Money was recently approved for a new fire truck for the Meridian (MS) Fire Department, reports wtok.com.

City council Tuesday night approved $720,000 to purchase a custom truck for Central Fire Station, which includes financing and equipment and will be the max spent, the report says.

Officials say the next step is for the finance and records department to submit a request at the next city council meeting.

The current plan, according to the report, is for Engine 1 to replace Engine 4, which would then be used as a reserve. The new apparatus will be purchased through Sunbelt Fire in Fairhope (AL) and manufactured by E-One, which also built previous Meridian apparatus.

Officials add that delivery of the truck should take 14 months once the order is placed, which is expected to happen within 30 days.

Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc. and EAVX announced that they will join forces to develop and commercialize innovative and industry-leading all-electric vocational work truck solutions.

Joint development efforts will focus on integration of the JB Poindexter & Co commercial truck bodies, utility truck bodies, and vehicle cargo management systems with the Zeus Power Platform, an all-electric cab chassis. Zeus will leverage JBPCO’s North American operational footprint to help establish a nationwide service and support network for the Zeus products.

“We have a proven history of creating and servicing excellent work truck and commercial vehicle bodies and accessories, and we are now expanding our capabilities to provide additional alternative energy solutions through this partnership with Zeus Electric Chassis.” said John B. Poindexter, CEO and Chairman, JB Poindexter & Co.

The non-exclusive collaboration agreement will initially focus on the Zeus Z-19 (Class 5, 19,500 LB GVWR) and Z-22 (Class 6, 22,300 LB GVWR), and will expand quickly to the Z-26 (Class 6, 26,000 LB GVWR) — all designed from the ground-up and available with a variety of cab options. Initial market penetration will utilize current and next-generation JBPCO body designs and will be available for commercial fleet pilot programs in 2022.

“The vocational work truck industry is poised for a step function change towards electrification. It’s more than simply installing existing OEM bodies on an electric vehicle (EV) chassis, it’s taking a holistic approach and collaborating with industry leaders such as JBPCO and bringing innovative next generation solutions to market,” says Bill Brandt, Chief Revenue Officer at Zeus.

Zeus offers a fully configurable class 4-6 all-electric vocational work truck cab-chassis. The core of their business model is to align with market leading vocational work truck body manufacturers and enable them to bring highly effective EV solutions to industry fleets that can out-perform diesel counterparts. The Zeus Power Platform is a ground-up design that offers holistic integration of both mechanical and engineered systems between the cab-chassis, body, and auxiliary functions, including a suite of telematics software solutions. By collaborating with forward-thinking and innovative OEM body companies such as JBPCO, Zeus can ultimately deliver market-leading productivity, safety, and speed-to-market with each product launch.

“As EAVX works with the most advanced alternative energy chassis producers, having a partner like Zeus is beneficial, with their holistic approach to integration of systems between the cab-chassis and the body”, said EAVX Chief Operating Officer and General Manager, Mark Hope. “Zeus will enable us to demonstrate innovative severe-duty EV work truck solutions in 2022 with plans for commercialized units and trade shows.”

About Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc.
Headquartered in White Bear Lake, MN, Zeus is a manufacturer of fully configurable class 4-6 electric work trucks. Its mission is to design and manufacture uncompromising, full-electric vocational solutions that address environmental and industry needs. The company’s ground up approach and willingness to co-develop allows its customers to reimagine their future business model. Zeus is well networked within the eMobility ecosystem, partnering with market leading technology suppliers, work truck OEMs, end-user fleets, and non-profit industry leaders with the mission of accelerating EV adoption nationwide. Learn more at www.zeuselectricchassis

Sullivan City Council recently conducted a public hearing to obtain funding to invest in a new fire station for the Sullivan City (IN) Fire Department, reports sullivan-times.com.

City officials say there’s a $500,000 grant opportunity through the Office of Rural and Community Affairs, with an additional $1.5 million in USDA funds also available. Officials say the overall cost range could be anywhere from $500,000 to $4 million.

The public hearing saw no objections, the report says. Sullivan is working with Kenna Consulting on the grant request.

The station’s current location was built in 1984, and personnel say it’s too small and in a bad location. No location for a new fire station has been determined at this time, according to the report.

Seagrave Fire Apparatus is hoping to expand its operations in Wausau, WI, and are seeking approval to open a new in town by December, according to a report published by WSAW TV7.

According to the television station, the Clintonville-based manufacturer will go before the Wausau Plan Commission seeking a conditional use permit to operate a factory to make fire truck cabs at 410 South Bellis Street.

If approved, Seagrave will be looking to add 50 employees in Wausau, according to the report, that added completed cabs will be shipped to the main plant in Clintonville, about an hour away, for further assembly.

Seagrave officials told the television station the company has an all-time record high backlog and have at least two-year’s of apparatus waiting to be built. If approved, Seagrave plans on hiring people starting in January, the station reported.

The proposal says Seagrave will not have any paint at the Wausau facility, nor will it produce any sounds, vibration or odor noticeable outside the building which already exists, according to the television station.