Welcome to our 2024 Tops-In-Trucks Fleet Design Contest issue. Sixteen years ago, we introduced this contest because we understood the large investment a fleet represents to a contractor. Whether you have one vehicle or one hundred, your fleet offers a great way to turn a large liability into a very large asset.

I know many of our faithful readers have heard the story but it’s worth repeating especially for our new subscribers. We started the contest back in 2007 because as I traveled around the country making sales calls on advertisers, I saw too many white service vans with orange ladders driving around. To me, it seemed like a huge opportunity for us to help contractors market their products and services more effectively. I thought an issue about fleet design would be a great source of editorial content for the publication, and a natural fit for a large advertising category – automotive.

We believe the easiest place to start this process is with a great design for your fleet. We’ve shown you many examples over the years, and this year is no exception. 

What Does Good Fleet Design Cost?

The cost to wrap a vehicle can vary from $1,500 to $5,000. Let’s use the $5,000 figure which would include all costs including design. Let’s further assume the life of the vehicle is 5 years – for most, that would be on the low end. The math would show a daily cost of just $2.74 per day. According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), a single service vehicle can generate between 30,000 and 70,000 impressions in a single day, depending on the size of the city. (The average American travels about 300 miles each week and sees an average of 20,000 unique vehicles during that time). These types of statistics are hard to ignore. Most owners realize that their service fleet represents their single largest marketing opportunity to generate brand recognition as well as sales leads.

There are several options for the fleet design ranging from a full wrap to simple lettering with your company name and contact information. Correctly implemented, any strategy can work, providing you’re clear on brand awareness, brand recognition, and, in many cases, the all-important sales lead.

Every year, we receive many questions regarding the contest and how the winners are chosen. So, to give you a better understanding of our judging process — and tips as you create your next fleet design — I thought I’d share some advice as well as how we judge an entry. Each entry is judged on eight different criteria using a five-point scale (1 being “poor” and 5 being “superior”), the judges score the following categories.

Graphic Appeal: Is it attention-grabbing and eye-catching? Does it stand out? Is it industry-specific and unique?
Quality Logo: Is the logo interesting and appropriate? Does it pop?
Information: Is there enough information, but not too much? Information should not be overwhelming. Does it include the company name, phone, website, and services?
Lettering: Is the lettering legible, clean, and memorable?
Color: Are the colors bright, vibrant, and bold? Are they complementary, or do they clash?
Legibility: Is the design crisp and readable from a distance.
Creativity: Does the design create interest? Does it appeal emotionally? Does it stand out as unique?
Consistency: Is the theme used on all four sides of the vehicle and for all vehicle body types?

If you’re thinking about wrapping your vehicles for the first time, or perhaps you’re ready for a refresh — or even a complete rebranding, keep this criterion in mind. It will help you not only come up with a great design for your fleet but also a brand that will stand out.

And, of course, don’t forget to send us your photos and entry form for the 2025 Tops in Trucks Fleet Design Contest.

Our Winners this year are…

Cardinal Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric
Rick & Sharon Ouimette, Founders, Sun Prairie, WI 

King’s Heating, Air & Electric
The Pollard Family, Lynnwood, WA

MaCawsome Heating and Cooling
Maynor Gutierrez, CEO, Ontario, CA

Our Runners up are…

Affordable Air Experts
James Weeks, Founder, Greer, SC

All Weather Heating & Cooling
James Stone, CEO,  Copiague, NY

Great Bison Heating & Cooling
Chris Neal, Owner, Newfane, NY

Our Honorable Mentions are...

Climate Experts Air Plumbing & Electric
Derek Cormier, Owner, Melbourne, FL

Old Coast HVAC
Zachary Friedman, Founder, Savannah, GA

Quality Comfort Air Conditioning and Heating Inc.
Sol Goodwin, President, Melbourne, FL

Trademasters Heating & Cooling
Joey Urban, Founder, Swansboro, NC