About 4 years ago TriVan Truck Body, LLC, a specialty truck body and custom trailer manufacturer located on West Smith Road by I-5, was approached by the American Red Cross to look at a big project they called “the next generation emergency response vehicles (ERV).” The Red Cross had developed a prototype from input provided by Red Cross chapters across the country including people in the field as well as those who had received assistance from Red Cross workers. The result was a long list of requirements to be engineered into the next-gen ERV.
TriVan worked with the prototype and came up with a few more suggestions as well as developed a new way to equip the van with seats in the rear that met certification standards enabling staff to safely sit in them while the vehicle was in transit. After considering all bids received on the project, the Red Cross awarded the work to TriVan.
TriVan has since been converting barebones vans provided by the Red Cross into high-end ERVs equipped with air-conditioning, emergency exterior lighting, multi-functioning captain’s chairs in the back, pop-up serving windows, as well as custom-built storage and serving
shelves especially designed around Cambro Manufacturing containers custom-built for the Red Cross. TriVan is currently delivering about five ERVs per month to the Red Cross and has a team of employees dedicated to the project.
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Click for more informationThese “next-generation” ERVs are being located at Red Cross chapters across the United States for use in emergencies ranging from house fires to regional disasters like wildfires, floods and hurricanes. They are used to deliver needed food, supplies and assistance directly to the victims.
TriVan is a family business owned and operated by 3 brothers, Cason, Marty and Ryan VanDriel along with Jan Kottelenberg who is actively involved as a manager and co-owner. When the business started they lived in Lynden and wanted to stay close to home. They chose to locate TriVan in Ferndale since it
- offered a business-friendly environment
- is on the I-5 corridor
- is located between Vancouver and Seattle
- provided affordable land
In 2002, the brothers bought the property and built the 40,000 square-foot building that is there today. TriVan employs about 90 people currently and taps into the skilled and talented workforce coming from Bellingham Technical College, Whatcom Community College and Western Washington University.
Typical TriVan clients are typically businesses, cities and counties. Nearly 70% of TriVan business comes from clients located out of state. Example projects include bomb squad trucks, prisoner transport vehicles, mobile laboratories and mobile communications facilities.