Fleet Profiles – Page 2 – Utility Fleet Professional

For Fairfax Water, Preventive Maintenance is Customer Service

Written by Sean M. Lyden on July 30, 2015. Posted in Fleet Profiles.

A utility fleet is ultimately responsible for serving the public. So when a vehicle breaks down and delays an emergency crew’s response to a water main break or downed power line, that reflects poorly on the utility’s customer service – and on the fleet manager’s performance.

How can utility fleets reduce the risk of unexpected and costly downtime, especially when vehicles must be ready to respond in crisis situations?

The solution is timely preventive maintenance (PM), said Dale Collins, CAFM, the fleet services supervisor for Fairfax County Water Authority (Fairfax Water). “It’s so much easier and cheaper to maintain a vehicle than repair it after the fact. You’ll eliminate the downtime and the inconvenience, not only for your end users but also for the departments you’re serving.”

Collins started at Fairfax Water (www.fairfaxwater.com), Virginia’s largest water utility, as an entry-level mechanic in 1997. After quickly moving up the ranks, he was appointed to head the fleet department in 2006 and is now responsible for managing approximately 270 vehicles, ranging from sedans to Class 8 dump trucks, plus another 140 pieces of miscellaneous equipment, such as trailers and excavators. He also oversees the operations of the water utility’s two maintenance shops, which have a total of 10 bays and five vehicle lifts.

Utility Fleet Professional spoke with Collins to learn more about the new technologies and processes he and his team have adopted in recent years to make Fairfax Water’s fleet PM program more efficient and effective. Perhaps you’ll discover some ideas here that you can apply to your own fleet.

UFP: The value of timely PM is clear – it helps to maximize vehicle uptime, avoid major component failures and reduce overall maintenance costs. But how exactly do you define “timely”? Is it based on vehicle miles? Engine hours? Or a combination of these thresholds?

Collins: It depends on the application, the vehicle’s job description. The interval can be different even for similar types of vehicles.

Say you have a plant mechanic’s truck, which for us is a Ford F-350 Super Duty utility body truck that travels between the two treatment plants in the county, with a relatively light duty cycle. In this case, we typically base the PM interval on mileage.

But if you take a maintenance truck – which is also a Ford F-350 – that services a distribution area, that requires a different approach. In the wintertime, these trucks are logging a lot of miles and engine hours on the job site or going through heavy traffic. In this application, we’ll tend to base the PM interval on a combination of both miles and hours, or we may do it on a threshold of a certain number of miles or hours, depending on which interval comes first.

UFP: When managing a wide range of vehicle types and applications in a fleet, how do you track and determine when a timely threshold has been hit for each unit?

Collins: In 2009, we deployed an asset management system by SAP (http://go.sap.com/). At the time, our organization was already using SAP to automate customer service, finance and other operations functions. So it made sense for our fleet to use SAP as well. If you have a single system throughout the organization, it’s a little easier for everyone to speak the same language than it is to have different systems trying to communicate with each other.

Through SAP, we’re using a plant maintenance module that allows us to set up customized maintenance plans for each vehicle based on specific intervals of miles, hours or a hybrid between the two.

When a vehicle meets a specific PM threshold, the system self-generates a work order, automatically populates the form with the appropriate information and puts it in your queue that a particular asset is due for a PM. This really helps us stay on top of all our PMs and keeps our service backlog to a minimum.

Before automating our PM schedules, we had to depend on the operator to report when the vehicle was ready for service based on stickers placed on the equipment, which was very difficult to manage. The technology allows us to automate the process and take the operator out of the middle, so we can manage the PM schedules directly and ensure the service gets done on time.

UFP: How do you efficiently capture the vehicle data to feed into the system?

Collins: We use an on-site fueling system by E.J. Ward (http://ejward.com/), which we deployed in 2008, to capture the data. Each time an operator fuels the vehicle, the fueling system automatically uploads key vehicle information, such as the odometer reading, engine hours and any fault codes, like what you would see when there’s a check-engine light. And each night a file is generated, which updates the vehicle record in SAP.

It used to be that our drivers would have to fill out a form on a clipboard each time they fueled up their vehicles, and we would have to manually input that data into our fleet management system. There was a lot of human error we had to deal with, making it difficult to have good, clean data on which to base our PM schedules.

Although we have five fueling sites located throughout Fairfax County, a small percentage of our vehicles operate in the Falls Church area, which is not near any of our fueling sites. In this case, we have fuel cards obtained through our Virginia State Motor Fuel Fund that our operators can use. I’ll get a monthly report generated by the fuel card system, which we’ll feed into the SAP system to update the mileage and hours record for those vehicles.

We can’t get the same level of detail using the fuel cards, and it’s more of a manual process, but it affects only a small number of our vehicles.

UFP: As a fleet manager, you’re not only managing assets; you’re also dealing with people. How do you efficiently coordinate with drivers across the organization to ensure they bring their vehicles in for PM service at the appropriate time?

Collins: Yes, if you’re dealing with just assets, that would be easy. But you have to make sure you can accommodate the people you work with. I don’t care what business you’re in, ultimately, we’re all in the people business. Even the best asset management system can’t take into account all variables, so we find that it’s easier to work out the logistics on a personal level.

When a PM work order on a vehicle is generated by the SAP system, we’ll usually contact the employee’s supervisor and say, “Joe’s vehicle is due for service. When can we schedule him?” They can then look and see when the best time would be for him to give us an hour or so to perform the service. Or, depending on the relationship we have with the employee, we may contact that person directly to schedule the PM.

A standard PM usually takes 45 minutes to one hour. If we find that a corrective repair needs to be done, requiring more time, we usually have a spare vehicle or two already set up for their type of work. This way, we can perform that repair without having to add to the employee’s sit time, when he really needs to be out in that vehicle servicing the customer.

UFP: What is your strategy with spare vehicles?

Collins: We try to carry at least two service trucks – which are first-responder vehicles – at each shop location.

For construction inspection vehicles, we have vans set up as a mobile office. This way, if we find during the PM that a van needs an evaporator, we can work on it immediately, while putting the inspector into a fully upfitted spare van so he can do his job, without disruption, until his vehicle is repaired.

We like to have at least one spare for each type of customer we serve and multiples for the more critical stuff like a service truck or inspector van.

UFP: Ultimately, what has been the impact of automating your PM processes?

Collins: It’s difficult to quantify specifically. But I can tell you that although we’ve taken on a greater geographical area and more physical assets, we’ve kept our staffing level about the same. And we’re not working longer hours. I guess you can quantify the fact that our fleet size has increased, but we’re maintaining the same level of service, if not better, prior to automating our PM schedules.

And I can’t tell you the last time we had an oil-related failure or a transmission failure with PM schedules generated and managed through the automated system. We save tremendous amounts of time and money on not having to do major component swaps like transmissions, engines or rear differentials.

UFP: Is there anything we haven’t covered that you think would be important for our readers to know when it comes to maximizing PM effectiveness?

Collins: Make sure you have the right asset to begin with. This always helps with PMs. For example, you wouldn’t want to buy a half-ton truck to haul gravel all day. You want to make sure the truck is the best fit possible for the job. If you have a piece of equipment that you’re constantly overworking and overloading, asking it to do things it wasn’t designed to do, all the PMs in the world aren’t going to compensate for the component failures that will occur because it’s the wrong vehicle for the job.

The Art and Science of a Telematics Deployment

Written by Sean M. Lyden on May 26, 2015. Posted in Fleet Profiles.

A growing number of utility fleets are turning to telematics to improve driver behavior, cut fuel consumption, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and uncover numerous cost-saving opportunities throughout their fleet operations.

But it’s not the GPS data itself that makes telematics so useful; it’s how fleet and senior management use that information when managing their people and processes that ultimately determines the business case for the technology.

How can you use telematics to more effectively manage your drivers and their use of your equipment? How do you handle potential pushback from employees who might be wary of “being watched”? How can you integrate telematics with other technology systems to help your organization improve vehicle uptime, emergency dispatch response and overall service to customers?

The fleet team with utility contractor INTREN Inc. has wrestled with questions like these since deploying GPS technology in approximately 700 vehicles over the past five years. And they’ve come up with some innovative solutions and interesting insights that might help other fleets get the most out of their own telematics deployments.

Background
Started in 1988 as a small trenching company in Union, Ill., INTREN has grown into a full-service utility construction contractor with more than 1,000 employees and offices in Illinois, California, Wisconsin and Missouri. Today, the company serves major electric and gas utilities and private corporations nationwide.

As INTREN expanded, so did its equipment requirements. That’s what drove the company to look into GPS technology as a tool to more effectively manage the increasing number of drivers and equipment assets.

Jim Bishop, director of fleet services at INTREN, said that the company started a telematics trial with 50 units about five years ago, and then gradually rolled it out on additional vehicles to the point that today “we put it on every licensed piece of equipment and certain high-dollar off-road equipment.”

The company had clear goals that it wanted to achieve with the technology. “While we’ve viewed telematics as a tool to green our fleet [because of tracking capabilities that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions], a major factor in our decision to go with telematics was to drive down our operational costs like fuel expense,” said Pat Williams, INTREN’s senior director of supply chain.

Handling Pushback
Despite the value proposition for management, telematics initially was a cause for concern among INTREN’s drivers.

“When we initially rolled out GPS, our field personnel had significant concern with the idea of Big Brother watching them,” Bishop said.

In situations like this, when you’re encountering resistance on telematics deployment, how do you handle it in such a way that drivers don’t feel like the technology is being shoved down their throats?

“Include drivers in the process by getting their input and feedback,” Williams advised.

How?

Take idle reduction, for example. It’s nothing new that telematics can help fleets monitor excessive engine idle with real-time alerts and reports, acting as a tool to hold drivers accountable for cutting down their engine idle time and eliminating fuel waste. But if drivers perceive that the technology is there strictly to catch them doing something wrong, this could have a negative impact on their morale and productivity.

INTREN’s fleet team was sensitive to this risk and decided to take a more collaborative approach with drivers.

“We wanted drivers to know that telematics isn’t just Big Brother watching,” Bishop said. “So when we focused on idle reduction, we sought feedback from the field as to specifically why they were needing to idle. Some of the feedback we got was that their trucks needed to be running because of the power drawn from their four-way flashers, strobes or the power inverters inside the vehicle.”

Instead of coming up with a directive of, “Hey, you’ve got to change your habits to bring down your idle time or you’ll be penalized,” the fleet team looked at potential equipment spec modifications that could address management’s objective to reduce fuel costs, while also considering the drivers’ concerns.

“We took their feedback, ran some tests, found out what the average draw was and realized that, in some cases, an incandescent bulb could run the vehicle batteries down quickly,” Bishop said. “So we switched over to LED stoplights, turn signals and strobe lights. Now, even on a 15-degree day you can run that equipment for six hours, and the truck doesn’t need to be running.”

According to Williams, “You can use the telematics to spot a problem. But then you need to get to the cause. And in many cases, the best way to get that information is to talk with your people and find a solution that satisfies concerns across the board.”

Increased Visibility and Productivity
With GPS technology, fleet managers can get real-time and historical data on the status and location of their vehicles. That’s a nice feature, but what does it mean in terms of real-world impact on your business?

“For our road service technicians, location data eliminates a lot of phone calls and helps speed their response,” Williams said. “When we alert the tech that a truck is broken down, we don’t have to give them an address. They just type in the unit number on their mobile device, find the truck location on the GPS and get directions to get there.”

It also helps with mobilizing and coordinating storm response teams.

“We may send up to 200 people out on storm response,” Williams said. “Without telematics, you can’t really see what’s going on with all those units, where they are, whether any of them are having any mechanical issues and so forth. Now, we can immediately see what assets we have available, where they are and can more efficiently coordinate them.”

Real-time location data also facilitates safety audits in a way that minimizes impact on staff productivity.

“Our crews are all over metro Chicago, San Francisco and other areas across the country. GPS helps us to supervise and audit our crews more efficiently,” Williams said. “If you’re trying to track down a four-man crew, a phone call is a difficult way to find those guys. For example, the safety department is not directly supervising the crews, but they are responsible to go find and audit them. With GPS location data, they can locate the crews without phone calls – just find them on GPS.”

The Next Level: Mobile Fleet Technology
While these benefits offer a compelling business case for GPS technology, what if you could take the power of telematics to a higher level: to maximize its impact – and value – throughout the organization? That’s what Williams said INTREN is doing with a proprietary system the company has dubbed “Mobile Fleet Technology,” or MFT.

With MFT, INTREN is integrating telematics data with the company’s in-house back office and vehicle maintenance software systems to help the fleet department more efficiently manage maintenance schedules, accelerate repair times and boost overall vehicle uptime and productivity.

“MFT is what we’re using with our technicians to record all of our repair services, so we can measure our costs better and really try to improve our speed of repair,” Bishop said. “How fast can we, as an organization, respond to a piece of equipment that is down? This helps us improve our utilization rates because we’re reducing the number of spares we need to keep in our fleet.”

“We’re also using the system as a repair and maintenance scheduling tool,” Williams said. “How should you go about scheduling your preventive maintenance, your road repairs, your in-shop repairs, third-party repairs? How do you manage all those repair schedules [for nearly 1,400 pieces of equipment] in a way that operations will optimize uptime on the equipment? That’s what MFT is intended to do.”

The Bottom Line
The key takeaway from INTREN’s experience with rolling out GPS technology itself is only half the equation. The other half is the human element. Fleet managers must be able to work through and with people to build acceptance of telematics and be able to think analytically about how the data can be integrated with other systems in ways that contribute maximum value for the fleet and the business as a whole.

Sharing Knowledge: The Value of Joining a Utility Fleet Organization

Written by Curtis Marquardt Jr. on February 19, 2015. Posted in Special Focus.

Have you ever heard of the Homebrew Computer Club (HCC)? How about Apple, the technology company? The odds are that all of you are familiar with Apple – with its ubiquitous iPhones and iPads – but very few of you have heard of the HCC. But did you know that without the HCC’s existence, Apple might never have existed? In fact, some credit the club as the birthplace of the personal computer revolution.

To give you some background, the HCC was created in 1975 to bring together like-minded electronics enthusiasts in order to talk shop and share ideas. It was during an HCC meeting that one of its members, Steve Wozniak, found inspiration to design a new kind of personal computer – the seed from which the Apple empire grew.

At this point you may be thinking, what does any of this have to do with utility fleet professionals? The answer is that belonging to an organized group of like-minded professionals – whether they’re focused on electronics or fleets – can have an incredible impact on personal success as well as the success of an industry.

To help illustrate this point, UFP sat down with three officers who help direct the Upper Midwest Utility Fleet Council (UMUFC), an organization that brings together leading utility fleet minds in the region. Our roundtable includes:
• Bernie Kolnberger, utility services manager at Dakota Electric Association, which is the second-largest electric cooperative in Minnesota and ranked among the 25 largest electric distribution cooperatives in the nation.
• Jeff Bickler, fleet manager at CenterPoint Energy, a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than 5 million metered customers in several states. Bickler operates out of Minnesota, where CenterPoint is the largest gas distribution company in the state.
• Mike Donahue, transportation and construction equipment manager at Omaha Public Power District (OPPD), the 12th-largest public power utility in the U.S., which provides electricity to nearly 800,000 customers in Nebraska.

The three men provided some insight about their respective fleet operations and revealed just how valuable and important their involvement with the UMUFC has been.

UFP: Let’s start off by getting an idea about the size and scope of your fleet operation. How many vehicles, pieces of equipment and facilities do you oversee?

Kolnberger: We’re fortunate enough to have all of our vehicles and equipment come back to one maintenance facility. We have 17 aerial trucks; 74 light-duty vehicles; six digger derricks; 42 pieces of power equipment; 36 trailers; and nine utility trucks. We have one shop superintendent, four full-time mechanics and one part-time helper working at our maintenance facility.

Donahue: At OPPD, we manage 430 light-duty vehicles; 63 cargo/dump/underground trucks; seven semis; 49 digger derricks; 87 bucket trucks; seven specialty trucks; 366 trailers; 394 pieces of construction equipment, from trenchers and backhoes to loaders and generators; one locomotive; and seven coal dozers. We have a team of approximately 50 people divided up among four facilities, including field supervisors, managers, crew leaders, parts specialists, clerks and so on.

Bickler: Our fleet structure is unique. In the state of Minnesota, where I’m located, I manage a fleet of about 1,200 vehicles and pieces of equipment, and this fleet is used to provide gas distribution service to the state. We also have about 3,000 vehicles and pieces of equipment located in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas that are used for CenterPoint’s gas distribution service. I co-manage the other states’ gas distribution fleet, where we use a third party for the maintenance of those vehicles. For the Minnesota fleet, we have two garages and a staff of 13 technicians. In addition to this, we have fleet garages and support in Houston, which support the 2,500 vehicles and equipment on the electric side of our business as well as support the gas distribution fleet.

UFP: It’s insightful to learn how someone made their way up the ladder to the position they’re in today. How did each of you evolve and grow into your current fleet leadership position?

Kolnberger: I’ve worked in the utility industry ever since I graduated from college. I worked my way up the ladder, working in inventory planning and serving a couple different roles as a buyer/planner. Nearly 30 years of experience with utilities have given me such great perspective and insight and have really helped prepare me for my current role as the utility services manager.

Bickler: I started with CenterPoint Energy as a technician and was promoted to fleet supervisor shortly after that. I believe my past experiences in the fleet and automotive industry, as well as my experience owning my own business, were key factors in getting promoted to the position so quickly. As fleet supervisor, I had the opportunity to manage multiple projects across multiple states, and that experience was so valuable in preparing me for my current role as fleet manager.

Donahue: I was in the process of completing my mechanical engineering degree at Iowa State University when I obtained a co-op position at OPPD in the transportation department. After graduation, I was able to join OPPD full time as a specification engineer and made sure to put work into learning everything I could about the vehicles, equipment, applications, operators, scheduling, purchasing and so on. I also put time into developing relationships with employees, customers, vendors, managers and peers.

UFP: It sounds like being involved in utility fleets is something you knew you wanted to do very early on in your career.

Donahue: It was. I even joined NAFA so I could learn more about the many additional aspects of fleet management, and I completed my Certified Automotive Fleet Manager certification. That education played an important role in my development.

After about 10 years, I was promoted to supervisor over engineering, administration and parts. In this role, I learned more detail about the roles of others within the department and the demands of supervision. About five or six years ago I was promoted to manager of transportation and construction equipment, and the learning and fun continues.

UFP: All of your organizations and responsibilities have a lot of differences. However, one thing all of you have in common is that you serve as an officer for and sit on the board of directors of the UMUFC. Can you tell me how you got involved with the organization and how it continues to be a rewarding experience for you?

Bickler: The UMUFC has been a great group to be a part of. Sharing knowledge with your peers in the industry has been a second-to-none resource to me. I’m always amazed by the wealth of experience and insight that all of our members bring to the table.

UFP: I imagine without having a group like UMUFC to be involved with, it would be pretty difficult to find so many experienced and knowledgeable fleet minds from which to learn.

Bickler: You hit the nail right on the head. It’s such a tremendous resource, and the council has continued to grow because it’s just such a valuable experience. UMUFC has a very bright future and I’m excited to be a part of it.

Kolnberger: I have been involved with the UMUFC ever since I took on my first fleet manager position back in 2001, and I have been attending meetings ever since. It is an excellent group of people with whom to share thoughts and ideas. The camaraderie is second to none. It’s amazing to me that we all have similar pains and challenges no matter the size of the operation. The larger operations fight many of the same battles as the smaller ones – they just do so on a larger and broader scale. There are times when I go into a meeting with a new issue I’m dealing with, and it’s funny to see how many people in the room are also dealing with it, and some who have already dealt with it have shared great information and tips about that process. Of course, each organization has its own unique atmosphere, so sometimes the solutions they’ve implemented aren’t going to be your solution. But more times than not, you end up using a part of or several parts of that solution to create your own.

UFP: What about you, Mike?

Donahue: I love the variety of perspective that the UMUFC brings. You get people who are managers, technicians, operators, vendors and so on who participate, and that creates conversations that cover a broad scope of information. Another great thing about the UMUFC is that it’s small enough that everyone has a chance to participate. Everybody has a voice. And we try to encourage that by creating agendas that purposefully cover a wide variety of topics, as well as soliciting topic discussions prior to meetings so we can integrate those topics into the meeting.

UFP: It sounds like there is a lot of effort put into providing a fulfilling experience to as many members as possible.

Donahue: Yes, I feel like the group is genuine in their approach. We understand the value of staying focused on the needs of the members. In turn, we’ve had excellent response rates when members have specific questions that they want posed to the group.

UFP: How would each of you describe your personal fleet management strategy? In other words, in what areas do you excel and how do you bring the most value to your organization? What have you learned over time from your fleet management experience?

Kolnberger: For me, it’s all about being organized. You can’t get bogged down in micromanaging the day-to-day fixes and problems. Instead, I make sure there are processes and procedures put in place to ensure that the operation continues to run efficiently. Ten years ago, when I started the fleet manager position, our shop didn’t have a maintenance computer application in place, and that was one of the first areas I addressed. This built automation into the process, which has reduced wasting time and increased work quality.

One area where organization is crucial is the specification process. I put a lot of effort into making sure we are purchasing and disposing of vehicles in an organized, planned out manner that helps us avoid those spikes in the budget from year to year and allows us to more accurately forecast budget needs for upcoming years.

Bickler: Bernie brought up a great point about implementing technology. As an owner of a computer services company, I think it’s important to not only understand how we can look to technology as part of the fleet management process, but also be open to adopting it when it improves the operation. That’s a big part of my strategy. Another part of my strategy comes from my experience working for more than a decade on the OEM side of the automotive industry. Having that insight and experience helps mold your processes.

Donahue: I feel like one of the main things I have learned over time is that almost nothing stays the same in fleet. So, our strategy is one of continual improvement. We need to use as much input as we can to recognize where we need to improve, do so, and then repeat. I don’t feel like our organization can afford to ever be stagnant. As part of implementing this strategy, our team went through lean training.

UFP: By “lean training,” you’re referring to the waste reduction, efficiency and quality improvement strategies that many say were mostly created by Toyota.

Donahue: Exactly. It is amazing how going through that process and committing to it can help change the environment and culture of a group. We also implemented 5S training, which taught our staff about standardization of processes and how to create a workspace that is both efficient and effective. We are nowhere near perfect, but the constant improvement part of lean strategies and those 5S events laid a foundation that everyone involved continues to use to this day.

UFP: What are some of the unique fleet challenges that each of you face that others at this table – as well as our readers – may not have to battle?

Bickler: One of our unique challenges has been supporting folks in different states. You have to take account of the differences there are in each region while at the same time standardize the processes for efficiencies, and do it all without affecting the operation and the clients you support.

Kolnberger: Like I had mentioned earlier, being a part of the UMUFC really does reveal just how similar one utility fleet is to the next. The similarities far outweigh the differences. Of course, we all have our own unique cultures we deal with within the organization. But at the end of the day, we are all facing challenges with budgets, idling and so on. More times than not, the differences between one fleet to another come down to how those issues are prioritized. An issue for one utility fleet may be priority No. 1, and for the next, the same issue falls lower on the priority scale.

Donahue: Our main challenges are keeping the mechanics trained on the wide variety of vehicles and equipment they need to maintain and repair; keeping tools and diagnostic equipment up to date; long-term direction on fuels; and adjusting the workplace culture to improve engagement, safety and accountability. In addition, I have heard of the increased incidence of trouble finding qualified mechanics. We have not experienced that particular one yet; however, with some upcoming retirements, we had better be prepared for that potential.

UFP: The utility fleet manager has been a position that hasn’t been recognized as much as it should. The millions of dollars and moving pieces that many fleet managers have to oversee is a pretty daunting yet vital role in an organization. With that said, what do you celebrate about your job? What do you most enjoy about what you do?

Bickler: First and foremost for me is that I love working in this industry. A couple of things that bring me a lot of joy are doing a great job serving our clients and continuing to bring new standards and technology solutions to the table. I also enjoy working with the great staff we have here. When they see ways we can improve our processes, they are so awesome at sharing those ideas with me.

Donahue: Like Jeff, one of the best parts of my job is getting the opportunity to work with the people I get to work with every day, from the folks in our department to the leadership up the chain. I also enjoy facing the challenges the fleet faces every day and finding the solutions that work.

Kolnberger: Well, I hate to repeat what these two guys said, but I too find that working with the people here is so rewarding. They’re a great bunch and that motivates me that much more to find solutions that not only make the fleet more efficient, but also make their jobs better. For example, when we first implemented the shop software, it was something that I knew would create a better environment for everybody. Don’t get me wrong – it did take some work to get everybody to fully buy in. But then that moment comes where the solution just clicks with everybody, and you’re seeing the positive business and human performance results from that. And that’s the kind of thing that makes me proud.

UFP: Many of our readers are in fleet management and leadership positions like the three of you, and others are striving to grow and advance into fleet leadership positions. What advice would you give to them?

Donahue: My advice to someone who may want to become a fleet manager would be to look for an opportunity to get involved in an internship or co-op within the community and find out through experience if it looks like an area that they find interesting and stimulating. I’d also recommend that they find ways to grow their knowledge about the profession. NAFA offers some great educational programs that really worked well for me. Become active in fleet management communities and groups as well so you can learn from experienced fleet leaders.

Kolnberger: To add on to Mike’s great suggestions, I think one should also learn about general management skills. Being a fleet leader is something that requires one to have patience, strategy development and people management skills. For example, there are times when there are a daunting number of challenges to face, and sometimes the best decision in those instances is building morale by first going after some of the smaller victories before tackling the challenging ones.

UFP: That’s an interesting point. It must be an intimidating part of the process to not only understand the big moving pieces, but to also grasp the little things and know how to respond.

Kolnberger: One thing I did that has made a world of difference is implementing effective specification procedures and documenting our operating procedures. When you go through that entire process and break it all down, you really learn what is going on in the trenches and it really helps you better understand where to spend your time and energy. And, when you nail down a great process that works, you don’t have to give it as much focus as you would if there wasn’t good process, which frees you up to focus on other areas of need.

UFP: Thanks to all of you for your time. One last question: For those who are located in the Upper Midwest region, where should they go to learn more about the UMUFC?

Bickler: I’ll take that one. If you want to learn more about the council, visit our website at www.umufc.org. We’d be happy to have you join us. And for those of you who aren’t in our region, I urge you to look for regional utility fleet groups in your area. If there isn’t one available, think about starting one yourself. It’s well worth the effort.

Reducing Costs

Written by Seth Skydel on October 6, 2014. Posted in Fleet Profiles.

While independent electric grids power each of the Hawaiian Islands, servicing all of those grids is the responsibility of the Hawaiian Electric Co., which serves 95 percent of the state’s 1.4 million residents. Hawaiian Electric’s subsidiary Hawai‘i Electric Light serves more than 80,000 customers on Hawai‘i Island, the chain’s biggest island at more than 4,000 square miles.

The challenges that Hawai‘i Electric Light face are unique, said Kelvin Kohatsu, fleet administrator. “Our terrain ranges from tropical growth on the east side, to desert-like conditions on the west side, to freezing temperatures atop Mauna Kea mountain,” he said. “To serve the people who live and work in that vast and diverse terrain, we have a distribution system comprised of more than 3,300 miles of overhead distribution lines, more than 780 miles of underground distribution lines and 641 miles of overhead transmission lines.

“We operate a wide range of more than 300 vehicles and pieces of equipment,” Kohatsu said. “Due to our location, we focus very closely on uptime and product support, along with traditional metrics like life-cycle costs, and on safety and ergonomics. Every week, we generate a report on uptime percentage, costs for fuel, tires, repairs, maintenance and inspections, and damage and accident costs. With this information, we can determine the best equipment to purchase for longevity, not to mention operator acceptance and safety.”

Employee Safety
The large service area, diverse terrain, and variable weather make maintaining infrastructure and reliability a challenge, but safety is Hawai‘i Electric Light’s top priority. Drivers log 1.7 million miles on the road annually. Crews can work in distant, remote areas, and some employees work alone.

Proven Support
The equipment and vehicles used by Hawai‘i Electric Light have the best product support in Hawai‘i, which keeps the fleet’s uptime consistently between 96 and 98 percent, according to Kohatsu. Major suppliers include Kenworth for Class 7 T370 and Class 8 T800 trucks, Dodge for Class 3 and 5 trucks equipped with service bodies, and Altec aerial devices and digger derricks. Also in the fleet are a mix of Nissan, Toyota, Dodge and Ford sedans, pickups, vans and SUVs, along with trailers, forklifts, golf carts, sweepers and stationary equipment.

All diesel-fueled vehicles at Hawai‘i Electric Light run on biodiesel; nearly all use B20 with the rest on B100. The fleet also includes light hybrid vehicles, electric-powered Nissan LEAFs, plug-in hybrid electric Toyota Priuses and a Class 7 Kenworth T370 diesel-electric hybrid truck, the first of its kind in the state. Spec’d as well are Altec JEMS 48 AT37G aerial units.

“We’ve standardized in many cases to enhance the ability to maintain equipment and streamline product support,” Kohatsu said. “While we’ve ascertained that the systems we have in place work very well for us, we continue to evaluate new systems and components and ask other fleets about their experiences.

“At the vehicle and equipment level, we’ve been fortunate that manufacturers have involved us in some of their product development and in the testing and evaluation stages before production release,” Kohatsu said. “For example, we added a new Altec HiLine AH151 Model aerial on a Kenworth T800, along with a digger derrick with a rear-mounted spool handler that can be driven loaded.”

Key Focus
Fuel economy is key to improving the efficiency of the Hawai‘i Electric Light fleet. “After installing a telematics system in 2008, we reduced our diesel fuel consumption by more than 22,000 gallons in the first six months compared to the same time period one year earlier,” Kohatsu said. “We were essentially traveling the same number of miles, but we were seeing a huge reduction in fuel use from better routing and less idling.”

By 2009, telematics systems were installed on all trucks in the fleet. In 2012, the company switched to Zonar’s telematics system and also began using its electronic vehicle inspection reporting (EVIR) application. “After the Zonar telematics equipment was installed, we realized a further reduction in diesel fuel consumption of about 18,000 gallons,” Kohatsu said. “Combined with the 22,000-gallon reduction from 2008 to 2009, fuel savings totaled more than 40,000 gallons even though the fleet’s annual mileage stayed constant at about 1.7 million miles annually.”

Telematics also is helping Hawai‘i Electric Light improve safety. “With telematics, we can better monitor equipment – a feature that is critical for the safety of employees who work alone in remote locations,” Kohatsu said. “Telematics also results in safer driving practices because it gives us a much higher degree of transparency in our fleet operations.

“We can now monitor behaviors and correct those that are costly,” Kohatsu said. “For example, drivers aren’t driving as fast, and when they stop at company offices or job sites, they turn off the engine instead of leaving it idling. It’s clear to me that telematics strongly influences driver behavior. You can’t hold drivers accountable and change their behaviors without an objective way to measure their performance.”

Effective Tool
Zonar’s EVIR system has also proven to be an effective tool for Hawai‘i Electric Light’s maintenance operation.

Kohatsu believes drivers must complete pre- and post-inspection reports fully and consistently to effectively limit downtime and keep costs low. “Zonar’s EVIR holds drivers accountable since it tracks when they did their inspections and how long it took them,” he said.

Using Zonar’s EVIR inspection tool, Hawai‘i Electric Light’s drivers conduct inspections by placing a reader within inches of radio-frequency identification tags that are placed on equipment in critical inspection zones. The tags contain information about their location on the unit, the components to be inspected, and the identity of the vehicle or piece of equipment.

Using the reader, drivers indicate the condition of the components within each zone. When a defect is discovered, the driver selects a description from a predefined list and indicates whether the equipment is safe to operate. When the inspection is complete, drivers place the hand-held unit into the EVIR mount inside the cab. Zonar’s telematics platform then wirelessly transmits inspection data and remote diagnostic information to a Web-based ground traffic control data management application.

Ensuring Compliance
At Hawai‘i Electric Light, the Zonar data is integrated into FleetFocus, a maintenance management system supplied by AssetWorks. This integration generates service requests automatically and transmits them by email through the FleetFocus portal to Hawai‘i Electric Light’s maintenance vendors, Kohatsu said. Once repairs are performed and marked complete in FleetFocus, they are automatically uploaded to the Web-based management application, indicating to dispatchers that the vehicle is in full compliance for operation and can return to service.

“The integration of Zonar and AssetWorks has made the generation of work orders resulting from driver-identified defects or vehicle sensors seamless,” Kohatsu said. “As a result, along with effective specifications, our uptime has increased and our life-cycle costs have dropped. Most important, we have a safer fleet operation.”

Hawai‘i Electric Light Class 7 and 8 Truck Specifications
Models: Kenworth T370 and T800
Engine: PACCAR
Transmissions: Allison; Eaton UltraShift PLUS
Front Axle: Dana Spicer
Power Steering: TRW
Rear Axle and Suspension: Dana Spicer; Reyco; Chalmers
Brakes: Bendix air disc
Wheels: Alcoa aluminum; Accuride steel
Tires: Michelin

About the Author: Seth Skydel has more than 29 years of truck- and automotive-related publication experience. In his career, he has held editorial roles at numerous national business-to-business publications focusing on fleet and transportation management, vehicle and information technology, and industry trends and issues.

Effectively Meeting Needs

Written by Seth Skydel on August 4, 2014. Posted in Fleet Profiles.

“NV Energy is unlike many other utilities our size because we have two metropolitan areas in Reno and Las Vegas, and the rest of the service territory is spread out across nearly 60,000 square miles,” said Joe Pellissier, the company’s process improvement manager. “The terrain ranges from lower desert areas to the alpine forest of Lake Tahoe, with temperatures from over 110 degrees in the summer in Las Vegas to below zero in many areas in northern Nevada.”

NV Energy supplies electricity across its whole service territory, in addition to gas in northern Nevada. “The fleet department must provide vehicles to meet these conditions as well as provide maintenance and repair support,” Pellissier explained. “Attempting to standardize our fleet is very challenging given the different geographical areas and conditions. Additionally, drivers with similar job titles have differing job functions due to operational differences in metropolitan and rural areas, and that also drives differences in vehicle and equipment needs.”

Currently, the NV Energy fleet includes approximately 1,500 vehicles, trailers and pieces of equipment. To accommodate the varying terrains, NV Energy has standardized the chassis and drivetrains of many vehicle types. Most heavy-duty trucks are equipped with 425-horsepower Cummins engines, Allison transmissions and 6×6 drive axle configurations. Recently, the company relaxed the drivetrain requirement in Las Vegas, allowing some vehicles to have a 6×4 configuration. Most of the heavy truck fleet is made up of Internationals as well as a few Freightliner, Peterbilt and Mack units.

The majority of the Class 3-5 fleet at NV Energy is supplied by Ford, along with some Ram trucks, and most light-duty pickups, vans and SUVs are GM models. Since 2005, digger derricks and aerials have been supplied mainly by Altec, although several larger specialty units have been supplied by Terex. Most of the Class 3-5 service bodies and flatbeds have been Knapheide units from local high-quality suppliers.

“We don’t have preferred suppliers,” Pellissier related. “We develop specs and any manufacturer can bid on our business. When evaluating bids, specification compliance is the first issue considered. If a vendor doesn’t meet the specs, we dive deeper into why, how important are the deviations, and whether we can accept them. After that, the second consideration is quality, but that is becoming less of an issue as we weed out suppliers that don’t meet our quality expectations.

“While we do very little evaluation of new systems and components,” Pellissier added, “when we find something that will make the user more effective or reduce our costs, we incorporate the new components into our specifications. We require suppliers to be in compliance with our specs. This allows us to reduce spare parts for many components as well as minimizes the knowledge base necessary for repairs. On some occasions, we discover new technologies or features that we incorporate into the specifications for testing development. If the tests successfully meet the desired outcome, these become standard items, which subsequent vendors are required to meet.”

Passing Hurdles
“After passing the first two hurdles in the bid evaluation, in most cases the low bidder gets the order,” Pellissier continued. “We do factor in standardization of similar units, because if we have similar vehicles and historically they have not been a problem, we look more favorably at them. We also consider life cost, including depreciation, in our purchase decisions, but generally that is addressed upfront, prior to the bid.”

As the depreciation rate has changed a few times over the years, Pellissier explained further, users are sometimes reluctant to accept new vehicles if the expense is too high. Fleet explains to users that operating costs will rise significantly as vehicles age and will meet or exceed the higher costs due to depreciation. NV Energy has been leasing vehicles since 2005, and the depreciation issue went away, Pellissier also related, but as the utility has gone back to purchasing, depreciation again becomes a bigger issue.

“Recently NVE has worked on improving reliability of vehicles and equipment, addressing the impact of extended idle time on engine wear, and reducing operational costs due to additional maintenance and fuel,” Pellissier said, “We are focused on the reduction in idle time and the increased engine life and reliability. We evaluate idle time on most vehicles and its effect on fuel costs and maintenance.

“Our specifications now require options for minimizing idle time by using various types of plug-in electric hybrid systems on any unit with a service or larger utility body,” Pellissier continued. “We use GPS data from the existing vehicle, look at historical idle time and fuel cost, and project that to the new vehicle to determine if selecting and paying for anti-idle technology is justified. If so, we add the hybrid system to the vehicle price and determine if the payback is achievable within the life cycle of the vehicle.”

NV Energy uses two methods to calculate the payback on hybrid systems, Pellissier explained. “First,” he related, “we use actual historical idle time and, secondly, idle time as a percentage of 1,600 work hours per year. We use 1 gallon of fuel use per hour of idle time and the actual cost of fuel. For a fuel use payback calculation, the company uses actual mileage and gallons used in the previous year, as well as fuel cost per gallon.”

Promoting Development
NV Energy was one of the first early adopters of Altec’s JEMS system and has been very active in promoting development of hybrid solutions. During NV Energy’s first few years of hybrid system adoption, the focus was on vehicles with hydraulically powered equipment. More recently however, the focus has shifted to hybrid technology to support anti-idle and power requirements for 12-volt truck chassis systems and 110-volt systems for external power.

In addition to trouble trucks with 38-foot lifts, NV Energy has deployed hybrid systems on other vehicles to eliminate idle time. One example is a gas crew truck that utilizes an Odyne system to power an under-chassis air compressor and electric gas pipe fusing equipment. The company also recently added four Altec JEMS systems to vehicles without any hydraulic systems. The hybrid system manages the 12- and 110-volt truck and tool load while minimizing idle time.

“We recently ordered two more gas crew trucks and a vacuum gas valve maintenance truck with the next-generation Odyne system,” Pellissier related. “The only alternative fuel we utilize today is electricity, so we’re pushing to get electric-powered vehicles, including plug-in hybrid technology, into the fleet.”

NV Energy’s hybrid-electric plan includes an expanded focus on light-duty OEM vehicles when the make, model and type of unit meet the fleet’s needs. Included are extended-range electric trucks and the ability to utilize plug-in technology while taking into consideration the challenge posed by a limited infrastructure for plugging in vehicles.

The company is also now requiring options for anti-idle technology on work trucks. “If we have vehicles with a history of long idle time, we are likely to require anti-idle/hybrid technology on the new vehicle,” Pellissier said. “NV Energy’s anti-idle system requirements include systems that power supplemental cab air conditioning and heating, as well as provide exportable power for generators, inverters and other tools.

“Altec and Terex have done a good job with their anti-idle systems,” Pellissier continued. “However, we need to extend this to other vehicle types. Our relationships with Altec, Terex and Odyne are part of our sustainability commitment to deploy alternative vehicle technologies that promote reduction of emissions and fuel consumption in appropriate work task applications.”

First Hybrid
After deploying several Altec JEMS systems, NV Energy looked for other opportunities and fielded its first truck with a hybrid system for use in the utility’s gas operation. The truck was ordered under the U.S. Department of Energy/South Coast Air Quality Management District EPRI grant awarded to Odyne to deploy 120 vehicles throughout North America.

For the next round of vehicles in the new EPRI program, the company ordered three more trucks. Two of the trucks are crew cab International models similar to the first unit, with hybrid systems to power a Vanair under-chassis air compressor and to supply power for 12- and 110-volt electrical needs. The other vehicle is a Class 7 standard cab International with a hybrid system that will power a vacuum unit, a high-pressure washer, an air compressor and a grease pump for gas valve maintenance work.

Odyne’s plug-in hybrid systems interface with Allison 3000 automatic transmissions to help save fuel during drive cycles and to provide 10,000 watts of power for stationary operations at work sites. The systems, which consist of 14.2-kWh or 28.4-kWh Johnson Controls’ lithium-ion battery packs and Remy HVH250 electric motors, are installed by Odyne and shipped to final stage manufacturers such as Altec and Terex.

Recently, Pellissier participated with EEI and other utility fleet leaders to draft a white paper making the case for utilities to increase their support of electric plug-in hybrid vehicles and systems. This paper was delivered to attendees at the EEI Annual Convention held in Las Vegas in June.

Managing the Fleet
As a former fleet manager and now a manager of process improvement, a relatively new role, Pellissier supports the NV Energy fleet on behalf of the company’s vice president of electric delivery. Victor Figueredo, director of transmission and distribution support services, oversees direct management of the fleet. Reporting to Figueredo are four fleet supervisors – Jeff McKenzie and Tom Rich in northern Nevada and Todd Seibert and Randy Koss in southern Nevada. The management team also includes a fleet administrator and a coordinator.

“We have two shops in Las Vegas, one in Reno, and five mechanics assigned to shops in small towns or at power plants,” Pellissier said. “There are also mechanics with mobile maintenance trucks who work in the field or at one of several unmanned shops. We constantly have crews assigned to work on long-term construction projects, so that too presents a challenge for the fleet department. When these projects start, we usually have a mechanic on-site for the duration of the project to ensure all vehicles and equipment are performing as expected.

“With vehicles spread out across such a large territory, it can be difficult to keep up with maintenance and compliance,” Pellissier continued, “but we have a zero tolerance for compliance items beyond the due date. Much of our repair work is outsourced due to staffing limitations, so it’s very important that we do the best maintenance we can to minimize repairs to the greatest extent possible.

“When it comes to preventive maintenance, the fleet department is challenged with getting vehicles ready for service,” Pellissier explained further. “Without the mandatory compliance issue, it is difficult to get vehicles serviced before they are considered overdue, but we have set up reporting to monitor compliance and maintenance scheduling.

“We have a complex vehicle fleet in order to meet NV Energy’s operational needs in a wide-ranging and diverse service area,” Pellissier concluded. “In addition to maintaining the fleet effectively, we continue to monitor and evaluate emerging and maturing technologies and new vehicle options, and introduce technology when it is cost-effective and applicable to the needs of NV Energy.”

About NV Energy: NV Energy Inc. provides a wide range of energy services to 1.3 million customers throughout Nevada and nearly 40 million tourists annually. NV Energy is a holding company whose principal subsidiaries, Nevada Power Co. and Sierra Pacific Power Co., do business as NV Energy. The company is headquartered in Las Vegas.

About the Author: Seth Skydel has more than 28 years of truck- and automotive-related publication experience. In his career, he has held editorial roles at numerous national business-to-business publications focusing on fleet and transportation management, vehicle and information technology, and industry trends and issues.

Worthwhile Investment

Written by Seth Skydel on May 29, 2014. Posted in Fleet Profiles.

“Like many utility fleets, we have gone down the rebuilding path before and then moved away from it,” said Al Mascaro, fleet manager at Connecticut Light & Power Co. “Today, however, several key factors caused us to rethink our aerial replacement practices.

“There were economic and financial issues,” Mascaro continued, “such as the higher cost of new equipment and the relatively low residual value of used units. There were also changes in technology that have significantly improved equipment longevity and durability, including truck chassis and bodies that are favorable for rebuilding.”

Last, but certainly not least, Mascaro added, “We have the talent, tools and facilities to rebuild trucks and aerials in-house for less than half the cost of purchasing new equipment. The bottom line is that from operational and maintenance standpoints, we can have a boom going out that is better than when it came in.”

When the decision was made to embark on an in-house aerial rebuilding program at CL&P, Mascaro, a 32-year veteran of the utility, turned to the fleet’s highly qualified management personnel. Heading up the effort are Ronald Henne, transportation supervisor – Central Services, who has more than 33 years of fleet work experience, including 28 years at CL&P and 23 years as a supervisor, and Jack Deen, transportation supervisor – Aerial Overhaul Program, who joined the company after retiring from the U.S. Navy and has additional experience at Cummins and truck stop service facilities.

Selling Points
“One of the biggest selling points for this program,” Henne said, “is that we can rebuild aerials to reflect the latest designs and technologies. Everything manufacturers have developed and changed over time can be applied to the rebuilt units, from the turret to the bucket.”

The same philosophy, Mascaro noted, is applicable to the trucks’ chassis and stainless steel bodies. “We looked at our maintenance costs for a bucket truck in our fleet, which has a typical life cycle of 10 years, and realized we weren’t spending a lot of money on major components,” he said.

“Our specs and spending up front were designed for longevity, but we weren’t keeping trucks in service for a longer time,” Mascaro related. “With this program, we’re extending a 10-year life cycle to 17 years, which also frees up capital for customer reliability projects.”

The CL&P chassis in the rebuilding program are International 4400 models with DT466 engines and Allison automatic transmissions. Deen noted that to date, of the 61 trucks that have received rebuilt aerials, fewer than 20 percent – or about 10 to 12 units – have required powertrain rebuilds.

Partnership
Aerial equipment makers involved in the CL&P rebuilding program include Holan, Lift-All, Terex and Altec. “We work closely with suppliers and manufacturers to maintain a sufficient inventory of parts to support the rebuild program,” Deen said. “This partnership facilitates long-range planning and ordering of supplies before a truck is scheduled to be rebuilt.”

According to Deen and Henne, one challenging part of the process has been to stay ahead of changes among manufacturers, particularly aerial equipment companies that have merged or been bought out. “That is an ongoing issue, particularly for inventory control and engineering support,” Henne stated.

“Manufacturers are also key to making sure our technicians have the skills necessary to support the rebuild program,” Deen added. “Our suppliers helped technicians develop those additional skills through on-the-job training, including specialized skills associated with the aerial rebuilds which are done in-house, such as machining bushings from raw stock, custom fabrication of hydraulic hoses and rebuilding hydraulic cylinders.”

For completed rebuilt units, dielectric testing is handled for CL&P by Diversified Inspections/ITL, which is the same outside service provider that certifies the company’s aerials on a regular basis. In addition to dielectric testing, rebuilt units also have an acoustic emissions test performed in-house prior to being returned to service.

Under Mascaro’s direction, the CL&P fleet includes approximately 300 bucket trucks, 50 digger derricks, 500 Class 2 pickups and vans, 12 tractor-trailers, and a range of specialty and heavy equipment such as cranes and bulldozers. Specifications and purchases are handled by the Corporate Transportation operation headed up by Ron Thresher, manager at Northeast Utilities, CL&P’s parent company. The CL&P fleet is maintained by 80 technicians at 16 shops across Connecticut.

Exceeding Expectations
“There are always changes that can adversely affect equipment reliability,” Mascaro stated, “but we’re keeping tabs on every facet of our rebuilding program, and we are confident that it’s meeting and exceeding our expectations in every way. That not only includes financially, but in other very important ways as well.

“We could have outsourced this process very easily, and the numbers were very good either way,” Mascaro continued, “but we feel that performing this work in-house contributes to the program’s success. We have full faith in the skill of our staff, and our lineworkers feel the same way.

“Their confidence in this program was especially apparent this past January when we dispatched crews to help with storm restoration work in another state,” Mascaro concluded. “While the company selected the crews that would go out of state, the lineworkers chose the vehicles to take, and among them were two units from our rebuilding program.”

CL&P Truck Specifications
Model: International 4400
Wheelbase: 175 inches
Body: Reading ZAT148ADW Utility Body
Engine: International DT466 HT, 250 HP at 2300 rpm
Transmission: Allison MD3060P
Front Axle and Suspension: 12,000-pound leaf spring
Power Steering: TRW
Rear Axle and Suspension: 23,000-pound leaf spring
Brakes: Air
Wheels: 22.5-by-8.25 steel disc
Tires: 11R22.5 Michelin XZE

About CL&P: Formed in 1917, Connecticut Light & Power Co. is the state’s largest electric utility. Serving 1.2 million customers in 149 cities and towns, the company has a service area bordered by New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island covering about 4,400 square miles. CL&P’s transmission network includes 1,625 miles of overhead transmission lines, 403 miles of underground cables and 19 substations. Its distribution network has 18,375 miles of overhead lines, 1,154 miles of underground lines and 212 substations.

CL&P is part of Northeast Utilities, New England’s largest utility system serving more than 3.6 million electric and natural gas customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Sister companies include NSTAR Electric, Public Service of New Hampshire, Western Massachusetts Electric Co., Hopkinton LNG Corp., NSTAR Gas and Yankee Gas Services Co.

Road Map

Written by Seth Skydel on March 3, 2014. Posted in Fleet Profiles.

For the fleet management team at the District of Columbia Water & Sewer Authority, the goal is clear. “We are in a position of public trust,” said Tim Fitzgerald, fleet director at DC Water – Department of Fleet Management. “We are also a revenue-generating utility. While our management gives us the freedom to do a lot of innovative things, we are held to high standards internally and by our customers. In the end, we have to be able to measure and prove the success of our efforts.”

Responsible for approximately 600 vehicles and 1,200 pieces of equipment, the DC Water – Department of Fleet Management oversees the specification, purchasing, maintenance, and replacement of a wide range of cars and trucks, from light-duty vans and pickups to medium-duty units equipped to handle water and sewer system work.

The DC Water fleet operation consists of two shop locations in the greater Washington, D.C., area, one for mostly small equipment and the other for servicing heavy equipment and light- and medium-duty trucks. The management team under Fitzgerald’s direction includes:
• Anthony Lancaster – Supervisor, Fleet Maintenance
• Frank Torcisi – Fleet Analyst Acquisition/Disposal
• Larry Thomas – Quality Assurance Technician
• Lauvern Williams – Executive Assistant
• Tiffani Bing – Data Analyst
• Catreaune Bellinger – Mobile Support Technician

Tighter Control
“DC Water’s service area continues to grow,” Fitzgerald said, “so we have to routinely fit units to the operation, and adopt technology that is seamless to implement and use. With the fleet expanding in order to meet the increasing demand for a range of business critical operations, we are continually exploring opportunities to streamline operations, better manage business processes and gain tighter control over expenses.

“We had concluded that a new, robust and automated approach to data management was necessary to ensure that our growing fleet is operating as efficiently as possible,” Fitzgerald continued. “The first item on our list was to address the method we were using to manage fleet processes and associated data. Essentially, we realized that it’s hard to manage what you can’t measure, and that the system we were relying on to store vital fleet information was incapable of reporting on the data it held.”

With a legacy system that was adding little value and producing few benefits, DC Water – Department of Fleet Management embarked on a process of reviewing proposals and attending demonstrations from major suppliers of fleet management systems. Ultimately, it selected a solution that Fitzgerald said “supported the short- and long-term vision and directives of the organization, especially those relating to supporting and streamlining existing business processes, had an ability to provide accurate, real-time information, and automatically measured and reported on specific key performance indicators so the fleet department could make informed decisions relating to a range of processes from acquisition through disposal.”

DC Water’s choice in fleet management software was FleetWave from Chevin Fleet Solutions, which was rolled out across the organization in August 2012. Today, the software is enabling data-based decisions about equipment and maintenance.

“While many factors influence purchasing and specification decisions, such as OEM ratings, customization and configuration, ease of and intended use, departmental needs, budget considerations, environmental friendliness and technology scalability,” Fitzgerald stated, “we now have essential access to data on life-cycle costs and total cost of ownership, and we better understand preventive and predictive maintenance needs. It all leads to an understanding of true costs, and in turn a faster return on investment.”

Intelligent Process
DC Water also works closely with its vehicle and equipment suppliers, and shares information with them to help make better, more informed choices. “We meet with manufacturers and we take part in development teams for evaluating products, such as the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition,” Fitzgerald related. “We also take cues from other similar fleet operations around the country and share information locally with the D.C. Department of Public Works. In an intelligent acquisition process, it is imperative that information be shared and utilized.”

For meeting fleet maintenance and repair needs, DC Water has partnered with G4S Integrated Services, an on-site contractor that supplies everything from technicians and management staff to parts dedicated exclusively to the utility fleet’s operation. “We are accountable to our internal customers, so we continuously challenge ourselves and G4S to get to the right answers expeditiously,” Fitzgerald said. “Through this partnership, we have implemented a systematic approach to planning maintenance based on type of resources, experience, predictive needs and knowledge sharing.”

Behind much of that activity, according to Fitzgerald, is the FleetWave system, which at DC Water has been uniquely configured to consist of a range of modules. For example, the Maintenance module automatically schedules repair and maintenance tasks for vehicles; flags looming compliance details such as pending, due or past-due inspections; and automatically emails detailed, in-depth reports. There is also a Vehicle Orders module, which is used to automate and streamline the management of equipment procurement and specification processes, while providing complete audit capabilities.

DC Water also uses FleetWave’s Motor Pool module, which provides a direct means for employees of the authority to access and reserve vehicles by logging into an online portal. “The system allocates only available, appropriately maintained and fully inspected vehicles that are available,” Fitzgerald explained. “That removes the need for the fleet department to deal with reservations without reducing our control of the motor pool.”

Other FleetWave uses at DC Water include an Accident Management module that assists in recording and managing details relating to damaged vehicles, including repairs, insurance claims processing, driver training and compliance oversight. Additionally, an integrated Drivers module stores all driver-related information, such as training course completion and any historical involvement in accidents. “With it, we not only have a centralized tool set to manage driver activities,” Fitzgerald said. “The Drivers module also enables us to assess trends relating to driver behavior and ensure compliance with internal policies and legislation.”

Managing Details
For Fitzgerald, one of the most valuable benefits of FleetWave is its ability to automatically track and measure key performance indicators. “KPIs provide the insight we need for smart decision-making,” he stated. “Access to accurate, real-time information and performance measures using a simple dashboard has provided our organization with invaluable knowledge that helps us to better understand our total cost of ownership.

“We’re a more efficient operation today and we’re not done improving,” Fitzgerald said. “We have reduced turnaround times for service by 30 percent and downtime by 20 percent. We’ve also noticed improvements in technician productivity. All of these contribute to cost savings and a better return on investment for DC Water.”

About DC Water: The District of Columbia Water & Sewer Authority provides water and wastewater services in an area of approximately 725 square miles for the more than 600,000 residents, 17.8 million annual visitors and 700,000 people who are employed in the District of Columbia.

DC Water maintains and operates 1,300 miles of water pipes, four pumping stations, five reservoirs, three water towers, 36,000 valves and more than 9,000 fire hydrants. The organization also provides wholesale wastewater treatment services to Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, and Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia.

Changing Attitudes

Written by Seth Skydel on December 2, 2013. Posted in Fleet Profiles.

It turns out that “Getting to the Next Level of Safety Performance,” Bob McCall’s presentation at the 2013 Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference (EUFMC), was just the high-level view. On the ground at Duke Energy, where McCall serves as general manager of fleet services, a team of fleet management professionals is putting in place a series of initiatives aimed at posting a record of zero incidents, injuries and accidents.

“We’re doing exciting things this year,” McCall said. “And common to all our efforts is fostering a culture where everyone is recognizing failures and raising expectations, and is accountable and involved. That’s often the hardest thing to do with any program, but if we don’t, maintaining the status quo would lead to worse performance.”

Mike Allison, design and technical services director of Duke Energy Fleet Services, said there has been an overall and positive change in philosophy among the company’s nearly 340-member fleet services team. “Today, a lot of the conversation is about how to be safe and how to keep others safe,” he related. “Everyone is willing to participate and that is reflected in the quality of work as well.”

In the beginning, Allison noted, it was important to measure views of safety in Duke shops. “We needed to know how our technicians saw things, not just management’s view,” he said. “It was a simple exercise in communication.”

Formal Approach
To formalize the process, Duke Energy Fleet Services management chartered a project team to analyze technician work tasks, identify ergonomic risk factors and develop effective mitigation strategies. The team was comprised of supervisors and technicians from the company’s Carolinas and Midwest operations, health and safety professionals, and an ergonomist. The project covered five phases: data review, task identification, field observations/data collection, analysis and solution development.

During the data review phase, information was obtained from incident reports and other sources. The experience of the fleet management personnel and technicians was tapped during the task identification phase to gain detailed information about job functions. This knowledge was used to develop a list of common work tasks with high-risk potential, followed by a field observations/data collection phase, during which scientific measurements became the focus of the team.

In the project’s analysis phase, each work task was evaluated using established ergonomic methods, including simple lifting and lowering tasks and others involving high forces and/or awkward postures. The project team then designed a process for ranking hazards associated with work tasks that would be used to assist Fleet Services management in prioritizing control efforts.

The most serious hazards identified for technicians involved servicing a particular valve, performing a heavy-duty brake job, aerial truck preventive maintenance and light-duty truck PM performed outdoors. In addition to the results for the individual processes, several hazards were identified; these included high levels of vibration from the use of power tools, contact stresses from kneeling, standing for long periods on hard surfaces and poor lighting.

Developing Solutions
“We developed solutions for most of the ergonomic hazards,” said Patrick Rozanski, one of four regional directors for garage operations at Duke Energy who serves as director, fleet services-Midwest. “Those included making purchases for creepers to help reduce stress when a technician has to work in an awkward position, portable head-mounted lights, kneepads and padded kneeling mats, and anti-vibration gloves for prolonged use of power and impact tools. We also implemented the use of power tools such as wrenches and grease guns where tasks are repetitious and made suggestions for changes to the design of aerial trucks and other equipment.

“Getting technicians involved in identifying ways to make their jobs safer and showing everyone the company is willing to spend time and money on programs and tools that impact safety go a long way toward changing attitudes and gaining commitment,” Rozanski stated. “We’ve seen the results in the lower number of incidents we have and in how much the new equipment is used.”

Rozanski went on to relate how another seemingly simple initiative is helping identify and eliminate potential problems in Duke shops. “We have a 10-minute walk-around in every shop every morning to find and mitigate hazards,” he explained. “We observe and look for things that can cause an accident, like cluttered areas, and unsecured ladders and air lines, that we can address by improving our housekeeping practices. It’s about getting into a pattern of seeing and addressing hazards before they cause an injury.”

Another way that Duke Energy Fleet Services is proactively addressing shop safety is through a technician training initiative for both new and veteran employees. The program, McCall noted, is especially important as the company incorporates operations associated with its 2012 merger with Progress Energy. “We can’t assume, whether it’s new hires, transferred employees or veterans, that everyone knows what to do in our shops,” he said. “We have to ensure that knowledge is being transferred correctly.”

No Shortcuts
Charged with overseeing that training initiative is Chris Jolly, director, fleet services, who, with the help of subject matter experts, has developed and implemented policy orientation programs emphasizing shop safety. “Data shows that if you have a well-educated workforce and a continuing training program, your employees will not take shortcuts,” he said. “Instead, they will always strive to use the best and safest work practices.”

Duke Energy’s fleet services team is taking a similar approach when it comes to equipment, Allison noted. “We’ve established standards teams of managers, users and other departments in each region,” he explained. “Their input is invaluable and it keeps open the lines of communications to identify root causes of hazards, whether it’s equipment specifications, operator practices, or inspection- and maintenance-related items.

“We can’t emphasize enough the importance of having everyone take responsibility on how to improve,” Allison continued. “That’s how our culture is changing. We’re able to move forward with safer work practices and safer facilities because everyone understands safety initiatives and equipment standards don’t take away from productivity and the ability to do quality work. Instead, they bring value.”

From his vantage point, McCall said all of these activities are about “stepping up your leadership style and raising everyone’s standards and expectations. How many more accidents do you need to see, hear about, read about and investigate?” he asked the EUFMC audience earlier this year. “If you are tired of injuries, and the type of attitudes that go with that thinking, then change the culture and the expectations of what is needed from each member of the team. Engage people who believe in helping move that process forward.”

About Duke Energy: Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Duke Energy is a Fortune 250 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at www.duke-energy.com.

About the Author: Seth Skydel has more than 27 years of truck- and automotive-related publication experience. In his career, he has held editorial roles at numerous national business-to-business publications focusing on fleet and transportation management, vehicle and information technology, and industry trends and issues.

OPPD’s Continual Evolution

Written by Wade Vonasek on September 20, 2013. Posted in Fleet Profiles.

Founded in 1946, Omaha Public Power District is a publicly owned, business-managed electric utility governed by an elected board of directors and headquartered in Omaha, Neb. With a fleet operations staff of more than 50, OPPD services 5,000 square miles, covering 13 counties in southeastern Nebraska and serving 352,000 customers. In fact, OPPD is the 12th-largest public power utility in the United States in number of customers served. OPPD maintains multiple facilities, including three full-service garages in the metropolitan Omaha area, one full-service garage in south rural Omaha and a light-duty garage in downtown Omaha.

Working Smarter
Mike Donahue has spent the last three years as manager of transportation and construction equipment for OPPD, and has 18 years of industry experience working with fleets. Donahue said that a recent method OPPD has adopted to keep its fleet running smoothly and cost-effectively is the addition of Energy Xtreme mobile power units to two of its trucks. The system runs all electrical accessories – including emergency lights, tools, battery chargers, computers and cab heaters – but not the hydraulics. Though early in the process, Donahue said the old trucks were averaging 12.6 miles per engine hour, and the new trucks are averaging 16.9 miles per engine hour, an improvement of approximately 33 percent.

OPPD will also be adding two Altec JEMS units in the near future. These basket trucks are equipped with an electrical package that is comparable in concept to the Energy Xtreme units, except the electric power will run the hydraulics and boom as well, and also have an HVAC solution.

Other measures have been taken to reduce idling and fuel expense times as well. OPPD has employed a single fuel card for internal and external fuel transactions, with increased security on its internal fuel transactions with the implementation of the FuelFocus package through its fleet software provider, AssetWorks. An automated pool system, KeyValet from AssetWorks, has also been implemented at two of OPPD’s main sites to handle light-duty vehicle pools.

The utility has been locking in prices for bulk fuel on an annual basis, as well as regularly analyzing its fleet size, looking for units that are underutilized or that can be pooled, shared, traded, downsized, eliminated or repurposed. This effort has resulted in significant fleet reductions of nearly 40-50 units. Additional analysis of fleet replacement vehicles also is regularly performed.

“Vehicles are replaced based on lowest life-cycle cost calculations,” Donahue said. “Example replacement cycles are 10 years for large bucket trucks and 12 years for digger derricks. We have started to transfer small aerials and fiberglass bodies to new chassis at seven years.”

Donahue said the process is primarily for troubleshooter trucks, such as an Altec AT37G mounted on a Ford F-550 or Dodge 5500 chassis. “The trucks tend to get high miles, high engine hours, but not as much boom operation, so the booms and bodies tend to be in decent condition, whereas the engines and chassis equipment are being taxed heavily after that time frame,” he said. “We save more than 50 percent of replacement cost of the boom and body by transferring. We are also cycling out of the engines in those trucks, which will benefit us as well.”

A wide assortment of factors can come into play when researching and deciding to purchase new vehicles for the fleet. Donahue said that the economy over the past few years has really sent a jolt to the work that OPPD’s internal and external customers are doing.

“When the economy was hot, OPPD was installing new home services and neighborhood backbones just as fast as possible,” he said. “Now, that work has slowed down quite a bit and the focus has spread to more maintenance on the existing system. Those factors have really affected the need for trenchers, boring equipment, easement machines and mini-excavators. Storerooms, facilities and production facilities have seen increased production from telehandlers and self-propelled aerials, so they are requesting more of those types of units. Designers are requiring taller poles and placing them farther off the roads, which drives the need for taller aerials and bigger derricks.

“In a nutshell, we continually investigate what our customer needs are when determining the best vehicles for their applications,” Donahue noted. “We stay up to date on trends in the industry, available technology, what makes sense for OPPD, alternative fuels versus standard gas or diesel engines, idle reduction technology, maintenance experience and rental options. We do the best we can to encompass all those components when making purchasing decisions. It is a constant challenge.”

OPPD has seen positive results from many of the steps it’s taken. Improved fuel management and improved fuel economy have been achieved, and fleet reductions and the purchase of replacements with smaller, more fuel-efficient engines have helped with increased pool size and better fleet utilization. These efforts will continue, according to Donahue.

Happy with Hybrids
The utility has a growing fleet of hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, mainly passenger cars and SUVs. Donahue said that all of OPPD’s hybrid vehicles have performed exceptionally well and improved the mileage in their vehicle classes.

“We have hybrid Toyota Priuses, Camrys and Highlanders, Honda Insights and Civics, a Chevrolet Malibu, a Ford Fusion and an International 4300M7 with the Eaton transmission,” he said. “We also have a Chevrolet Volt which has been averaging well over 100 mpg in our application. We look forward to receiving Ford C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi plug-in extended-range hybrids in the very near future. We understand that application of these units has a significant impact on the successful implementation of these units so we consider that application when making the purchasing decision.”

In regard to hybrid vehicles, Donahue said that there are gains to be made on virtually all sides of the issue, including reduced fuel consumption, fewer emissions out of the tailpipe, less wear and tear on the engine, less maintenance and fewer repairs, an extended truck life and less engine noise.

“OPPD is evaluating the expansion of the plug-in fleet and proceeding where it is appropriate,” Donahue said. “Idle reduction is a significant opportunity. The operators are even feeding back that they enjoy less fumes and quieter work environments. I anticipate that it will ease expanded implementation on similar units in the future.”

Moving Forward
The current challenges to his fleet are not so different from when he first entered the industry 18 years ago, according to Donahue. Keeping the mechanics trained on the wide variety of vehicles and equipment they need to maintain and repair, keeping tools and diagnostic equipment up to date, finding long-term direction on fuels, and adjusting the workplace culture to improve engagement, safety and accountability all are issues he has encountered. Donahue belongs to NAFA Fleet Management Association and the Upper Midwest Utility Fleet Council, and attends fleet-related conferences like the Green Fleet Conference & Expo and ICUEE to help him pick up information to deal with fleet issues.

“Our mindset now needs to be one of continual improvement, employee development, staying on top of issues and technological developments, fuels, recognizing our customer needs and staying involved in fleet communities facing similar challenges,” Donahue said.

The future for OPPD and its fleet should see significant attention to alternative fuels and the things that come along with them. Donahue said OPPD is going through what one might call “a significant commitment point on alternative fuels.”

“With so much attention being paid to diesel and the associated emission equipment, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, natural gas, propane, other gaseous fuels, ethanol and biodiesel, it’s challenging,” Donahue said. “We look over the last 10 years and see all the emission changes that took place from 2003 to 2013, the fuel and technology development, and if we are anywhere close to that rate of change over the next 10 years, it’s hard to imagine where we will be. That’s the challenge we all should love, right? OPPD will continue to work on all these areas to manage doing the best we can for our customers, our customer owners and the environment. It should be a fun ride.”

About the Author: Wade Vonasek is a writer and editor. His work has appeared both in print and online for publications such as Mass Transit, Professional Tool & Equipment News, Fleet Maintenance and more. He resides in Bristol, Wis.

New Model

Written by Seth Skydel on September 20, 2013. Posted in Fleet Profiles.

Dave Seavey, fleet management director with the City of Seattle’s Department of Finance and Administrative Services, Fleet Management Division (FMD), sums up his organization this way: “The Fleet Management Division is 126 people helping 10,000 employees acquire and maintain the right vehicles and equipment to effectively do their jobs.”

“We manage the city fleet internally and lease vehicles to most departments, including police, fire and parks,” Seavey said. “We purchase equipment and custom design about 300 vehicles each year. The fleet numbers over 4,100 units, and includes everything from bicycles to cars, passenger vans, hybrid SUVs and trucks. The most expensive piece of equipment in the Seattle fleet is a fire ladder truck, which cost just over $1.2 million.”

FMD maintains and repairs Seattle’s vehicles and specialized equipment, including cars, trucks, and fire apparatus and heavy equipment. Routine maintenance and repairs are part of each lease. In addition, Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) own their vehicles, but both departments pay FMD to maintain and co-manage their fleets. Annually, Seavey related, the FMD maintenance operation performs about 10,000 preventive maintenance checks and changes almost 4,000 tires.

In 2008, FMD hired an outside consultant to assess its fleet operations. The consultant evaluated current practices, equipment and facilities, identified and proposed appropriate best practices, and developed an implementation plan. In addition, in 2005 SPU hired a consultant to review its fleet operations, and because SPU’s fleet is managed partially by FMD, the study included a review of FMD’s competitiveness and internal business processes.

Implementing Best Practices
While the overall assessment of FMD’s operations in both studies was favorable, they did find room for improvement, and since then FMD has been implementing best practices recommendations. Resulting changes in how Seattle manages its vehicle fleet netted taxpayers more than $3 million in savings during one budget cycle.

Those savings, according to Seavey, include lowering fleet fund reserves by $2 million. “By developing a new forecasting model that projects out 10 years,” he explained, “FMD is able to minimize its reserves, which frees up funds for other city uses.

“Extending vehicle life cycles saves about $350,000 per year,” Seavey continued. “We have re-evaluated the useful life of every type of vehicle in the city fleet. In some cases, we found life cycles that were too short, meaning that vehicles may have been replaced before their optimal point. By selectively extending certain life cycles, we have cut replacement costs without any impact on the cost of maintaining those vehicles. The life cycle extensions initially saved the city more than $700,000 in 2009 and 2010, and the savings continue.”

Seattle’s FMD has also been working to reduce the size of its fleet. For example, in 2010 and 2011 the fleet was downsized by 200 vehicles. “This is an ongoing effort,” Seavey reported, “and we expect it to save millions over the next five years. In just the past year, we eliminated 188 vehicles, so not only will Seattle avoid the cost of replacing those vehicles, it will also avoid the cost of maintaining them in the future.

“We routinely benchmark our operations against other government agencies and fleet costs against the private sector,” Seavey added. “Government agencies that provide the same type of services that we do make good comparisons, and fleet costs, such as labor rates and markups, are compared with local private vendors who do the same work for profit.”

Green Fleet Policies
Another initiative in the City of Seattle is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by implementing green fleet policies. “One of the best things the city can do to protect and improve air quality, and encourage smart fuel and vehicle choices in the community, is to make our own vehicle fleet a model of environmental best practices,” Seavey stated.

Among the things Seattle has done to green its fleet in the past, Seavey noted, is to convert the entire diesel fleet to ultralow sulfur diesel (ULSD), and to use a B20 blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent ULSD for select fleets. In addition, FMD has retrofitted all of the city’s heavy-duty trucks with emissions control devices. Combined, the two measures have cut harmful emissions by about 50 percent per vehicle.

Other green fleet initiatives in Seattle include making more than three-fourths of light-duty vehicle purchases for hybrid or biodiesel vehicles, and at least half of all compact cars purchased by the city each year use alternative fuels or get at least 45 miles per gallon.

In addition, in 2011 the city began adding all-electric vehicles to its fleet, and it has adopted Segways for jobs like water meter reading and parking enforcement. With zero emissions, a cost of just $3 per year to recharge and in some cases replacing the use of a car, the personal mobility vehicles are paying dividends in many ways.

Upgrading Technology
FMD is also focused on using technology in its maintenance operation to improve efficiency and productivity. At the 2013 Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference, Seavey presented how “Technology in Maintenance is Essential to Reaching the Green.”

“Technology and data matter,” Seavey said. “We have been upgrading the technology in our shops. We have cleaned the facilities and identified and replaced broken tools. We have replaced lifts and we’re adopting scan tools and laptops as well as using Web-based OEM repair programs.”

Examples of technology in the Seattle FMD include software from Cummins, Bendix, Meritor WABCO, International Trucks, GM, Eaton, Detroit Diesel, AutoEnginuity, TPMS and vehicle electrical system suppliers. Management tools in place include systems from MotorVac, Zonar, Mitchell and NAPA.

FMD also converted technology to better manage its fueling systems. At a cost of $250,000, Seavey pointed out, the division now has an automated solution that streamlines fueling for drivers including capturing mileage, provides transaction data for accurate billing, and has better internal controls for reconciliation and inventory control.

“We have also embarked on a complete makeover of our fleet management information systems,” Seavey related. “With our supplier, who had a project manager on site for one year for system setup, data correction and staff training, the two-year project has included establishing a wireless network and placing computers in the bays of all five FMD shops.

Overcoming Obstacles
“We did have to overcome some obstacles,” Seavey continued, “including securing $400,000 in funding. We also had to sell the reason for change to our technicians and supervisors. These systems meant a new way of working and in some cases we had to overcome false beliefs about technology.”

The benefits, however, are obvious, Seavey noted. “We’ve improved shop operations, morale and established integrity,” he stated. “We’ve decreased downtime significantly, which has allowed us to reassign staff and increase billable hours. We’ve also produced data that helps us make better vehicle and specification decisions.

“One of the biggest challenges our industry faces is to improve our understanding of finance, including business operations, and to embrace technology, such as information management systems,” Seavey added. “Fleet managers can no longer just rely on vehicle maintenance management skills. To be competitive, we must expand in these areas.”

Seavey, who spent 21 years in the U.S. Navy as a submarine force enlisted man and officer, brings a wealth of experience to FMD. After retiring from active duty, he worked for five years as a maintenance supervisor at Intercity Transit in Olympia, Wash., then spent five more years as the City of Olympia’s fleet manager. He joined Seattle’s FMD as fleet management director five years ago.

“In the past,” Seavey said, “our customer service model meant that FMD provided service to city operations. Our new model is that fleet services and operations are 50-50 partners. With that in mind, our Fleet Management Division manages the city’s vehicle and equipment operations with one goal – to ensure timely, cost-effective, and high-quality vehicles and maintenance services.”

Tag: Fleet Profiles