Most customers see I&M bucket trucks in their neighborhoods. I&M’s Fleet Department works behind the scenes ensuring employees have work vehicles ready to go 24/7, 365 days a year to keep power flowing to homes and businesses.

I&M’s safe and reliable work couldn’t be accomplished without the department’s dedication. Below are ten facts about the department and how it works for our customers and our employees. 

1. I&M’s Fleet Services is comprised of 29 employees who work out of our 11 strategically placed service centers across Indiana and southwest Michigan communities. We also have garages at the D.C. Cook Nuclear Plant, Rockport Plant, Cook Coal Terminal and at our transmission service centers.
2. Technicians and mechanics ensure I&M’s 1,400 vehicles and specialty equipment are safe and dependable for our employees. Our fleet vehicles average 5.5 million miles on the road per year.
3. The department works on anything with a motor ranging from lawn maintenance equipment at the D.C. Cook Nuclear plant to construction equipment like cranes, track dozers, wheel loader and forklifts.
4. I&M also has many road vehicles like, small SUVs, pickup trucks, service rigs, box trucks, semi-trucks and trailers. And we can’t forget the most recognizable vehicles - our bucket trucks that can reach from 37 feet to 150 feet. I&M also has derrick digger line trucks that can reach from 42 feet to 80 feet to set the poles.
5. Employees also have a preventative maintenance schedule for fleet vehicles – much like you would your personal vehicle. Oil changes, tire rotations, filters, windshield wipers and brake light checks are all scheduled for inspection. Technicians also evaluate the integrity of the fiberglass on the vehicles that our line workers use to ensure they are safe.
6. I&M’s fleet technicians follow Department of Transportation regulations. They perform regular vehicle inspections, weighing the truck to ensure they are not overweight for the roads we use and filling out a lot of paperwork.
7. Our mechanics have a wide-raging expertise and are very versatile. Technicians and mechanics must know electronics, hydraulic and mechanical systems of each vehicle. New vehicles have several computers that operate the vehicles making the systems advanced and requiring additional time and skills to work on them.
8. Just like our frontline workers, fleet employees take several safety precautions while working on vehicles. The most-common personal protective equipment (PPE) worn are safety glasses, safety side shields, hand protection such as safety-rated gloves, steel-toed boots and hearing protection such as earplugs.
9. Our fleet department plays a key role during severe weather events. They work to keep trucks and specialized equipment in service and ready for use. Employees often travel with our I&M storm team if they go out of town to respond to ice storms, tornadoes and hurricanes to monitor the status of the vehicles and they repair vehicles that travel to I&M when we request mutual assistance.
10. I&M’s fleet employees are ASE Master Certified, Fluid Power Hydraulic Certified as mobile hydraulic mechanics, and most are certified welders and carry a class A Commercial Driver’s License. Fleet also partners with our vehicles vendors and international companies to remain trained and up to date on the latest technology and equipment.

Do you have skills in engineering, technical trades, finance, customer care, or in something that doesn't fit neatly under a label? We've got a place for you at AEP, where we work together to build America's electric energy future. To learn more about careers at I&M and AEP, click here.