Fleet service shops: Going in a different direction
I got a recent call from a gentleman that I have known for 24 years. He told me he was let go from his job; he was told the company was “going in a different direction.” What does that mean? Years ago, I met him through client that retained me to coach his SVP of
Why many fleets are fed up with service fees
Everywhere you look, fees are piling up with everything we pay for. When was the last time you rented a car? Look at the list of fees—facility fees, battery fee, tire recoup fee and additional recoup fee, local tax, city tax, county state tax, not to mention if you forget to fill it up with
Know what you are getting when it comes to fuel
In the upcoming winter months, we will see temperatures start to dip below zero in certain parts of the country. Certain trucks may die or not start. At the center of the board is proper fuel, maintenance and experience.
Is it time to start your own service operation?
The latest numbers from ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) and FleetNet America benchmarking study noted that the average cost of a roadside maintenance event per mechanical repair in Q4 2018 was $334.20—the highest it had ever been since the quarterly benchmarking project started more than a year ago.
How fleets responded to Class 8 electric truck launches
This fall saw the launch of two competing Class 8 trucks—the Niokla One and Two, a Class 8 hydrogen-electric truck lineup, and the Tesla Semi, a Class 8 all-electric truck. These disruptors are challenging industry equipment norms. Fleet Equipment reached out to several fleets to get their take on the new truck technology. “Electrification is
Fleets offer reman engine insights
Dan Vander Pol, director of maintenance for Oak Harbor Freight Lines Inc.: “We have purchased reman engines on our city trucks [Class 7], but most of the time on our linehaul trucks [Class 8], we would be able to rebuild the engine and if we can’t rebuild we purchase new engines. We have put reman
Purchase and lease decisions: the fleet perspective
When researching the optimal balance between purchasing and leasing, we asked fleets how they acquire and finance equipment. Here’s what they had to say: Peter Nativo, director of maintenance for Oakley Transport says, “We lease short term [seasonal] trucks for our Citrus division. This year we leased 85. The season runs from the end of
Cool down: A primer of coolant and additives
Today’s modern heavy-duty engines are being designed with a greater amount of aluminum components, including radiators, heater cores, oil coolers, charge air coolers, water distribution housings, piping and control valves. “Due to the higher aluminum content engines, one phenomenon that is being observed in the industry is that nitrite containing coolants may react with aluminum
