Work trips in a Van?

1

Hi all,

I am curious to know if anyone uses their vans as mobile offices for short trips (as an alternative to flights, hotels)? If so, what are your set ups that make this work?

Thanks!

2

I work extensively from the road. Basically have a built in fold up desk that I swivel my drivers seat to if I feel like using a desk. For the most part though it’s just my macbook, tmobile and iphone as a hotspot and some preplanning to ensure I have service.

This is actually a difficult question to nail down. I need the the internet to push a little code, check email and have maybe 15 minute video conference every other day. So I don’t need a lot, just cell signal and I still chew up ~25GB of hotspot a month. The amount of data you pull is definitely going to determine what you use and where you can go.

3

Greetings & Welcome!

I work for myself from my van. I have a swivel rocker recliner behind the front seats for lounging or working from. A wooden TV tray is my desk or dining room table. It can be positioned between the front seats, between the swivel passenger seat and my recliner, or my recliner & the TV tray can face any direction I desire. I work online, so I can work from anywhere I have internet.

Cheers!

"They told me I'd save money with solar, and have free electricity.
Neither was true." ~ Disgusted in Dallas


4

My family is currently looking for 2 power recliners that can swivel and rock . I’ve seen motioncraft and comfort design, and I’m more impressed by the motioncraft as I read the great reviews here. I’m also interested in Taylor King and Hancock and Moore. Do you have any thoughts on the build quality of any of them as you mention the swivel here?

5

Working with your own van is much more convenient than working without one, but I can tell you that there are many different companies that can help you with this, for example coach hire in munich would be a good idea, renting a vehicle, you can use it for your own purposes and to earn money on it. In general it is better to use such transportation services for trips of course, but as an idea for reflection I certainly gave you

6

I have built my van with working away as well as full-time living in mind.

It saves me loads of money on hotels, I can run my office in there if I need to, I can cook and shower too.

And although I don’t always have the best view, it’s still a better view than a back room of a hotel that typically gets booked by the companies I work for!

One of my contractual conditions is that my van comes with me because it will save them money, and because of the work I do (freelance boat captain) there is also a clause that ensures they pay for me to return to my van if I leave a boat in another port away from where I joined.

Typically, I will explain to them that I live in the van and that as far as possible, I don’t want to be away from it for too long…and if I do need to leave it for any length of time, I can park it in secure areas such as harbor, yacht club or marina carparks.