Upgrading Fleet Advice Needed for Small Fleet Owner

FREIGHTLINER can provide you with the suggested maintenance schedule for the model you chose. Decide on the oil / lube you want to use the manufacturer can give you the correct changing schedule based on your application and samples , same with tires GOODYEAR for example will give you the correct air pressure settings for the loads you haul usually from a scale ticket. Get as much info as possible then setup your service schedules and stict to it .

 

We run our 2013 kenworth pretty hard, 214k miles on it it'll be be one year in December. Runs weekly coast to coast. My advice would be have the drivers actually check for leaks, loose screws, etc along the way. Tell them to not ignore warning lights or anything little. PM always on time. No matter what. Make sure you follow the dealers PM list, everything should go smooth. We haven't had any issues thus far, again it's at 214k miles and not the even one year old.

 

The DD15,s are good engines if they run right.
If they don't you won't be seeing anywhere near 7.5mpg.

 

slip seating a truck is definently alot harder on equipment. As for a mainenance program we have our own shop and we do an "A" service at 14,000 mile intervals, and in between we do a "B" service at 7,000 miles so the truck is in the shop every 7k. our b service consist of new fuel filter, grease truck, adjust clutch, adjust breaks, grease 5th wheel, check braks linings and drums, check air hoses, check all fluids, check driveline, and just an overall thorough look over. for the A service we do the same with the addition of a oil change and we also do a Annual Inspection to make sure there is nothing that would cause the truck to be shut down if inspected.

 

Have you looked at leasing if your trucks are getting 5 MPG and you are running 2500 miles per week and you can bump that up to 7 mpg that is around $500.00 difference per week in fuel savings or around 2100-2200 month. You are looking at somewhere between $2700-$3000 a month on a 5yr lease and you do not have to deal with any of the maintenance headache.

 

Good plan everyone should do a DOT inspection with PM service. It saves a lot of problems down the road

 

Our partner has started running the new Evolution and expecting better than that in terms of fuel economy. You have an advantage in your lane has a government mandated fuel economy system - 55 MPH - so you should be pleased.

Would suggest you look at getting APU's. They pay for themselves in fuel savings but the biggest issue I am hearing with new motors is they don't like idling.

 

You have enough trucks to just about fund your own shop. If not that, at least be the main client for one you frequent. I like deskdriver's suggestion the best.

What you really need to do is reconsider your slip seat arrangement and take a sharp look at your drivers. Slip seating pretty much makes responsibility vanish for anything but the most egregious break downs. You really need to be tracking every dime on maintenance and fuel by driver and feeding it back to them. Even better if you pay a bonus of some sort to drivers that avoid mishaps and/or get better fuel economy.

Admittedly, I have a tiny fleet and not much experience. What I have seen is truck problems like you describe tracking back to a careless driver, and a mostly trouble free and kept up truck tracking directly back to a mature, careful driver.

If you don't make any changes to your operation or how you manage your drivers, the new trucks will be rolling pieces of crap like the old ones in no time. You won't save anything and may as well keep patching up the old ones.