Amazon provides vans for its delivery services, delivery service partners apply for a system Amazon uses to lease its vans to their partners. This allows them to create their fleet of Amazon delivery vans. The partners need $10,000 to begin working with leased Amazon vans.
This system helps out potential delivery partners and allows them to begin working with Amazon even if they cannot afford all of the vans. Amazon will lease the vans to the delivery partners so they can begin hiring delivery drivers.
This makes becoming an Amazon delivery service partner a much more realistic option for many.
Amazon Leases Vans to Delivery Service Partners
Amazon does not necessarily just provide Amazon vans for its delivery service partners. Because they are starting up their open company branch, they are still held responsible for creating their own fleet of delivery vans.
All potential delivery service partners are required to have $10,000 to start their delivery service company with Amazon. And once approved, they can qualify for Amazon’s leasing program that allows them to get Amazon vans.
Many partners will start off with five to ten delivery vans in their fleet, slowly acquiring more as they make more money. Amazon does put a cap on the number of vans that a delivery partner can have, with the maximum amount being about forty vans.
This does limit the delivery service partners somewhat as they cannot grow their company beyond that number of vans. This can be a huge downside to those looking for serious expansion in their delivery services.
Though this is a great line of work to consider, Amazon does keep a tight grasp on its partners, making sure they are in alignment with its standards. It also monitors their fleet size as too large a fleet would give that partner too much control over Amazon as a whole.
Delivery Service Partners Own Their Vans
Even though Amazon technically provides the vans for its delivery service partners to use, the partners still own the vans. This is because their initial $10,000 goes towards the vans and they will continue to pay off the leases.
This means that Amazon doesn’t actually own most of its vans, since they are owned by its delivery partners. Amazon doesn’t handle the delivery side of things once the packages make their way to the delivery drivers.
Because delivery partners technically own their fleet of vans, this makes them completely responsible for them. Such as assigning drivers, attending to repairs, and taking a van off the road if it is not safe.
This can become a fairly large job if that partner has built a considerably sized fleet of delivery vans. Most Amazon delivery partners have a fleet of 30 to 40 delivery vehicles once they are well established.
So, when the vans reach the end of their usefulness or need to be replaced, it is up to the delivery partners to decide what to do with them.
Only Amazon Vans Can be Used
Possibly the biggest downside to becoming an Amazon delivery service partner is that only Amazon vans can be used. Amazon does not allow you to use any other kind of van to deliver their packages to customers.
Ever since Amazon created its own fleet of delivery vans in 2018, it has not allowed deliverers to drive just any kind of van. Since it started delivering its own packages, Amazon has wanted its vans to stand out and be heavily logoed.
This is one issue that pops up for Amazon delivery partners as Amazon vans are very expensive, more so than most delivery vans. This is why Amazon put into place the leasing program to help out its partners in creating their fleets.
Amazon’s goal with this strict rule was most likely a marketing tactic as it has a history of being at the front of the buying market. By having branded delivery vehicles, Amazon can establish itself as a more professional online service to potential customers.
Amazon Vans Are Based On The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Amazon’s vans are designed based on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van model. This gives them their recognizable build that is large and ideal for hauling goods back and forth.
Oddly enough, this model of van gained massive popularity after Amazon started to use its delivery vans. People liked the Amazon vans so much that they wanted to own their own.
Unfortunately, Amazon does not sell its delivery vans, so everyone who wanted one had to settle for the original inspiration. Amazon is still not selling its delivery vans despite the desire from the public.
There is a good chance that no one will ever get their hands on an Amazon van. Unless one of Amazon’s partners ever replaces their fleet and decides to auction off the vans.
Amazon Vans Cost $58,860
The type of delivery van that Amazon uses costs approximately $50,860. This may seem like a fairly steep price, but when you look at the original price of Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, it makes sense.
These vans are very large commercial vans designed to haul large loads of goods back and forth. They have a spacious cargo area that is ideal for carrying large amounts of goods for delivery.
Amazon most likely manages to get a good price on these vans as it buys them in large quantities. As of right now, Amazon’s personal fleet of delivery vehicles makes up an estimated 30,000 vans and 20,000 trailers.
Amazon is Adding Electric Vans to Its Fleet
It has become widely known that Amazon plans to slowly replace its existing fleet of delivery vans with specially made electric vans. These vans are high-tech and built to be more eco-friendly, which aligns with Amazon’s future plans of better sustainability.
It has already purchased 100,000 electric cargo vans that it plans to slowly add to its current fleet of vans. You may have even already spotted one of these high-tech vans being used to deliver your packages.
These new electric delivery vans are currently said to be priced at $70,000, a significant increase from the present vans being used. There have even been rumors that Amazon may have a fleet of self-driving vans in the near future.
These electric vans are already in the process of being designed to be more independent. This means that one day you might find that your Amazon deliveries are being brought to you with AI technology.
Pros and Cons of Amazon Vans
Amazon vans are great vehicles and come with a lot of perks depending on what you are looking for in a delivery van. But like anything, they do have some downsides to consider as well.
Like any vehicle, this type of van will have some cons to go along with those pros. These are just a few things that you should consider about the Amazon model of van.
Pros
- Amazon’s vans are very large and sturdy vehicles based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter model. This makes them ideal for driving long distances and carrying large amounts of cargo in the back. They can withstand a great deal of weight without feeling weighed down or hard to steer.
- With such a large cargo space in the van, you have plenty of room to stock up on packages. This is ideal for delivery drivers as they can take on more work in one trip by stocking up on that day’s deliveries.
Cons
- Because Amazon vans are so large, they can be considerably more difficult to steer than other vehicles. They are often long and tall and can start to feel a bit like they are fighting back as you drive. This can be a challenge for those not used to driving such a large cargo van.
- Amazon vans can be hard to maneuver through narrow areas of roads or parking spaces. This is due to their exceptional size and height, which can make them difficult to maneuver. Since you will often be delivering in neighborhoods, this can become quite a challenge.
- Another downside to the Amazon van’s size is that it can be difficult to park as you are delivering packages. It is a very large van and might not fit easily into residential neighborhoods, making it difficult to park while you deliver packages.