We are here at the 2024 Work Truck Week in Indianapolis, IN at the Indiana Convention Center. Come see us in booth 6101 and say hi!
3/27/24
Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch | A Ford Towing Video Guide | Ford
Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch are 2 great features that can help you properly load your Ford truck when towing. Learn more in this video.
3/25/24
Fisher Snowplow at NTEA Work Truck Week 2024
Take a look at our time at Work Truck Week in Indianapolis this year! Thanks to everyone who stopped by the FISHER® booth to chat and take a look at our new products.
3/23/24
KIA PBV Vans getting ready for Work (Work Truck Week 2024)
Kia revealed a lineup of all-electric vehicles for commercial and fleet applications at CES in 2024.
They brought them to the @WorkTruckWeek 2024 to build relationships with potential customers and partners, including the upfitter @Holman1924
3/21/24
Cargo Loading Ramps that Store Easily, Handles Most Loads and Won't Get in the Way
3/19/24
Introducing the PTO Shaft-Driven ALL-IN-ONE Power System®
Vanair® makes a press conference announcement at the 2024 Work Truck Week show, hosted by NTEA – The Work Truck Association™. What's the BIG news? Vanair® proudly introduces the PTO Shaft-Driven Underdeck ALL-IN-ONE Power System® is a game-changing innovation that redefines power accessibility for professionals https://vanair.com/udsm-all-in-one-po.... This revolutionary system offers an impressive six forms of power (air compressor, generator, welder, battery boost, battery charge, and hydraulics), positioning it as an indispensable and versatile solution for various needs.
3/17/24
We Are VMAC: Learn About VMAC Global Technology Inc
VMAC manufactures innovative air compressors and multi-power systems for municipal, mobile mechanic, utilities, mining, oil and gas, and construction industries. In this story, you’ll see how VMAC’s people and culture, drive for innovation excellence, and passion for continuous improvement in manufacturing allow us to pursue our goal of improving the mobile compressed air industry for our partners and customers.
3/15/24
Easy Swap Technology | The Kia PBV
Learn more about Easy Swap technology that enables the flexible interchange of PBV upper bodies, or life modules. With this new design, customers can select a vehicle that perfectly suits their particular lifestyle or usage need.
3/13/24
Next Step in the UPFIT Process: Ensuring Proper Maintenance.
- Photo: GETTYIMAGES.COM/KARANDAEV
Top Upfit Maintenance Challenges:
A huge challenge many fleet managers face in maintaining upfits is simply communicating the value and importance of proper upfit maintenance to field personnel and drivers.
“Most drivers understand the importance of oil changes, brake services, etc., and will typically make sure their vehicle is serviced in a timely manner. But prioritizing upfit maintenance in a similar fashion typically isn’t something that comes naturally. The fleet manager must educate their frontline personnel on the critical aspect of properly maintaining the vehicle’s equipment; not only to maximize its effective lifecycle and control costs but also to ensure the safety of their fleet personnel in the field,” said Jeff Klinghoffer, regional engineering manager for Holman Enterprises.
At the end of the day, it comes down to education and awareness.
“As a fleet manager, you’ll need to communicate the importance of proper upfit and equipment maintenance to your drivers. Beyond that, you can certainly implement processes and procedures to assess the condition of the vehicle and its upfit regularly. You can also explore potential gamification or incentive programs to help secure buy-in from your drivers,” Klinghoffer added.
Let’s face it; fleet managers have a lot on their plate.
“Fleet managers face daily challenges mixed in with bigger picture issues that include building a safe, reliable, and appropriate truck for the job while making executives and stakeholders happy. Finding the time to answer all of the challenges can be difficult,” said Mathew Marcussen, director of customer relations for BrandFX. “Taking the time to do research and learn more, in the beginning, will reap great savings, benefits, and efficiency in the end. Also, purchase a body that maintains its good condition over a long period will reduce the cost of repairs and service.”
When it comes to the different types of materials used in upfitting, you need to select the right material for the job.
“Ladder racks on top of cargo vans are impacted by either the snow and ice removal chemicals in the Midwest or the salty air near coastal regions. Using aluminum and stainless steel in those products is a must to provide the customer a quality product that gets them a good return on their investment,” said Katie Groves, national fleet sales manager for Adrian Steel.
Don’t forget to depend on those who know upfitting best.
“Partner with an upfitter that has a national presence and a team that can support these instances,” Groves recommended.
6 Mistakes Maintaining Upfits
While mistakes may not often happen when maintaining upfits, they can occur. Here are a few top ones to avoid:
Mistake 1: Lack of Inspection
Just as drivers need to inspect your vehicle for leaks, tire wear, etc., they should examine their upfits, too.
“Constantly check routing and clipping for rub points, just because a battery cable was tied up nicely last time you inspected it doesn’t mean a clip didn’t break loose since then,” said Brad Howard, director of Operations for Fontaine Modification.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Preventive Maintenance
When it comes to the vehicles themselves, preventive maintenance (PM) second nature, but that may not be true for upfits.
“Fleet managers realize that adhering to a recommended PM schedule is vital to optimizing the vehicle’s lifecycle and controlling the total cost of ownership. However, the same methodology also applies to a vehicle’s upfitting and equipment, but preventive maintenance for these items is often overlooked,” said Kelly Klemisch, regional engineering manager, Holman Enterprises.
To avoid this mistake, work upfits into your PM strategy for your vehicles.
“Regular service for equipment such as air compressors, material handling units, and aerial devices should be included in the unit’s PM schedule. Additionally, you can also include inspections in the schedule as well, so drivers receive reminders for those items as well. Or, at the very least, take measures to keep these PM items top-of-mind for drivers and operators. For example, you can track crane or compressors hours on an interior door decal,” Klemisch added.
Mistake 3: Not Adjusting Upfits Correctly
Make sure that ladder racks are correctly adjusted to your ladders.
“A properly adjusted ladder rack will keep the ladder secured on the van during transportation, reduce noise that could cause driver distraction, and extend the life of both the ladder and ladder rack,” said Katie Groves, national fleet sales manager for Adrian Steel.
Mistake 4: Misusing Upfit Equipment
You should also ensure your drivers and frontline workers fully understand how to use the vehicle’s equipment properly.
“Many vocational vehicles feature sophisticated and complex attachments, so training your employees on the best practices for using these units will help to minimize premature wear and tear and maximize the equipment’s effective lifecycle. This also applies to something as simple as a vehicle’s storage units. We often see fleet personnel overloading a service body or interior shelving with more than it is intended to hold, and this really impacts the longevity of these items,” said Klemisch of Holman Enterprises.
Mistake 5: Wrong Service Timing
When you service certain upfit items is also essential.
“When you service trucks, and related upfits is a big item. One example is a snowplow: make sure to service at the end of the snow season AND beginning of the season,” said Patrick Clark, director of fleet sales for Dejana Truck and Utility Equipment.
Mistake 6: Improper Equipment Storage
Where you store your equipment has a considerable impact on its useful service life.
“Also storing equipment inside helps preserve the life. Work with the local upfitters to make sure you are servicing cranes, liftgates, plows etc correctly,” said Clark of Dejana Truck and Utility Equipment.
Source: https://www.worktruckonline.com/10120069/value-of-effectively-maintaining-upfits
3/11/24
Reinventing the Connected Fleet: Tropos Technologies Deploys OneConnect to Improve Fleet Production
OneConnect, Panasonic's unique IoT connected services platform, spans the automotive industry's “consumer-to-commercial” use case spectrum by providing real-time, deep-vehicle data for maximizing fleet uptime. Learn more.
3/09/24
Work and Cargo Van Upfit Solutions - Ranger Design Van Equipment
3/07/24
INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS FOR TRUCKS THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE
INCREDIBLE INVENTIONS FOR TRUCKS THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE
In this video you will see plenty of amazing inventions made directly for trucks.
You can choose which one of this machines is the best.
1. Right Track Systems which offer the only completely rebuildable rubber truck track system for off-road construction and articulating trucks. Great for off road recovery or when truck stuck in mud.
2. A transport system called TOW – GO, applicable to any truck.
3. Robson drive system, which achieves that a 6x2 vehicle acquires the same properties as 6x4 to achieve better performance on roads with poor conditions.
4. Tyre Spyder is the world´s only compact mobile system for handling truck wheels without removing them from the axle and under all conditions.
5. Air Suspension Wheels, they are a new type of wheel that dispenses with polluting rubber tires.
6. Rotary dump trucks area mainly used in the railway maintenance industry.
Enjoy!
7. A semi-trailer with an auxiliary traction system, called Hybrid R, which incorporates a WEG electric motor installed on one of axles.
We hope you enjoy your time on our channel. Write in the comment section below which topic you would like to see and we will definitely consider it.
3/05/24
We Got You | Ford Pro
Ford Pro™ offers the right tools, software and services designed to keep your business on track and your crews on the road.
SUBSCRIBE: https://ford.to/SubscribeFordPro
#FordPro #Electric
3/03/24
Deliver your Building Supplies Safely with the Kargo King Detachable System
3/01/24
Drive Products Manufacturing in Morden, Manitoba
Drive Products is proud to present, Drive Products Manufacturing in Morden, Manitoba.
On November 28, 2023, we celebrated the Grand Opening of our new manufacturing facility in Morden. A process two years in the making, this Grand Opening was an opportunity to celebrate with our team, local vendors, community members and more.
Watch as our team talks about the process of building in Morden, Manitoba and what it means to Drive Products and the Morden community.
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