Starting Jan. 1, 2014, fleet maintenance services for Colorado Springs Utilities’ 1,282-unit fleet will be handled by Serco, a U.K.-based company with a national office in Virginia, as part of a five-year contract awarded by the utility and the City of Colorado Springs.

The four-service utility serves more than 200,000 customers in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region. Vehicles make up the majority of the fleet with a total of 914 units, which includes Ford sedans, SUVs, and trucks; International vocational trucks; and Peterbilt over-the-road trucks. Vehicles are typically replaced after 10 years.

The fleet supports the needs of the electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater crews throughout the utility’s service area and is spread out as follows:

Electric: transmission and distribution aerial trucks, digger derricks, material trucks easement carts (backyard derricks), walk-in vans, a variety of pulling equipment, mobile cranes, and coal pushing equipment.

Natural gas: walk-in crew trucks, keyhole units, vacuum trucks, leak search detection technologies, service trucks, backhoes/ mini excavators, and trenchers/ compactors.

Water service: water crew trucks; vehicles/equipment to support distribution, collection and treatment (DCT) loaders; excavators; tractor/end dump and tanks; vacuum trucks; fire mitigation units; and raw water vehicles and equipment.

Wastewater service: vacuum/jet-rodder trucks, mud cat dredges, service trucks, and walk-in vans.

Serco employees will initially utilize the existing fleet maintenance facilities, with another service center to be located at the John Pinkerton Service facility in northern Colorado Springs next year, according to Mark Murphy, communications manager for Colorado Springs Utilities.

Providing onsite fleet services is expected to help improve response times and customer service. Outsourcing these services to Serco will also help reduce labor and vehicle costs.

Other cost-cutting strategies in place include:

• Discounted rates on vehicles, equipment, and services through partnerships with vehicle and equipment partners.

• Locked-in fuel futures, gallons pre-purchased at set rate, which ensures product availability and set pricing for V&E fueling commodities. 

• Driver awareness programs regarding idle time, pre-trip inspections, and importance of vehicle and equipment preventive maintenance.

Colorado Springs Utilities is working on expanding its “green” operations as well. Its current fleet includes hybrid, E-85, and CNG/bi-fuel models, with an additional 30 CNG/bi-fuel vehicles planned for 2014, Murphy said.

The utility also reinstated a CNG (slow fill) refueling station this year for use by Colorado Springs Utilities vehicles. A fast-fill option will be available for public use in the near future, Murphy added.