10 items you should keep in your vehicle, and why:

Now that the weather is getting better, people tend to spend more time on the road. This means longer family road trips or more work related travel. Regardless of the season, it’s always a good idea to keep your vehicle stocked with essential items in case of an emergency. Some of the obvious items would include: a windshield scraper and brush, flashlight, extra batteries, jumper cables, first-aid kit, small tool kit, cell phone charger and blanket. 

Many of the things that people choose to keep in their vehicles will vary depending on region. I know not all of us are MacGyver, but having these items on hand just might save your life, or at the very least come in handy.

1. Disinfectant Wipes:   Use for cleaning up a spill, cleaning dirty hands or any other sticky situation.

2. USB Mobile Device Charger:

Important to have in case there is ever a moment when your phone might run out of battery.

3. Energy Bars:  These snacks are non-perishable and will hold you over if ever stuck waiting for assistance. 

4. Bottled Water:  Important  to stay hydrated if stranded or for a thirsty radiator.

5. Maps: Yes, the paper kind! It's always important to keep an updated map on hand because technology isn't always available. 

6. WD-40:  Can help loosen lug nuts or stuck battery cables. It can even help start wet engines. "If it doesn't move and should, use WD-40!"

7. Duct Tape:  Great for temporary fixes, such as holding your muffler in place. "If it moves and shouldn't, use Duct Tape!"

8. Flares or Reflective Triangle:  Important to have so you 
don’t get hit on the side of the road.

9. Utility Knife:  This multipurpose tool can handle numerous problems that may arise. Not everyone carries around a Swiss Army knife.

10. Matches:  Keep a couple matchbooks in a freezer bag so that they stay dry.  Good to have just in case; you never know when you might need them.

If storage is a concern, you can keep all these items neatly stored  inside your Fleetwest transferable truck body. Safety is always a top priority for fleets and keeping your tools and gear organized helps to make you a more safe and efficient technician. The Fleetwest service bodies offer a variety of options to help keep your work truck more organized, safe and efficient. 

• Custom Shelving and Storage Bins
• Drawers with multi-sized dividers
• Slide Out Decks
• Ladder Racks
• LED lighting

Call Fleetwest today for a quote at (866) 497-7200

HOA Discrimination Against Vocational Vehicles

Do you take your work truck home and park it in your driveway or on the street nearby? If you live in an HOA you may want to rethink that. You just might be subjected to fines or more.  It is not uncommon for vocational vehicles to be ticketed in residential areas governed by a homeowner association (HOA). A company may have unknowingly put its employees in this difficult situation when they issue out a logo branded or wrapped vehicle.

With communities consistently growing, there is an estimate of 50 million Americans that live in HOA communities. Most HOAs will allow commercial vehicles as long as they are out of site in a garage, but not all fleet vehicles can fit due to height or length. Also, if the employee lives in an apartment, townhouse or condominium development that option may not even exist. Employees are then at the mercy of their HOA parking restrictions and there is no uniformity to these rules.

Long story short, legally, HOAs have the authority to control the type of vehicles allowed to park in their communities. Thus creating a problem for those residents whose primary transportation is a company issued vehicle or work truck. The common response is that these HOA conditions and restrictions were laid out in documents before the purchase or lease of the property or community and should have been addressed then.

Fleetwest has a solution to this situation for the pickup work trucks; the transferable service body! Fleetwest service bodies are 100% transferable with a no holes drilled installation and a universal fit to most full-size pickup trucks. These service bodies can be easily removed, fully loaded via forklift, crane or lifting jacks and left in the company garage or warehouse. This gives the employee the ability to drive the pickup truck home at night without the risk of HOA violation. In the morning, drive into work and transfer their service body back into the truck bed and off they go.

For more information or a quote, reach out to a Fleetwest representative today.

www.fleetwest.net

Meet NTEA's 54th President - Todd Davis

Congratulations Todd Davis! Looking forward to what this year holds.

Todd Davis, Vice President of Phenix Truck Bodies & Van Equipment, located in Pomona, California becomes NTEA's 54th President.

The Work Truck Show® - North America's Largest Work Truck Event

The day if finally here!

The Work Truck Show® is your once-a-year chance to see all of the newest industry products, choose from dozens of industry-focused training courses, and gain access to technical engineering representatives from hundreds of exhibiting companies. Attendees can interact with thousands of industry professionals; set up meetings with current suppliers or customers; find solutions to resolve technical issues; and talk shop with industry peers at special events and receptions.

The Show is the ultimate resource for industry professionals, offering the opportunity to:
See the latest vocational truck and equipment displays, with product experts available at exhibitor booths

• Meet with current and prospective suppliers 
• Find solutions to critical technical questions 
• Interact with thousands of peers 
• Gain insight into recent industry and market trends 

Work Truck Week is where the industry comes to learn, network and find what they need to get the job done. Each year, offers more options to build your Show experience. From exhibits, education and special events - you pick. Find your reasons to attend.

Learn more at: http://www.worktruckshow.com

Used M370 Service Body (SOLD)

This used capsule has 370 cubic feet of organized storage space that features aluminum shelving, a ceiling mounted aluminum cabinet, and rear mounted exterior lighting above barn style doors with rear window. The two overhead dome lights create an efficient and convenient work space.

The used fiberglass composite capsule (pictured below) is located in Tempe, Arizona and available for a fraction of the price of new service bodies. This pickup service body can accommodate a variety of technicians from HVAC, auto glass repair, locksmith or delivery industries. The possibilities are endless with this van alternative, which makes this the ideal service body for any long bed work truck!

The lightweight fiberglass composite and aluminum materials improve fuel economy and allow for more weight in tools and cargo. The best part about this used capsule is transferability. It slips on and off a pickup truck in minutes, with no-holes-drilled installation.

Call a Fleetwest representative today before it’s too late! (866) 497-7200

Sale price: $6995 SOLD!!

R&M Downtime Solution!

Downtime cost is an important factor to consider when running a work truck Fleet. Fleet managers and self-employed technicians alike depend on their vehicles to get the job done every day. Accidents, technician time lost, work truck maintenance and repairs result in costly downtime; and there is not just money lost, but opportunity as well. Fleet managers have to foresee these problems and have a prepared strategy to handle these unexpected costs.

How do you prepare for the unexpected?
Enter Fleetwest with alternative service vehicle solutions to help get Fleet work trucks on the road faster.

When a pickup truck is in the shop for maintenance or an accident occurs, Fleetwest service bodies are 100% transferable and able to be moved from the damaged pickup truck and onto another truck in minutes, fully loaded. With traditional bolt-on bodies, continuing to operate a work truck depends on the condition of the pickup. This means that an individual or company continues to incur expenses until the vehicle is repaired. When a vehicle and its driver aren’t working, there is a considerable financial loss per hour. These costs can be controlled with a transferable truck body because it is not dependent on the condition of the vehicle.

Fleetwest steel and fiberglass service bodies are installed with the use of lifting jacks, forklift or a crane; no holes are drilled so there is no damage done to the pickup truck or service body. Your technician can continue his service calls with his personal service body, tools and equipment until his vehicle is repaired and then the service body can be transferred back again, fully loaded. Problem solved!

To add a Fleetwest transferable service body to your fleet, call toll free at 866-497-7200 or get a quote.

START YOUR YEAR OFF RIGHT AND LIGHT!!

It seems that we aren’t the only ones that have chosen to lose some weight for the New Year. Pickup trucks are now shedding the pounds to become more lightweight too. It’s referred to as “lightweighting”. With a mixture of advanced materials such as aluminum, high-strength steels and composites to help increase the pickup’s maximum payload, towing capacity and fuel economy.

The numbers are already weighing in.The New 2019 Ram 1500 pickup is 225 pounds lighter and the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado is 450 pounds lighter than their 2018 models. Ford started the trend back in 2015 when it switched to an aluminum bed and body for the F-150 Super Duty pickups that shed a whopping 700 pounds. Each automaker is trying different approaches and material combinations to find their desired results. 

It seems that Ford’s rivals are not relying as much on aluminum in their diet, but all the big brands have launched lightweighting programs. The 2019 Silverado was introduced with an aluminum hood, tailgate and doors, but 80 percent of its frame is made of high-strength steel. GM is experimenting with other materials such as carbon fibers as well. The redesigned 2019 Ram 1500 also added aluminum to its tailgate, engine mounts and parts of its suspension with 90 percent of the frame high-strength steel.

No matter what combination of materials is used, you can bet that aluminum is going to play a major role by 2020 due to cost. Experimenting with mixed-materials to fill the supporting roles will continue to grow in both strength and affordability over time; which will aid automakers in their lightweighting future.

At Fleetwest we understand the need for lightweight and efficient vehicles. Our innovative service bodies are both lightweight and more efficient than tradition bolt on units. Fleetwest service bodies are 100% transferable even fully loaded with equipment and will universally fit any full-size pickup truck; making them versatile. And that is an optimal combination to reduce your operational cost while improving your productivity.   

Start your year off right and light! 

Give us a call for more information.

(866) 497-7200