Viatec was privileged to attend the 73rd EUFMC (Electric Utilities Fleet Managers Conference) Expo in Colonial Williamsburg earlier in June this year. Being a part of the EUFMC put Viatec in front of the people who make work truck decisions every day — fleet managers, fleet supervisors, and utility equipment leaders - who are all looking for practical ways to reduce idling without changing how their crews get work done.
During the Drive-Thru Demonstration and the Equipment Show following, the conversation stayed focused on real fleet priorities: uptime, serviceability, operator control, and how ePTOs and other worksite power solutions fit into their existing fleet priorities.
Fleet managers drove the conversation
EUFMC stands apart from typical equipment showcases. Apart from focusing on leading technologies that impact equipment operations for their fleet attendees, it also brings together executive fleet leadership and targets the specific decision-makers within fleets who are responsible for fleet performance, maintenance exposure, equipment standards, and long-term cost.
Having the opportunity to connect with and speak to that high-level audience made the discussions during the event especially useful - for a technology and services provider such as Viatec. Fleet leaders wanted to understand how Viatec’s Workforce portfolio of products and services support worksite power requirements, how they help to reduce engine idling, and how all of these products and services seamlessly fit onto the trucks and duty cycles they already manage.
Useful field feedback, in context
We also had the chance to talk directly with several linemen and crews who were attending the event. And for us, the feedback from operators was just as meaningful as were the discussions with the wider fleet leadership that attended the conference.
In particular, a conversation with an experienced lineman stood out to us, as his questions were specifically dealing with the day-to-day working of our equipment on their trucks - centering around: how do the systems feel to the operators, are the operations easy and how do they enhance workers’ productivity while also prioritizing their health and safety.
Key takeaways
The message from EUFMC was simple: utility fleets are looking for idle reduction technology that is practical, transferable, serviceable, and built around real work truck operations. Systems and solutions that:
• Reduce idle without changing the ‘feel’ of the job.
• Maintain diesel-equivalent hydraulic performance at the worksite.
• Give fleet teams a path that works across mixed assets and long equipment lifecycles.
A quick thank you from the Viatec team
In a world of events and exhibitions - EUFMC stands alone. It is truly one of the most unique participative experiences for us and we look forward to returning each year! Thank you to the EUFMC Board and everyone involved in organizing the Drive-Thru and equipment show. We appreciated the opportunity to present, answer questions, and learn directly from the fleet community.
