As vocational trucks continue to grow in complexity and sophistication, companies are under increasing pressure to maximize their vehicle investments. This process should start well before a new work truck is ordered. No longer is it prudent just to buy what you've always bought. To keep your vehicle maintenance and operation costs down, you need to do some homework before making another call to your truck dealer.

Start by establishing and following a logical design process, as outlined here in four steps. Taking a systematic approach to specifying a new work truck makes it easier to ensure that the truck meets your needs.

Step 1. Determine what you need the truck to do.
Start by asking yourself what the vehicle will be used for. Exactly what will you haul with it? How far will it be driven and how often? What special circumstances will your drivers/operators encounter and how often? Don't just say, "I need a pickup truck." Really explore what that pickup truck has to do in order to be most productive.

For example, does your truck need to haul equipment? Does the operator need to be able to get equipment on and off the truck frequently? Do you need to haul material to job sites? What kind of material are you hauling and how much? Will the truck have different uses at various times of the year? (For example, will it be used to plow snow in the winter?) How many workers will the truck carry regularly?

Think about the environment in which the vehicle will be driven and used. Consider how available features can improve or hinder operator productivity. Spend some time looking at the performance of the trucks you have now. Talk to your vehicle operators and maintenance crew to see which trucks and equipment they prefer, and why.