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AUGUST 2017 Archive

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Piedmont Natural Gas Expands Its CNG-Powered Fleet

| Sean M. Lyden | ,
When it comes to discussions of alternative fuels and sustainability in utility fleets, electrification often takes center stage. And for good reason. Electric utilities have a vested interest in selling more of their product – electricity – so it makes sense that they would take the lead by making big investments in electric vehicles (EVs) […]
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What’s New in Digging Machines for Utility Fleets

| Sean M. Lyden | ,
When you need to dig trenches to lay underground gas lines, or drill holes for setting transmission poles, or be able to dig in tight spaces, the objective is the same: to have crews get the most work done in the least amount of time, with the least amount of effort and cost.  That’s the […]
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The Gas-or-Diesel Decision Gets Complicated

| Jim Galligan |
Which engine – gasoline or diesel – is best for light-duty vehicles? The age-old answer is, of course, it depends. It depends on annual mileage, fuel economy, purchase price, expected lifespan, fuel costs, maintenance and more; a whole assortment of considerations specific to the fleet.  Those considerations still drive the fleet’s decision tree, but recent […]
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Technology Helps Fleets Streamline Maintenance Operations

| Grace Suizo | ,
Where fleet maintenance is concerned, technology providers including Decisiv (www.decisiv.com) and Zonar Systems (www.zonarsystems.com) have been working with utilities to maximize visibility, consistency and transparency, among other things. “Those actually go right to your bottom line because you reduce costs, you reduce downtime, and you make everybody more effective and the whole process more efficient,” […]
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Strategies to Reduce Fuel Theft and Fuel Card Misuse

| Fiona Soltes | ,
Yes, it could happen: A nefarious individual could approach one of your pieces of equipment parked on the lot and siphon fuel right from the tank. What is perhaps more likely, though, is loss due to improperly used fuel cards. “By and large, employees do the right thing,” said Geoff Scalf, director of global energy […]
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Renting vs. Buying Heavy Equipment

| Sandy Smith | ,
It’s a common occurrence for utilities and contractors: A piece of heavy equipment is needed, but it’s not immediately available in the fleet, so the project manager rents what’s required. But that may not always be the right strategy – especially when the rental is done outside the fleet manager’s purview. “I have seen cases […]
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When Does it Make Sense to Outsource Maintenance?

| Sean M. Lyden | ,
Even if you have a robust in-house repair shop, chances are that you still outsource portions of your maintenance operations – to save money, quickly fill gaps left by technicians who’ve recently retired or tap into specialized expertise to perform critical repairs. But how do you determine which aspects of your maintenance operations make the […]
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3 Takeaways to Expect from Utility Fleet Conference 2017

| Sean M. Lyden | ,
Utility Fleet Conference 2017 exists to provide a forum that challenges us in the utility fleet industry to change ourselves – to learn, grow and adapt in an environment where so much change is happening so quickly. Think about it: Emerging technologies like self-driving systems, connected vehicles and drones are already here and just beginning […]
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