Improving Fuel Efficiency

In todays economy every business is trying to find ways to cut waste. As diesel prices are once again approaching the $4 per gallon mark, here are a couple of simple things that can help increase your MPG.

Reduce Average Speed: There is no shortage of "encouragement" to hurry in todays marketplace. However, speed is the main reason for increased fuel consumption. For every mile per hour over 60 MPH, fuel economy drops by one tenth of a mile per gallon.

Slow Your Acceleration/Deceleration: Slower acceleration consumes less fuel and also reduces premature wear on your driveline. Hard and frequent braking wastes precious energy used to get your vehicle up to speed. Increase the distance between you and the traffic in front of your vehicle elimintaing the need to react at the last second.

Perform Regular Maintenance:  This ensures your truck is running efficiently. Don't use a higher viscosity oil than you need, air filters are changed, and tires are properly inflated. 

 

Used Truck Warranties

Used Truck Warranties are becoming more of a "peace of mind" for many companies who run used commercial trucks. With commercial truck trade cycles changing, having a warranty in place has been a saftey net to some used buyers and operators who are persuing commercial used equipment with higher miles. New truck buyers have been holding onto their trucks alot longer, making the supply of good used trucks slim. Having a warranty in place could save you "less down time" and more customer service in the long haul.

Continued Strength in Commercial Vehicle Orders

The fundamentals that support heavy-duty commercial vehicle demand continue to signal the start of an upcycle for the market, according to ACT Research Co. (ACT). Net orders for Class 8 vehicles continued to surge in January and, despite a modest falloff, commercial trailer orders remained strong. Continued strong demand for equipment indicates trucking fleets are ramping up replacement of vehicles, which has largely been deferred the past two years.

The latest release of the ACT North American Commercial Vehicle OUTLOOK, shows a continued economic recovery supporting the current order trajectory. This suggests that ACT’s forecasts for rising commercial vehicle production through 2011 and into 2012 are on track. “The initial wave of data for February reinforces our assessment of the January figures and enhances our belief that a self-sustaining recovery is underway in the USA,” said Sam Kahan,

ACT’s chief economist. We expect 2011 real GDP growth to average 3.5% on a year-over-year basis; this is toward the upper end of the forecasters range,” added Kahan. ACT is the worldwide leading publisher of new and used commercial vehicle (CV) industry data, market analysis and forecasting services for the North American market, as well as the U.S. tractor-trailer market and the China CV market. ACT’s CV services are used by all major North American truck and trailer manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as the banking and investment community.

Used Trucks Are A Better Value

Mike Spanoli buys only used trucks for the family business. Simply, they cost far less than new units and, if managed correctly, some used trucks can perform almost like new vehicles. “For the price of one new truck, I can buy two or three used tractors and used refrigerated trucks.” says the president of Spanoli Brothers.

Maintaining a fleet of 10 tractors and 32 straight trucks is no easy task…but the key to their decision is that today's Class 8 tractors are designed to run for a million miles. Since the fleet typically buys used trucks with between 200,000 and 300,000 miles on them, they have many more years of good service before major maintenance is needed. “Most diesels don't need overhaul until 700,000 miles, so we might get another 300,000 to 500,000 miles out them before that expense comes due,” he explains.

Those advantages can disappear, if used trucks aren't maintained properly. Spanoli says, “You can run a used truck to one-million miles if you buy one with good specs and if it's well-maintained. You can get near-new truck performance if you take care of it.”

Spanoli’s fleet operations decided to hold onto their equipment for several more years rather than take a loss on the reduced trade-in value. And the bargain basement prices encouraged others to buy used rather than new. Demand also increased because some fleets wanted to avoid buying new trucks spec'd with engines modified to meet the stricter emissions regulations.

Spanoli Bros uses a truck software system to track costs for each used truck. “For preventive maintenance, I pay a set fee each month that is entered online. Any repair work beyond that is billed to me directly and I enter it online to keep track of costs,” he explains.

“Why would I buy new trucks, when I can spread our funds into other areas of growth in our company?”

New or Used Trucks and Financing

Choose between buying a new truck and buying a used truck. A new truck will come with a longer warranty and no history of service. It will cost more, other things being equal. On the other hand, new trucks depreciate (lose value) almost immediately when they leave the new truck lot...which means that if you can find a well cared-for used truck, it might be a good bargain.

Consider the price of the truck. This sounds obvious, but truck dealers, new or used, may tempt you with a low monthly payment. You should be sure to look at the price of the truck, everything included. The amount of the monthly payment depends on the price of the truck as well as the terms of the financing. A low monthly payment may be tempting, but it is not necessarily a good deal. Suppose the truck is over-priced, the interest is too high, and the loan is stretched out over too many years? That could be just about the worst possible deal!

You will have to sign a purchase contract. The contract protects you as well as the dealer, so do not skip this step or hurry through it.

If you are financing the used truck, make sure you understand:

how much you will pay and how often;

how many payments you must make in total;

how much you will have paid in total;

what the annual interest rate is.

Remember that the lowest possible monthly payment is not necessarily the best deal. If the interest is high and the term of the loan is quite long, you could end up parting with a lot more money in the long run. But it is certainly important to have an affordable monthly payment, because if you can't make it every month, you could lose your used truck and all the money you have already invested in it.

Don't just assume you will finance through the dealer. Check with your bank or credit union to see if the offer is as good. Even if you end up back with the dealer, by shopping around you may be able to negotiate a better deal.

Landoll Trailer Wireless Remote

Landoll Corporation, an equipment transport trailer manufacturer has selected Kar-Tech Inc, as their vendor to supply the wireless remote controls for Traveling Axle, Traveling Tail and Container trailers.

Kar-Tech will supply their Mini series wireless remote controls. Installed at the Landoll Corporation factory, the wireless remote controls three hydraulic valve spools or six complete functions. In most cases the wireless remote controls hydraulic movement of the traveling undercarriage, the winch and the trailer tilting deck. Landoll operators can enjoy the flexibility to have full hydraulic operation of their trailer at a safe working distance as well as increasing the driver efficiency to perform multiple tasks at the same time.

The Mini series adds reliability. High quality sealed membrane switches are used on the handheld transmitter that fits in the palm of your hand. The trailer mounted receiver unit also is compact and is totally sealed and protected from the elements of winter weather. Kar-Tech has built in safety measures when there are other products in the area using the same frequencies. This is due to its 900MHz FHSS technology. Another feature is that the Mini will conduct self-diagnostics including notifying the operator of any shorted or open wires. Reverse polarity, short-circuit and overload protections are all standard features.

 

 

 

Landoll Construction Detachable Trailer

Landoll Corporation is pleased to announce an all new line of heavy haul detachable lowboy trailers. The 800 series has two primary models. The 835 is a 35 Ton with two or three axles; the 855 is a 55 Ton with three or four axles. This new construction series of hydraulic non-ground bearing detachables have loaded deck heights down to 17 ¾ and deck lengths up to 32.

The 800 Series of construction trailers have an impressive list of standard equipment that includes four (4) 100,000 lb high tensile steel beams and 4S2M ABS with spring brakes on all axles. The 12’5 long gooseneck comes standard with two King Pin setting, 108/90 and seven ride height settings. These trailers will be equipped with 12 swing out extensions, a recessed boom trough, a recessed bucket trough in the lower deck and dropped wheel bolsters. Landoll will also include its standard zinc rich powder primer with a choice of six standard powder color top coats or optional hot dip galvanizing is available for the ultimate in rust protection.

Landoll also manufactures a line of Traveling Axle Trailers, Traveling Tail Trailers, Bottom Dumps, Multi-Car Trailers and Tag Trailers.

Used Reefer Trucks Are Nice On The Pocket

Your in the Food Business…you need a reliable refrigeration truck to get your produce, meat, cheese, seafood, shellfish, and ice cream to your customers in a timely manner and your working under a strict budget. Welcome to the world of Used Reefer Trucks.

Supplying major supermarkets and catering companies are good revenue and consistency is key…but they are also very cost conscious, and they insist on their products be transported within required temperature ranges. There are a number of good options available to you. A used cab over reefer truck can offer the driver/ company great city driving and delivery options. In need of something with a heavier GVW for over the road deliveries and a mix of stop and go and then highway driving…18’, 20’, 24’ Reefer Trucks provide a good option.

A big factor in considering a used refrigeration truck is fuel consumption. Fuel consumption can be affected by a number of external factors, including the number of door openings, whether the delivery route is urban or rural and the type of product – fresh, frozen or chilled. A used reefer truck with the capability to keep food cold even when stationary is a huge plus. Electric standby is also becoming a popular choice and is used to pre-cool the vehicle before loading and to maintain the box temperature while the vehicle is parked. It is ideal when vans need to be parked while loaded overnight or during an event and can be plugged into mains electricity.

Clean, well maintained used refrigeration vans and trucks are a good option in today’s cost conscious environment. Operating a reliable used truck will keep your product moving, customers happy, and money on your side.

Landoll Double Drop - The New Bus Mover

Landoll Corporation, a manufacturer of specialty transport trailers has designed and built an all-new Landoll DOUBLE DROP traveling axle trailer to transport a wide variety of oversize, over-height equipment including motor coaches, metro buses, shuttle bus or Class B and C motor homes.

The Landoll Model 353 is designed with full hydraulic manual controls along with full function wireless remote hand-held controls. The loaded deck height is only 26 and the lowest low load angle ever of 5 degrees have been achieved with this new design. The Landoll Model 353 trailer is equipped with 50,000 lb. outriggers which can raise the trailer deck and also side shift the trailer to align the bus or equipment being loaded onto the trailer. Two sets of aluminum ramps are included the low load angle needed for the long overhangs and low clearance seen on many buses today.

Landoll has built into the wheel wells a mechanical well lift system which is adjustable to various load carrying heights. This adjustment is needed for different buses have different clearance problems on the underside. The Landoll Model 353 is designed with no cylinders on the undercarriage travel reducing the overall height of the deck. The undercarriage cam bearings roll on top of the flange which eliminates any damage to the trailer frame.

The Landoll Double Drop features Landoll standard equipment including centralized grease system, Grote wiring harness and LED lights. This also includes Landoll's 5 year Limited Warranty package.

Safe Driving Around Trucks - Prevent Truck Accidents

There are many ways you can drive defensively to help steer clear of less careful drivers.  This is especially important around semi trucks and tractor trailers.  Due to the size of these trucks and the conditions the drivers work in, it is absolutely important that you use great caution when driving around these large vehicles on the road. To avoid truck accidents an important factor is to understand the danger.

InjuryBoard has developed this article to provide you with important information and simple techniques that will help you and your family stay safe and prevent truck accidents when on the road. 

Driving Safety Around Trucks

Tractor trailers are less maneuverable, start more slowly and take longer to stop than other vehicles.  They are particularly susceptible to adverse road conditions.  The average semi truck with trailer can range from 12,100 pounds to 80,000 pounds.  That means a large commercial truck like an 18-wheeler weighs about 25 times the average automobile – up to 40 times more than some small cars.  If a tractor trailer strikes a semi truck in the rear, it does not stop or slow appreciably.  When you factor in the size of the truck with the speed and weight, you can see why the possibility of other vehicles becoming part of an accident is great.  In fact, tractor trailer accidents account for an eighth of all traffic fatalities.

Safety Tips to Avoid Tractor-Trailer Accidents

Pay attention, and treat trucks differently than you would other vehicles -- A truck’s size and weight can affect the driver’s ability to brake and stop the truck, and his/her ability to change lanes.  It is not easy for truck drivers to stop quickly, making tailgating extremely dangerous.  Therefore, it is important to keep a safe distance between you and the truck at all times, especially when changing lanes in front of a truck.  If you must pass a truck, do it in a hurry, with your full attention on the road.  And when possible, don’t drive next to a truck for any extended length of time.

Stay visible and anticipate the low visibility of the truck driver -- Trucks have large blind spots, with limited visibility next to and behind them.  Try to stay in the trucks visibility; if you cannot see the driver or his/ her mirrors, chances are he/she is unable to see you.  Pay attention to the trucks turn signals, if the truck is signaling to turn, the driver may not see you and may turn in front of you.  Do not rely solely on your lights or horn to notify the driver of your presence, but also slow down your vehicle to stay out of the path of the truck.  

Take extra care when driving in adverse conditions -- In addition to the issues with the truck driver’s visibility and the size and weight of the truck, adverse driving conditions can affect all vehicles on the road.  Consider the road circumstances and slow down in rain, smoke, or fog and take more caution when driving at night.  A wet road can make it more difficult for your vehicle to stop and makes it extremely difficult for a truck driver to stop his vehicle.  Smoke and fog can make it more difficult for drivers to see the road and decrease the time you will have to respond to a dangerous situation on the road.  Also, take the design of the road into account since trucks may have difficulty navigating a narrow entrance/exit ramp on a highway or making a tight turn.  You may need to speed up or slow down to give the truck more room to maneuver.  Take caution when you are entering a highway from an entrance ramp and merging into a fast paced highway, where trucks may have trouble slowing down to allow you to merge in.

If you have to stop on a highway, pull completely off the road -- Drivers with a flat tire tend to change the flat right near the road, not wanting to park their car in the dirt and muck off the shoulder.  This also follows when you need to pull over because of vehicle malfunction or if you have been in an accident. It is best to get as far off the road as possible without going into a ditch, and if awaiting help remain in your vehicle with your seatbelt fastened.  If it is difficult or impossible to move your car to a safe area and you have no other alternative, you may want to get out of your car and leave the situation.  In this case, take all precaution to avoid traffic on the road and get as far as possible from moving traffic.

Avoid “road rage” -- Do not get aggressive or take out “road rage” against a truck. Drivers may feel the desire to retaliate by cutting the truck driver off or braking suddenly.  However, this is a dangerous reaction.  Cars and SUVs are designed and tested against collisions with other like-sized vehicles, not against giant trucks that weigh tons.  If a trucker is driving aggressively, slow down and let him pass or get off at the nearest exit.  It is also important to report aggressive or faulty truck drivers when possible.

Try to expect the unexpected -- There are many things that you cannot prepare for on the road.  One of the biggest is other drivers.  Other vehicles on the road may drive in a manner around trucks that can cause accidents the truck driver cannot avoid, like changing lanes in front of the truck and stopping suddenly or following too closely and striking the back of the truck.  It is important to not only keep your distance from trucks on the road, but also other drivers that may cause accidents.  Trucks also have tire “blow-outs” that send all or most of their tires into the road around them.  It is not uncommon to see pieces of truck tire tread scattered on the highway as we drive.  When judging a safe distance between you and trucks and other vehicles on the road, keep this in mind as well. 

BOTTOM-LINE ADVICE -- Driving cautiously and patiently while working to avoid an accident is the best way to keep you and your family safe.