Navigating complex infrastructure projects demands fleet equipment that works as hard as the crews who operate it. In this product showcase, check out seven recent manufacturer innovations engineered to elevate operator safety, shrink operating costs, and deliver the power, precision and payload capacity required to build and maintain the country’s critical public works systems.
210 P-Tier Excava…
Fleet management looked quite a bit different when Mike Donahue first walked through Omaha Public Power District’s doors in the early 1990s. For starters, much of the technology integral to today’s fleet operations simply did not exist yet.
Now, almost 35 years later, Donahue has borne witness to – and helped to lead – one of the most transformational periods in utility fleet management history…
As utility fleets strive to reduce engine idling, manufacturers are expanding their mobile power offerings with crew productivity in mind. The solutions highlighted here offer three approaches to powering tools, electronics and other jobsite instruments – all without the need to idle your truck.
Altec: Integrated Energy Management Altec’s Jobsite Energy Management System (JEMS) is designed to red…
There’s no escaping the artificial intelligence hype. Utilities are currently using it to assist with a wide range of tasks, from composing emails and communicating with customers to conducting virtual equipment inspections.
As a utility fleet professional, you’re likely to encounter different types of AI in your daily work. For example, digital assistants like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot are a…
Regular gas cost an average of $2.81 per gallon in January, per the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). Diesel was $3.52.
Then, in early March, shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz – which connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman – began to experience severe restrictions in response to U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran.
By the end of Ma…
Although tires represent a significant portion of fleet operating costs, emerging technologies are giving fleet managers more control than ever. Data-driven maintenance strategies – which combine telematics and predictive insights to proactively manage tire health – help extend tire life, reduce downtime and ultimately lower total operating costs.
Fleets that consistently control tire costs focus…
Fleet equipment trailers don’t always get the attention they deserve.
These hardworking assets haul heavy equipment, often across rough terrain, in all types of weather conditions. But because they don’t have engines, trailers sometimes find themselves pushed to the bottom of the maintenance priority list – a misstep that could lead to injuries, unexpected and unnecessary costs, and legal repercu…
This year, the American Public Works Association will host its annual Public Works Expo (PWX) – the largest gathering of its kind – in Houston from August 30 through September 2. The event is expected to bring together more than 5,000 attendees at the George R. Brown Convention Center for what APWA describes as a “first-class multi-modal learning experience designed for professionals at all level…
Utility fleets find themselves in the thick of storm season as this issue heads to press, but cooler temps are just around the corner. The annual shift from storm response to cold-weather readiness tends to raise a familiar question: How can you get more value out of the fleet assets you already own and make smarter calls about what comes next?
This issue of Utility Fleet Professional is intended…
TM Products LLC has announced the availability of their new 16-inch Tire Mask, engineered to help utility fleets improve wheel appearance and safety.
Utility truck wheels are prone to rusting and corrosion, but periodic painting can keep them looking new and increase vehicle resale value. Tire Mask cuts masking and cleanup time by 90% during the wheel-painting process, with no need to dismount. I…
Thermal imaging and monitoring solutions company moviTHERM has announced the launch of Irley, a new IoT thermal camera built to flag fire risk, equipment failure and heat-related problems so that fleet teams can step in before they turn into costly damage.
Irley watches continuously for hot spots and alerts the right people the moment it detects one, whether that’s a charging station overheating…
Ford recently revealed Fathom, the first vehicle off its new Universal Electric Vehicle Platform, starting at $28,350 MSRP. It was named to reflect the depth of engineering and innovation behind the vehicle.
Fathom is well-suited to a wide range of commercial, municipal and government fleet applications, from code enforcement and inspections to parking services and general city fleet needs. Its c…
Work Truck Week, produced annually by NTEA – The Work Truck Association, will return to the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis March 9-12, 2027.
New for the 2027 event, NTEA – working in collaboration with NAFA Fleet Management Association – is launching the Future Truck Summit March 9, replacing the long-running Green Truck Summit. The full-day gathering will move beyond the traditional f…
The Dynamic tool brand offers a 44-Piece Insulated Socket and Tool Set for EV fleet technicians and industrial maintenance professionals working in live high-voltage environments.
The set includes standard and deep 3/8-inch drive metric sockets (8-19 mm); hex bit and Torx sockets (T10-T45); insulated nut drivers (5-11 mm); a 45-tooth quick-release ratchet with extension; and an insulated adjustab…
Hastings Fiber Glass Products has released a new version of its Tel-O-Pole Bucket Stick with integrated measuring capabilities. Known as the Tel-O-Pole Measuring Bucket Stick (product number HV-208-M), the tool allows users to safely take accurate and efficient measurements when working from a bucket truck.
The collapsible, telescoping hot stick combines all the features of Hastings’ original Tel…
Ken-Tool, trusted since 1920, has announced the launch of its new Jacks & Jack Stands Line. The nine-model range (item numbers 21100 through 21108) spans bottle jacks, an air truck jack, a long chassis jack, heavy-duty jack stands and a truck wheel dolly – giving shops a complete, matched solution for raising vehicles and holding them securely.
Engineered with fully welded construction, chrom…
As electric utilities across the United States accelerate transmission and distribution infrastructure investment driven by grid modernization and clean energy expansion, a new national specialty equipment platform has emerged to support the contractors and utilities doing that work.
Rentix Solutions – formed through the merger of JDC (formerly known as Jack Doheny Companies) and Vacuum Truck Ren…
Hannay Reels offers a variety of complete reel packages for a wide range of industries and applications. Uses include dispensing, hydraulics, washdown/high-pressure, oxy/fuel welding, fuel dispensing and live cable. The reel packages come pre-equipped with hose or cable, providing added convenience and simplifying the ordering process. All packages are durable and easy to maintain; have a small f…
ARI-hetra is expanding its Battery-Powered Wireless Mobile Column Lift lineup with two new capacity offerings that bring the company’s proven heavy-duty lifting technology to automotive dealerships and medium-duty fleets.
The BPW-4-4-AJ is the industry’s first 9,000-pound-capacity wireless mobile column lift, delivering 36,000 pounds of total lifting capacity in a four-column configuration.
The B…
Industrial Truck Beds, the Indiana-based manufacturer of premium truck beds acquired by Hilltip in 2022, has officially rebranded as Hilltip Premium Truck Beds. The change reflects the company’s expanding truck bed offerings, as well as its alignment with the Hilltip portfolio of snowplows, spreaders, deicing sprayers, sweepers and other road maintenance equipment manufactured in the same Fort Wa…
