They See Her Coming
"Dad taught me to keep a truck well-maintained," Deb Ringler states with confidence. A true truck enthusiast who grew up with a long line of trucks owned by her father, Deb is now on her third. She started out with a 1982 Toyota longbed, traded up to a Ford Ranger, and currently drives a 1999 Dodge Ram. Bright red with a custom-built shell, her truck has become the trademark for Personal Plant Service, her Newport Beach, California, business. As an interior landscape designer and mother of an adventurous son, she cleverly modified her truck to suit her needs.
Deb did plenty of research before deciding on the Ram. She looked at the Ford F-150 and the Toyota Tacoma. She wanted something that would accommodate the tools and supplies necessary for her landscape business and provide space for her son Kris's scouting, camping, and golf activities. They wanted to be able to take friends, their gear, and sometimes the dog, so a full-size truck was in order. The color was Kris's choice.
Deb's Club Cab Ram is a well-organized office on wheels. Taking full advantage of the fold-down center workstation, she's ready for business with clipboard, cell-phone, Personal Digital Assistant, and extra power ports to keep fully charged. The console keeps this true Scout mom prepared with a first-aid kit, wet wipes, and a lint brush. The center console can convert into a seat to accommodate more kids. The interior's upholstered in speckled cloth that hides the dirt, a must-have in her business.
Exterior features include a custom-built commercial truck cap that Deb designed for the most functional workspace. Rear locking doors open to provide access to tools, dirt, pots, and plants. Up-swinging side doors reveal tool bins to keep gardening chemicals separate from the cab and foldout shelves provide surfaces for mixing. A drop-in bedliner makes the bed easy to hose out. Because the shell has so many locking doors, Deb's been mistaken for a dogcatcher.
"I feel protected," Deb says about her truck, "which, as a single mom, is important to me. I like sitting up high, it's a big vehicle, and people move out of the way." She says a lot of men like her truck. In her line of work, it adds credibility. But she likes that it carries her easily from work to play and everything in between.
Her next vehicle will most certainly be another truck. Her son Kris loves it, too, and looks forward to the day Mom hands over the keys. Like father, like daughter, like son.