Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/821508
commercial carrier journal | may 2017 75 EQUIPMENT: LIGHT-DUTY UPFIT OPTIONS about half as much as a comparable steel model and 10 percent less than a fiberglass composite body. e reduction in weight offers more than just mpg benefits, says Craig Bonham, vice president of sales and business development for Reading Truck Body. "at actually has a tremendous ef- fect on the applicable legal – I want to stress that – legal payload on a vehicle," Bonham says. "at has become a sensitive topic today for many owner- operators, large fleets and companies that have the need to move a lot of product, a lot of tools and make one trip at a time and remain legal." Aermarket upfitters aren't the only ones working on jobsite-friendly de- signs. In March, Ford submitted plans to the U.S. Patent Office for a sliding bed floor equipped with a sensor that keeps it from hitting things or people as it extends from the truck's bed. ough its weight capacity is not available yet, Ford's floor is designed to work on inclines with a heavy load. Vans Bending over to hunt for tools in the back of a van can be stressful on your lower back, which paves the way for innovations that provide ergonomic relief. With CargoGlide's Wall Gliding System, available this summer, items are stored on a fixed shelf, drawer or bin that can be rolled 70 to 100 percent outside of a van. Wall glides enable the back of any van to carry up to 1,500 pounds on each side of the wall. OEMs have worked on their own designs to offer increased ergonomics. Ram's ProMaster is the only Class 2 commercial van to feature front-wheel drive, which allows for a lower load floor and bigger doors that can fit a standard-size pallet. In a chassis cab configuration, front-wheel drive also gives upfitters more room to work. ere's been a clear shi in vocational van styling toward European designs that feature lighter chassis and smaller engines. But the uptick in fuel economy comes with a sacrifice in payload, and when upfit with a steel body, payload capabilities drop even more – so much so that Bon- ham says Reading believes it is impractical to even offer a steel body for either the Ford Transit or Ram ProMaster. Instead, Reading has an aluminum body for those OEM models, which overcomes payload concerns and keeps the van within legal limits. "If we were to install an aluminum CSV, that's our classic service van, in an 11-foot configuration – 57-inch-high interior from floor-plate to ceiling – we can pass on to that client 3,300 pounds of legal payload, with two people in the vehicle, a full tank of fuel and their lunch," Bonham says. Vocational trucks Corrosion can be an issue for carbon-steel dump bodies, but Switch-N-Go says it has developed a solution with its detachable stainless-steel dump body. Compatible with the company's Easy- Slide subframe, the unit is production- grade and production-ready, says Russ Wallace, Switch-N-Go sales manager. e stainless body has a 10-ton dump capacity and is being marketed for municipal, landscape, construction and other industries that require noncorrosive material. A full hydraulic system increases the body's loading capacity from 15,000 to 18,000 pounds. Morgan Corp. recently launched a truck body aimed at lawn, landscape and nursery professionals. e company's ProScapeVan offers an easy-to-deploy corrosion-resistant aluminum ramp with a 2,500-pound load capacity. e fold-over ramp has a heavy- duty-steel articulating hinge to compen- sate for uneven ground surfaces. A "smart" interior configuration increases usable floor space as opposed to an internal dovetail design. e open inte- rior layout is designed to maximize space for tools, materials and equipment. A variety of custom options – includ- ing lighting, flooring, tie-down and rack systems – also are available. OEM upfits Ensuring a proper fit is crucial to get- ting the most life out of the body and the vehicle. Most OEMs offer a body builder guide, and this year, several programs have been launched to sup- port upfitters. Mack Trucks rolled out its Mack Body Builder Portal, an online shop for all of the truck maker's body builder Ford has submitted plans to the U.S. Patent Office for a sliding bed floor equipped with a sensor that keeps it from hitting things or people as it ex- tends from the truck's bed. With CargoGlide's Wall Gliding System, items can be stored on a fixed shelf, drawer or bin that can be rolled 70 to 100 percent outside of a van.