The Fleet Business Authority
Issue link: http://heavydutytrucking.epubxp.com/i/236631
overhead is not near what it is when you buy new." Just be sure you have the trucks in the proper application – primarily, that your operation is the same or close to what the truck was originally built for. "There have been some discouraging times with some of the emissions things we've had to contend with," Heineman says. "But things have begun to turn around. The air coming out of the exhaust is as clean as can be. It just takes a lot of sensors to make it." New engines with EPA-2010 emissions get better fuel economy than the EPA-2007 engines, he points out. What makes, models and specifications are good bets when buying used? Penn Commercial Vehicle Solutions in Glenmore, Pa., with 13 other locations in three states, works on all kinds of trucks. Hank Grahn, sales director for fleet maintenance, also notes the fuel-efficiency benefits of newer equipment. The new trucks are also more reliable. However, he says, "There's certainly a risk involved in buying equipment from '07 and later. It's viable, but you have to go in with your eyes open, you have to do your homework. Just because a vehicle has low mileage doesn't mean it's a creampuff. It might be low mileage because it's been troublesome." In deciding which used models might be the best buy, Grahn recommends talking to the people who service and repair them for a living. And talk to customers who use them. The Internet is also a good tool, he says. "Not everything is true, but there's a lot of data out there that's in the public domain." There's actually an alternative to new and used trucks, and it's the glider kit. A glider is a new truck without a powertrain. Rebuilt or remanufactured components usually take the place of the new engine, transmission and rear axles. A ready-to-work glider www.truckinginfo.com typically sells for more than a used truck, but for substantially less than a comparable new truck, and can give similar performance. Kenworth and Peterbilt offer a few models as gliders, but Freightliner supplies the most. It will make glider versions of almost any medium- or heavy-duty new truck in its lineup, and actively markets them. "Gliders are a viable option to buying a used truck," says Riley Asher, vice president for fleet services at Clarke Power Services in Spring- When choosing a no-idle system, heading down the right road is critical. Some manufacturers make false claims about their cooling performance – and you get hit with the consequences: Drivers are hot and miserable, units often need to be replaced, and you are frustrated. But with the NITE® Phoenix system, you get real numbers – proven true in a recent independent test. INDEPENDENT NO-IDLE TEST RESULTS In an independent no-idle test, our competitor's system produced 58.5% less Btu/hr than claimed, and was still 45% less than the NITE Phoenix. ACTUAL CLAIMED Competitor 4,150 Btu/hr* 10,000 Btu/hr % BELOW CLAIMED 58.5% NITE Phoenix 7,500 Btu/hr* 7,500 Btu/hr 0% Choose the NITE – it's truly the best direction. See all the test results at NITEsystem.com. * 90°F indoor temperature / 75°F wetb wetbulb temperature / 100°F outdoor temperature Circle 164 on Reader Action Card JANUARY 2014 • HDT 43