Matted Surfaces: Safety Considerations and Controls
It’s a busy time in our industry. We have challenges associated with normal operations and maintenance of the grid. We’re also faced with new and increasing work involving distributed generation, vehicle charging infrastructure and major transmission projects.
Both existing and emerging work require access to the respective work areas, and with this comes the associated hazards of off-road acce…
Women in Utility Fleet: Lissa Brady
Lissa Brady arrived at the University of Washington as an English major and graduated with an international studies degree.
She served in various sales roles for nearly 25 years with GE Capital (now Element Financial Corp.), PACCAR Financial and Terex Utilities, earning her MBA along the way.
Sales is definitely not the traditional road to fleet management. But it was the right path for Brady.
…
When Will Drunk-Driving Detection Be Mandated on Light Vehicles?
Mandatory technology that promises to curtail the carnage on the highway wrought by drunk and otherwise impaired drivers is on its way. Advanced drunk driving prevention technology (ADDPT) is the umbrella term that covers the work that’s been going on for years to leverage advanced technologies to develop devices designed to stop drunk drivers in their tracks.
This effort is now expected to pic…
The Evolving Fleet Professional for an Electrified Future
Over the last decade, technology has emerged that can make fleet management a little easier – think telematics, dashcams and integrated fleet management platforms. Electrification is a different story. The next 10 years will likely make a fleet manager’s job more complex, and that means fleet managers will need to develop new skills and approaches to navigate the electric era.
“A fleet manager’…
In Many Ways, Fleet Management is Sales
In this issue’s “Women in Utility Fleet” feature, I speak with Lissa Brady, the fleet asset manager at San Diego Gas & Electric and a director on the EUFMC board.
We talked about her nontraditional path to fleet management, with more than two decades in various sales roles. She said her predecessor at SDG&E also came from a sales background, which helped pave the way for her.
That conve…
Truck-Mounted vs. Towed Impact Attenuators
Mobile impact attenuators, be they truck-mounted or towed, are designed to protect utility crews and their equipment by absorbing the kinetic energy released when a vehicle crashes into their work zone.
In simple terms, an attenuator is a cushion fitted to the rear of a truck or trailer. These devices are engineered to improve roadside safety. According to Pennsylvania-based attenuator upfitter…
Safety Signs and the Importance of Training
When I think about safety signs, the first thing I hear in my head is the hit 1970s song “Signs” by Five Man Electrical Band, particularly the part that goes, “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign, blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind.” In our industry, we have a lot of signs, and the truth is that few of them are useful. What is it about signs that helps us, and what is it about signs that hurt…
6 Factors to Consider When Spec’ing Onboard Cameras
Onboard cameras can help utility fleets lower litigation risks and offer an extra set of eyes to coach drivers and improve safety.
But they can also be a hard sell to many operators – and their unions – who may feel that constant video surveillance infringes on their privacy rights, especially with cab-facing cameras.
How do you spec an onboard camera system that balances the need for greater s…
OEM vs. Aftermarket Parts: What’s Best for Your Operation?
When it comes to purchasing parts, how do fleet professionals decide whether to take the OEM route or explore aftermarket options?
UFP recently spoke with Alan Cunningham, superintendent of fleet maintenance for Ameren Illinois, and James Kuha, transportation operations supervisor for Central Hudson Gas & Electric, to gain some insight on how they make these decisions.
Involve the Experts
A…
Exhibits and Education Headline the 54th Annual ATSSA Expo
Exhibits and Education Headline the 54th Annual ATSSA Expo
Discover the latest roadway safety solutions and trends at the February 2024 event.
The 54th Annual ATSSA Convention & Traffic Expo will take place February 2-6, 2024, at the San Diego Convention Center. Produced by the American Traffic Safety Services Association, the event is expected to draw approximately 3,700 roadway safety ind…
Bigfoot Interlocking Outrigger Pad
Bigfoot has a brand-new product feature: the interlocking outrigger pad. The interlocking outrigger pad system allows two pads to lock in place with each other, preventing shifting or sliding and providing twice as much thickness at half the weight when lifting the pads. The efficiency of this system is demonstrated in the accompanying photo, showing two custom composite 24-inch-by-24-inch-by-2…
Elliott D47 Digger Derrick
Elliott Equipment Co., a leading manufacturer of aerial work platforms and material-handling equipment, has introduced its new D47, a high-performance digger derrick designed to meet the needs of the most demanding distribution applications.
The D47 features a class-leading 26,000-pound maximum lifting capacity, making it ideal for a wide range of lifting and material-handling tasks. It also ha…
Mobile Desk Utility Truck Consoles
Mobile Desk/Mobile Office Solutions is recognized as the world’s leading manufacturer of electronic utility truck consoles for America’s biggest and best electric utilities. Our electronic control center (ECC) units provide a simple, consolidated solution for almost any type of company looking to streamline and simplify their electronic needs. Our full-size electronic consoles consolidate all o…
BRADEN Launches TRS Synthetic Rope
The new TRS Synthetic Rope from BRADEN is engineered and tested to complement TR Series Planetary Recovery Winches, which have rated line pulls from 12,000 to 30,000 pounds. With diameters and lengths suited to specific winch drum sizes, the 12 TRS options offer a simple solution that removes the guesswork from selecting a synthetic alternative to wire rope.
Four times lighter than comparable s…
The Impact of AI and Machine Learning on Telematics
While the flying automated cars of “The Jetsons” cartoon are still to come, the growing power of artificial intelligence is moving fleet telematics into the future.
Smart telematics systems are already in use by many fleets, but the technology is moving to the next level with the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze data and predict trends.
Terms like “artifici…
How to Spec All-Terrain Tracked Carriers for Aerials and Derricks
How can your line crews safely get to power lines and poles that trucks can’t reach?
That’s where all-terrain tracked carriers with aerial platforms and digger derricks come in. A tracked carrier is a heavy-duty off-road vehicle – with continuous tracks instead of wheels – that transports equipment, materials or personnel across challenging terrain. Its design assures stability and minimal grou…
Using Power Tools in the Bucket
Lineworkers rely on a variety of tools when working from the bucket of an aerial device. Safe work practices require that these tools not create additional exposure to electrocution. Hand tools – such as bolt cutters, knives, pliers and wire strippers – are often made of metal. So, when employees are working in aerial devices, employers typically require hand tools to be insulated with layers o…
Reflection and Respect
This year marks my 10th anniversary with Utility Fleet Professional and eight years as its editor.
Reflecting on my time at UFP, I’m struck by the level of expertise you need to succeed in the utility sector compared to fleets in other industries.
Before joining UFP, I wrote about a wide range of fleets, from last-mile delivery to heavy-duty trucking to pharmaceutical sales.
While those fleet m…
How to Best Deliver In-House Technician Training
Top-notch technicians who are kept up to date on effective maintenance practices and compliance with safety and environmental requirements are the beating heart of any successful truck fleet. That’s even more so with electric utilities, which operate an array of specialized equipment.
Finding the best techs to do the best work begins with a fleet’s recruitment approach. But once qualified techs…
How to Best Interview Fleet Personnel
The hiring process for any job involves some dancing on the part of the employer and the applicant. Depending on the savvy and experience of the job seeker, the footwork gets most intense when the discussion moves to compensation, which covers everything from wages to health benefits to overtime rates and paid time off.
The dance is more subtle at the start of the hiring process; it’s akin to t…
Matted Surfaces: Safety Considerations and Controls
It’s a busy time in our industry. We have challenges associated with normal operations and maintenance of the grid. We’re also faced with new and increasing work involving distributed generation, vehicle charging infrastructure and major transmission projects.
Both existing and emerging work require access to the respective work areas, and with this comes the associated hazards of off-road access work. As an industry, we talk about the electrical hazards of our work all the time, and we should. But we don’t spend a lot of time talking about access work hazards before and after the electr…
Women in Utility Fleet: Lissa Brady
Lissa Brady arrived at the University of Washington as an English major and graduated with an international studies degree.
She served in various sales roles for nearly 25 years with GE Capital (now Element Financial Corp.), PACCAR Financial and Terex Utilities, earning her MBA along the way.
Sales is definitely not the traditional road to fleet management. But it was the right path for Brady.
After an entire career on the seller’s side of the table, she has found a home on the buyer’s side, joining San Diego Gas & Electric as the fleet asset manager in 2020. And earlier this y…
When Will Drunk-Driving Detection Be Mandated on Light Vehicles?
Mandatory technology that promises to curtail the carnage on the highway wrought by drunk and otherwise impaired drivers is on its way. Advanced drunk driving prevention technology (ADDPT) is the umbrella term that covers the work that’s been going on for years to leverage advanced technologies to develop devices designed to stop drunk drivers in their tracks.
This effort is now expected to pick up steam thanks to legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that will require light-vehicle manufacturers to develop and factory-install passive ADDPT devices in new passenger vehicles. The facili…
The Evolving Fleet Professional for an Electrified Future
Over the last decade, technology has emerged that can make fleet management a little easier – think telematics, dashcams and integrated fleet management platforms. Electrification is a different story. The next 10 years will likely make a fleet manager’s job more complex, and that means fleet managers will need to develop new skills and approaches to navigate the electric era.
“A fleet manager’s job is already complex. Introducing a completely different propulsion system magnifies the difficulty,” said Maria Neve, a senior fleet electrification and sustainability executive and NAFA senio…
In Many Ways, Fleet Management is Sales
In this issue’s “Women in Utility Fleet” feature, I speak with Lissa Brady, the fleet asset manager at San Diego Gas & Electric and a director on the EUFMC board.
We talked about her nontraditional path to fleet management, with more than two decades in various sales roles. She said her predecessor at SDG&E also came from a sales background, which helped pave the way for her.
That conversation got me thinking: As a fleet professional, you serve “customers” – your user groups and senior management. In other words, you’re in sales. So, what sales skills are you developing to mak…
Truck-Mounted vs. Towed Impact Attenuators
Mobile impact attenuators, be they truck-mounted or towed, are designed to protect utility crews and their equipment by absorbing the kinetic energy released when a vehicle crashes into their work zone.
In simple terms, an attenuator is a cushion fitted to the rear of a truck or trailer. These devices are engineered to improve roadside safety. According to Pennsylvania-based attenuator upfitter Royal Truck & Equipment in a blog post (see https://royaltruckandequipment.com/blog/tma-trucks-explained/), “highway construction zones have become increasingly dangerous for the men and women…
Safety Signs and the Importance of Training
When I think about safety signs, the first thing I hear in my head is the hit 1970s song “Signs” by Five Man Electrical Band, particularly the part that goes, “Sign, sign, everywhere a sign, blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind.” In our industry, we have a lot of signs, and the truth is that few of them are useful. What is it about signs that helps us, and what is it about signs that hurts us?
Part of my full-time job involves providing expert witness litigation support, so I frequently discuss and relate aspects of the courtroom experience here in these pages. That’s because the p…
6 Factors to Consider When Spec’ing Onboard Cameras
Onboard cameras can help utility fleets lower litigation risks and offer an extra set of eyes to coach drivers and improve safety.
But they can also be a hard sell to many operators – and their unions – who may feel that constant video surveillance infringes on their privacy rights, especially with cab-facing cameras.
How do you spec an onboard camera system that balances the need for greater safety and risk reduction while keeping privacy in mind?
UFP recently spoke with Austin Schmidt, director of performance marketing at Netradyne Inc. (www.netradyne.com), a San Diego-based Soft…
OEM vs. Aftermarket Parts: What’s Best for Your Operation?
When it comes to purchasing parts, how do fleet professionals decide whether to take the OEM route or explore aftermarket options?
UFP recently spoke with Alan Cunningham, superintendent of fleet maintenance for Ameren Illinois, and James Kuha, transportation operations supervisor for Central Hudson Gas & Electric, to gain some insight on how they make these decisions.
Involve the Experts
According to Cunningham, relying on your frontline team is critical when making parts purchasing decisions.
“Our fleet technicians and frontline supervisors are the best resources for knowing…
Exhibits and Education Headline the 54th Annual ATSSA Expo
Exhibits and Education Headline the 54th Annual ATSSA Expo
Discover the latest roadway safety solutions and trends at the February 2024 event.
The 54th Annual ATSSA Convention & Traffic Expo will take place February 2-6, 2024, at the San Diego Convention Center. Produced by the American Traffic Safety Services Association, the event is expected to draw approximately 3,700 roadway safety industry professionals from across the globe.
Attendees will have access to the expo’s exhibit hall, featuring the latest industry products and services from over 200 exhibitors. These are expecte…
Bigfoot Interlocking Outrigger Pad
Bigfoot has a brand-new product feature: the interlocking outrigger pad. The interlocking outrigger pad system allows two pads to lock in place with each other, preventing shifting or sliding and providing twice as much thickness at half the weight when lifting the pads. The efficiency of this system is demonstrated in the accompanying photo, showing two custom composite 24-inch-by-24-inch-by-2-inch outrigger pads with the interlocking feature, which serve as a custom composite 24-inch-by-24-inch-by-4-inch outrigger pad once locked together. This is a friendlier approach for one-man operati…
Elliott D47 Digger Derrick
Elliott Equipment Co., a leading manufacturer of aerial work platforms and material-handling equipment, has introduced its new D47, a high-performance digger derrick designed to meet the needs of the most demanding distribution applications.
The D47 features a class-leading 26,000-pound maximum lifting capacity, making it ideal for a wide range of lifting and material-handling tasks. It also has a 17- to 26-foot digging radius, making it capable of reaching even the most difficult-to-access areas. Standard features include 46-kV insulation, independent boom operation, transferable pole g…
Mobile Desk Utility Truck Consoles
Mobile Desk/Mobile Office Solutions is recognized as the world’s leading manufacturer of electronic utility truck consoles for America’s biggest and best electric utilities. Our electronic control center (ECC) units provide a simple, consolidated solution for almost any type of company looking to streamline and simplify their electronic needs. Our full-size electronic consoles consolidate all of the included features of our ECC units with the added value of full storage; magnetic cup holders; power distribution; adjustable armrests; hanging file support; magnetic accessories; 12-volt and US…
BRADEN Launches TRS Synthetic Rope
The new TRS Synthetic Rope from BRADEN is engineered and tested to complement TR Series Planetary Recovery Winches, which have rated line pulls from 12,000 to 30,000 pounds. With diameters and lengths suited to specific winch drum sizes, the 12 TRS options offer a simple solution that removes the guesswork from selecting a synthetic alternative to wire rope.
Four times lighter than comparable sizes of steel cable, TRS Synthetic Rope helps mitigate the overall weight of essential utility and service truck equipment, especially when paired with lightweight BRADEN UBL or UBX Winch Bumper Sy…
Join Kurt as he Explores The Utility Expo 2023
Kurt Moreland, Associate Publisher of Utility Fleet Magazine, was live at The Utility Expo 2023, where he got an up-close look at all the latest innovations in the utility industry. He explored the show floor, met with exhibitors, and learned about the newest products and services that can help utilities improve their efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Here are just a few of the things that caught Kurt’s eye:
Electric vehicles and equipment: The Utility Expo featured a wide range of electric vehicles and equipment, from electric bucket trucks to electric excavators. Kurt was …
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