Bucket Truck Safety: OSHA Standards and Other Considerations
In my role as a safety consultant, I receive numerous and varied questions about the safe use of bucket trucks in electric utility operations. So, to help clear up confusion, I am going to share info…
Rent vs. Own: Which is Best for Heavy Equipment?
Whether to rent or own heavy equipment is a question utility fleet managers commonly consider, largely because there isn’t a definitive answer other than, “It depends.” They must assess the various f…
Receiving Feedback
Most leadership development programs talk about the vital skill of giving feedback, as they should. I hope you’ve been trained on coaching and feedback and that you practice and enhance those skills…
The Utility Expo 2025: It’s Time to Dig In
The Utility Expo returns to Louisville, Kentucky, October 7-9, featuring more than 900 exhibitors, hands-on equipment demonstrations and expanded educational programming.
Among the 2025 show’s new of…
Stay Ahead With These 6 Fleet-Focused Podcasts
You juggle tight budgets, rapid technology shifts and supply-chain disruptions – all while leading your team and keeping operations running smoothly. It’s a lot.
That’s why podcasts can be a powerful…
Other News…
Introducing…
Subscribe via these podcast platforms
iPi Monthly Forum for Utility Professionals
The iPi monthly forum is where you can get answers to questions you have from subject matter experts like David McPeak, Jim Vaughn, Danny Raines and other utility safety and ops professionals like yourself. Forums will include industry specific topics, challenges, trends, and solutions along with best practices in leadership, operations, and safety.
Smarts Fleets & Technology
Is Your Fleet Prepared for the Next Economic Disruption?
Utility fleet managers have navigated numerous challenges over the past five years – think COVID, supply chain bottlenecks, inflation, the chip shortage and vehicle electrification. Each has had its own economic ripple effects, and now, with the looming prospect of tariffs, the fleet industry could…
Selecting the Right Fuel Card Program for Your Fleet
Utility fleets pay an average of $0.17 per mile for fuel; other types of fleets pay $0.14 per mile. It’s no wonder fleet managers turn to fuel cards to help manage expenses.
Even when organizations operate on-site fuel tanks, there are often instances when drivers must purchase fuel from an outs…
Under the Radar: Autonomous Trucks Continue Moving Forward
It wasn’t long ago that news headlines suggested fully autonomous trucks would soon dominate American roadways. Those predictions have subsided, but truck OEMs and vehicle technology companies continue to refine and advance their autonomous solutions, often outside the spotlight.
Meanwhile, vari…
Social Networks
Recent Posts
Fleet Profiles
Q&A: Inside ComEd’s Long-Running Biodiesel Program
In 2001, ComEd – a Chicago-based utility serving over 4 million customers across northern Illinois – became one of the first utilities in the Midwest to adopt biodiesel. Today, approximately 1,900 company vehicles run on biodiesel blends, ranging from B20 (for most of the year) to B11 (during the w…
The Latest AI Advancements for Utility Fleets
Imagine a world in which you’re predicting and fixing mechanical failures before they happen. You’re coordinating maintenance schedules across hundreds or thousands of vehicles with minimal human intervention. And you’re getting detailed answers to questions about your fleet within seconds – instea…
Women in Utility Fleet: Elizabeth Daiber
When Elizabeth Daiber began her career as a certified public accountant, fleet management was nowhere on her radar.
“I went to school to be an accountant. I ended up getting my CPA. I worked in public accounting for two years and then moved into internal audit for Ameren Corporate,” said Daiber, wh…
Leading Change in Your Fleet
Brian Johnson was an incoming senior industrial and systems engineering student at Auburn University when he started a summer internship at Alabama Power, a Southern Company. At the time, he wasn’t looking for a career in fleet. But as for many in the industry, fleet found him.
Nearly two decades l…
The Latest AI Advancements for Utility Fleets
Imagine a world in which you’re predicting and fixing mechanical failures before they happen. You’re coordinating maintenance schedules across hundreds or thousands of vehicles with minimal human intervention. And you’re getting detailed answers to questions about your fleet within seconds – instea…
Women in Utility Fleet: Elizabeth Daiber
When Elizabeth Daiber began her career as a certified public accountant, fleet management was nowhere on her radar.
“I went to school to be an accountant. I ended up getting my CPA. I worked in public accounting for two years and then moved into internal audit for Ameren Corporate,” said Daiber…