"Our number one priority is to provide state-of-the-art services for our customers,” say Frank Dowling and Mike Fearns, co-vice presidents and general managers of Hulett Environmental Services. “How we accomplish that is actually rather simple. We hire the best people and provide them with the best equipment and training available. We also use only the most effective, highest quality products on the market, and we always treat our customers with the utmost consideration.”

Family owned and operated for over 40 years, West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Hulett Environmental Services is a full-service pest control company offering pest, rodent, termite and mosquito control, fumigation and lawn care services. Its pest prevention and control technology services are provided to homeowners and commercial accounts all over the state of Florida. Founded in 1968 as Hulett Exterminating, in 1989 the company’s name changed to Hulett Environmental Services to better reflect its commitment to the environment and the changing needs of it customers.

“We have 12 locations across Florida that operate more than 250 trucks every day,” Dowling relates. “A growing number of our trucks are now Mitsubishi Fuso FE 145 models. We have 41 of those units in the fleet, including four added this year. Company-wide, all additions and replacements to our fleet will be for these trucks.”

Most reliable
“Over the 17 years I’ve been with the company,” Dowling continues, “Hulett has fielded a number of different vehicle makes and models. The Mitsubishi Fuso FE 145s are clearly the most reliable. As long as we maintain them correctly, we can easily expect more than 200,000 miles of service. We have a number of units with more than 230,000 miles on them and they still are operating dependably every day.”

Typically, Dowling reports, Hulett plans to operate its Mitsubishi Fuso trucks for an average of seven years, compared to the five-year trade cycle it uses for other makes and models. All new vehicles are purchased through Diesel Specialists of Orlando Inc., a Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America, Inc. (MFTA) dealer.

“Diesel Specialists helps us specify the correct model for our very specific needs,” Dowling says. “In addition, in our opinion, their service department is the best in the state. We have our own in-house shop for most routine maintenance and repairs, but for anything else, including any item covered by warranty, we use the dealer. In the past year, all major repairs have been handled by Diesel Specialists and we’ve even had vehicles towed to Orlando.”

Hulett Environmental Services Truck Specifications

Model: Mitsubishi Fuso FE 145 Engine: Mitsubishi 4M50, 4.9 liter DOHC 4-cylinder, water-cooled, turbocharged, intercooled diesel; 185 HP @ 2700 RPM, 391 ft./lb. @ 1600 RPM Transmission: Aisin Electronic 6-speed OD automatic Front Axle: Reverse Elliot I-beam, 5,510-lb. capacity Steering: Ball-nut-type with integral hydraulic power booster Rear Axle: Full floating, 9,920-lb. capacity, 5.285 ratio Suspensions: Laminated leaf springs, shock absorbers, stabilizer bar Brakes: Dual-caliper disc, hydraulic with vacuum servo assist; ABS; internal expanding shoe parking Wheels: 16- x 6-in. disc; 6-lug Tires: 215/85R16 all-season radials Batteries: (2) maintenance-free, 799 CCA Alternator: 100-amp Air Cleaner: Dry paper element with snorkel Cold Weather Starting: Individual ceramic-tipped glow-plugs Fuel Tank: 33-gal.

 

Hulett and Diesel Specialists, Dowling also notes, work closely with two main suppliers of the specialized bodies that are fitted to the fleet’s trucks. Included are Tuflex, a manufacturer of fiberglass tanks and dispensing systems based in Pompano Beach, Fla., and Cocoa Beach, Fla.-based Really Innovation.

Built on wheelbases ranging from 114.6 to 152.4 in., the 14,500-lb. GVW models in the Hulett fleet are equipped with a number of different body types. Most are custom-built spray rigs with 200-gal. mixing tanks for lawn and construction site use and a 600-gal. water-only tank. Dispensing is handled via a PTO-driven pump.

Very pleased
Hulett’s drivers also prefer the Mitsubishi Fuso FE 145 models, according to Dowling. “They’re very pleased with the exceptional maneuverability, visibility and comfort and convenience of this vehicle,” he says. “For example, there’s more head, leg, knee and elbow room than in other vehicles in our fleet, and the steering wheel tilts and telescopes and the driver’s seat offers more adjustment.”

Other features of the Mitsubishi Fuso FE trucks that Dowling points out include doors that have swing-forward hinges for wider and easier entry and egress, as well as entry steps that are covered and grated. There also is a standard exhaust brake and cruise control, and convenience items such as a fold-down workstation, plus added storage areas for cell phones, coins, maps and toll receipts.

“Hulett has a strong commitment to employee training,” Dowling states. “We even have a full-time state certified pest control training division called Bugs University to ensure all of our employees are continually updated on the latest products, safety precautions, techniques and methods.

“Once we train employees,” Dowling adds, “they will represent us to our customers. That’s why we provide them with clean, safe vehicles that are specified and outfitted effectively, and that will operate reliably in our fleet for a long time.”