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JUNE 2018 Archive

VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2 JUNE 2018 utilityfleetprofessional.com

Enforcement of Vehicle Weight and Load Securement Rules

| Jim Vaughn, CUSP |
In the past few months, I have received comments and inquiries from all over the U.S. regarding what appears to be stepped-up enforcement of both load securement and vehicle weight. It’s not unusual that these topics garner attention from the U.S. Department of Transportation when it comes to carriers, but this recent uptick seems to […]
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5 Smart Ways to Use Telematics to Drive Fleet Safety

| Sean M. Lyden |
What does a litigator want to know after a commercial vehicle crash? Here’s how Jeff Burns, an attorney with the Kansas City, Missouri-based law firm Dollar, Burns & Becker LC, put it in his presentation to fleet managers at the NTEA Work Truck Show in March: “How did the company try to prevent this crash?” […]
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Pioneering a Utility Drone Program

| Sean M. Lyden |
In 2015, Chicago-based Commonwealth Edison Co. (ComEd) became the first utility to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration for operational use of unmanned aircraft systems – also referred to as UAS or drones – under certain conditions for line inspection and emergency response applications. So, three years and 250 flights later, how has it […]
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What Will It Take for Autonomous Vehicles to be Ready for Prime Time?

| Sean M. Lyden |
When it comes to fully autonomous vehicles becoming commercially available, industry consensus is that it’s not a question of if but when. And that time frame appears to be within the next two to three years. For example, industry research firm Navigant Research (www.navigantresearch.com) expects that highly automated light-duty vehicles will begin to be introduced […]
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Going Where Wheeled Vehicles Can’t

| Jim Galligan |
Whether they’re used in hauling materials up steep hills, when accessing remote locations to perform inspections and construction, or for ferrying emergency crews and materials through marshes and over creeks, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) play a small yet vital role in many utility fleets. “As [distribution systems] continue to grow, it’s more important for utilities to […]
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How to Avoid Big Data Overload

| Sandy Smith |
Telematics data offers the modern utility fleet vast opportunities to gain insight about their operation and take action. But the sheer number of those opportunities can be overwhelming, and deciding what data to study – plus how to make it meaningful – can be a struggle, like attempting to sip water from a firehose. Beth […]
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Flat Fees for Fleet Asset Flexibility?

| Fiona Soltes |
As drivers and fleet professionals explore the possibilities and realities of vehicle subscription models, they’re in good company. Fleet management organizations also are kicking the tires of the concept – including how it might eventually apply to utility fleets. Under the subscription model, subscribers have access to vehicles on demand, often with insurance and maintenance […]
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Best Practices for Managing Tire Costs

| Grace Suizo |
Running a successful utility fleet operation requires fleet managers to, among other things, stay on top of any and every aspect of the business that will impact total operating costs. A fleet’s tire program is one aspect that makes a significant impact. According to Gary Schroeder, director of global truck and bus tire business for […]
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The Need for Greater Collaboration Between Fleet and Safety

| Sean M. Lyden |
In April, our team at Utility Fleet Professional magazine launched the first-ever fleet track at the iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo in Loveland, Colorado. The conference is the industry’s largest safety education event, produced by our sister publication, Incident Prevention magazine. We covered a wide range of topics, from the imminent safety challenges of […]
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