David Cullen is an award-winning journalist who specializes in covering the trucking industry. Based in Connecticut, he writes for several business publications.
Armor Your Connected Fleet with Cybersecurity Measures
Utility fleets are integrating various connected-vehicle technologies that mine data to boost operational efficiency and effectiveness. But leveraging this brave new world of rich data is not without risk. The more connected a utility’s vehicles and facilities – and the more data they generate – the more likely they are to come under cyberattack, which […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Weighing whether to select gasoline versus diesel power for work trucks is enough to make your head spin into another dimension – of choice, that is. Thanks to advances in engine designs and greater availability of gasoline power, there is more than ever to think about when picking a gasoline or diesel option, including deciding […]
Cable reel trailers are bread-and-butter equipment for electric utility fleets. But that doesn’t mean they come in one size that fits all. Far from it. For one thing, there are at least a half dozen manufacturers producing these trailers. What’s more, these companies produce multiple models of cable reel trailers, with all being customizable to […]
A Roadmap to Autonomous Trucks The technology and steps to regulate fully autonomous trucks will evolve bit by bit over the coming years. By David Cullen The road to autonomous trucks is a long and winding one. How it’s navigated will ride on everything from how rapidly the technology advances and how quickly it is […]
It seems like every time you turn around these days, there’s a new battery-electric pickup truck being unveiled. Iconic American truck builders Ford, General Motors and Ram have begun building full-size electric pickups, while startup manufacturers – such as Rivian and Canoo – are rolling out EV pickups of varying designs. Meanwhile, Elon Musk, head […]
The outlook for fleet maintenance costs and shop operations in 2023 is again influenced by the state of the economy and the supply chain, as well as by the ongoing nationwide tech shortage. To help pinpoint the leading challenges the year ahead poses to utility fleet managers, UFP spoke with Chris Foster, manager of fleet […]
