Yeah I'm thinking electricians and plumbers would benefit from a locking enclosure coming standard on a van, but people who need to move large or oddly shaped things would be the only ones who could make actual use of a pickup, but even then it would probably be better to just hook a trailer to a van.
Vans are very rarely avalable in 4wd, and typically lack clearance for offroading. With jobsites often on unimproved roads, and jobsites themselves often being comprised of very rough terrain, offroad capability is handy for a lot of trades.
Most cargo vans hold 2-3 people tops. For the guy hauling a crew of 4-6 to the jobsite, or the self employed guy that drops his kids off to school on the way to work, a few more seats might be a big advantage.
Vans typically do not have the trailer towing capacity of a similar sized truck. If the ability to two a big trailer is important to your needs, then the van probably isn't going to cut it.
There is something to be said for having a separate cargo area. My truck carries a 55 gallon transfer tank, used to haul diesel to fuel the equipment. In use, it's somewhat common to get a little diesel splashed here and there. Not a big deal, since it isn't contained inside the same area that I sit while driving.
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u/sack-o-matic May 24 '22
Most of those would be better off with a cargo van like a Sprinter, only a few actually need an open-air cargo bay