Montage Enterprises: Surpassing the expectation in mower parts
If there is a constant during the spring and summer, it’s the wave of never-ending mowing. Highways, ditches, right-of-ways, parks and other municipal and DOT properties all require routine trimming to improve motorists’ visibility and the quality of public property. … More from our cover sponsor →
Fleet manager aims for the best
As a young mechanic in the private sector, Larry Campbell was not out to lead one of the top municipal fleets in the United States. He wasn’t even sure he wanted into that line of business. “But I had a … Continue reading →
Range anxiety
Electric and hybrid vehicles have unquestionably carved their place into the market of the immense and indispensable U.S. automobile industry. They offer advantages, including environmental friendliness, quieter operation and fewer maintenance requirements. Their cost per mile can amount to a … Continue reading →
Bringing propane on board
When it comes to alternative fuels, propane sometimes called liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG dwarfs all others in terms of total vehicles in operation, both on and off the road. Of those propane vehicles being used, many are in municipal … Continue reading →
Traffic stops: Laws to ‘live’ by
Residential streets You shall always make vehicle traffic stops in a safe manner for you and the suspect vehicle. All traffic stops will include emergency lights and sirens. When making traffic stops on residential streets, look for side streets or … Continue reading →
What’s the hurry? Law enforcement motorcycle fleet officer training
There’s no such thing as too much training when it comes to safe stops for police motorcycle units, according to two experts on the topic. Jim Polan is a 34-year veteran of law enforcement and is currently a major with … Continue reading →
Husky Portable Containment leads the pack
The good news is coming fast and furious for Husky Portable Containment, an innovator in the field of portable folding tanks for firefighting. In the middle of last year the company received an approval for which it had been waiting … Continue reading →
Fleet service and management
Two fleet-related conferences are currently ramping up and will take place in April. One, the NAFA Fleet Management Association Institute and Expo, leans toward the car and SUV needs of municipalities. The other, the American Public Works Association North American … Continue reading →
What millennials’ waning interest in driving means for transportation planning
PHINEAS BAXANDALL | Guest columnist Senior analyst and program director, U.S. Public Interest Research Group A new report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund and the Frontier Group shows mounting evidence that the millennial generation’s dramatic shift … Continue reading →
Top Ten Small cities with the highest number of Energy Star certified buildings
Some of the most energy-efficient cities in the U.S. were located in smaller cities and towns in 2014, as evidenced by a list compiled by energystar.gov — proving that energy efficiency is an attainable goal for a municipality of any … Continue reading →
‘We know what keeps you awake at night:’ NTEA and the Green Truck Summit
NTEA Work Truck Show March 4–6 Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Ind. Registration for The Work Truck Show and the Green Truck Summit is open. For more information visit www.ntea.com/worktruckshow or call (800) 441-6832. Control fleet costs; maximize return on equipment … Continue reading →
Flags of our cities Lancaster Pennsylvania
Settled 1729 The Red Rose City cityoflancasterpa.com In 1907 a resolution was adopted in Lancaster, Pa., that said a municipal flag should be prepared. That directive was not carried out until 1926, however, when two copies of a flag design … Continue reading →
Community solar provides value, savings for municipal utilities
The solar industry is growing at an unprecedented rate throughout the U.S. By the end of 2015, the Solar Energy Industries Association predicts there will be enough solar power capacity installed to power more than 5.8 million homes. Municipal utilities … Continue reading →
Meth: a primer
No municipality is immune from the effects of one of America’s most insidious enemies: methamphetamine. Its impact on individuals, families and communities is ruthless; its purveyors are relentless; and the costs of both ignoring it and fighting it are enormous. … Continue reading →
Historic bridge reuse in the Heartland
Reusing a bridge that has been deemed historically significant preserves local and cultural heritage, and represents a responsible use of resources. The federal program that mandates this type of transfer of ownership, however, as well as mitigation of the impact … Continue reading →
Fleet cost management — It starts with the trucks you buy
By ROBERT “BOB” JOHNSON | Director of fleet relations, NTEA As a fleet manager, you probably spend a significant portion of your time looking for ways to control operating costs. Fuel is always a big portion of a fleet’s budget, … Continue reading →
Branching out
When it comes to identifying the root cause of power outages in the United States, it’s not going too far out on a limb to say that trees are responsible for approximately 30 percent of them. When one tree branch … Continue reading →
Four-wheel carts hit the gas
Quick, convenient and less expensive than heading out onto the highway, golf carts have long been darlings of the post- 8-to-5 crowd. Ecologically minded residents embrace the low emissions; and in communities that permit their widespread use, residents describe the … Continue reading →