Marc: Hello everyone,
Several of the IPWEA Fleet Subscribers are in the initial planning stages of building new council depots.
Do you have any advice for them on what to include, or what not to do?
What should they consider for the workshop? e.g. Are service pits still popular and safe?
Do they need to plan for electric vehicle charging?
What about managing CoR? Should they have a weighbridge?
How should staff parking be allocated and where should it be located? Should everyone reverse into their spots?
Add your comments to this conversation thread because I think there's a lot of knowledge to share on how to make a depot more practical in 2023.
Marc Sibbald, Director Fleet, IPWEA Australasia
Hermes: Hi Marc,
A few things I can think of that I wish our Depot (had):
• Wash bay with vacuum for the Mechanics and many other teams
• Make sure that if there is a roof, there is enough clearance for your vehicles especially if the team likes to carry things on their roof. 3 to 3.5m is pretty good, more if you run building services above you, especially fire sprinklers and vents
• Have 2 height bars, one for the team to break and give an alert and the second for back up purposes (normally this one will survive)
• Make sure your power meter box can accommodate EV charging for the entire fleet, better if you can have power management system.
• Try to locate storage cages and operational vehicles close to the entrance and exit.
• Locate staff vehicles away from operational vehicles to prevent damage
• Weighbridge depends on what you have around you, normally rubbish tips have them and we have a good relationship with them.
• Wish to have a mezzanine level as our depot has massive ceilings. Good use of space and depending on the space use oversize the ventilation system.
• We do little work on our bigger trucks, so a service pit wasn't necessary for us
• Make sure security makes sense to prevent theft and have a good solid Gate
• Automatic contactor/visitor sign-in, pretty much a good BMS system for roller doors, HVAC, sprinklers
• Make sure the drainage pits/tanks/rainwater tanks are serviceable and located in a place that a vac/Jetter truck can empty.
Hermes Lam, Willoughby City Council
Thomas: I suggest allocating funds for 3rd party consultancy to complete a strategic depot and accommodation review.
Having someone engaged at the planning stage may seem like a significant budget impact but it is critical.
The right consultant will have the right knowledge and connections to ensure every aspect is covered i.e. flood/fire mapping, community impact, stay versus move, future-proofing, co-locating, innovation etc.
Also a must is the '3 option plan' - Council will have to approve such an investment so make sure there are options presented so you get buy-in - engage them on the journey. A working group is a good starting point.
Thomas Brayley, Logan City Council
Shane: Hi Richard
I know Bundaberg had a good system working with Repco in the past.
Check in with Craig Doyle at Bundy (Mobile: 07 4130 4591).
Jason Trembath (Mobile: 0459 391 302). Might be a good start.
A few others also offer similar service: Bursons Auto Parts, NAPA, etc.
Shane Grimstone, Local Buy Pty Ltd
Click in the link to view more subjects or to contribute to the discussion.
------------------------------
Ask Your Mates is a place to share ideas with over 30,000 of your industry peers. A place to ask questions and get real-time answers and generate meaningful discussions. A place to build industry connections. Become an IPWEA Member to have full posting rights or view the most recent discussions. Also check out our Fleet & Plant Management Open Forum.