Team and kit in one vehicle
Crew cab van leasing
A crew cab carries a team and its kit in one vehicle, and limited companies and LLPs lease one from FleetMe on business contract hire. The second row costs both load length and payload, so it replaces two vehicles only where the load is modest. Sole traders hire over terms up to 12 months.
Get my crew cab quote →Updated 14 October 2026 · your agreement is with FleetMe
The case for a crew cab is simple arithmetic: one vehicle, one set of running costs and one parking space instead of two, with the gang and the kit arriving together. The case against is the same arithmetic run honestly. A second row of seats takes load length out of the back and takes weight out of the payload, twice over, because the seats weigh something and so do the people in them.
The seats-against-payload trade, in numbers you can check
Every seat you add costs twice. The seat structure itself is weight permanently fitted to the vehicle, and it comes off payload whether anyone is sitting in it or not. Then each occupant is weight on top: a rule of thumb of around 75kg per person is enough to see the shape of the problem, and a full second row is most of a quarter of a tonne of people. On a vehicle already inside a 3,500kg ceiling, a crew cab with five aboard has noticeably less left for materials than the same van in panel form. The load bay is shorter too, because the second row occupies space the load used to have. Guide payload and load volume behind the second row are on the vehicle's own page.
When one crew cab genuinely beats two vehicles
It beats two when the crew is small, the kit is modest and the sites are far enough apart that a second vehicle spends the day following the first. Maintenance crews, installers and any team whose materials are delivered to site separately tend to do well out of it. It does not beat two when the gang is carrying its own materials, because you end up with a vehicle that is full of people and legally unable to take the load, which is the worst of both. The other consideration is that the whole team's mobility now depends on one vehicle: if it is off the road, nobody is working. That is an argument for a maintenance package rather than against a crew cab, and our guide to what one covers sets out what is normally included.
Tax treatment is worth checking before you order
How a vehicle is treated for VAT, benefit in kind and capital allowances depends on what it is, not what it is called, and crew cabs sit closer to that line than a panel van does. The rules differ between vehicle types and they have changed recently for double cab pick-ups in particular. Rather than restate tax rules here, where they would go stale, read our company car tax and benefit in kind guide and our VAT on van leasing guide, both of which carry the sources and dates. Then put your intended vehicle and how it will be used in front of your accountant before you commit to a term. It is a cheap question to ask early and an expensive one to ask late.
Sourced to order, priced on application
A crew cab van is not one of the vehicles we hold a standing rate for, so there is no guide price on this page and we will not invent one. We source it against your specification (body, length, tail lift, payload) and quote it individually. Tell us what the work needs and we will come back with a written figure.
The vehicles we do price as standard, with their monthly rentals, are on the stock list.
Not a limited company?
Business contract hire is for limited companies and LLPs. If you trade as a sole trader, or you want the vehicle in your own name, what we can supply is vehicle hire of up to 12 months instead. Incorporating is the step that opens up business contract hire over terms up to 12 months.
Get a written quote
Tell us the vehicle, the mileage and how long you need it for. We come back with a written quote, and we aim to do that the same working day. We confirm which agreement applies before anything is signed.
- ✓ Your agreement is with FleetMe
- ✓ We confirm your quote in writing
- ✓ Business rentals quoted ex VAT, with VAT shown
Enquiry received, one step to go.
We can put a guide figure together from what you’ve told us. To confirm the vehicle, the monthly rental and a delivery date in writing, we need your business details and the underwriting information.
Next step · about 5 minutes
Complete your business application
It’s pre-filled from your answers. Nothing is committed until we confirm your quote and you sign.
Continue to my application →No obligation · About 5 minutes
Prefer to leave it there? We’ll still be in touch about your enquiry.
Common questions
How much payload does a crew cab lose?
The seat structure is permanent weight, and each occupant adds more on top, around 75kg a person is a workable rule of thumb. Compare the guide payload on the vehicle page against a panel van version and count the people you intend to carry.
Is a crew cab cheaper than running two vehicles?
Usually on cost, provided the load still fits. Where it goes wrong is a full crew plus their materials, because you run out of weight and length before you run out of seats. It also puts the whole team on one vehicle, so consider what happens on a day it is off the road.
Is a crew cab taxed as a van or a car?
It depends on the specific vehicle and how it is used, and the rules have changed recently for double cab pick-ups. Our company car tax guide and VAT on van leasing guide carry the current position with sources. Confirm your specific vehicle with your accountant before ordering.
Can I take the second row out to carry more?
Removing or altering fitted seating changes a vehicle that belongs to us, so it has to be agreed with us in writing first. If you mainly need load space, a panel van with occasional passenger needs is usually the better specification from the start.
Can a sole trader lease a crew cab?
As an individual, the route for a sole trader is vehicle hire of up to 12 months rather than contract hire. Business contract hire over terms up to 12 months is for limited companies and LLPs.
Business van leasing →
How the monthly rental is built, what is included and what is not, and who it is for.
Van size and payload guide →
How to work out what you can legally carry before you choose a body.