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SPECIAL FEATURE 18 April 2017 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com Since the Great Recession, there has been a gradual increase of utility vehicle sales in the United States. This growth is due, in part, to the evolution of the design, performance and attachment capabilities of utility vehicles. Today, these machines aren't being viewed just as a machine that can get operators from point A to point B, but as a true tool carrier to complete a variety of projects. This allows landscaping customers to be more productive with compact equipment, expanding their machine's jobsite abilities. — Chris Austinson, utility vehicle product specialist, Bobcat Company Designing with the user in mind, we added high-sided doors to the new Challenger Series 500 and 750 to offer protection from the elements and eliminate the need for intrusive hip and shoulder restraints to make it easier to get in and out of the vehicle. We also added under-hood storage, interior and exterior door handles, and familiar automotive-style controls on the dash. Improving standard features that come factory installed on our utility vehicles, the new Challenger Series 550 and 750 come standard with a sealed windshield, hard roof, high-sided doors, winch, LED headlights, alloy wheels and side-view mirrors included. Other attachments are sold separately for limitless possibilities, including snowplows, folding windshields, tool and spare tire mounts, light kits and rear windows. — Tom Mielke, utility vehicle product manager, Cub Cadet We are seeing continued trends toward environmentally friendly options — the PRO is all electric, so it's eco-friendly and zero emissions. And it's quiet, so there's no disruption to those around you if you're working around people or in a public area. We also see that customers demand more out of the products they are buying. The 72V system in the PRO provides the range to work a full day and get the most productivity out of the vehicle. Making work easier is also more important. You see new UTV designs around accessories, bed features, convenience features in the operator area like easy entry and exit from the vehicle, ample legroom, and increased visibility on all sides. When you're in and out of a vehicle all day, comfort and ergonomics are important. Enhanced bed designs are also popular, which make it easier to carry tools, organize materials and dump heavy loads. — Raven Honsaker, director of product strategy and development for Textron Specialized Vehicles (Cushman) Overall, the utility vehicle market remains strong, with an abundance of manufacturers introducing models, as seen during GIE+EXPO last October. With so many manufacturers entering the utility vehicle category, it is important for customers to evaluate the manufacturer, selecting a brand that will stand behind the product. For example, with 25 years producing our Gator Utility Vehicles, John Deere provides customers with heavy-duty vehicles that can withstand the demands of their business, and boasts an expansive dealer network and a 12-month/1,000-hour warranty. Additionally, we are seeing an increased demand for attachments, which allow professional landscapers to transform their machines for a variety jobs. Front blades are extremely popular, enabling operators to move materials, such as dirt, or remove snow during the winter months. John Deere offers the broadest range of attachments for any manufacturer, offering an attachment for any job professional landscapers may face. — Mark Davey, marketing manager, Gator utility vehicles, John Deere The most significant trend has been the shift to crossover utility vehicles — also referred to multi-purpose off highway vehicles. This has been happening over the last few years as the market has grown in terms of the number of applications these vehicles are used now. These vehicles are mainly used for transportation purposes and may not be as well suited for heavy-duty applications. The other trends are comfort and performance. Four-wheel independent suspensions are almost a must now. Since the applications for UTVs are so varied now, manufacturers must plan to launch variety of attachments and accessories needed for the different applications these vehicles will be used in. Technology integration has been a topic of discussion, but has not become mainstream yet due to costs involved and the benefits being limited to fleet management, which is not as measurable in case of UTV as it might be for other equipment used by landscapers. — Rajesh Joshi, Kubota product marketing director, turf UTVs are incredibly versatile, and you are seeing more and more vehicles being offered just for work-specific tasks. Also, UTVs are easier to maintain than cars/trucks, making them cost effective. — Donna Beadle, Polaris spokesperson L&I: How are landscape industry professionals utilizing UTVs? And how has the UTV market changed to better fit the needs of landscape professionals? We believe that the landscape industry is continuing to diversify in how they use their UTVs. We see a large number PHOTO PROVIDED BY CUSHMAN