Age & Size of Patrol Vehicles
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5/31/2007 5:31 AM
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backinservice
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 1
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Age & Size of Patrol Vehicles
What is the trend for patrol vehicle replacement in how many years or miles before vehicles are replaced?
Are there any studies to document safety issues for keeping patrol vehicles in service for a long time?
Also, has anyone run into studies or experience of long term musculoskeletal disorders from large officers being crammed into small Chevy Impalas or equivalent? Any related to smaller patrol vehicles, studies about officer safety getting in and out due to large framed person, small vehicle size?
I know its a few questions bundled in one post, but I would appreciate any feedback.
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REPLY 1 - 2 of 2
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5/31/2007 6:31 AM
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#1
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Steve Rothstein
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 275
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RE: Age & Size of Patrol Vehicles
The trend in most places is to keep cars longer due to budget constraints. Strong unions can alter this, of course. The reprots I have seen on patrol car age were almost unanimous in pointing out that the maintenance history is much more important than just the age of the car. A well maintained car with 100,000 miles on it can be safer than a poorly maintained car with 50,000.
One article on police fleets pointed out that the same cars we get rid of as unsafe at 70,000 miles are then used by taxi fleets on the same streets fro antoher 200,000 miles. It included some of the maintenance tricks and things the taxi fleets check. I beleive it was in Police Fleet magazine but I don't remember it exactly now. I do agree that a good preventive maintenance program can keep a police car safe up to at least 100,000 miles, though I would prefer to replace it then anyway.
Sorry, I can't answer about the possibility of injuries from smaller cars. I have not heard of any studies in that area.
To get more information on any of the long term studies on cars, you might try the police fleet and fleet manager associations. That type of special interest group is more likely to have that information, I would guess.
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6/18/2007 11:24 AM
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#2
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fedcop76
Join Date: June 2007
Posts: 8
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RE: Age & Size of Patrol Vehicles
My department swaps out at 70K. right around the time the performance starts to decline.
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