Vehicle choices for field service techs

Ute, tray-top, service body or van? Selecting the right vehicle for field service is driven by many factors.

Today’s fleet manager is faced with a range of options when deciding on the perfect vehicle for field service technicians. Economics, ergonomics, safety and resale value all play a part. 

The era of specialisation

The Australian-invented utility - the ute - was adopted by the Americans and renamed the pickup truck. Utes offer a great general-purpose vehicle configuration that serves the needs of people who have to carry small bulky and/or dirty loads and want the driving experience of a conventional car. Perfect for transporting the odd hay-bale around the farm and dropping the kids off at school in town.

Vans, on the other hand, started out as delivery vehicles and people carriers. Kitted out with racks, shelving, bins and drawers, they can become excellent technicians’ and tradesmen’s workhorses. They are particularly popular in Europe, with its colder and wet climate and smaller travel distances.

Highly task-specific vehicles have been around for a long time, including ambulances, bulk liquid carriers, hearses, fire trucks, etc. As industries mature, they become more specialised. The evolution of the modern service-body is a sign of the increasingly sophisticated and specific demands of the field-service technician and highly mobile tradesman.

Vehicles adapted for use by field service technicians can be arranged in a size/cost/complexity/customisation spectrum from station wagon, to ute, tray-top, service body and van. The scale continues to trucks featuring cherry pickers and more.

Selection criteria

Apart from obvious size and fit considerations, there are ergonomics, handling, ride comfort and crash safety requirements. Purchase price, running and fit-out costs, ease of repair and resale value will also drive the purchasing decision.

Owner-operators will have different priorities from fleet operators towards a vehicle’s ability to be used for personal reasons, including carrying multiple passengers, towing caravans or boats, or being reconfigured to carry camping and outdoor gear.

Load restraint compliance is being increasingly enforced, and the ratio of tools, spare parts and one-off loads also plays a part in deciding how much fixed racking and shelving, versus cargo area, is required. Cargo can be odd shapes; shed dirt, dust and mud; and can give off noxious and dangerous fumes. Everything not tightly secured becomes a deadly projectile in an accident.

Risk management and liability reduction are high priorities for fleet operators, and anything that can be done to reduce those is a big plus. Good design takes the human element out of decisions and actions and makes it an intrinsic part of the set-up. Making load and storage decisions automatic reduces the company’s exposure to potential claims.

A low centre of gravity (roll centre) makes for a safer ride and better handling, as does well-engineered load distribution.

Good operator access limits the amount of stretching, heavy lifting and climbing. By presenting tools, parts and loads at optimum heights, fatigue is reduced and productivity and safety increased. A better and more productive working environment has fewer injury claims. Big access steps and well-placed hand-holds make potentially dangerous tasks simple and safe.

Nobody wants their tools, parts or cargo damaged or stolen. Thieves are opportunistic and will exploit a lack of security or operator attention and quickly snatch anything of value. Is the work done at the vehicle or away from it; is it mainly used as a packhorse, or does it have to provide working areas as well? The latter requires lights, solid bench space and the ability to mount hardware (eg, vices, pipe-cutters, etc). Does the work area need some protection from the elements in the form of swing-up doors or a retractable marquee?

All vehicle types offer many customisation options - it is very important to resist the urge to include every option, as gross vehicle mass (GVM) limits must be respected, not just for legal reasons, but to provide a safe and stable ride and reduce wear, tear and running costs.

There are different styles of service bodies: ‘saddle bag’ ones that drape over the chassis and tray-top mounted ones that open right up and provide a work area, task lighting, shade and some protection from the elements.

Working requirements

The optimal choice of vehicle is driven by many factors: some obvious, some less so. We’ve determined that such factors generally fall into one of four categories: general criteria, cargo and carrying, working and driving.

General criteria

Things to consider in this category include comparative vehicle cost, resale value, minor smash repairs, fitout costs, vehicle signage capability - bonnets, doors, sidewalls etc, work vs personal use and commercial risk. Commercial risk should factor in things like load compliance. For example, a ute attracts high commercial risk as load compliance is completely operator dependent, whereas service bodies deliver a lower commercial risk as a well-designed vehicle means that loads are carried and restrained properly.

Cargo and carrying

The cargo and carrying requirement encompasses a range of classes: load restraint compliance, load/cargo/tool access, long loads, load security, load safety, waterproofing, general security and load contamination from dust, fumes and leaks. Vans tend to score well in most of these categories, although limited entry points can pose the occasional problem.

Working

Working criteria are specific to working with and in the vehicle - can it be used to operate any of the tasks required by the tech, is there ladder access, does the vehicle provide weathershielding and how does it react in terms of general wear and tear?

Driving

Finally, driving considerations need to be assessed. These include steering and handling, ride quality, long-distance driving, rollover centre, air conditioning, off-road capability, driver visibility and crashworthiness, all of which vary from body type to body type.

We’ve compiled a complete matrix outlining the performance of each of the four vehicle body types against the 27 judging criteria, to provide a starting point for vehicle purchasing decisions. It’s not intended as a definitive guide, but should be used as a checklist to prompt questions when evaluating options. It can be downloaded from our website - www.xl.com.au - under the Info page.

Image credit: ©Ashley Whitworth/Dollar Photo Club