Mixing the old with the new, Dean Brennan Transport is bringing highly efficient solutions into its fleet
In business for 56 years, Manitowoc, Wisc.-based Dean Brennan Transport has prospered by sticking with what it does best. Founded by its namesake, and now owned and operated by Dean Brennan’s sons, Gary “Buck” Brennan and Mark “Goober” Brennan, the company hauls mostly smoke products used to make hot dogs, bacon and sausage, as well other food-grade products and soaps.
Dean Brennan Transport fields a fleet of 21 tractors, all Navistar International 9400s with 51-in. Pro-Sleepers and 435-HP Cummins N14 engines, as well as 42 food-grade and chemical tankers. The vehicles travel an average of 100,000 miles per year in an area that ranges west to Oklahoma, east to Virginia, south to Georgia and north into Saskatchewan and Ontario, Canada.
“We are firm believers in keeping vehicles for a very long time and refurbishing them ourselves,” says Buck Brennan. “We have not purchased a new tractor since 1999 and we have ten units that have more than 1.8 million miles of service. Likewise, our trailer fleet dates from 2002 all the way back to 1970.
In addition to handling routine maintenance and repairs, the Dean Brennan Transport staff of three technicians performs all tractor refurbishing. The staff also includes two people assigned to the company’s internal tank wash system and four high school students who wash vehicles on weekends.
Extensive process
The extensive tractor refurbishing process at Dean Brennan Transport includes rebuilding all major components –– except for engines, which have racks and valves set, and rods and main bearings replaced every 400,000 miles — as well as replacement of weather stripping, door latches and cab trim.
While Brennan continues to spec Chevron Delo 400 engine oil, it has switched its fleet over to Chevron 80W-90 ESI synthetic lube for transmissions, rear axles and wheel ends. The hubs are routinely replaced during rebuilding while all trailers are now fitted with heavy-duty Monroe or Euclid shock absorbers.
The fleet has also made changes to its tire specifications. “We’re converting our entire tractor fleet to run on Goodyear 395 steer and Michelin XZN-2 drive tires,” Brennan reports. “We only use new tires and we move drives to trailers. With this combination of products we’ve seen our tread life increase significantly.
“On steer positions, for example, the original tread is lasting 140,000 miles, up from 80,000 miles previously,” Brennan adds. “On trailers, because we run loaded to 80,000 lbs. about 90% of the time, the shifting bulk loads were causing excessive diagonal wear on our previous tires, but that is not a problem any longer.”
Idle reduction solutions
The Dean Brennan fleet has also been updated with an idle-reduction solution that is saving fuel, could help decrease wear and tear on engines, and provides drivers with a more comfortable working environment during colder months.
“We added Teleflex Proheat X45 auxiliary coolant heaters to all of our tractors,” Brennan relates. “Before we installed the Proheat X45 units, we had drivers who were idling their trucks 50 hours a week. Now they are down to 12 hours and in some cases even less than that. Each driver is different; we even had one who went from 96 hours in a month down to 12.
“We encourage our drivers to use the X45 to warm up the truck engines even if the outside temperature is above freezing,” Brennan continues. “We also have the Teleflex Proheat X45 set up so our drivers can hit the switch in the morning and warm their trucks up while they’re going through their inspections.”
While driver comfort was an important consideration in the decision to spec Teleflex Proheat X45 auxiliary heaters, Brennan says that cutting fuel use and the possibility of reducing wear and tear on the engine were main factors, and that the units are clearly making a big difference. “The X45 consumes 0.32 gallon or about a quart-and-a-half of fuel per hour,” he notes. “That’s two-thirds less than the gallon of fuel heavy-duty truck engines typically burn while idling. We estimate that the Proheat X45 on average pays for itself within two years.”
The Teleflex Proheat X45 is a 13-kilowatt unit rated for 45,000 BTUs, more than enough to provide sufficient heat in even the most extreme temperatures. An integrated pump circulates heated coolant to warm the engine block, making starting easier and reducing engine start-up wear. It features an onboard control panel that displays the heater status and mounting options for all truck configurations. An optional seven-day timer enables a driver to preheat the truck’s engine and heat the sleeper in advance.
While Teleflex Proheat units address the need for cab heat without excessive idling, air conditioning needs on Dean Brennan Transport tractors are being met with Bergstrom’s NITE (no-idle thermal environment) auxiliary systems. The NITE system, rated at 4,680 BTU/hr. cooling capacity, is driven by a rechargeable power source and is fully independent of the truck’s electrical system.
Reducing carbon footprints
“The result of using these technologies is year-round comfort for our drivers, and –– by virtually eliminating overnight idling –– fuel savings and reduced engine wear,” Brennan says. “Burning less fuel also means fewer carbon dioxide emissions, which is an added bonus for the environment and something that appeals to our customers as they look to reduce the carbon footprint of their supply chain.”
Brennan is also justifiably proud of his company’s safety record. In every year from 1997 through 2008, he relates, the carrier has received Silver, Gold or Platinum awards for safety performance — based on accident rates per million miles of operation — from Great West Casualty, its insurance carrier.
By updating its fleet with new technologies while simultaneously utilizing proven vehicles and components, Dean Brennan Transport is helping maintain the image it has carefully cultivated over the years, and does so more efficiently than ever before. FE
Dean Brennan Transport Tanker Specifications
Model: Brenner Tank
Length: 42 ft.
Landing Gear: Jost; SAF Holland
Axles: Meritor, Spicer
Suspension: Neway AR-90; Turner
Oil Seals: Chicago Rawhide;Stemco
Brakes: Meritor
ABS: Bendix
Slack Adjusters: Bendix
Tires: General, Goodyear, Dunlop, Kelly
Wheels: Budd, Reyco, hubs and Alcoa aluminum wheels
Lighting & Electrical: Truck-Lite; Grote
