Standard commercial vehicles often are too heavy-duty for small-business owners, including contractors, and SUVs, minivans, and cars don’t provide the same convenience and durability as vans and trucks. Ford Motor Co.’s solution to the problem is the newly unveiled Transit Connect light-duty commercial van.
Ford says the van, which debuted in Europe in the early 2000s and hits the U.S. market this summer, stores materials better and loads easier than consumer vehicles. It also is designed to be more durable and compact than a standard commercial van, making it easier to maneuver on tight city streets, as well as more fuel-efficient. The Transit Connect also boasts such optional technological features as an on-board computer and fleet management software.
“Now a small-business owner can have a choice in a light-duty vehicle ready for commercial use,” Len Deluca, director of sales and marketing for Ford’s commercial truck segment, said during a May 19 press event in Alexandria, Va.
Transit Connect, which has a base price of $21,475, measures 180.7 inches long, 70.7 inches wide (without the mirrors), and 79.3 inches high at curb. By comparison, Ford’s regular-length 2009 E-150 commercial cargo van is 216.7 inches long, 79.4 inches wide (without the mirrors), and 82.4 inches high.
Other vehicle specs include:
- a 1,600-lb. payload capacity;
- city and highway fuel ratings of 22 mpg and 25 mpg, respectively;
- 135.3 cubic feet of cargo space;
- a 2-liter Duratec I-4 engine;
- 39-foot curb-to-curb turning circle;
- split rear cargo doors that open to 180 degrees standard; an optional 255 degrees opening range also is available;
- a high-strength steel-reinforced body shell
- front and side high-strength steel cross members; and
- side impact protection.
Besides fuel efficiency, maneuverability, and a spacious storage area, the most impressive thing about the Ford van may be its optional Work Solutions package, which also is available on some Ford trucks. The package includes these features:
- an on-board computer, which allows users to browse the Web, remotely access work computers, complete documents on site, and use GPS navigation ($1,395);
- a Crew Chief system that lets fleet owners track and monitor vehicles ($550);
- Tool Link, which uses Radio Frequency Identification to help owners ensure all the tools they need are in the van ($1,220); and
- Nokia’s Bluetooth functionality for hands-free phone operation ($220).
The van also can be fitted with shelves, racks, and other storage accessories for $200 to $400.
Ron Caffi, president of Alexandria-based Caffi Contracting Services, opened up his business for a pit stop during the press event. Caffi doesn’t own a Transit Connect but was asked by Ford to review materials about the vehicle. He said the van’s GPS system could save his plumbing service technicians five to 10 minutes of drive time per delivery, as well as make it easier for his workers to navigate unfamiliar territory if he expands his business into Washington, D.C.
The vehicle also is easier to drive in the city than his heavy-duty vans, Caffi said, and the fleet management system would allow him to send the closest worker to unexpected jobs.
Caffi added, however, that the van is too small to handle the heavy equipment needed for some major construction jobs. But he believes it would be suitable for smaller assignments, such as residential service work, general contracting, finish carpentry, and painting projects.
Although he doesn’t have plans to buy one immediately, the remodeler raved about Transit Connect. “I’m glad to see an American manufacturer step up and fill a need that’s been around for a long time,” he says.
