Truck inventory best practices?

[Coppersmith]

I would like to see a list of what you guys keep on your trucks that do light commercial and residential.

As part of the discussion of this thread both here and on another site I posted it on, I have discovered there is a lot of debate about how much to carry on a service truck. Some people have said they carry basically nothing and load just what they need for the day's jobs on the truck. Other's like me carry every conceivable part that might be needed for standard jobs. And there are a bunch of people mid-range. So your question is hard to answer.

Normally I do Romex (#14, #12, #10), MC (#12, #10), EMT, and PVC jobs in 1/2" and 3/4" and carry all the pipe, wire and fittings for that. I also do rigid in 1/2" and 3/4" but load those when needed since I use those for underground work and always have advance notice on those. I carry lots of boxes in metal, plastic and Bell varieties. I carry loads of devices like receps, switches, dimmers, GFCI's in white, almond, ivory, and a few odd colors. I carry circuit breakers for every major brand in every size from 15 to 60 amps plus a few GFCI and AFCI breakers. There's a lot more. If I weighed the cargo it's probably 1000 lbs.

Don't forget all the tools. Basic hand tools, occasionally used hand tools, battery tools of every type, a plug in bandsaw, hand benders, wire dispensers, scrap lumber.

 

[cowboyjwc]

As part of the discussion of this thread both here and on another site I posted it on, I have discovered there is a lot of debate about how much to carry on a service truck. Some people have said they carry basically nothing and load just what they need for the day's jobs on the truck. Other's like me carry every conceivable part that might be needed for standard jobs. And there are a bunch of people mid-range. So your question is hard to answer.

Normally I do Romex (#14, #12, #10), MC (#12, #10), EMT, and PVC jobs in 1/2" and 3/4" and carry all the pipe, wire and fittings for that. I also do rigid in 1/2" and 3/4" but load those when needed since I use those for underground work and always have advance notice on those. I carry lots of boxes in metal, plastic and Bell varieties. I carry loads of devices like receps, switches, dimmers, GFCI's in white, almond, ivory, and a few odd colors. I carry circuit breakers for every major brand in every size from 15 to 60 amps plus a few GFCI and AFCI breakers. There's a lot more. If I weighed the cargo it's probably 1000 lbs.

Don't forget all the tools. Basic hand tools, occasionally used hand tools, battery tools of every type, a plug in bandsaw, hand benders, wire dispensers, scrap lumber.

The only downfall to a fully loaded truck, and I've heard of this happening more than once, if you're truck ever get's stolen, you are out a whole bunch.

 

[MAC702]

I had a big toolbox stolen out of the back of my pickup a couple months ago. They probably thought they were getting tools. It was filled with capacitors for replacement parts in air conditioning equipment, something you know they had no use for. They could have kept the box, but I'd sure have liked to have them drop the capacitors back off instead of whatever dumpster they wound up in.

 

[Coppersmith]

The only downfall to a fully loaded truck, and I've heard of this happening more than once, if you're truck ever get's stolen, you are out a whole bunch.

I wish that was the only downfall. A daily problem I deal with is that the trucks are operating at or above their maximum load limits. I learned that by replacing two transmissions and a trip to the scales. Now I have to remember (and remind others) to take the overdrive off when the truck is started. I heard once there was a way to keep it off, but I'm too busy (lazy) to find out what it is. Tires also wear faster, gas mileage sucks, and handling is marginal. The next scheduled truck purchase is much more heavy duty.

 

[lakecitieselectric]

As part of the discussion of this thread both here and on another site I posted it on, I have discovered there is a lot of debate about how much to carry on a service truck. Some people have said they carry basically nothing and load just what they need for the day's jobs on the truck. Other's like me carry every conceivable part that might be needed for standard jobs. And there are a bunch of people mid-range. So your question is hard to answer.

Normally I do Romex (#14, #12, #10), MC (#12, #10), EMT, and PVC jobs in 1/2" and 3/4" and carry all the pipe, wire and fittings for that. I also do rigid in 1/2" and 3/4" but load those when needed since I use those for underground work and always have advance notice on those. I carry lots of boxes in metal, plastic and Bell varieties. I carry loads of devices like receps, switches, dimmers, GFCI's in white, almond, ivory, and a few odd colors. I carry circuit breakers for every major brand in every size from 15 to 60 amps plus a few GFCI and AFCI breakers. There's a lot more. If I weighed the cargo it's probably 1000 lbs.

Don't forget all the tools. Basic hand tools, occasionally used hand tools, battery tools of every type, a plug in bandsaw, hand benders, wire dispensers, scrap lumber.

The big boys around here have a scanning device and every time they pull something off the truck they scan the bar code on the bin. Then you would have the data to do with whatever you want. They use it to create a po to the supply house as the supply house stocks their vans and trucks for them. They also use it to track inventory as a whole, and track inventory per job. Of course a lot work goes into this by narrowing down from past history of jobs as what to carry on the vehicle. This is why I ask to see a list of what people carry if they are willing to share.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I wish that was the only downfall. A daily problem I deal with is that the trucks are operating at or above their maximum load limits. I learned that by replacing two transmissions and a trip to the scales. Now I have to remember (and remind others) to take the overdrive off when the truck is started. I heard once there was a way to keep it off, but I'm too busy (lazy) to find out what it is. Tires also wear faster, gas mileage sucks, and handling is marginal. The next scheduled truck purchase is much more heavy duty.

True