» It is important to overcome the mindset
of replacing vocational trucks and
equipment with comparable units because
there are constant changes in available
alternatives and regulatory requirements.
Photo courtesy of Daimler Trucks North America
October 2017 | VehicleServicePros.com 29
How To Ensure Efficient Vocational Truck Specifications
As work trucks become more complex, the
challenge of spec’ing vocational vehicles
becomes increasingly difficult and mistakes
are inevitable. Yet, says Christopher Lyon,
director of fleet relations, NTEA (www.ntea.
com), the effort put into this pays off in efficient
specifications that can lower overall
vehicle acquisition and lifecycle costs.
NTEA, the Association for the Work Truck
Industry, represents more than 1,950 companies
that manufacture, distribute, install, sell
and repair commercial trucks, truck bodies,
truck equipment, trailers and accessories.
TYPES OF SPECS
Lyon of NTEA says there are four
common types of vehicle specifications
that can be written:
Engineered – These include the
most detail and require a high level
of engineering expertise.
The writer assumes a significant amount
of liability for the final product but has
complete control over it, he explains. In
most cases, engineered specs are used for
extremely specialized, customized offerings
and often result in the most expensive
end product with long production times.
Functional – These describe intended
equipment usage but provide minimal
guidance for actual design.
While easy to write, functional specifications
rely on vendors to interpret requirements
and final product applications,
Lyon says. This leaves little control over
design and makes it difficult to standardize
components on a global level.
Performance – These are similar to
functional specs but incorporate specific
requirements for the completed unit;
for example, crane lifting capacity or
maximum operating vehicle speed.
Performance specifications are easy to write
and provide vendors with significant flexibility,
he says. However, there is less control
over final design and standardization.
Hybrid or composite – These specs
combine the best features of engineered,
functional and performance specifications.
The writer can fully define all requirements,
as well as incorporate standard
components without being excessively
restrictive to vendors, notes Lyon.
THE PAST
Some fleets stick with what worked
previously and won’t go beyond manufacturer
changes from model year to
model year, NTEA’s Lyon observes.
“While this might sound like a concrete
idea, it can become a slippery slope and
results in outdated and inefficient operations,”
he says. “Take a step back and
consider your current equipment functionality.
Is the equipment that’s being
replaced the most efficient for the task?
Have job requirements shifted over time?”
He points out that change can bring
opportunities to increase efficiency, so it
is important to overcome the mindset of
replacing equipment with comparable items.
WHERE TO BEGIN?
Writing effective specifications that provide
the best value for capital spent starts with
defining the application, Lyons of NTEA says.
“Don’t make decisions based on what everyone
else is doing or assume past needs equal
current,” he warns, and offers this advice:
•• Look at the operating environment,
as well as drive and duty cycles.
•• Identify valid functional requirements, such
as payload and dimensional considerations.
•• Define performance conditions, such
as road speed and gradeability.
•• Outline design constraints,
such as operating
environments,
overall weight, vehicle
dimensions and other
regulatory barriers.
•• It is “critical” to design
second units, such
as body and auxiliary
equipment, before the
chassis, he emphasizes.
“Avoid the pitfall
of buying a chassis
and making it work.
“Once all of the details
are finalized, then design
the chassis and write
the specification.”
SEEK HELP
With constant changes in
available alternatives and
regulatory requirements,
NTEA’s Lyon recommends
taking advantage of
resources to help optimize
equipment and chassis
designs. Truck equipment
manufacturers, distributors,
upfitters and OEM
representatives can be
“excellent sources when
designing and spec’ing.”
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