Ok, what's the reason that most ambulances are built on Van bodies instead of truck ones? I know the vans are shorter, but I can't imagine that is the reason, since these vehciles are pretty big already. I would have thought that truck bodies are easier to maintain since there is more room under the hood.
Anyone out there ever spec'ed out an ambulance and want to chime in?

 

Everytime I ask it is always the same reason - the van is shorter. You are right, a truck body would be easier to work on.

 

The biggest single reason is cost- the van bodies are cheaper. We do see some Ambulances mounted on truck chassis, but that usually involves the need for 4X4.

 

I've been TOO involved in this process. I like the trucks for the reason you mentioned and the cab room. I also felt they'd be safer in a head on accident.The guys like the better ride in the patient compartment(Guess that's what really matters). Until Ford went to the front coil springs, the turning radius was much better in the vans. That makes a huge difference in the city. One last issue...The trucks,especially 4x4,required an air bag suspension that was aired down to get the pram(portable bed)out of the back. Sounds good, but they rode rougher and would rock back and forth terribly when turning and hitting a dip for instance. Clear as mud??

 

I see both around my area

 

> I know the vans are shorter, but I can't imagine that is the reason

For the same length of interior room, the van is three feet shorter, give or take an inch compared to a regular cab truck.

The van has less rear overhang then a truck behind the rear axle, but still has a 138 inch wheelbase.

I can not say about the latest models, but, the older vans had wider frames and wider tracks.

A couple of good reasons.

Plus, does Ford offer an Ambulance Prep package at all on the trucks or just the vans?

 

On the invoice of every pu it states "not certified as an ambulance," or something like that. We seem to have three divergent opinions in our little corner of heaven. The two ambulance services (based out of Portland Metro) use the van-bodies only. Boring Fire District has a F450 4X4 and a little Freightliner, that doubles as a rescue unit as well. Sandy and the Forestry Service use Freightliners exclusively - we're at the base of Mt. Hood, and may get called in if Life Flight can't make it in because of weather.

 

I always thought the main differance between the van and truck chassis was that the van bodies allowed people to walk between the "box" and the "cab" without getting out of the truck, wheras the truck chasses never have openings in the cab.

 

I thought that too, but there always seems to be a big console in the way. It has gauges and switches and a few radios usually.I would think it is the shorter and wider thing is the reason.

 

Our medics much prefer the Van Chassis to the Truck Chassis. The guy who fixes them prefers the Truck Chassis to the Van.

The Board of Trustees(the folks paying the bills) like the fact the FoMoCo, gives about a 5k difference in price on the Van Chassis vs. the Truck Chassis. With the Van being cheaper.

Wonder which one the last three ambulances we bought have had???


As far as consoles/radios/passthroughs, entry height, etc. That is all based on the coach body builder.

 

Here, we've got the Freightliner FL60's and a few F450s with the PSD motors. both are Pasco Fire Rescue vehicles, it just depends on which is cheaper when its time to replace em.

 

We're moving away from the vans and going to the truck chassis. Too many front end problems with the vans. The vans are nicer than the turcks for communications between the driver and the folks doing patient care, but for just about everything else the our F-450 4WD is better than the E-450's we're replacing.. For example, it's longer, but it has a much tighter turning radius than the E-450's. With the exception of the walk through issue, the F-450 is three times the vehicle the E-450's are. It is incredibly fast too - we don't do too much highway driving in our area, but I the first time I had that truck on the highway, I stomped on it coming off the ramp and I was doing 90 mph before I could blink!