Which American Truck Is Right For Your Activation?

American trucks have a knack for getting noticed. With distinctive shapes and oversized proportions, either one of them can turn a brand activation into something people will want to stop and experience. But which one is right for your activation?

Whether it's our US postal van, American Ambulance or FedEx truck, each vehicle delivers something unique. Here's a brief comparison to help you choose.

1. Utilimaster / US Postal Van

Best for visual impact, stylish launches, and content creation.

The Kraken US postal van, an American truck from Promohire. The Landman Utilimaster Aeromate, an American truck hired for a brand activation.

If you want something people don’t see every day, the US postal van is hard to beat. Also known as the Utilimaster Aeromate, this American truck was originally designed to make deliveries easy. You can find out more about its origins and evolution in our look back at the US postal van.

Since then, its unusual looks have made it a star of the silver screen, appearing in blockbusters like Men in Black, Ace Ventura, and more. This US postal van is also smaller than an American ambulance or FedEx truck, making it ideal for indoor activations.

Finally, its unique shape means it’s one of the best options for a 3D roof prop or sign – from oversized bottles to ice cream and sandwiches!

A crowd of young women around the US American truck from Promohire, with an ice cream roof prop for a live brand activation.

We recommend the Utilimaster for:

Brand awareness activations
Photoshoots and user-generated content
Simple food and beverage sampling
Product launches that get people talking
Campaigns where visuals matter most
Venues with limited space

Think of it as the more visually striking of our American trucks, and the best choice for when you want audiences reaching for their phones.

2. American Ambulance / Side-Step Van

Best for street food, catering, and campaigns with character.

An American ambulance in white and green for Richmond sausages, part of a promotional campaign. An American ambulance or side step van for Vercel, wrapped in matte black vinyl for a live promotion/activation.

Despite its original purpose, this American truck is now a popular choice for food, entertainment, and experiential campaigns. Its unmistakable shape gives it a lot of presence, and it works brilliantly if you need a US vehicle with a bit more space.

Up to three staff members can stand upright at once, and the extra room means more opportunities for storage, counters, and interior branding. So, it’s a great way to combat the biggest sampling challenges!

Many brands make the most of the cab-chassis design by keeping the front cab simple and getting creative with the main body. With colourful graphics, displays, sampling points and interactive features, it becomes a natural hub for engagement.

A crowd gathers at the pink Monday American ambulance as part of a live sampling campaign.

We recommend the ambulance side-step for:

Street food and catering
Entertainment campaigns
Retro-themed activations
Product demos and displays
Experiential marketing

This US promotional truck is a real crowd-pleaser, with a unique cab-chassis design, its own personality, and additional room to get creative.

3. FedEx Truck / Step Van

Best for large-scale sampling and pushing engagement further.

Promohire's American FedEx truck, branded for the KIND Snacks brand activation in London, with a serving hatch, roof prop and allergen sign.

If loads of internal space is a 'must have’, then our FedEx truck is the best choice. Also known as a step van, bread truck, or multi-stop vehicle, it boasts a larger frame – with even more space inside. In turn, you can fit a high volume of products and equipment, and still have room for catering staff to work their magic.

It can also feature multiple roof props, high-impact branding, and serve as the central hub of your experiential campaign.

Inside, you can build anything from a catering station to a meeting area or demo room. So, you get greater flexibility, but with the classic charm of an American delivery truck.

Check out the Kind Snacks topping tour to see this FedEx sampling truck in action!

Catering staff inside the KIND promotional FedEx truck, part of Promohire's fleet. The back of the American FedEx truck for the KIND Snacks sampling event.

The FedEx truck is a natural fit for:

Large catering setups
Bustling brand takeovers
Immersive walk-on experience
Activations where storage really matters
Street food, product demos, and more

This event vehicle is a true workhorse of the fleet. When your promotional campaign needs serious space without sacrificing visual impact, the step van is hard to beat!

Get started with American truck hire

Whether you pick our US postal van, American ambulance, or FedEx delivery truck, your next promotional campaign is destined to make an impact.

But where should you start? We recommend using our pricing calculator to get an estimate for promotional vehicle hire, then heading to our campaign checklist for help putting your brief together.

Above all, click below to reach out! We'll help you pick the best event vehicle for your brand, brainstorm ideas, and collaborate to make your next campaign unforgettable!