Stock vs Custom Fire Trucks

stock vs custom firetrucks

When the time comes to purchase a new fire apparatus for your department, making the right decision may require some effort. It’s important to factor in safety concerns, community needs, and your department when researching trucks.

To aid with decision making, we want to outline some advantages to choosing a stock truck, as well as the benefits to purchasing a custom build. These points should be considered to make an informed decision for your department.

Choosing a Stock Truck

One of the biggest advantages to purchasing a stock truck is being able to view the truck in person and purchase it immediately. If your department is in a bind for a new apparatus, purchasing a stock truck may be your best option.

Our stock trucks can come as is or we can customize them to fit your needs. We have a variety of options that can be added to our stock trucks after they are completed such as slide outs, ladder racks, LED lighting, extended bumpers, and other options.

It’s beneficial to see a fire apparatus in person whether during the researching or buying phase. Visiting shops helps you determine exactly what type of truck you need or what you can expect to get when you purchase.

We also welcome visitors to our manufacturing facility to see our trucks currently in production and browse existing inventory ready for immediate delivery. Of course, the other major advantage to buying a stock truck is that the cost can be lower than a custom truck.

If your fire department is working with a tight budget, stock trucks may be your best option. BME sells directly to their customers which allows us to keep costs down.

Purchasing a Custom Build

Although buying a custom truck can cost you more, your new fire apparatus can include everything you need to serve your community. Get exactly what you want with our extensive options and specific instructions for our build team. In the event that BME has the chassis available in stock, the build time would be even less. A custom-built fire truck will take more planning from your department, but that forethought will produce the fire apparatus your department needs!

It’s critical to consider all of your options when choosing between buying a stock or custom truck. The same quality and craftsmanship goes into each apparatus, the difference comes down to your departments need and having the best truck to fill it. Considering the benefits to buying a stock or custom fire apparatus is important when making your purchasing decision. Whether you decide on a stock or custom truck, the same quality and craftsmanship goes into every apparatus we build. We have taken firefighters’ ideas and incorporated them into a winning versatile package with the best price point in the industry. Either way the truck will be customized to your desired needs and to fit your department

BME is available as a knowledgeable source to help you acquire the right fire truck for your department. Contact us today with any questions or inquiries!

Tag-On Opportunities

Are there financial benefits for a fire department to purchase an exact replica of a rig you’ve previously built? Absolutely.

BME has been awarded roughly $10 million to produce Model 34s for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, better known as Cal Fire. We are currently offering “tag-on” opportunities to California fire departments with our Cal Fire Model 34 Wildland Apparatus.

“Tagging-on” is a common method used by fire departments during the purchasing process. Rather than undergo the traditional bidding process, which can often take up to a year, fire departments are able to “tag-on” to another department’s purchase order, allowing them to add their own purchases to the existing order. By tagging on to this purchase order, fire departments are able to get their fire apparatus in a fast, efficient and cost-effective way.

If your department is interested in tagging on, contact sales@bmefire.com or call (800) 445-8342 to be connected with a sales representative.

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