2/29/24

Flexible Municipal Fleet Financing | Customer Interview | Ford Pro™ FinSimple™



After the Woodbridge Township, New Jersey Mayor explains the unique vehicle needs of municipalities, the various payment options available to cities wanting to bundle fleet vehicle purchases with upfits are detailed by a Ford Pro FinSimple Municipal Finance Operations Specialist.


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Ford F-150® | Barbershop F-150® Launch | Ford


Introducing the new 2024 Ford F-150®. It’s not just about how you get there… but what you make happen along the way. Your journey, your legacy to define. #Ford #F150 #BuiltFordTough

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2/25/24

Next Step in the UPFIT Process: Ensuring Proper Maintenance.

While mistakes may not often happen when maintaining upfits, they can occur. Having the right "tools" for the job is essential.  - Photo: GETTYIMAGES.COM/KARANDAEV

 - Photo: GETTYIMAGES.COM/KARANDAEV

Your upfit is installed, and you are now utilizing it in your operations. The next step in the upfit process is ensuring proper maintenance.

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

We Are VMAC: Learn About VMAC Global Technology Inc


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EZ STAK Secure Underseat Storage


EZ STAK's Secure Underseat Storage. Built with steel and powder-coated black, this discreet storage solution will keep your valuables safe and locked under your rear pickup seat. Easily access your gear from either side of the vehicle with the dual-lid operation.

2/17/24

Survey Results: THE MOST IMPORTANT EQUIPMENT FOR SERVICE TRUCKS


Survey respondents were asked to pick the two most important pieces of equipment on their service vehicles, out of air compressors, cranes, generators, welders, or other.

A significant portion of respondents chose “air compressor” as one of their top two most important pieces of equipment. Generators, cranes, and welders were split closely, with 32%, 31%, and 27% of respondents selecting these pieces of equipment as their top two most important. The other category includes responses such as hand tools, bucket lifts, liftgates, vacuums, and pumps.

OPERATORS/MECHANICS FAVOR AIR COMPRESSORS



Air compressors ranked even higher in popularity when segmenting the 47 Operators and Mechanics who answered the survey. 94% of these respondents chose air compressor as one of their top two most important pieces of equipment. Interestingly, Operators and Mechanics were the only segment that considered welders to be the second most important piece of equipment on their service truck.


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Ford Pro Electric SuperVan: The Fastest Transit Yet


The Ford Pro Electric SuperVan is a van unlike any other. Its four electric motors and approximately 2,000 PS produce colossal performance, and the embedded modem and advanced telemetry software help engineers optimize performance for the track. Inspired by the new E Transit Custom and combining horsepower with processing power, the Electric SuperVan is the ultimate showcase of Ford’s EV and connectivity capabilities.


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Introducing the Ford F-150® Lightning™ Pro SSV | Ford Pro


Ford Pro™ continues to help guide cities into an electrified, software-driven world with the launch of America’s first electric pickup truck purpose-built for police: the 2023 Ford F-150® Lightning™ Pro Special Service Vehicle. Ford has been providing police departments with the vehicles they need to protect and serve communities for more than 70 years. Currently, Ford Pro customers include more than 12,000 police departments across the country and its police vehicle lineup outsells all other police vehicles combined1. The company attributes this success and customer loyalty to the automaker’s close collaboration with its customers, specifically the Ford Police Advisory Board. Learn more: https://media.ford.com/content/fordme... *Based on S&P Global Mobility new vehicle registration data limited to government entities and POL and SSV trim vehicles for full year 2021

2/09/24

Ford Pro™ Upfit Integration System — Intro to Logic Blocks | Ford Pro


The Ford Pro™ Upfit Integration System (UIS) software is user-friendly, and allows you to configure vehicle functions in myriad ways. In this video, learn about all the different logic blocks available and how to use them.

2/07/24

From the Floor of Sterling Axle Plant | 55 Years at Ford | Ford


After serving in Vietnam, Jeremiah Richardson came to Sterling Axle Plant in Michigan and found his career with Ford Motor Company. As a material handler, he's one of the many UAW veterans working at Ford. After almost six decades at the company, he's still going strong, telling CEO Jim Farley he likes working too much to retire just yet. Learn more about Ford here: https://ford.to/44VF9D3 Discover more From the Floor videos here: https://ford.to/3N7Ty9c

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How They Produce the Massive New Ford Super Duty 2023 Inside Best US Factory


Today on FRAME, we will have a look at several Ford assembly plants where the pick-up truck models are manufactured. Join us to discover all the secrets about the F-Series and the Ford Ranger. About FRAME: When business meets engineering, FRAME is your new source of information. From designing, Prototyping, building, or even destroying, our daily life is surrounded by processes of all kinds, each more interesting than the next. But have you ever wondered what's behind all of this? In our videos, you will find: -Explanation and infographics of how things are built, from the most simple pencil to the most complex digging machine. - Stories behind the world's most successful companies -Analysis of future trends in the world of industry, exclusive interviews with industrial specialists, and many more ! We publish four videos a week. Make sure to subscribe to the FRAME YouTube channel to catch us on our next episode. Check our FRAME website at https://theframe.one/ FRAME on Twitter https://twitter.com/FRAME_official

2/03/24

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

2/01/24

Why Knapheide - Bobby Valentine


For more information about our products visit
https://www.knapheide.com/

Survey Results: THE MOST IMPORTANT EQUIPMENT FOR SERVICE TRUCKS


Survey respondents were asked to pick the two most important pieces of equipment on their service vehicles, out of air compressors, cranes, generators, welders, or other.

A significant portion of respondents chose “air compressor” as one of their top two most important pieces of equipment. Generators, cranes, and welders were split closely, with 32%, 31%, and 27% of respondents selecting these pieces of equipment as their top two most important. The other category includes responses such as hand tools, bucket lifts, liftgates, vacuums, and pumps.

OPERATORS/MECHANICS FAVOR AIR COMPRESSORS



Air compressors ranked even higher in popularity when segmenting the 47 Operators and Mechanics who answered the survey. 94% of these respondents chose air compressor as one of their top two most important pieces of equipment. Interestingly, Operators and Mechanics were the only segment that considered welders to be the second most important piece of equipment on their service truck.