Get Better Work Trucks by Writing Better Specifications

By: Robert "Bob" Johnson, director of fleet relations, NTEA

If you’re like most fleet managers, you are constantly looking for ways to improve the quality and productivity of your work trucks, while at the same time reducing your maintenance and operating costs. One of the best strategies to accomplish these goals is to improve the equipment specification process. The specifications you provide to the chassis dealer and upfitter(s) who will supply your truck-mounted equipment will ultimately determine how productive and cost-efficient your new work truck will be.

More and more fleets rely on third parties, including chassis dealers, equipment distributors, body and equipment companies, and leasing companies, to provide work truck specifications. There are a number of reasons behind this trend, including many fleet managers’ increased workloads; lack of knowledge about the functional requirements of the vehicle, limited awareness of the products available to meet those requirements and a simple lack of training in how to develop a quality specification.

Chassis dealers, body and equipment companies, and equipment distributors can be valuable resources in the work truck specification process. Many are factory-trained and can provide recommendations about the best products for your applications based on OEM specifications and their own experience working with organizations similar to your own. It’s up to you to apply their expertise and suggestions to your own situation. After all, the first step in developing a specification is to determine what the job requirements are. If you and the end-users you work with don’t know what you need, how can you expect someone who is not connected with your business to know? You must be the expert.

Many fleet managers confess that they just don’t know how to write specs. Admittedly, writing a good specification isn’t easy. You need to understand issues such as regulatory compliance; vehicle payload and weight distribution calculations; matching truck bodies and equipment (second unit) to the chassis; and truck powertrain design.

Fortunately, there are a number of resources available to educate fleet managers about these topics. Click here to read more

Robert "Bob" Johnson is a former fleet manager and currently serves as director of fleet relations for the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA). He will lead three technical sessions on work truck specification at The Work Truck Show® 2011: "Optimizing Work Truck Body and Equipment Specifications," "How to Ensure Your Next Truck Chassis Matches the Job Requirements" and "Spec’ing Your Next Truck Powertrain for Optimum Efficiency & Performance." He is also co-presenting the expanded Fleet Management Symposium on March 7-8.

NAFA’s Legislative Team Clarifies Sales Of Taxable Fuel Issues

Two months ago, NAFA Fleet Management Association sought clarification on two issues of great importance to fleet managers in the public service sector: the first dealt with the sale of taxable fuel to State and local governments and the second with the issue of fuel resale to other State and local governments. The Association has just received confirmation from the Office of Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service that sales of fuel from one jurisdiction to another are permissible. The IRS said it permits State-to-State (including county and municipal governments) sales with both being tax exempt. However, the IRS also said that State or local governments may not sell tax free fuel to a federal agency.

The IRS was responding to a memorandum sent by NAFA’s U.S. Legislative Counsel sent on August 17, 2010.

NAFA retains experienced legislative representatives in Washington, DC and Ottawa, ON to coordinate vital information on laws, regulations, and other government activity relating to fleets. As the largest fleet management association in North America, NAFA helps serve as the collective voice of the industry. The Association’s legislative team not only keeps the Membership up-to-date on legislation, which could affect fleet managers, but often plays an active role with pending legislation.

"As the premier association for fleet managers, NAFA is the legislative voice for fleet management advocacy," said NAFA’s Executive Director, Phillip E. Russo, CAE. "Our Legislative Counsels are here to represent the concerns and views of our Members to the legislature in order to assure that fleet concerns are considered when laws and regulations are being discussed. NAFA encourages our Members and all fleet managers to communicate regularly with lawmakers and regulators.”"

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