With a fleet of highly reliable delivery trucks, Stephenson Wholesale Co. is meeting the needs of a wide range of customers

It’s hard to tell which list is more extensive, Stephenson Wholesale Co.’s customer base or the range of products it supplies to many types of businesses. But one thing is clear— to provide groceries, health, beauty and tobacco products, as well as food service supplies to large multi-location and small local businesses and organizations, the company fleet must be highly reliable.

Based in Durant, Okla., Stephenson and its operating subsidiary, Indian Nation Wholesale Company, field about 90 delivery vehicles ranging from light-duty vans to Class 8 tractors. The heart of the fleet consists of nearly 65 medium-duty trucks.

“Our business is very demanding,” says Dick Dunham, vice president of operations. “We often have very small time windows for deliveries so our delivery trucks are vital to our success.

“There are several factors that influence our decisions on what trucks to buy,” Dunham continues. “First is what the truck is going to be used for. Is it a route truck or a transport truck? Then we narrow it down by GVW, horsepower and wheelbase to make sure the truck can handle the load that will be on it.”

Standardized

After considering driver comfort and price as well, Dunham reports, Stephenson has standardized its fleet using four main truck sizes. The largest vehicles are transport trucks, a group of International and Freightliner tractors with a GVWR of 80,000 lbs. that haul loads to cross-dock facilities where products are loaded onto several smaller trucks for delivery. At the other end of the scale are Chevrolet, Ford and Dodge light-duty vans used for quick delivery of fill-in or special orders.

At the heart of the Stephenson fleet are the nearly 65 Mitsubishi Fuso medium-duty trucks that handle the bulk of the company’s deliveries to customers. The fleet has been using the OEM’s models since 2000 and has been buying new units annually.

The largest Mitsubishi Fuso trucks in the Stephenson fleet are 25,995-lb. GVW units fitted with 26-ft. bodies. These trucks are typically used for routes that are too large for smaller medium-duty trucks but don’t require a tractor-trailer combination. For most routes, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America supplies 17,995-lb. GVW models with 20-ft bodies and 14,500-lb. GVW units with 16-ft. bodies. All of the truck bodies are insulated models to protect cargo from damage caused by heat or cold temperatures.

The lineup of Mitsubishi Fuso trucks in the Stephenson fleet is also an indicator of how the company addresses trade cycle and replacement decisions. For example, in the operation are 2000 model year FE639s, along with FE649s purchased every year from 2000 to 2007. In 2001, the company added FE639 and FH211 trucks, and in 2002, additional FH211 and some FE640 models joined the fleet. Other units in the operation include 2003 and 2004 model-year FE640 and FH210 trucks; FE180, FE184 and FM260 models added in 2005 and 2006; an FE145 purchased in 2006; and a group of FE140s in 2007.

Collaboration

“The decision to trade in a truck or to sell and replace it is a collaboration between Ron Cross, our president and CEO, our Transportation Manager Chris Hall, and myself,” Dunham explains. “We look at the truck’s mileage, the cost of repairs, its overall condition and its current resale value. The we determine the cost of keeping the truck compared to its value.”

Much of that information, says Hall, comes from a fleet maintenance record-keeping program called Manager Plus. “The program keeps track of all parts in inventory and parts used, schedules preventive maintenance and maintains records of all money spent,” he notes.

“We outsource nearly all repairs to several shops so one facility isn’t overloaded,” Hall relates. “In-house we handle small maintenance such as light replacement, minor cosmetic damage, wiring issues and mechanical work. We have discussed the idea of building our own maintenance facility on site with our own mechanics to try to offset the rising cost of outsourcing, but for now this remains our best option.”

Stephenson, Hall also reports, uses a national fleet card for all fuel purchases. The service monitors fueling activity for the fleet and generates reports. Parts are mainly purchased by repair shops doing the work but occasionally by the fleet for delivery to those facilities. A local tire shop handles most of the company’s tire needs, supplying only new tires.

Reliability

“All of our vehicle and maintenance decisions are based on ensuring reliability,” Hall states. “If we have trucks down for extended periods, we can’t deliver to our customers on time. That’s why our relationships with vehicle manufacturers and maintenance suppliers are crucial, and are a key part of our success in providing a long list of customers with a wide variety of goods.”

Stephenson Wholesale Co. Fleet Management Team’s Dick Dunham, vice president of operations, is responsible for new truck purchases as well as disposal of old trucks, and driver and vehicle insurance.

Chris Hall, transportation manager, handles all scheduling of routes and drivers and is responsible for about 60 percent of the fleet based in Durant, Okla., including maintenance and reporting, maintaining and monitoring about 75 percent of the company’s GPS systems, and all fleet fuel cards.

Luke Bellack, assistant transportation manager in Durant, is responsible for scheduling routes and drivers, maintenance and reporting, filing and reviewing inspection logs and GPS reporting, including tracking and verifying that drivers are adhering to the speed limit, making sure drivers are not making unscheduled stops and are not leaving trucks running at stops.

Nathan Williams, facility/transportation manager in Norman, Okla., handles all scheduling of routes and drivers and is responsible for fleet maintenance and reporting, maintaining and monitoring GPS systems as well as warehouse operations.

Mike Engart, assistant facility/transportation manager in Norman is responsible for scheduling routes and drivers, maintenance and reporting, filing and reviewing inspection logs and GPS reporting, as well as warehouse operations.

Jeremy Williams, facility/transportation manager in Lawton, Okla. is responsible for scheduling routes and drivers, fleet maintenance and reporting, maintaining and monitoring GPS systems as well as warehouse operations.