The team that keeps us on the move

by Michelle Orian-Lau | June 30, 2024

Our fleet of vehicles is more than just cars and trucks that take us from place to place for work. They’re the vehicles that must safely carry our employees, tools and equipment to job sites, community meetings as well as customer homes and businesses. From mauka to makai, through some remote and difficult terrains, on highways and dirt roads, across the five islands we serve — we need our vehicles as we provide an essential service to our customers and communities.

Fortunately, we have a team of talented professionals who ensure these vehicles are ready for work.

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence proclaimed the month of June as a time to honor automotive service professionals. At Hawaiian Electric, we’ve been calling it Fleet Month in honor of our dedicated and hard-working Fleet Services team.

Fleet Services Program Manager Alisha Medeiros oversees maintenance and repair contracts on Hawaii Island.

The 18-person team is responsible for managing and maintaining about 1,350 fleet vehicles and equipment across our service territory. While the maintenance and repairs of our vehicles in Maui County and on Hawaii Island are outsourced, our Fleet Services program managers oversee the contracts and on-island logistics to ensure vehicles are available for our crews. (If you’re interested in joining our amazing Fleet team, we’re looking for a Fleet Services program manager on Maui.)

Fleet Supervisor Wayne Maeda demonstrates how to use a Keywatcher lockbox that holds the company’s pool car keys.

On Oahu, most of our vehicles and equipment are serviced in the automotive garage at our Ward Baseyard. Our mechanics respond to trouble calls 24/7, providing roadside assistance, on-location repairs when possible, and standby support for high-priority projects. Our certified mechanics also undergo annual training to stay updated with the latest technology for maintaining hydraulic systems on aerial trucks and equipment.

Fleet is also helping our company lead by example by transitioning our fleet to plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles. About 36% of our passenger vehicles miles driven were by alternative fuel vehicles.

While I don’t work in operations, I’ve had lots of opportunities to see the Fleet team in action. Like so many have, I’ve wrangled the Fleet team into helping on various projects. Recently, Fleet Service Program Manager Alisha Medeiros, reviewed and recorded her part of a video script within one day, allowing me to produce the video on time. Just the other day, Automotive Mechanic Shaun Kinney was surprised to learn he was going to star in another one of my videos — and he took it all in stride while doing a great job.

Shane Takamatsu (left) and Everett Pang are two of the many elves in Fleet who volunteer at the holiday parades.

One of my unofficial roles at Hawaiian Electric is holiday elf — um, I mean holiday parade coordinator. And I can honestly say that our float for the various holiday parades on Oahu would never happen without the unofficial elves in Fleet.

Each year, they help me reserve parade vehicles, make space for float building in the automotive garage, and provide much appreciated advice to ensure the volunteers and vehicles remain safe during the float decoration process. I can always count on our mechanics to volunteer to drive the parade float, which requires a commercial driver’s license. One year, Working Foreman Shane Takamatsu solved a last-minute holiday emergency by helping me source six replacement batteries for the light bulb costumes. (You read that right. What kind of elf would I be if we didn’t have light bulb costumes?)

The Oahu Fleet team delivered our company donations to the Hawaii Foodbank as part of our annual food drive.

I’ve seen our Fleet team mentor high school interns — teaching them automotive skills as well as life lessons about hard work, respect and accountability. I’ve seen them stop what they are doing to help a fellow employee. I’ve seen them volunteer late at night — cleaning up and locking up the garage after parades. I’ve seen them donate their time with their families at community events. I’ve seen the aloha they have for our company and the community.

As we wrap up Fleet Month, I just wanted to recognize this amazing group of men and women. They’re a true representation of our Hawaiian Electric ohana and the types of employees any company would be lucky to have. Mahalo Fleet team for all you do!

Michelle Orian-Lau is a senior communications consultant at Hawaiian Electric Company.