Built to Last: 25 Years of Fabric Building Services
“Over the past 25 years, the Fabric Building Division at Greystone Construction has earned the trust of hundreds of cities, counties, municipalities, DOTs (departments of transportation) and private firms, and has covered over 2,000,000 square feet of salt piles with … More from our cover sponsor →
Building consensus into informed fleet purchase decisions
Deciding what to buy with limited funding can be challenging today, but as a fleet professional, I believe that it is incumbent upon us to eliminate preferential treatment for departments/divisions when making decisions about purchasing new vehicles. Many years ago … Continue reading →
News & Notes
Rochester, Ind. — RapidView LLC was the Rochester & Lake Manitou Chamber of Commerce’s member of the month for November. Due to adverse weather conditions, the award presentation was postponed until Thursday, Jan. 23. Philadelphia, Pa. — Eneref Institute announced … Continue reading →
Apple Valley facilities increase revenue
Valleywood Golf Course Clubhouse in Apple Valley, Minn., is not only energy efficient and aesthetically appealing: It has one more bonus. The city-owned facility has increased revenue for the municipality. The clubhouse is one of several buildings and services that … Continue reading →
Nathan Wachtendonk
The American Public Works Association gives its members benefits and opportunities to network and share experiences. It also recognizes outstanding departments with awards, such as the one bestowed upon a very snowy city. Nathan Wachtendonk, fleet manager of the city … Continue reading →
Shelve the snowplow
Especially after this winter, municipalities will put away their winter equipment with a sigh of relief. Up go the plows, off go the grinders and away go the salt spreaders. For Merrill, Wis., that usually happens in mid- to late-April, … Continue reading →
Supply and demand: Technicians in greater demand than ever
Government fleets across the country are facing a growing need for quality technicians, particularly as new technologies and alternative fuels are integrated. However, as the need grows, the availability of such technicians is limited. Fewer enter the field than before, … Continue reading →
Looking down the road
I don’t know that it’s wise to count chickens before they hatch, but hopefully 2014 will reveal a light at the end of the tunnel of financial strangulation under which most of us are operating. Late last year I was … Continue reading →
News & Notes
Princeton, N.J. — Fresh off one of the most successful conferences in recent memory, NAFA Fleet Management Association is bringing its annual institute and exposition to Minneapolis, Minn., April 8–11. Fleet professionals from throughout the United States and Canada will … Continue reading →
NAFA 2014: Making tracks to Minneapolis
Public and private sector fleet professionals will head to the Minneapolis Convention Center next month for the annual nafa Fleet Management Association Institute and Expo. Retaining last year’s new Tuesday through Saturday schedule, the 2014 Institute and Expo opens April … Continue reading →
‘Experience FDIC’
If you’ve never attended the largest firefighting show and exposition in the U.S., then 2014 will be a great year to take advantage of the jam-packed number of career-building education and training opportunities. If you’ve been to fdic before, though, … Continue reading →
Alarm issues: retain response, add revenue
In 2007 the Marietta, Ga., Police Department took a close look at its calls-for-service numbers. Analyses from a study done that year indicated that the jurisdiction fit right in with the national average of service calls coming from alarms: 10 … Continue reading →
New pedestrian, bike safety devices
Pedestrians who are crossing busy streets are often busy doing something else: listening to music, texting or talking on a phone. Those distracted walkers often fail to look both ways for traffic or follow other safety rules. A study conducted … Continue reading →
Tom Westergaard
Tom Westergaard has been the fleet manager for Prince William County, Va., for the past 16 years. He has also been a member of the American Public Works Association since December 2012, and uses it as a springboard to share … Continue reading →
Hickory, N.C., integrates new fleet technologies and good attitudes
New technologies and alternative fuels provide cost savings in certain scenarios, in addition to showing citizens their municipalities are environmentally minded. As fleets across the country integrate these technologies — whether they are natural gas, propane, biodiesel, or another alternative … Continue reading →
Police cycles head down Electric Avenue
Police officers across the country are getting a new, nearly silent partner: electric motorcycles. While the bike’s stealth is a factor in their growing popularity, other features also make the motorcycles an attractive choice. Officers cite the maneuverability of the … Continue reading →
Slow recovery, labor problems for fleets
Have you thanked your city’s fleet manager recently? Supervising a diverse supply of vehicles and machinery is a huge job. The American Public Works Association has a National Fleet Services Committee, which keeps up with new trends and regulations that … Continue reading →