Chevrolet City Express Cargo Van Begins Hitting Fleets

Chevrolet’s recently introduced City Express cargo van has begun hitting business fleets, having sold 585 units in January. The smaller van offers fleet customers a more agile and economical vehicle for supporting their various business needs, making it perfect for small operations.

Just how many small business customers might the City Express find? Well, According to the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, U.S. small businesses account for 99.7 percent of employer firms. IHS Automotive data also indicates small business registrations have grown each year since 2009 with a 41 from 2009 to 2013. That’s a lot of customers potentially in the market for a small fleet vehicle, according to Peter Adriaens, a professor with U of M’s Ross School of Business.

“Small businesses constitute key innovators in the U.S. economy,” said Adriaens. “With 28 million small businesses already active in the United States, of which 98 percent export goods, there is a ripe market to be had for a product like this.”

One example of a small business who appreciates the similarly small City Express van is Smokey D’s BBQ in Des Moines, Iowa. The company started in a trailer in a driveway, and has since grown the three locations in the Des Moines area. The company recently took delivery of four City Express vans, saying its small size is what drew them to it.

“We need a nimble vehicle to deliver our BBQ catering to our customers in a timely manner,” said owner of Smokey D’s BBQ, Darren Warth. “The City Express allows us to retain a smaller physical footprint while still giving us the cargo space we need to keep our customers happy.”

Another small business, Dallas-based Vital Media Security, uses the City Express vans to transport sensitive data to offsite locations. The company recently added two City Express vans to its fleet, and has three more on the way.

“The Chevrolet City Express is the perfect representation of our company as it shows our customers that we can do more with less,” said company president and CEO Jerry Judkins. “With great fuel economy and right-sized cargo room, it fits perfectly into our business.”