The market grows for vehicles used in emergency response and other applications

Specialty vehicles, including ambulances and other public sector equipment and vehicles have been selling briskly with higher sales being projected. In a 2014 analysis, BCC Research estimated that the global market for ambulance and emergency medical services (EMS) vehicles and equipment in 2012 was $5.8 billion and reached $5.9 billion in 2013.

The BCC report, “Ambulance and Emergency Equipment: Global Markets,” predicts that global purchases will grow to a value of $6.8 billion in 2018. Through 2018, the global ambulance/EMS vehicle and equipment market will grow 2.9 percent each year.

Governments are major buyers of specialty vehicles. An informal GPN survey of members of the Emergency Vehicle Upfitter Association (EVUA) shows members do an average of 68 percent of their business with local governments. The association has 1,434 members who work at firms that install auxiliary equipment, lightweighting gear, interior packages, telematics, special lighting assemblies and other equipment upgrades on fleet trucks or vans.

Executives at 10 upfitting providers responded to the survey. Respondents said their firms do an average of 17 percent of their business with state governments and 10 percent with federal agencies.

The responding upfitters said vehicles they put into service are used in many public sector applications, including emergency services, public safety, public works, parks and rescue.

“For us, our upfitted vehicles are mostly used by rescue and public safety agencies,” says Vid Sansanwal. He is vice president and chief financial officer for Front Line Emergency Vehicles in Markham, Ontario.

Bryon Brown, who is CEO at 911 Outfitters LLC in Muskogee, Okla., says the bulk of the vehicles his company works on are delivered to public safety fleets.

Nate Seely at First Priority Emergency Vehicles in Manchester, N.J., assisted GPN in posting the survey on the EVUA LinkedIn site. Seely serves as Specialty Vehicle Conversion Manager at the company.

The new cooperative contract covers specialty vehicles, equipment, accessories and services

Reynoldsburg, Ohio-based Farber Specialty Vehicles Inc. (FSV) has been awarded the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance “Specialty Vehicles” contract. The FSV contract was awarded after the lead public agency, the Port of Portland, Ore., completed a competitive solicitation and evaluation process for specialty vehicles.

FSV is a final stage manufacturer for custom mobile specialty vehicles.

This is the first time that U.S. Communities has provided a competitively solicited contract for specialty vehicles. The contract term is for three years, with two one-year renewal options. The initial term runs from June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2019. The contract number is 128867.

Through the contract, agencies will have access to engineering, construction personnel and a service department that builds:

• Mobile police and fire command centers, crime scene, SWAT, HAZMAT, bomb and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), Driving under the influence-Breath alcohol testing (DUI-BAT) units
• Mobile medical, dental, mammography, audiology, health screening, blood mobile units
• Mobile classrooms, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) labs, laboratories, computer labs
• Bookmobiles
• Custom design and build projects

Through the cooperative agreement, public buyers can eliminate time-consuming RFPs and accelerate the procurement process, says Steve Goodyear. He is vice president of sales at FSV. He says the complete contract gives public buyers access to over 100 units and 500 options.

A recorded video that has information on the FSV contract is available here.

Michael Keating is Senior Editor at Government Product News, an American City & County sister brand.