| Medium Duty Cost control begins when spec’ing new vehicles By David A. Kolman, Editor Vehicle design infl uences operational costs Fleet maintenance managers typically have direct input and responsibility on cost control. While they may not be the “captain” of their organization, their contributions can be extremely impactful on the overall operation, maintains Christopher Lyon, director of fl eet relations, NTEA, the Association for the Work Truck Industry (www.ntea.com). Fleets are oft en the unsung heroes – viewed as a cost of doing business, he says. But in fact, “a properly run and managed fl eet is actually an invaluable asset to the organization, and the potential is limitless. Professionals in a position to infl uence vehicle design can infl uence operational costs, and cost management can start with vehicle design.” For the most part, vocational trucks are not mass produced. Rather, they are purchased for a specifi c application or job function. As such, they oft en have detailed parameters and regularly require high levels of customization. Inadequate research, paired with poor planning, generally results in a pitfall of unintended consequences and costs, observes Lyon. Th e way to avoid this is through proper vehicle design. He says that with more time spent on the front end with a well thought plan can: • Reduce initial acquisition costs. • Lower maintenance costs. • Improve vehicle productivity. • Decrease direct and indirect operating costs. THE DESIGN PROCESS “Cost control can be directly impacted by your vehicle design approach,” says NTEA’s Lyon. “Th ese impacts will positively or negatively aff ect the bottom line of your next purchase. “Before you begin your next vehicle design, research the application to fully understand the scope and requirements of the unit being purchased. Understand that you or your organization will have to live with the decisions for the life of the unit.” In beginning the design process, he says it is important to “understand that there is no one right answer, as each organization’s dynamics can be fl uid and require constant adjustment. “Evaluating the performance and utilization of current vehicles can give insight into the functional requirements of your operation, while avoiding the pitfall of solely relying on what’s been done in the past.” Lyons points out this is the fi rst step to saving money. “Requirements and equipment specifi cations oft en change from year to year,” he observes. “Advances and improvements in new technologies and regulations are constant.” Th erefore, it is wise to regularly review and reevaluate vehicle design and specs. He stresses that the application should be completely defi ned. “Lacking a complete understanding of functional requirements will almost certainly guarantee less than satisfactory, and oft en costly, results. “Identify critical design constraints. Th is requires a reality check. Will all the pieces fi t? To learn how to avoid the most common costly errors when spec’ing work trucks, visit VehicleServicePros.com /12030648 A best practice is to put ideas on paper and visualize the end result. This can often highlight design confl icts. Graphic courtesy of NTEA When designing a vocational truck, carrying out competent research, along with proper planning, can avoid unintentional consequences and added costs. Photo courtesy of Legacy Truck Equipment 22 FLEET MAINTENANCE ❚ JULY 2016 ❚ VehicleServicePros.com
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