All-Pool Service & Supply. His Orlando, Fla.-based company has 11 to 12 vehicles on the road at any given time. The ones performing service calls are Chevy 2500 3/4-ton vans.

"We buy them with bins and shelves, and a partition between the driver and the cargo," Bludsworth says. "OSHA requires [the partition] so if the driver slams on the brakes, a backwash valve won't come flying and hit him in the head. This is the same type of van the plumbers and the HVAC guys own."

But experts warn against using vans to carry chemicals. If an accident occurs, the chemicals wouldn't be thrown clear as they would with a pickup truck. In a van, they could mix together and create toxic fumes. Plus, chemicals can be harsh on a van's metallic floor.