Home » Ford Applies Upgrades to 2017 Super Duty Line for Vocational Fleets

Ford Applies Upgrades to 2017 Super Duty Line for Vocational Fleets

fleetnewsdaily | December 14, 2016

With input from real-word customers, Ford Motors has reconfigured and upgraded its Super Duty line for vocational fleets in 2017.

Consider a few examples: The trucks in Stacey Nelson’s fleet rarely get the luxury of driving on clean roads under sunny skies. Black Hills Energy crews are tasked with keeping natural gas and electrical services running for 1.2 million customers across eight states. Their efforts are critical to keeping people warm in their homes in the most extreme weather conditions, and their requirements for a vehicle equipped to handle the rigors of 24/7 work are unique.

Now, the Super Duty Insiders have configured their dream pickups and chassis cabs – designed with the right cab configurations, engines, towing and hauling options, plus smart technology features – creating a cheat sheet for other fleets in heavy-duty industries.

Oil and gas extraction: Ford F-250 Super Duty 4×4 SuperCab XL

Nelson is responsible for a 3,200-truck fleet for Rapid City, South Dakota-based Black Hills Energy. Durability and value were critical in the design of her all-new Ford F-250 Super Duty dream build.

“The weight Ford saved and reinvested into strengthening the Super Duty frame should result in a truck that lasts longer and is more durable,” says Nelson. “A more durable truck translates into lower costs for us – which we can pass on to our customers.”

Beyond choosing the spacious SuperCab model with 4×4, Nelson selected several features that make her dream F-250 Super Duty XL more capable and comfortable in extreme terrain and weather. These include a medium-duty battery, skid plates covering the transfer case and fuel tank, rear wheel well liner, front and rear mud flaps, and engine block heater.

Smart driver-assist technology was a must-have for Nelson. Super Duty’s optional seven cameras provide a 360-degree view around the truck, and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) alerts crewmembers to vehicles in blind spots for both truck and trailer. Class-exclusive features like these help make Ford Super Duty the top choice for 50 percent of customers in the oil and gas extraction industry.i

“The attention to safety is key in the new Super Duty line,” says Nelson. “I love all of the camera angles that help keep drivers more aware.”

Other key features of this F-250 Super Duty 4×4 SuperCab XL:

6.2-liter two-valve gas SOHC EFI flex-fuel V8
TorqShift®-G six-speed SelectShift® automatic
Single rear wheel
3.73 electronic locking axle ratio
6 ¾-foot bed
10,000/9,000-pound GVWR package
Power equipment group
XL value package
Tailgate step
Bed mat
Remote start system
Exterior backup alarm
Platform running boards
Electronic shift-on-the-fly
110-volt, 400-watt inverter outlet
Ultimate Trailer Tow camera system
Upfitter switchesSYNC® 3

Heavy construction: Ford F-350 Super Duty 4×4 Crew Cab XL

Jack Mills, owner of Plum Contracting, in Pittsburgh, needs capable work trucks that are still maneuverable. His team handles heavy-duty construction projects – including building bridges and culverts, and rebuilding roads after landslides.

“My trucks are always loaded to capacity with the crew, their tools and equipment for any situation that might develop at a job site that could be as far as 300 miles from home base,” Mills explains. “Plus, they always are towing a trailer or piece of equipment.”

Mills designed his dream Super Duty to be an F-350 XL work truck with 4,340 pounds of payload capacity and 18,000 pounds of towing capacity. That kind of capability makes Ford Super Duty the top choice – with 48 percent market share – among fleets in the heavy-duty construction industry.i

“My job sites are road construction projects that normally have single lane closures, and the single rear wheels keep the truck narrow enough that the barrels don’t need to be moved for them to pass through,” Mills says. “The tailgate-mounted rear camera is a nice safety feature to help prevent back-up accidents and the upfitter switches make it easy for my shop to add additional lights and powered accessories.”

Other key features of this F-350 Super Duty 4×4 Crew Cab XL: