Public Works: Personnel

Next-Generation Workforce

Fri, 7 Sep 2012 02:55:53 EST

Embrace the Future

Fri, 7 Sep 2012 01:37:07 EST

Getting drivers to accept new technologies is easy — if done the right way.

To Reconstruct an Accident

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:10:29 EST

Your employee is driving in the right lane when a car rushes past, then swerves in front to make it to an exit ramp. The car brakes hard 15 feet in front. With little reaction time, your worker hits it. The police cite your driver for following too closely, because the car was struck from behind.

Tips and trends in work truck safety

Wed, 5 Sep 2012 05:10:23 EST

Truck safety is a matter of life and death. That's why equipment inspections and safety training should be regular tasks in the routine of every well-run public works fleet.

Dealing with driver/operator shortages

Wed, 5 Sep 2012 03:53:56 EST

In-house training has proven to be the answer for public works departments that have difficulty finding qualified equipment operators and truck drivers.

Compensation packages ease hiring problems

Wed, 5 Sep 2012 03:05:55 EST

Benefits packages help public works departments attract and retain qualified fleet mechanics, even if public-sector wages run somewhat below the private sector, say fleet managers. Shortages of qualified mechanics appear to be a regional problem.

Training: put it in the purchase contract

Wed, 5 Sep 2012 03:01:30 EST

Providing training for mechanics these days—especially for new heavy equipment—can be a challenge, especially for smaller cities and counties. The solution, most fleet managers have found, is to write training into the purchase contracts for the equipment. Then it becomes the vendor's responsibility to supply the training.