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FPUD approves boom truck crane purchase

The Fallbrook Public Utility District will be acquiring a boom truck crane.

A 5-0 FPUD board vote Feb. 22 approved the purchase of a boom truck crane from Velocity Truck Centers for the amount of $314,627.03.

"The crane is critical to our work replacing valves throughout the district," said FPUD General Manager Jack Bebee.

"It's a heavily used piece of equipment for us as far as the valve replacement program," Bebee said. "Replacing valves helps minimize pipeline breaks and disruptions in water service to our customers."

In addition to replacing valves and water clusters, a crane is also regularly used for repairs and maintenance at FPUD's water reclamation facility.

FPUD currently utilizes a 1987 Dresser crane. "The crane we currently have needed to be replaced due to ongoing, costly repairs because of its age and the fact that it no longer meets air quality requirements," Bebee said.

The increased difficulty of parts for the 1987 crane not only results in larger expenses for repairs but also increases time out of service.

"I've seen that thing. It needs to be replaced," said FPUD Board President Jennifer DeMeo.

The existing crane must be transported by a separate truck and trailer. "It blocks half the highway or half the road we're on," said FPUD Board Member Dave Baxter.

FPUD's current crane must be driven to worksites and does not exceed 10 mph. Some sites take more than an hour of travel time to reach, costing the district time as well as slowing the flow of traffic through town.

A boom truck crane allows necessary materials to be loaded on the truck bed, so the valve replacement items can be transported on the same vehicle. "It sounds more efficient," DeMeo said.

The new crane will be a street-legal vehicle. "Due to its different design, the new crane will allow us to use a single piece of equipment instead of two, which will minimize our impacts to traffic," Bebee said.

"We can have traffic coming through without having to block off two or three lanes," Baxter said.

The design for the boom truck crane is smaller, so it will be easier to maneuver on some of Fallbrook's narrower roads. The use of a single vehicle will also reduce fuel costs for the district.

FPUD solicited vendors and received two responses. Velocity Truck Centers offered a Freightliner flatbed truck with a crane attached for $314,627.03 while Manitex International submitted a proposal for $337,042.00.

During the approval of the 2020-21 FPUD budget the board included $556,000 for fleet procurement. FPUD previously replaced four trucks for $112,860.13, and $200,000 had been allocated for those trucks. The remaining fiscal year budget following the purchase of the boom truck crane will be $138,512.84.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].

Author Bio

Joe Naiman, Writer

Joe Naiman has been writing for the Village News since 2001

 

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