Versatile truck will appeal to police and other government agencies
Starting this month, Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Ram Truck will be offering the Ram 1500 Crew Cab 4×4 Special Service package for law enforcement and other emergency agencies through Chrysler Group Fleet sales. The Ram model features several pieces of severe-duty-adapted equipment.
The truck is suited for extreme-duty cycles that emergency and municipal service trucks often endure, such as idling for extended periods of time. The Ram 1500 includes 100,000-mile sparkplugs and a large oil cooler to protect the engine during first responders’ frequent stop-and-go operations.
Versatility is a characteristic of the new truck, says Nick Cappa, a Ram Truck media relations spokesman. “It’s basically a template for a variety of uses for large government fleets.”
The four-door, five-passenger vehicle accommodates a variety of equipment, Cappa told Govpro.com. “With its power distribution point, the truck will lend itself to the use of some high-amp-drawing equipment, like radar guns, computer gear, arrays of lights and more,” Cappa says. “There are a number of uses and applications for the truck. Government fleets will be able to utilize and adapt their own equipment to the new model.”
Peter Grady, vice president of Network Development and Fleet, Chrysler Group LLC, said, “The Ram 1500 Special Service Truck has been engineered to handle the severe demands of law enforcement. The same characteristics also make it an excellent choice for the public works, maintenance, engineering and fire departments.”
To handle high electric loads, the Ram 1500 Special Service Truck includes a 220-amp alternator. A wire harness is capable of providing power, ground and fusing for a variety of law enforcement lighting, siren, computer, modem, radar or camera systems. The package includes a Power Distribution Center (PDC) with fusing and relays for circuits contained in the wire harness. The PDC is supplied from the battery with two separate 100-amp main fuses for camera, computer, modem and printer systems.
The instrument panel houses a certified speedometer with engine hour and idle hour meter and a 110-volt inverter. The truck is available with a full-face steering wheel, four key fobs and 10-way power front seats.
A headliner with auxiliary dome lamp sits over stain-repellent cloth bucket seats in the first row and a vinyl bench in the second row. The center console is removed to add space for extra equipment, and the shifter is located on the steering column.
The Ram 1500 Special Service truck is offered in a Crew Cab configuration with 125 cubic feet of interior volume. Additional welds in the front door structures handle the weight of ballistic material used by law enforcement vehicle upfitters. The truck is available with the RamBox storage system. RamBox measures 50.5 inches and offers 7.3 cubic feet of lockable and lighted storage capacity.
Powering the new truck is the durable 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 with Fuel Saver Technology, a six-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive with standard electronic stability control. The new model has a five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
