PIE_Minitruck.docx

Description

St. Pete Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is requesting a new minitruck to supplement its current fleet of vehicles. PIE’s Facilities department has more staff than available vehicles, and a minitruck fits PIE’s needs better than alternative vehicles.

Minitrucks are Japanese-market utility trucks that are used for the same purposes as pickup trucks are in America: by tradesmen of all types to perform groundskeeping, maintenance, general construction, etc. Numerous US-based dealers import used or brand-new units legally and sell them to private consumers, corporations, and public entities. Used trucks over 25 years old can be registered and driven in any state, on any road. In some states newer minitrucks under 25 years old are limited to off-road use but many states including Florida allow even brand-new units to be registered and used on public roads with speed limits below 35 mph, or to cross roads of higher speeds.

Figure 2: Daihatsu Hijet, a typical minitruck

Justification

The PIE Facilities department has 17 staff who require a vehicle to perform their tasks, but only has 14 vehicles. The department carpools whenever possible, but the Facilities building is remote from the terminal and the most common worksites so this is usually not a practical option: employees frequently must drive back and forth between their work location and the Facilities building for equipment/supplies, which makes carpool coordination difficult. This shortage problem is exacerbated whenever a vehicle is being serviced. An additional vehicle would allow Facilities staff to more effectively respond to issues as they are reported.

For FY24 the PIE Facilities department budgeted $40,000 for the purchase of a Toro Workman to be utilized primarily by the PIE Grounds crew for landscaping tasks such as mulching, tree-trimming, etc. The primary appeal of the Workman was/is the relatively smaller size (advantageous when working on landscaping in PIE’s crowded parking lots and congested curbside areas), available four-wheel-drive, and a hydraulic dump bed.

Figure 1: Toro Workman

Unfortunately the lead time on the Workman is approximately 18 months, so PIE Facilities evaluated other options including the Ford F150 and Polaris Ranger (two vehicles often purchased by the county for similar duties, and which PIE currently has a few in-use) and has determined a minitruck such as the Daihatsu Hijet offers unique advantages:

· Cost. At under $30,000 a new minitruck is both well within budget and considerably less than either the Workman ($38,000) or a Ford F150 ($42,000). With fuel economy exceeding 40 miles per gallon, a minitruck also costs much less to operate than any of the other options given their fuel economy of 15-20 miles per gallon.

· Size: PIE staff often perform maintenance tasks in crowded parking lots or congested curbside areas where passengers load/unload. Minitrucks have a small footprint like the Workman and Ranger but are more maneuverable with a tighter turning circle. Minitrucks are much smaller than the F150 with much better visibility. These traits reduce the risk of accidents involving citizens or their vehicles.

· Utility: A minitruck’s cargo bed is as large as an F150’s and features hydraulic dump capability unlike the Ford; the Workman has a hydraulic dump bed, but it is much smaller; the Ranger has a much smaller bed with no hydraulic dump. The minitruck’s bed also features drop sides, which turn the truck into a flatbed allowing large, bulky items to be loaded/transported more easily; no other vehicle offers this capability.

· Off road capability: The selected vehicle will be used off-road on PIE’s airfield, which is often saturated with rainwater. All are available with four-wheel-drive, but previous experience indicates lighter vehicles such as the Ranger, Workman, and minitruck (all under 2,000 pounds) do not get stuck in such conditions unlike heavier vehicles like the F150 (6,400 pounds). Full-size trucks like the F150 also leave deep ruts in wet areas, which is forbidden by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules and must be repaired.

· Safety and Comfort: The Ranger and Workman do not come with doors, roofs, mirrors, or even windshields as standard. Air conditioning is not an option at all. Given that PIE Facilities staff often work in inclement weather or extreme heat, it is beneficial if the vehicle allows them to get safely out of the elements. The minitruck comes with all of these features as standard as well as windshield wipers, turn signals, airbags, hazard flashers, reverse lights, three-point safety belts, etc.

· Security: The Ranger and Workman do not have doors and the only standard lockable storage is a small glove box compartment. The minitruck has proper doors meaning PIE property can be securely locked within the cab.

· Operational Flexibility: PIE Facilities staff periodically cross Roosevelt Boulevard to maintain grounds/buildings separated from the main airport campus. It is not legal to drive a Workman or Ranger to these locations, so if they are needed they must be loaded onto a trailer and towed there. A minitruck can be driven there, which will allow staff more flexibility to service those areas.

A comparison of the different vehicles features and specifications is summarized in the chart below.

What disadvantages a minitruck faces are of little consequence to PIE. When heavy cargo or trailers must be transported, PIE has full-size pickup trucks available. If it needs to be serviced at Fleet’s main shop on Ulmerton Road (which exceeds Florida’s 35 mph speed limit restriction for minitrucks), it is small enough to be towed via trailer same as a Workman or Ranger would require anyway.

Budgetary Impact

A vehicle purchase is already accounted for within the Facilities FY2024 budget at a cost of $40,000. The expected purchase price for a new minitruck will be approximately $27,000 plus or minus $1,000 depending on the exact model chosen. This will be a non-recurring cost.

Contact Information: Kevin Rzeszut, Airport Facilities Manager, krzeszut@fly2pie.com, 727-453-7832.

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