Hackney Fire Trucks for Sale

You can buy a reconditioned, service-ready used Hackney rescue truck without paying new-build prices or waiting years for it. Hackney Emergency Vehicles of Washington, North Carolina grew out of a custom truck-body business that dates to 1946, and it’s known for its walk-in heavy rescues, HazMat trucks, and command rigs, and Fire Truck Center sells and sources used Hackney and other rescues that pass a 150-point inspection, backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee. Used heavy rescues generally run from around $70,000 for older units to the low-to-mid six figures for newer builds — see the rescue trucks in stock now.

What are Hackney fire trucks known for?

Hackney fire trucks are known for rescue and specialty bodies. Hackney Emergency Vehicles is based in Washington, North Carolina, and it grew out of a custom truck-body business that goes back to 1946 — the company famously turned a beverage-style box body into a rescue truck for a local department, then built a HazMat truck, and a rescue-body maker was born. When a department needs a walk-in rescue, Hackney is a name in that space.

What sets Hackney apart is the powered box body. The things to know:

• Walk-in and walk-around heavy rescues — big-body rescue trucks with room to work inside or tool-lined exteriors, built for extrication and technical rescue.
• HazMat and command rigs — specialty bodies built out for hazardous-materials response and incident command.
• Air, light, and disaster-response units — support rigs that carry power, lighting, and air for long incidents.
• Body-builder heritage — decades of custom truck-body manufacturing behind the emergency line, which is why the bodies are built to last.

That specialty focus and heavy-duty body are a big part of why a well-kept used Hackney is worth buying for a department that runs rescue.

Can you buy a used Hackney fire truck, and what types come up?

Yes — used Hackney and other rescue apparatus come to market, most often as walk-in and walk-around heavy rescues. Fire Truck Center sources, reconditions, and sells them, and we carry rescues in light and heavy configurations, so you’re working with people who know these rigs rather than hoping a listing is sound.

Because Hackney builds rescue and specialty bodies, that’s where the inventory fit lands. Browse our used rescue trucks to see what’s ready now. If you also need an engine, our used pumpers are worth a look, and you can see every truck we have for sale in one place.

A used Hackney doesn’t have to be old to be a smart buy. Rescue trucks often carry low mileage, because they respond less often than engines, so a used one can be close to new mechanically.

What should you know before buying a used Hackney?

Before buying a used Hackney, know that a rescue truck is really a big body full of power, lighting, tools, and compartments on a heavy-duty chassis — so the body and the electrical systems matter as much as the running gear. The work on your end is matching the build-out to how your department runs rescue.

A used Hackney tends to share a few traits worth knowing:

• The reliability is in the body. Hackney’s rescue bodies come from a long truck-body manufacturing heritage, built for hard use. A maintained Hackney has plenty of service life left in it.
• Parts and service are manageable. Rescue trucks ride on commercial chassis with standard drivetrains, so mechanical parts are widely available; the specialty items are the body, doors, and onboard power.
• Specialty rigs hold their value. A well-built heavy rescue stays useful for decades, so a used Hackney is a solid buy and a fraction of the cost of a new custom build.

On configuration, match the truck to your department:

• Walk-in versus walk-around. A walk-in rescue lets the crew work inside; a walk-around is tool-lined on the exterior. Pick based on how your team operates.
• HazMat, command, or rescue. Confirm the build-out matches your mission, since these trucks are heavily customized.
• Onboard power. Check the generator, lighting, and electrical capacity against what your equipment needs.

Get the body style, build-out, and power right, and a used Hackney will serve your department for years.

What should you check when buying a used Hackney?

On a used Hackney, check the frame and body first, then the onboard generator and electrical system, then the roll-up doors and compartments — a rescue truck’s value is in its body and power, so those get as much attention as the chassis. The frame and the electrical are what cost the most to get wrong.

Here’s how our founder frames the priority, from years of buying and reconditioning these trucks:

“Structural integrity — making sure the frame is in solid condition with no problems. Checking the motor for leaks and performance, the transmission, and all the other electrical components.”

Work through the truck in this order:

1. Frame and body. The chassis and rescue body checked for cracks, corrosion, and repair history. This is the make-or-break check on any used apparatus.
2. Onboard generator and electrical. The generator, wiring, scene lighting, and electrical panels tested under load, with any fault codes explained.
3. Roll-up doors and compartments. Doors, latches, slide-outs, and tool boards checked for operation and wear.
4. Pump or hydraulics, if fitted. Any onboard pump gets an NFPA pump test; hydraulic rescue and stabilization systems get checked for leaks and function.
5. Drivetrain and miles. Engine, transmission, brakes, and suspension, with our guideline of roughly 100,000 miles and 10,000 hours as an upper bound.

Every used rescue we sell goes through our 150-point inspection before it leaves the lot, so you get documented proof on each of these points rather than a promise.

How much does a used Hackney fire truck cost?

A used Hackney costs a fraction of a new one, with price driven mostly by body type, build-out, and age. Older heavy rescues can land near $70,000, while newer or heavily equipped rigs run into the low-to-mid six figures. For a full breakdown by truck type, see what used fire trucks actually cost.

Hackney apparatus type	Typical used price range	Notes
Walk-in heavy rescue	$70,000 – $175,000	Priced on body, power, and build-out
Walk-around rescue	$70,000 – $150,000	Tool-lined exterior; lighter build
HazMat / command rig	$70,000 – $175,000	Priced on onboard equipment and build-out

These are Fire Truck Center’s general used ranges by apparatus type, not Hackney-specific quotes — every truck is priced individually.

The comparison that matters is used versus new. A new custom heavy rescue now runs well into six figures with a multi-year wait. A reconditioned Hackney can be in service in weeks, on a body built to last. You’re saving real money and months of waiting, on a specialty rig that’s hard to find new quickly.

Financing is available through lenders that specialize in emergency vehicles, so the up-front number doesn’t have to be the whole story for a department on a tight budget.

Why buy your used Hackney from Fire Truck Center?

Because every truck is reconditioned and put through a 150-point inspection, then backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and nationwide delivery. That combination is rare in used apparatus, and it’s built to answer the one fear every buyer has: getting a lemon.

Rescues are squarely in our wheelhouse. Fire Truck Center carries rescues in light and heavy, walk-in and walk-around configurations, so we know what to check on a used rescue body and its onboard power, which is where a rescue’s value really lives.

The 30-day satisfaction guarantee is the part almost nobody else offers. If the truck isn’t right, you return it within 30 days for a full refund, for any reason. Fire Truck Center pays the return freight, and the truck comes back in the same condition it went out. Thirty days is enough to confirm a used fire truck is mechanically sound.

Delivery is handled the same way — carefully. We drive or ship depending on the truck and the distance, and most buyers come out to our Levittown, PA facility to inspect the truck in person first, then we deliver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who makes Hackney fire trucks, and where?

Hackney fire trucks are built by Hackney Emergency Vehicles in Washington, North Carolina, a company that grew out of a custom truck-body business dating to 1946. Hackney is known for rescue and specialty apparatus — walk-in heavy rescues, HazMat, and command rigs. That body-building heritage is part of why the trucks are built to last.

What is a walk-in rescue truck?

A walk-in rescue truck is a heavy rescue with an enclosed body the crew can work inside, out of the weather, with tools and equipment mounted along interior walls. A walk-around rescue, by contrast, lines its tools along the exterior compartments. Hackney builds both, and the right one depends on how your department runs technical rescue.

How many miles or hours are too many on a used Hackney?

As a general guideline, we look for used trucks under about 100,000 miles and 10,000 engine hours. Rescue trucks often come in well under that, because they respond less often than engines. Documented maintenance and a clean inspection matter more than the raw numbers.

Is a used Hackney inspected and serviced before delivery?

Yes — a used Hackney from Fire Truck Center goes through our 150-point inspection, including the body, onboard generator, electrical, and compartments, plus an NFPA pump test if it carries a pump. You get documented proof the truck is sound before it leaves the lot. We fix what we find before delivery.

Can you deliver a Hackney to our department?

Yes — Fire Truck Center delivers nationwide, and we’ve sent trucks to nearly every state in the lower 48. Depending on the truck and the distance, we drive it or ship it. Most departments inspect the truck in person at our facility first, then we handle delivery.