Is a Pumper Truck the Only Vehicle You Need?

Is a pumper truck the only vehicle you need? The answer to this question lies in the scale of your operations. If you’re starting fresh in the portable sanitation world, the answer is most likely yes. However, it all depends on the number of customers you have and units you’ll be managing.

To help you decide what works for your business, let’s go through the vehicle options available to you.

The Standard Pumper Truck

A pumper truck, also known as a vacuum truck, is the ideal vehicle for a portable sanitation company. They have mounted tanks for waste removal and fresh water supply and, depending on what size and configuration you get, they can carry units as well.

Owning a pumper truck makes your business much more efficient. It’s designed specifically for the hardest tasks you’ll face, and its tanks can hold around 1,500 gallons of waste.

An Alternative Option for Basic Operations

Every portable restroom operator needs some sort of pumping vehicle, but there are alternatives to the standard pumper truck. The smallest scale version of this, and the most cost-effective, is a pickup truck fitted with a vacuum unit, also known as a ‘slide-in’ unit.

Startup businesses and owners operating on a budget may wish to opt for this type of vehicle as it’s an alternative to the heavier-duty pumper truck, and the pickup can also be used to haul units to and from sites if the slide-in vacuum is removed or with a trailer.

Are These the Only Vehicles You Need?

If you have a manageable amount of units for yourself, then yes, you can get by with just a pumper truck or a pickup with a slide-in unit. As you expand, though, you’ll want to think about adding new vehicles. Having a pumper truck and a pickup truck for hauling units is the next step up.

From there, you can add forklifts or mini skid steers for moving units. Also, check out flatbed trucks, which are ideal for large-scale transportation of units. These can also be fitted with vacuum pumps to make them more efficient for you.

In summary, the consensus here at JohnTalk is that a startup PRO can probably get by with just a pumper truck or pickup truck with a slide-in unit. As you expand, you can add more vehicles to suit demand. It’s better to be cautious in the beginning and not rush into buying expensive vehicles that you may not need. Start small, get the lay of the land, and build your fleet bit by bit.

For more information on the three main truck types, see our guide with photos here. We’ve also broken down the different kinds of trucks in this article.

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