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WTW24 new for 2024 header

NTEA – Work Truck Week March 5-8th, 2024 Indianapolis, Indiana

North America’s largest work truck event, Work Truck Week 2024, took place March 5th-8th at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. The event offered a chance for professionals in the commercial vehicle industry to connect, learn the latest trends, and see new products. Work Truck Week wasn’t just a trade show. It included the Green Truck Summit, The Work Truck Show, NTEA Annual Meeting…
Mattracks Conversion System

Mattracks Launches Track Conversion System for Skid Steers

Mattracks, the original rubber track conversion system manufacturer, recently announced that its RT125 TC track model is now approved for wheeled skid steers with wheelbases 48 inches or greater. The RT125 TC is already being used by many customers on articulated loaders, riding trenchers and the Bobcat Toolcat. Supporting up to 12,500 pounds, the Mattracks four-track conversion system increase…
DICA Leveling Pad

DICA Adjustable Leveling Pad

LevelRight is DICA’s newest solution for operators of boom trucks, cranes, concrete pumps, jacking applications and other equipment with outriggers that must be operated in a level condition. LevelRight users can easily adjust the overall angle from 0-10 degrees and adjust in two planes up to 5 degrees. The 24-inch-diameter LevelRight will accept up to a 20-inch-square or 24-inch-round outrigge…
Volvo-Tech-Training

What to Consider When Coordinating OEM Training Opportunities for Your Shop Technicians

| Shelley Mika |
Utility vehicles continually evolve to better meet fleet needs. While these advancements may make life easier for the operator or fleet manager, oftentimes they result in greater complexity for technicians. For this reason, OEMs offer training programs that help in-house shop technicians stay up to date on the latest models. Although OEMs host trainings, lining up opportunities takes some coord…
2024-silverado-ev-wt-220

Fleet Electrification Plans Face Reality Check Amid EV Slowdown

| Sean M. Lyden |
Last year’s NTEA Work Truck Week was a parade of new electric vehicle launches. But if recent news is a sign, the bullishness toward EVs might be more subdued at this year’s show in Indianapolis in March. The Sudden Downshift Until a couple of months ago, the EV market looked unstoppable. EV sales reached their highest level in the second half of 2023, hitting 17.9% of total light-duty vehicle …
Terex Pro Controls

What’s New in Truck and Van Upfits for 2024?

| Sean M. Lyden |
The industry’s truck and van equipment manufacturers are developing new products that equip your crews to get more work done with less strain and greater safety. They’re incorporating more lightweight materials in their product designs so that you can reduce fuel costs, increase battery range or boost payload capacity. And they’re offering more electrified options so that you can cut engine idl…
Fleet of generic electric EV delivery vans charging on charging stations

The New ‘Fuel’: Strategies for Tracking and Managing EV Charging Costs

As more utility fleets add electric vehicles to their mix, fleet managers need to understand the intricacies of managing EV charging costs, much like they would fuel expenses. Fleets are adopting an emerging array of strategies, tools and practices to monitor and control these costs. After all, utility rates are the new fuel prices and will require similar monitoring to ensure cost-effective ch…
WTS-2024

Get Up to Speed on Fleet Advancements at North America’s Largest Work Truck Event

From March 5-8, North America’s largest work truck event – Work Truck Week – will take over the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Among this year’s offerings are the Green Truck Summit (March 5), educational sessions (March 5-7) and the Ride & Drive (March 6-7). Exhibits will be open March 6-8. Mary Aufdemberg, general manager of product strategy and market development for Daimler …
Cybersecurity Credit DHS

Armor Your Connected Fleet with Cybersecurity Measures

| David Cullen |
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 can result in anything from a mere nuisanc…

The Fleet Leader’s Guide to Effective Communication: Inspired by ‘Made to Stick’

| Sean M. Lyden |
Do you struggle with getting your team to understand, remember and act correctly on your instructions? How can you consistently communicate in a simple, straightforward and memorable way? How can you expand your influence with your boss and direct reports? If any of these questions relate to you, read “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath. The book delves into six principles that make certain c…
Suizo Article Equipment

Addressing Ergonomics in Utility Fleet Vehicles

| Grace Suizo |
It’s no secret that there are myriad items a utility fleet manager must consider when spec’ing vehicles for their fleet. Among those are the vehicles’ ergonomic features, which are intended to provide greater operator comfort and efficiency. According to Pete Gnatowski, director of sales, manufacturing and distribution for global automotive services organization Holman (www.holman.com), “When y…

Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Are Your Electrification Targets Realistic?

The latest headlines signal that the electric vehicle market is tapping the brakes, with the road ahead becoming increasingly uncertain. How will this trend impact your company’s ability to hit its zero-emission targets? The odds are strong that you will need to convince senior management to adjust their timeline and expectations. But how do you present your case persuasively? Here are six poin…
ATTSA 2024

ATSSA 2024 Convention & Traffic Expo Coverage – San Diego, Feb. 2-6, 2024

ATSSA’s core purpose is to advance roadway safety. ATSSA members embrace the goal of eliminating roadway fatalities through the design, manufacture and installation of road safety and traffic control devices. For more than 50 years, ATSSA’s training has been recognized as the highest quality roadway safety training program available. Get top training for your team. UFP was on-site to cover this…
Bigfoot Pole Stand

Bigfoot Utility Pole Stand

Bigfoot Construction Equipment offers a new pole stand that allows for the secure and elevated placement of utility poles, making it seamless to place, pick or store the poles. The stand is made of the same custom composite material as the rest of Bigfoot’s quality outrigger pads. That material is one-seventh of the weight of steel with comparable crush ratings, assuring the stand’s strength ca…
Terex Tech Tips

Terex Tech Tips

Terex Technical Support team members work closely with customers on a myriad of troubleshooting, repair and rebuild questions. In 2023, 13 new Tech Tips topics, six of which featured videos, were released to customers and users of Terex aerial devices, digger derricks and Z-45 substation utility boom lifts. Some information is applicable to anyone servicing or troubleshooting utility equipment,…
PACCAR Service School

PACCAR Winch 2024 Service School Schedule Announced

PACCAR Winch is excited to announce its 2024 Service School schedule, offering classes that provide authorized service centers, designated service partners, distributors, OEMs and their end users the knowledge needed to perform service work on BRADEN and Gearmatic winches and hoists. The popular Standard Offshore Hoist course is designed to meet the needs of hoist service and offshore crane tec…
Morback Chippers

Morbark Hand‐Fed Brush Chippers

Morbark LLC, a leading forestry, biomass, tree care, sawmill and wood recycling equipment manufacturer, recently unveiled the all-new BVR line of hand‐fed brush chippers. The BVR line of brush chippers builds upon the legacy of Morbark’s innovation in the tree care industry through an updated modular design. The complete line of BVR chippers includes the BVR 10, BVR 13, BVR 16, BVR 19 and BVR 2…
GTS Keynote

Mary Aufdemberg to Present Green Truck Summit Keynote

Mary Aufdemberg, general manager of product strategy and market development for Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), will deliver the Green Truck Summit keynote address on March 5, 2024. Held as part of Work Truck Week 2024, Green Truck Summit provides insights, solutions and resources in support of the work truck industry’s drive toward achieving greater sustainability, productivity and effici…
Mecalac Excavators

Mecalac Compact Wheeled Excavators

Mecalac, a leading global designer, manufacturer and distributor of compact construction equipment for urban environments, offers its award-winning MWR Series of wheeled excavators to the North American market. Consisting of three models – the 7MWR, 9MWR and 11MWR – the series features a range of benefits to help meet the needs of operations in the construction, landscaping and forestry industr…
Matting Feature article

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…

WTW24 new for 2024 header

NTEA – Work Truck Week March 5-8th, 2024 Indianapolis, Indiana

North America’s largest work truck event, Work Truck Week 2024, took place March 5th-8th at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. The event offered a chance for professionals in the commercial vehicle industry to connect, learn the latest trends, and see new products. Work Truck Week wasn’t just a trade show. It included the Green Truck Summit, The Work Truck Show, NTEA Annual Meeting, educational sessions, a Ride & Drive, and more. Attendees could choose from in-depth special sessions or shorter breakouts focused on improving efficiency and business growth. There were also ses…

Mattracks Conversion System

Mattracks Launches Track Conversion System for Skid Steers

Mattracks, the original rubber track conversion system manufacturer, recently announced that its RT125 TC track model is now approved for wheeled skid steers with wheelbases 48 inches or greater. The RT125 TC is already being used by many customers on articulated loaders, riding trenchers and the Bobcat Toolcat. Supporting up to 12,500 pounds, the Mattracks four-track conversion system increases traction tenfold while maintaining the same maneuverability and zero-turn ability as with tires. Unlike traditional two-track skid-steer systems, the 15-inch-wide RT125 TC features a patented rub…

DICA Leveling Pad

DICA Adjustable Leveling Pad

LevelRight is DICA’s newest solution for operators of boom trucks, cranes, concrete pumps, jacking applications and other equipment with outriggers that must be operated in a level condition. LevelRight users can easily adjust the overall angle from 0-10 degrees and adjust in two planes up to 5 degrees. The 24-inch-diameter LevelRight will accept up to a 20-inch-square or 24-inch-round outrigger float. It has a rated capacity of 350,000 pounds. LevelRight is made of SafetyTech material with DICA SafetyTexturing on the top and bottom surfaces. It also has a built-in bubble level to pro…

Volvo-Tech-Training
| Shelley Mika |

What to Consider When Coordinating OEM Training Opportunities for Your Shop Technicians

Utility vehicles continually evolve to better meet fleet needs. While these advancements may make life easier for the operator or fleet manager, oftentimes they result in greater complexity for technicians. For this reason, OEMs offer training programs that help in-house shop technicians stay up to date on the latest models. Although OEMs host trainings, lining up opportunities takes some coordination on the fleet’s part. The following answers to OEM training FAQs can make that task go a little more smoothly. How Do You Find OEM Training? Fleets can seek OEM training from manufacture…

2024-silverado-ev-wt-220
| Sean M. Lyden |

Fleet Electrification Plans Face Reality Check Amid EV Slowdown

Last year’s NTEA Work Truck Week was a parade of new electric vehicle launches. But if recent news is a sign, the bullishness toward EVs might be more subdued at this year’s show in Indianapolis in March. The Sudden Downshift Until a couple of months ago, the EV market looked unstoppable. EV sales reached their highest level in the second half of 2023, hitting 17.9% of total light-duty vehicle sales amid the introduction of 20 new EV models during the year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Meanwhile, the average price for battery-electric vehicles fell 24.2% …

Terex Pro Controls
| Sean M. Lyden |

What’s New in Truck and Van Upfits for 2024?

The industry’s truck and van equipment manufacturers are developing new products that equip your crews to get more work done with less strain and greater safety. They’re incorporating more lightweight materials in their product designs so that you can reduce fuel costs, increase battery range or boost payload capacity. And they’re offering more electrified options so that you can cut engine idle – and your fleet’s carbon footprint. What are some new products and design enhancements they’ve brought to market to help you achieve your fleet objectives? Here are seven new developments to wat…

Fleet of generic electric EV delivery vans charging on charging stations

The New ‘Fuel’: Strategies for Tracking and Managing EV Charging Costs

As more utility fleets add electric vehicles to their mix, fleet managers need to understand the intricacies of managing EV charging costs, much like they would fuel expenses. Fleets are adopting an emerging array of strategies, tools and practices to monitor and control these costs. After all, utility rates are the new fuel prices and will require similar monitoring to ensure cost-effective charging. However, the most critical cost control strategy starts before the first EV enters the fleet garage. Electrifying a fleet requires planning to ensure the necessary charging infrastruc…

WTS-2024

Get Up to Speed on Fleet Advancements at North America’s Largest Work Truck Event

From March 5-8, North America’s largest work truck event – Work Truck Week – will take over the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Among this year’s offerings are the Green Truck Summit (March 5), educational sessions (March 5-7) and the Ride & Drive (March 6-7). Exhibits will be open March 6-8. Mary Aufdemberg, general manager of product strategy and market development for Daimler Trucks North America, will deliver the Green Truck Summit keynote. The summit provides insights, solutions and resources in support of the work truck industry’s drive toward achieving greater susta…

Cybersecurity Credit DHS
| David Cullen |

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 can result in anything from a mere nuisance to a full-fledged criminal assault that can shut down the entire enterprise. Image courtesy of Cybersecurity Cedit CISA.GOV DHS[/ca…

| Sean M. Lyden |

The Fleet Leader’s Guide to Effective Communication: Inspired by ‘Made to Stick’

Do you struggle with getting your team to understand, remember and act correctly on your instructions? How can you consistently communicate in a simple, straightforward and memorable way? How can you expand your influence with your boss and direct reports? If any of these questions relate to you, read “Made to Stick” by Chip and Dan Heath. The book delves into six principles that make certain concepts “sticky” and effective in changing thoughts and behavior. Those principles comprise what the Heaths call their “SUCCESs” model: Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional an…

Suizo Article Equipment
| Grace Suizo |

Addressing Ergonomics in Utility Fleet Vehicles

It’s no secret that there are myriad items a utility fleet manager must consider when spec’ing vehicles for their fleet. Among those are the vehicles’ ergonomic features, which are intended to provide greater operator comfort and efficiency. According to Pete Gnatowski, director of sales, manufacturing and distribution for global automotive services organization Holman (www.holman.com), “When you’re developing an upfit strategy for your fleet vehicles, the ergonomics and upfit package are certainly a key consideration, and it begins with truly understanding how your frontline personnel a…

Addressing the Elephant in the Room: Are Your Electrification Targets Realistic?

The latest headlines signal that the electric vehicle market is tapping the brakes, with the road ahead becoming increasingly uncertain. How will this trend impact your company’s ability to hit its zero-emission targets? The odds are strong that you will need to convince senior management to adjust their timeline and expectations. But how do you present your case persuasively? Here are six points to consider. 1. Present data-driven insights. Share recent developments in the EV market, including the slowdown in growth, production cuts by key manufacturers and shifts toward plug-in hybr…

ATTSA 2024

ATSSA 2024 Convention & Traffic Expo Coverage – San Diego, Feb. 2-6, 2024

ATSSA’s core purpose is to advance roadway safety. ATSSA members embrace the goal of eliminating roadway fatalities through the design, manufacture and installation of road safety and traffic control devices. For more than 50 years, ATSSA’s training has been recognized as the highest quality roadway safety training program available. Get top training for your team. UFP was on-site to cover this event in San Diego, CA 2024! Visit https://www.atssa.com/ for more information.

Bigfoot Pole Stand

Bigfoot Utility Pole Stand

Bigfoot Construction Equipment offers a new pole stand that allows for the secure and elevated placement of utility poles, making it seamless to place, pick or store the poles. The stand is made of the same custom composite material as the rest of Bigfoot’s quality outrigger pads. That material is one-seventh of the weight of steel with comparable crush ratings, assuring the stand’s strength can handle the load being exerted by any utility pole. The stand can be made in custom dimensions depending on the size of the pole being used. Designed to revolutionize the way crews work, this cutt…

Terex Tech Tips

Terex Tech Tips

Terex Technical Support team members work closely with customers on a myriad of troubleshooting, repair and rebuild questions. In 2023, 13 new Tech Tips topics, six of which featured videos, were released to customers and users of Terex aerial devices, digger derricks and Z-45 substation utility boom lifts. Some information is applicable to anyone servicing or troubleshooting utility equipment, regardless of the make or model. Tech Tip 195 regarding periodic and qualification dielectric testing is one example. Other Tech Tips provide information specific to Terex Utilities equipment, …

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