Southeastern Freight Lines is providing added value with its final mile fleet
Having been in business for 68 years, Southeastern Freight Lines (SEFL) has prospered by continually finding new solutions for serving its diverse range of customers. Today, the privately-owned, regional less-than-truckload (LTL) fleet, based in Lexington, S.C., specializes in next-day service in the southern U.S. Recently, SEFL has experienced significant growth in its final mile delivery
Fighting moisture intrusion in refrigerated trailers
“Moisture intrusion in refrigerated trailers impacts thermal performance through the degradation of insulating foam quality, increases in thermal conductivity and potential weight gain,” says Chris Lee, vice president of engineering at Great Dane Trailers. “Outgassing, in particular, causes moisture intrusion into foam cells, degrading the insulation’s value and leading to as much as a 30%
Mercedes-Benz Vans details plans for a new range of technologies and urban commercial vehicles
Setting its sights on the future, Mercedes-Benz Vans recently rolled out an urban commercial vehicle concept it is calling Vision Urbanetic. The concept, the company noted, addresses the inherent challenges found in urban operating environments with solutions for meeting equipment needs and operational issues. At the core of the Vision Urbanetic mobility concept is a new
Mobility vision: Mercedes-Benz Vans details new technologies and urban commercial vehicles
Setting its sights on the future, Mercedes-Benz Vans recently rolled out an urban commercial vehicle concept it is calling Vision Urbanetic. The concept, the company noted, addresses the inherent challenges found in urban operating environments with solutions for meeting equipment needs and operational issues. At the core of the Vision Urbanetic mobility concept is a
Finding benefits in leasing and outsourced truck maintenance services
Uptime is always driven by a strong maintenance program, notes Steve Zaborowski, senior vice president at XTRA Lease. “Our customers need to manage trucks, freight and drivers, so we’re focused on providing different types of services to keep them up and running,” he says. “Especially as we add trailers to our fleet, that means being
Reducing downtime and lowering costs at Bruckner Leasing Company
To improve its ability to manage 200 to 250 new service and repair cases each day at 24 locations in six states, Bruckner Leasing needed a means of communicating more effectively and efficiently. The division of Bruckner Truck Sales, headquartered in Amarillo, Texas, is a member of the Mack Leasing System, the Volvo Leasing System
At C.R. England, service needs, fuel savings and costs drive equipment specs
One of the country’s best known trucking companies, C.R. England is also one of North America’s largest refrigerated service providers. Today, the 98-year old carrier provides national and regional refrigerated transportation in the continental U.S., dedicated fleet and intermodal services, as well as transportation into and out of Mexico. “Across our operations, total cost of ownership
Keeping costs low and asset utilization high at Master Fleet
As a provider of fleet maintenance services, Master Fleet requires a unified source of information to ensure the lowest costs and least amount of downtime for its customers. “Most important are database and reporting capabilities that enable us to achieve cost savings for our customers by establishing, tracking and reporting on key performance indicators,” says
Managing maintenance and parts effectively with internal programs and outsourcing alternatives
For most fleets, managing maintenance and parts efficiently requires a mix of programs and practices. At the 2018 Electric Utility Fleet Managers Conference, those approaches were on display during two sessions that were part of the conference educational program on Strategies for Managing a Safe, Productive and Cost Effective Fleet. Ameren Illinois fields a fleet
Isuzu is providing truck configurations that meet customer needs
Medium-duty truck markets rise and fall at different rates, noted Brian Tabel, executive director of marketing at Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. “Final mile, home delivery and grocery are some of the segments where we’ve seen some of the biggest gains,” he related. “Lease/rental is another segment that we continue to see growth in year
Valley Farm Transport’s 55-year business philosophy is the key to its success
There are two things that are never lacking at Valley Farm Transport. First are the challenges that the Dixon, Calif.-based agricultural products hauler faces every day. Second is the determination to address those issues effectively and professionally. “We embrace a no-compromise philosophy when it comes to customer satisfaction,” says David Nickum, president and chief executive
Effective wheel specification, maintenance choices lead to longer service life
How does a vehicle’s application impact wheel selection? What factors go into the decision to spec the correct kind of wheel? The answers, according to Chris Putz, principal engineer at Maxion Wheels Commercial Vehicle Wheels, North America, begin with an understanding of several important factors. “In order to achieve long-life performance of wheels, it is