At the 2019 International Utility and Construction Equipment Exposition (ICUEE), Utilimaster showcased two customized walk-in vans for Pepco in Washington, D.C. and DTE Energy in Detroit. Here’s how those vans were designed to meet the needs of utility crews.

A Spartan Motors Company, Utilitimaster specializes in custom-built vocational vehicles created through its Work-Driven Design process. Both walk-in vans are built on a Freightliner MT55 chassis and designed to meet the company’s specific needs.

“Prior to creating the Pepco and DTE Energy vans, we conducted Utilimaster’s Work Driven Design process to understand the ins and outs of what the customers’ needed to conduct their business in the most efficient, effective manner.  It is no coincidence that fleets designed to enhance driver efficiency are typically those that are most profitable,” Matthew Jarmuz, client development manager for Utilimaster told Work Truck.

Pepco’s van was designed to increase operator comfort and safety without losing efficiency. The 18-foot Utilimaster walk-in van body is upfitted with EZ Stak storage equipment inside, a 12kW diesel power generator, and technology to improve driver ergonomics and safety.

A 360-degree camera system gives drivers multi-view vantage points, while Mobileye technology offers collision mitigation and lane departure warnings to help avoid accidents. The Pepco van also features an underground electric unit that feeds air into underground worksites, providing heated or cooled air to increase worker health and comfort.

The DTE van features a 7000-watt generator and boss hydraulic system to power hydraulic tools.