What are commercial vehicles? The answer might surprise you.
While most people would answer, “A semi-truck and trailer,” this is just one of a long list of commercial vehicles on the road today.
So, what are commercial vehicles exactly? In this article, we’ll answer that question and discuss all of the information you need to manage your fleet.
At its most basic, a vehicle is designated “commercial” when a business registers the vehicle as such and uses it for business purposes. This can include cars, trucks, vans, and even scooters.
Really, anything with a motor that runs on gas, diesel, or aviation fuel could be considered a commercial vehicle.
While the general definition of commercial vehicles includes more modes of transportation than you might think, the legal definition is much more specific.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which oversees and regulates commercial vehicles in the United States, defines a commercial vehicle as:
Any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle:
This more technical definition eliminates the vast majority of the vehicles on the list mentioned earlier and leaves us with:
While this technical definition focuses on heavy trucks, there are some exceptions for specialty vehicles, cars, and heavy equipment.
“Fleet vehicles” is a broad term that includes everything from the general definition discussed earlier — e.g., scooters, motorcycles, golf carts, cars, and trucks — as well as other types of vehicles, including bikes and push scooters.
On the other hand, “commercial vehicles” is a more specific term that includes the vehicles from the legal definition discussed in the previous section — e.g., vans, trucks, and semis.
Because of the way these definitions work, a business may operate a fleet without any commercial vehicles.
For example, a pizza delivery business operating in a downtown area might provide its delivery drivers with a fleet of five bikes, 10 scooters, and four golf carts. None of those are commercial vehicles according to the FMCSA.
However, if the business adds a Class 3 pickup truck (more on this below) to its fleet, that truck is legally considered a commercial vehicle.
For more information on fleet vehicles and how to manage them, check out these articles from the Coast blog:
Trucks are, by far, the most common answer to the question, “What are commercial vehicles?” and make up the majority of vehicles on the road today.
The FMCSA divides trucks into eight categories based on the total amount of weight that the vehicle can handle (the gross vehicle weight rating or GVWR):
To make things a bit simpler, those eight specific classifications are subdivided into three general categories:
But not all of these truck classes are considered commercial vehicles. Only Class 3 to Class 8 trucks are covered under the legal definition of a commercial vehicle as described by the FMCSA.
Examples of these trucks include:
For more information on these types of commercial trucks, take a few minutes to read the following articles from the Coast blog:
Vans fall into the same categories as trucks (e.g., Class 2, Class 3) but also include passenger configurations for transporting people rather than cargo.
Cargo vans are also classified by their GVWR and can range from small Class 1 varieties all the way up to large-capacity Class 3 varieties.
Examples include:
Only the Class 3 vans are considered commercial vehicles.
Passenger vans are basically cargo vans with more seating. They fall into the same categories (Class 1 through Class 3) but are considered commercial vehicles when they are:
Examples of commercial passenger vans include the GMC Savana Passenger and the Chevrolet Express Passenger.
For more information on work vans for businesses of all sizes, check out this article from the Coast blog: 10 Best Work Vans For Small Businesses In 2022.
Buses are almost always considered commercial vehicles because of their size and passenger-carrying capacity.
Similarly, mini-buses — or shuttle buses — are considered commercial vehicles because they have more passenger-carrying capacity than a van but less than a full-size bus.
Motorcoaches also fall into the broad bus category and are, in some cases, considered commercial vehicles.
Motorcoaches are high-floor buses with luggage storage below the passenger compartment. They are commercial vehicles when they are used for activities such as touring and private charters.
Some motor coaches are converted into RVs and used for personal travel. In those cases, they are not classified as commercial vehicles.
Specialty vehicles are often variations on the truck, van, and bus chassis already mentioned.
Examples include:
Regular passenger cars aren’t generally commercial vehicles. But, when they’re used for specific purposes, they are considered commercial by the FMCSA.
Examples of commercial cars include:
So, an electronics business may provide its salespeople with a company car to travel to appointments, but these aren’t commercial vehicles; they’re fleet vehicles.
If the same electronics business provides its technicians with a car to deliver equipment and make service calls, the car would be considered a commercial vehicle.
Most varieties of heavy equipment are not commercial vehicles because they’re not designed to be driven long distances over the road. Most heavy equipment needs a heavy-duty truck and trailer to get from jobsite to jobsite.
That said, some construction, farming, and mining equipment are commercial vehicles. Check with your local department of motor vehicles for more information.
While all of the vehicles in the previous section may be considered commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), not all are subject to federal motor carrier safety regulations.
For example, based on the FMCSA’s definition of a CMV, taxicabs are not subject to federal regulations.
Similarly, if a vehicle and operator only engage in intrastate commerce, they’ll most likely be subject to only state and local mandates instead of federal laws. Many state requirements, though, are identical to FMCSA regulations.
If a vehicle meets the FMCSA CMV requirements, business owners need to comply with Department of Transportation (DOT) safety regulations regarding:
Besides these regulations, business owners should be aware of the FMCSA’s requirements for fleet compliance (e.g., vehicle insurance, commercial driver’s license holders, driving records, and accessibility).
Whichever type of commercial vehicle your business uses, you can manage your fleet better and make your job easier with Coast.
The Coast card provides real-time expense tracking and a powerful online management platform that puts your entire fleet in the palm of your hand and provides full visibility of every dollar spent.
For more information, visit CoastPay.com today
With the end of the fiscal year approaching, many business owners are looking to take advantage of tax incentives and manufacturer specials to buy or lease a vehicle.
IRS Section 179 allows businesses to deduct up to $11,060 for cars and $11,160 for trucks and vans that will be used more than 50% for qualified business purposes. Additionally vehicles weighing more than 6,000 lbs and less than 14,000 lbs are eligible to be expensed up to $25,000 because they are considered unlikely to be used for personal purposes.
While business owners can buy or lease any car, truck or SUV, many have unique needs such as storage or towing that are best met by a commercial vehicle. We’ve focused here on our top-selling trucks and vans designed for commercial use.
Why we love it: The Sprinter is not your typical Mercedes-Benz. Designed as a commercial vehicle, it is offered as a cab chassis as well as a passenger, crew and cargo van. Each of these can be configured in a number of ways to best meet the needs of your business. A turbo-diesel V6 comes standard and provides better fuel economy than many commercial vehicles.
Why we love it: The Nissan NV comes in both passenger and cargo versions with available high and standard roof options. Their unique Van Visualizer allows business owners to visualize how shelving, seating and other interior elements will look.
Why we love it: The redesigned Silverado has responsive handling and a quiet ride. Available boxes range from the short 5’8″ to the 8′ long box. Upgrade to the 6.2L V-8 for 460 lb-ft of torque and a towing capacity of up to 12,000 lbs.
Why we love it: The RAM 1500 comes with a 3.6L Pentastar V6 that can tow up to 7,600 lbs. A 5.7L Hemi V8 increases this to 10,600 lbs while the 3.0L Ecodiesel V6 can tow up tp 9,200 lbs with fuel economy of 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway. The RamBox Cargo Management system provides locked lighted storage for tools and gear.
Why we love it: The mid-sized Frontier can tow up to 6,500 lbs and comes with a choice of standard or long bed. Nissans’ unique Utili-track cargo-carrying system provides channels on the bed floor as well as the walls and header while the Sliding Bed Extender.
Why we love it: Built on the same platform as the Chevrolet Silverado, the GMC Sierra comes in six distinct models ranging from the Sierra 1500 with a towing capacity of 11,500 lbs. to the Sierra 3500 Denali HD which can haul up to 23,300 lbs.
Why we love it: Our best-selling commercial van, the Ford Transit Connect, comes in cargo and passenger van models. Each has three roof heights and three body lengths available as well as single and dual-rear wheel modes. Upgrade to the 1.6L EcoBoost engine for higher fuel-efficiency.
Why we love it: The Tundra can tow up to 10,000 lbs when equipped with the available 5.7L V8. A Work Truck model is offered on the SR Regular Cab and Double Cab models and adds a heavy-duty vinyl-trimmed bench seat and all-weather flooring. A wide-angle backup camera comes standard.
Why we love it: In addition to a towing rating of 12,200 lbs, the F-150 offers a suite of smart tow features including an 8″ productivity screen with towing information, Dynamic Hitch Assist and a Smart Trailer Tow Connector. Ford also has available box features like Stowable Loading Ramps and Remote Tailgate Release to help owners get the most out of the pick-up box.
Why we love it: Our top-selling truck, the Tacoma tows up to 6,500 lbs. Upgrade to the TRD Pro for Bilstein shocks with rear remote reservoirs, BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires, TRD car-back exhaust system and heavy-duty floor mats.
Whether or not a commercial vehicle is right for you, Cartelligent can help you get a great deal on exactly what you want. Call our team of car-buying experts at 888-427-4270 or get started today.