Felling Trailers Delivers a Custom Solution That Exceeds Expectations for the City of Lethbridge

For the city of Leithbridge, a Canadian municipality, efficient utility fleet operations meant balancing cost, safety and flexibility.

Their electric operations team faced the challenge of transporting utility poles, streetlight poles, transformers and other heavy materials across active municipal worksites. Standard pole trailers couldn't accommodate their diverse load requirements. Equipment trailers couldn't handle the overall length of the utility poles. Their existing trailers could no longer keep pace. They needed an upgrade: one trailer capable of handling demanding payloads, accommodating long pole lengths and withstanding the rigors of daily utility work.

The city issued a Request for Quotation with detailed specifications. What they needed was a manufacturer willing to take on the challenge and capable of engineering a purpose-built solution, on spec, on budget and built to last.

NCCHD, a Felling Trailers dealer serving the region, received the city's RFQ and immediately brought Felling into the conversation. Mark Rapp, Felling's utility telecom product specialist, collaborated with Kirk May of NCCHD, and the city of Lethbridge through extensive back-and-forth clarification sessions to ensure the build would be right on par.

"From the start, Mark demonstrated exceptional commitment and expertise in the development of two custom FT-24‑3 UPT's (utility pole/material trailers)," said Kirk. "Felling took on a highly specialized build, and translated those needs into a durable, purpose‑built design that made the project a success."

Trailer Specifications — How They Were Built

Two custom FT-24-3 UPT (utility pole/material trailers), engineered specifically for the city of Lethbridge. Every feature was driven by one question: what does this crew actually need to do the job?

Capacity

• GVWR: 27,600 lbs. | GAWR: 24,000 lbs.

• Cargo Capacity: 19,700 lbs. | Empty Weight: 7,900 lbs.

• Axles: (3) 8,000 lb. Oil Bath | Tires: 215/75R 17.5 H, 8 Bolt Plate Wheels

Telescopic Tongue

• Retracted: 32 ft. | Extended: 42 ft. with 10 ft. telescopic tongue

• 2 ¼ in. pin with slot and tab locking system, no lynch pin required

• Transport utility poles up to 67 ft. in length

• Wiring: heavy-duty energy chain (cat track) inside tongue

Pole Handling and Load Securement

• Bolster: three 5-in. double c-channel bolsters (tongue, front bed, rear bed) for poles to rest on.

• Lock Stanchion: two 21-in. tall sliding, removable lever lock stanchions per bolster.

• Streetlight Bar/Cradle: 9 ft. removable horizontal cross bar rear bolster for davit poles.

• Tie Downs: C-track with five 4-in. sliding barrel winches, five 4-in. x 30 ft. nylon straps with flat hooks.

• Tie Downs: Rub rails with stake pockets on both sides.

Main Deck/Cargo Area

• Deck: 32 ft. long x 102-in. wide, ample room to haul transformers and misc. materials.

• Deck Type: 2-in. white oak with anti-skid coating for load stability and crew safety.

• Two 48-in. aluminum toolboxes at rear, store removable pole light bar, tie downs and tools.

• Traffic advisory light bar with multi-setting with control module in toolbox.

"Some jobs call for standard Felling utility pole trailers, and then there are those that call for one to be built to your customized spec with safety-minded features," said Rapp. "This was one of those projects where every detail mattered."

The city of Lethbridge has expressed strong satisfaction with the performance and quality of the finished units, and additional trailer purchases are already planned for the spring. This project stands as a clear example of what Felling Trailers does best: listening carefully, building purposefully and delivering results that go beyond what the customer thought possible.

For more information, visit felling.com.