If you manage a fleet that includes light-duty, medium-duty, or heavy-duty trucks, this list of work truck accessories can help you customize your vehicles to make them better tools for your team.
Even simple add-ons, such as mud flaps and truck-bed lighting (both discussed later in this article), make your vehicles safer and easier to use on the job. That translates into increased productivity and efficiency in the field.
In this article, we discuss some of the best work truck accessories — both common and specialized — for fleets of all types and sizes.
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Most work trucks are bare-bones vehicles that only come with a six-foot or eight-foot bed, seating for the driver and one other person, and a very basic radio.
In most cases, they don’t include the useful accessories your team needs to get the job done quickly and safely while they’re away from home base.
That’s where work truck accessories come in.
These after-market add-ons let you modify (and, in many cases, upgrade) the vehicle so that it’s more than just a means to get your employees and their cargo from point A to point B. It’s now a tool that improves the way they work.
Work truck accessories come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes — from small things like a locking storage compartment in the center armrest to large things like a dump bed or service body — and no business will need them all.
Not sure which accessories to pick? Here’s one of the best ways to figure it out:
- Sit down with your fleet operators
- Discuss this list
- Ask which add-ons they think would improve the quality of their work
Armed with that knowledge, you can upgrade your fleet without overspending and installing something your team won’t use.
Must-Have Work Truck Accessories
1) Ladder Rack
Most trades require a ladder at some point during the workday. But they take up a lot of valuable bed space that would be better served holding other tools and equipment.
Instead, mount a ladder rack on the back of your vehicle for a better use of space.
These modern work truck accessories even, in some cases, include sliding platforms that raise and lower to help your employees load the ladder quickly and safely.
2) Cargo Bed Drawers
Cargo bed drawers are the perfect work truck accessories for plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians because they provide plenty of storage and organization for small tools and supplies while still giving you a flat, open space on top to transport large objects.
3) Toolbox
Pickup truck toolboxes have been around for a long time but still provide storage solutions for fleets large and small.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes — from the type that sits behind the cab to the type that fits between the wheel wells and the gate — and can provide security and organization for all manner of tools and supplies.
4) OSHA-Approved First Aid Kit
First aid kits are the work truck accessories that no fleet should be without. In fact, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) even recommends specific supplies that all kits should include.
Depending on the size of the kit you choose, it will usually fit nicely behind the seat of your work trucks so that it’s out of the way but still easily accessible if needed.
5) GPS
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, most commercial vehicles don’t come with the advanced features that are common in non-commercial vehicles — including GPS.
An inexpensive GPS makes finding addresses and delivery locations incredibly easy and cuts down on the time your drivers spend trying to find directions to the next stop.
6) Mud Flaps
Although there are no federal regulations on the use of mudguards (or mud flaps), some states require that large vehicles install them to protect the vehicle itself as well as other motorists from the dirt, water, and rocks that work trucks tend to kick up.
Even if your state doesn’t require these work truck accessories, it’s a good idea to install them anyway. At the very least, they help keep your vehicles clean and tidy.
7) Bed Lighting
Anyone who’s tried to find a tool or supply in the cargo area when it’s dark — or even in a work truck with a cover on top — knows that bed lighting is a must.
This add-on can be as simple as a stick-on light near the gate of the truck or as complex as LEDs mounted under the rails of the bed.
8) Headache Rack
As work truck accessories go, the headache rack is a must for any fleet that loads and unloads cargo on a daily basis.
A headache rack mounts right behind the cab of a pickup, protects the back window, and prevents heavy objects from accidentally coming in contact with (and breaking!) this vulnerable and fragile part of the vehicle.
9) Warning Lights
Warning lights are a great addition to work trucks that have to navigate high-traffic areas.
If your employees make frequent stops or perform their job on the side of the road, these work truck accessories will catch the attention of other motorists and let them know that they should slow down or move over.
10) Backup Beeper
Similar to the warning lights mentioned in the previous point, a backup beeper is a helpful safety feature that lets everyone know that a vehicle is moving in reverse (and might not be able to see them if they’re in the way).
While not absolutely necessary on all work trucks, OSHA does require that any vehicle with an obstructed view to the rear be equipped with a backup beeper to help prevent accidents and keep pedestrians and other workers safe.
11) Sliding Bed Trays
Sliding bed trays mount on top of the existing bed and above the wheel wells of your work truck (or work van) to provide easy access to all parts of the cargo bed.
Install both at the same time for an over/under solution that still allows you to carry large items like plywood, lumber, and siding.
12) Bed Ramps
If your fleet uses heavy rolling equipment on a regular basis, bed ramps are a must.
These work truck accessories can be as simple as a long 2×12 outfitted with a bracket that sits flush on the tailgate of the truck, or as complicated as modern slide-out ramps that stow away within the truck itself.
Specialized Work Truck Accessories
13) Liftgate
For businesses that load and unload heavy equipment or supplies, the liftgate is one of the work truck accessories that your employees will appreciate the most.
This specialized piece of equipment installs on the rear of your vehicle (in place of the manual tailgate) and can lift upwards of 1,500 pounds from ground level to truck-bed level in no time.
14) Mobile Desks
Whether your technicians are filling out paperwork or typing on a laptop or tablet, a mobile desk makes everything easier.
These specialized work truck accessories install on the floor or the dashboard, keep essential tools within arm’s reach, and provide a flat service for writing or a mount for necessary electronics.
15) Service/Utility Body
Service/utility bodies are prefabricated work truck accessories that fit on the back of a vehicle in place of the regular truck bed.
These add-ons provide even more storage for HVAC technicians, plumbers, and electricians who have to travel with a lot of parts and supplies.
Some service/utility bodies come with a roof, a rear door, and shelving inside for even more storage and organization.
16) Hose Reels
For any business that relies on hoses of various sizes and lengths to get the job done, mounting a hose reel or two in the rear of a work truck makes using these cumbersome tools much easier.
Your technicians won’t have to struggle with knots or wasted space from poorly-rolled hoses. A built-in hose reel keeps the bed of your work truck neat, tidy, and user-friendly.
17) Tank Restraints
If your business uses or transports compressed air or chemical tanks on a regular basis, one or two tank restraints would be the perfect work truck accessories for your team.
Installing these types of restraints in the bed of a truck helps keep large tanks upright and stationary while the vehicle is in motion.
Such restraints are simple enough to install — usually just an adjustable bracket or two that wraps around the tank — and provide a level of safety and utility that you can’t get just by setting the tank somewhere in the truck bed.
Manage Your Fleet Better
Whichever work truck accessories you choose to install, you can manage your entire fleet better — whether you use cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, semis, or construction equipment — with Coast.
The Coast fleet card provides controls and visibility that work for your business, as well as an online expense management platform that empowers you with real-time information related to your fleet.
For more information on how Coast can help you control fleet costs and streamline your fleet management program, visit CoastPay.com today.
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