Custom Utility Trailers Enhance City of Lethbridge’s Fleet Efficiency
Efficient utility fleet operations meant balancing cost, safety and flexibility for the City of Leithbridge, a Canadian municipality. Their electric operations team faced the challenge of transporting utility poles, streetlight poles, transformers and other heavy materials across active municipal worksites.
Standard pole trailers couldn't accommodate their diverse load requirements. Equipment trailers couldn't handle the overall length of the utility poles. Their existing trailers could no longer keep pace. They needed an upgrade: one trailer capable of handling demanding payloads, accommodating long pole lengths and withstanding the rigors of daily utility work.
The City issued a Request for Quotation with detailed specifications. What they needed was a manufacturer willing to take on the challenge and capable of engineering a purpose-built solution, on spec, on budget and built to last.
NCCHD, a Felling Trailers dealer serving the region, received the City's RFQ and immediately brought Felling into the conversation. Mark Rapp, Felling's utility telecom product specialist, collaborated with Kirk May of NCCHD, and the City of Lethbridge through extensive back-and-forth clarification sessions to ensure the build would be right on par.
“From the start, Mark demonstrated exceptional commitment and expertise in the development of two custom FT-24‑3 UPTs (utility pole/material trailers). Felling took on a highly specialized build and translated those needs into a durable, purpose‑built design that made the project a success,” stated Kirk.
Trailer Specifications - How They Were Built
Two custom FT-24-3 UPT (Utility Pole/Material Trailers) were engineered specifically for the City of Lethbridge.
"Some jobs call for standard Felling Utility Pole Trailers, and then there are those that call for one to be built to your customized spec with safety-minded features," Rapp said. "This was one of those projects where every detail mattered."
Every feature was driven by one question: what does this crew actually need to do the job? Here are the specs.
Capacity
- GVWR: 27,600 lbs | GAWR: 24,000 lbs.
- Cargo Capacity: 19,700 lbs | Empty Weight: 7,900 lbs
- Axles: (3) 8,000 lb. Oil Bath | Tires: 215/75R 17.5 H, 8 Bolt Plate Wheels
Telescopic Tongue
- Retracted: 32 ft. | Extended: 42 ft. with 10 ft. telescopic tongue
- 2 ¼ in. pin with slot and tab locking system, no lynch pin required
- Transport utility poles up to 67 ft. in length
- Wiring: heavy-duty energy chain (cat track) inside tongue
Pole Handling and Load Securement
- Bolster: (3) 5 in. double c-channel bolsters (tongue, front bed, rear bed) for poles to rest on
- Lock Stanchion: (2) 21 in. tall sliding, removable lever lock stanchions per bolster
- Streetlight Bar/Cradle: 9 ft. removable horizontal cross bar rear bolster for davit poles
- Tie Downs: C-track with (5) 4 in. sliding barrel winches, (5) 4 in. x 30 ft. nylon straps with flat hooks
- Tie Downs: Rub rails with stake pockets on both sides
Main Deck/Cargo Area
- Deck: 32 ft. long x 102 in. wide, ample room to haul transformers and misc. materials
- Deck Type: 2 in. white oak with anti-skid coating for load stability and crew safety
- (2) 48 in. aluminum toolboxes at rear, store removable pole light bar, tie downs, tools
- Traffic advisory light bar with multi-setting with control module in toolbox
The City of Lethbridge has expressed strong satisfaction with the performance and quality of the finished units, and additional trailer purchases are already planned for the spring. For more information, visit www.felling.com.