SHOP SPOTLIGHT
Garage Design Innovation
Employing solutions that are grounded in experience and built with the future in mind
By Seth Skydel
Earlier this year at the 2026 EUFMC, a session during the conference’ s Driving Safety, Sustainability & Technical Expertise educational program zeroed in on how to design and operate service facilities that are ready for the future. A key subject for utility fleet operations, the session offered real-world lessons on facility designs for safety, workforce readiness, and technologies.
Moderated by EUFMC Chairman Greg Loew, fleet manager at Avista Utilities in Spokane, Washington, the session addressed challenges fleets face when designing and building garages. Offering practical experience and forward-thinking strategies were:
• Dale Hendricks, superintendent, fleet services, Ameren Missouri, who oversees maintenance operations and equipment for approximately 2,500 pieces of equipment across fleet garages in the St. Louis metro area.
• Joel Botma, transportation maintenance team leader, Arizona Public Service, who supports fleet maintenance operations for a fleet of more than 2,700 vehicles across 11 counties and 17 garages.
Ameren Missouri
A detailed look at the development of the Ameren Missouri’ s Dorsett fleet garage near St. Louis— a facility that is roughly 218 feet long, 92 feet deep, and 41 feet high— showed how it was designed to handle large equipment safely and efficiently.
For example, 12-foot wide spacing between doors helps ensure technicians have room to maneuver tools and equipment. In addition, high ceilings
The Ameren Missouri Dorsett fleet garage near St. Louis, at roughly 218 feet long, 92 feet deep, and 41 feet high, features 12-foot wide spacing between doors and multiple gantry cranes to allow large components to be handled indoors. Parts handling is facilitated with a“ bullpen” area that allows heavy components to be lifted and staged by crane.
and multiple gantry cranes rated at three tons allow large components to be handled indoors, including having the ability to flip a piece of equipment over inside the garage.
Operational visibility was also a design priority. As a result, in the supervisor’ s office there are large windows overlooking the shop floor, and a network of cameras and card readers that enhance security.
To reduce shadows, an ongoing challenge in shop environments, lighting solutions include highmounted motion-activated ceiling
22 l November-December 2026