Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/641412
30 commercial carrier journal | february 2016 full-manual function lets the driver put the shift lever into "M" and use the tog- gle switch to select the desired gear. I let the transmission and computer make its own decisions, and shifting was quiet and seamless. The standard rearview cam- era came in handy parking the nearly 150-inch-wheelbase workhorse in spac- es not designed for work vans. Cutaway and chassis cab models have the option of moving the backup display from the dash-mounted screen to the rearview mirror. Transit's responsive steering handles more like an SUV than a work van and features great visibility from the driver's seat, with a respectable turning radius for a vehicle its size. The van's unibody construction and Knapheide's KUV made for a fairly tight marriage; even unloaded, squeaks and creaks were minimal if not nonexistent. Ready for work The Knapheide KUV's storage config- uration was just as impressive as Ford's powertrain and performance; taking up nearly two-thirds of the van's over- all length, it features multiple conve- nient adjustable divider shelves. Mandar Dighe, vice president of marketing for Knapheide, says the units are designed in partnerships with technicians who actually use the units. The company may draft several different initial work body concepts before putting them in the hands of the people who are going to use them. That feedback is used to drive improvements and efficiencies for production models. In dual rear-wheel configuration, the Class 3 Transit's payload capacity approaches just north of 4,500 pounds, and if you somehow need additional storage room, Knapheide offers op- tional overhead and side ladder racks. Sortimo systems and other tools can help save inches occupied by organiza- tional chaos. The KUV can be further customized to suit a variety of trades- man needs. Transit is built in Kansas City, where Ford's assembly plant casts its shadow over a dozen upfitters within 30 miles, allowing for quick turnaround from ship- through providers such as Knapheide. Steve Freimanis, general manager of Knapheide truck equipment, says his company can turn a fleet order around in about two weeks depending on vehicle spec and availability. Much of the credit for the fast turnaround is due to Transit's flat rails, which Dighe says allow for quick body installation. Plumbing, HVAC and electrician fleets that require ample storage from a reliable workhorse that doesn't handle like a rampaging bull on crowded urban roads have a good partnership in Transit and Knapheide. Transit cutaway and chassis cab models have the option of moving the backup camera display from a dash-mounted screen to the rearview mirror. Knapheide's KUV storage system pro- vides ample storage space. Not a single inch of the work body goes to waste.