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How far can a vacuum hose reach from the truck?

Marcus B.asked 0 viewsDelivery, Placement & ServicingVacuum truckTruck accessService visitStandard unitPlacement

We have a standard portable toilet on a residential gut rehab in Chicago. The unit is placed about 50 feet from the curb, behind a chain-link fence, on level ground. The vacuum truck can park at the curb, but the driver would need to run the hose through a gate and across the yard. I know the hose is long, but I'm not sure if 50 feet is too far for the pump to work effectively. Will the driver be able to service it from that distance, or do we need to move the unit closer to the truck access point before the next service visit?

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Tyler R.Columbus, OH

Fifty feet across a level yard is normally fine, and you shouldn't need to move the unit. The hose on a vacuum truck is built to run off the reel past a curb, through a gate and across a lot. Distance alone is rarely what stops a pump out on our jobs.

What actually causes skipped visits is the stuff in between:

  • A locked gate on service day. We had a driver mark a unit as no access twice before we started leaving the padlock hanging open on Tuesdays.
  • Debris piles, lumber or a dumpster blocking the straight line from curb to unit.
  • Hose having to go over a tall fence instead of through an opening.
  • Mud or ice right at the door, since the driver still has to walk in to restock and wipe down.

Call the office and tell them the unit is about 50 feet back behind a gate. They'll note it on the route so the driver isn't surprised. Good truck access at the curb plus a clear walking path matters way more than the footage.

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