“Supplier relationships are important to us for several reasons,” says Denton Williams, president of Blue Max Trucking. “They work with us to recommend products that best fit our needs at the best pricing. When we need support they are always there for us, and if we’re on a tight deadline they will go the extra mile to help us out. Recently, those relationships have enabled us to hold the line against rising costs.” 
Blue Max Trucking, based in Charlotte, N.C., was founded by Williams in 1984, initially to supply dump truck service to the surrounding area. Today, the company operates in three regions throughout the Carolinas. Some of the projects for which it has supplied materials include I-77, I-85, I-485 and other highways, a Charlotte Douglas International Airport runway addition, the Carolina Panthers Stadium, a Boeing plant in Charleston, S.C., the building of the Apple and Facebook data centers, the Myrtle Beach Airport expansion, drag strips and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
The Blue Max fleet includes 188 dump trucks and tractors, and 22 dump lowboy and flatbed trailers. Power units in the operation consist of 118 Peterbilt Model 357 dump trucks and 10 Peterbilt Model 378 tractors, 53 Mack Granite trucks, and seven Freightliner Columbia tractors. Trailers include East and Trailstar dump models, Great Dane, Dorsey, Stoughton, Lufkin, Fontaine and Fruehauf flatbeds, and Etnyre and Witco lowboys.
“We trade equipment on average after six years of service,” relates Pete Nuzzolese, service manager at Blue Max. “We have a mix of makes and models in our fleet because we consider price, durability and dealer service and support when we’re choosing and spec’ing new equipment.”
Focus on tires
The on- and off-road nature of its business, Nuzzolese notes, leads Blue Max to focus in particular on tires. “We evaluate our tire specifications using input from our suppliers,” he says. “In particular, we’ve worked closely with the manufacturer’s representative from Continental Truck Tires—USA, as well as Michelin and Yokohama dealers for retreads. Tires are one of our top costs, and they’ve gone up recently with increases in rubber prices.
“Continental has been our primary tire supplier since 2010,” Nuzzolese continues. “We chose them for virgin casings that could meet our retread needs, but not before they worked with us to test the durability of their products. Stone drilling is one of the top two causes of tire failures in our operation, so we were especially interested in how the casings held up on runs to a rock crusher facility where we pick up materials used as a road base.”
For those evaluations, Blue Max and Continental took two different tread patterns and ran them side by side, changing wheel positions from left to right and front to rear to monitor for wear, cuts, flats and stone drilling. The tires tested that met the fleet’s goals are now included in its specifications.
Three Continental tires are now in use at Blue Max Trucking. All were chosen, according to Nuzzolese, for their proven resistance to tearing in high scrub applications and minimum stone retention, which extends casing life. Included are the HSR2 regional steer/all-position tire with a 23/32-in. deep tread, the on-/off-road construction model Continental HSC for steer positions and in drive applications as virgin casings, and the Continental HSU2+ all-position steer radial with a deep rib tread.
Maintenance for the Blue Max fleet is handled mostly in-house in three locations, except for warranty repairs and some machine shop services. The company’s Charlotte, N.C., and Charleston and Conway, S.C., shops are staffed by 14 technicians. Nuzzolese, who has been with Blue Max for 20 years, oversees the maintenance operation.
Best interests
“Some of our loads, like asphalt, are time sensitive,” Nuzzolese states. “They not only have to be delivered on schedule, they are essentially perishable and will not be used if we are delayed by an equipment issue. All of our dealers and vendors understand that aspect of our business, and have our best interests in mind.
“At one point in time, we tried a one-stop parts supplier,” Nuzzolese continues. “That program worked well for routine items and inventory, but it was not always effective when a part was needed for a breakdown or a last-minute repair. Today we’re using several suppliers and vendors to meet our needs. If we have an issue, we know who to call to get the right part quickly at the best price.”
By tracking costs for things like parts, tires and fuel, Williams says, Blue Max is assured it is making effective choices for its operation and its customers. “We use contracts whenever they’re feasible,” he says, “especially for things like fuel, where prices can fluctuate daily.
“Most of our costs have gone up recently, so it’s even more important to work closely with suppliers to hold the line against increases,” Williams adds. “That’s the only way we can continue to provide cost effective services for the many large and small projects our customers call on us to handle.”
Measuring Performance
In use at Blue Max Trucking is the Continental ContiTrack2 system, a handheld tool for tire monitoring. The system uses Bluetooth-linked electronics and integrated software during fleet visits to measure tread depth, wear characteristics and air pressure. The system can manage every tire the fleet operates and also allows for scrap pile analysis. A Continental representative visits the fleet on a regular basis, uses the tools to measure tires, and then with a linked iPad, tablet or iPhone, collates the information to provide data on key performance indicators.
The reports generated can include projected mileage and costs per mile; dollar loss calculations due to improper air inflation and improper tire matching; dollar value of tires in the fleet based on tread depths and tire types; forecast projections of upcoming tire needs based on fleet replacement practices, and reporting of conditions that require immediate action by the fleet.
“Blue Max Trucking has been a key fleet for the ContiTrack2 program,” said Continental technical training and ContiTrack2 program manager Kevin Naumann. “A Continental representative visits Blue Max about once per month to help benchmark tire performance, determine cost per mile, and assist with overall fleet maintenance management. We also use their fleet as our hands-on training grounds for conducting ContiTrack2 fleet inspections. Using ContiTrack2, we have been able to track tires effectively and provide them with information that helps them improve tire performance.”
Blue Max Trucking Tractor Specs
Model: Peterbilt Model 378
Wheelbase: 205 in.
Engine: Caterpillar C15
Transmission: Allison 4560 HD
Driveshafts: Spicer 1810 series
Front Axle: Dana Spicer 1202W
Front Suspension: Peterbilt
Power Steering: TRW TAS 065
Rear Axle: Dana Spicer DSP41; RSP41
Rear Suspension: Peterbilt Air Leaf
Wheel Seals: Stemco Discover
Brakes: Eaton Extended Life
ABS: Meritor WABCO
Automatic Slack Adjusters: Haldex, Gunite
Parking Brakes: MGM 30/30
Wheels: Alcoa 22.5 x 8.25
Tires: Continental HSR2
5th Wheel: SAF Holland 350
Air Compressor: Bendix BA 921
Air Dryer: Bendix AD IS EP
Air Cleaners: Donaldson ECG11-2504
Fan Clutch: Horton DriveMaster
Batteries: (3) Exide Group 31; 950 CCA
Starter: Delco 42MT
Alternator: Delco 35 SI
Lighting: Grote
Seats: National
Fuel Tanks: 40-gal. hydraulic/60-gal. fuel LH; 110-gal. fuel RH
Paint: Dupont Imron
Model: Peterbilt Model 357
Wheelbase: 250 in.
Engine: Caterpillar C10, C11
Transmission: Allison 4560 HD
Driveshafts: Spicer 1760 series
Front Axle: Meritor FL941
Front Suspension: Peterbilt
Power Steering: TRW TAS 85052 A
Rear Axle: Meritor 44-145
Rear Suspension: Hendrickson HaulMax
Wheel Seals: Stemco Discover
Brakes: Meritor Q Plus
ABS: Meritor WABCO
Automatic Slack Adjusters: Haldex, Gunite
Parking Brakes: MGM 30/30
Wheels: Alcoa 22.5 x 8.25
Tires: Continental HSC, HSU2+
Air Compressor: Bendix BA-921
Air Dryer: Bendix AD IS EP
Air Cleaners: Donaldson EPG 11-0171
Fan Clutch: Horton DriveMaster
Batteries: (3) Exide Group 3, 950 CCA
Starter: Delco 42MT
Alternator: Delco 22 SI
Seats: National
Fuel Tanks: 110-gal.
Paint: Dupont Imron
Model: Mack Granite
Wheelbase: 255 in.
Engine: Mack MP Series
Transmission: Allison 4500 RD
Driveshafts: Dana Spicer
Front Axle: Mack FXL18
Power Steering: TRW
Rear Axle: Mack
Rear Suspension: Mack Camelback
Wheel Seals: CR Industries
Brakes: Bendix Spicer
ABS: Bendix
Automatic Slack Adjusters: Gunite
Wheels: Alcoa
Tires: Bridgestone
Air Compressor: Meritor WABCO
Air Dryer: Meritor WABCO
Air Cleaners: Donaldson
Fan Clutch: Borg Warner
Starter: Delco 39MT
Alternator: Delco 35SI
Seats: National
Fuel Tank: 110-gal.
Paint: PPG
Trailer Specs
Models: East and Trailstar dump; Great Dane, Dorsey, Stoughton, Lufkin, Fontaine, Fruehauf flatbed; Etnyre, Witco lowboy
Length: 48 ft.
Landing Gear: SAF Holland
Axles & Suspensions: Watson Chalin dump; Hendrickson flatbed, low boy
Oil Seals: Stemco Discover
Brakes: Meritor Q Plus
Slack Adjusters: Gunite
Tires: Continental HSR2
Wheels: Alcoa
Lighting & Electrical: Grote
