WHY SO MANY COMPANIES JUST RUN FREIGHTLINERS AND INTERNATIONALS

I think it largely comes down to price. As far as internal design and storage goes, the newer Cascadia is the king. There's tons of space and the layout of outlets and controls are brilliant. The international pro star was the worst design. You hit your head constantly and every compartment was designed an inch too small. I could make a list of design flaws. They literally got every design element wrong. I own a T660 and drove a T680 for a while before I bought my truck.
I realize it's a bit off topic but my point is the Cascadia I drove had a DD and was like new at 700k miles. I was astonished at how well it pulled at max capacity.
I think the companies are getting a more affordable tractor and the drivers are getting better layout for their stuff.

 

100% price - nothing else matters to a mega.

Do you think the purchasing agent at a mega knows the difference between a Crapcadia or a Pete? International and Freightshakers know they have a substandard product and give large quantity discounts on bulk purchases and capitalized leases to companies.

The quality of the truck matters 0% since part of the bulk purchase or capitalized lease includes factory warrantee as part of the negotiation.

The newbie that holds the steering wheel at the mega just think he is special because the truck the company allows him to live in is newer and more spacious then the Kia that was his previous residence.

 

Service. You can get to a freightliner on demand at any time should a problem develop, usually within hours or less when on battery. Then you are given a hotel while they take care of everything. Then call you to fetch it and get going.

I dont know anything about hyping or sales etc. Ive pretty much run em all in my time at one time or another and have my own favorites. The one in my avatar is a 93 FLD 120 I think it was with a little glass jaw for a front end and a tendancy to burn alternators the way I ran so hard. But that tractor and I was a match made in heaven for what we did.

I would have preferred a XL classic or even a pete or W900 KW etc. But you get to run what you are given to run. Some of the best were the 379's I did not have those too long but they gave no trouble. Not too much anyhow.

International was halfway... erm decent working truck for decades but after the new Eagle Series came out they kind of overplushed themselves and forgot or forsaken their roots. My last OTR run was in a 83 international COE.. which was a good truck but due to specific eye issues being in a COE is a trap for those to my left, I have a tendancy not to see them and take them out with that steer. I do not do that in conventionals. (Not those with rubber front bumpers etc)

KW was the best the new 2000's were all that was needed but sometimes got a little bit jacobs hammershmicht on the curbing at times ugh but they did a good job with it. I ran out a few months hauling out of mckesson with one in Memphis via a lease contractor who had a bunch of them. I say this for those. They were reliable as HELL.....had to be when there is a million in that box of narcotics and people who would take you out if they knew what was in it.

But just one more time I would like a old suiperliner mack 500 or a autocar, diamond or marion. But Ive had my share of those.

 

I'd like to try a yugo. One of the brands i never got to try. LOL

 

To each his own, I have no problem with that, and I'm not interested in a, uh, "going number one" match. But to say Freightliner is a substandard truck... have you driven one of them lately?

 

Yep, That is why I am saying what I said.

Nothing, personal you see. Both Freightliner and International both moved their manufacturing to Mexico and it shows. Why? because they know where their market is. NO it is not in Mexico, it is underpricing the other manufactures and the only way they can do that is with cheap Mexican workers.

They were always the "other brand, the "also run", or the "budget choice," and they have just taken that to a new level.

 

Friend of mine got given one as a company car. It was absolute ####e!

 

And now that Freightliner bought Western Star, the build quality of the Star has gotten almost horrible. A few years ago, you could buy a Star and just know it was a solid, well built truck, which was built with pride. Now, just a glorified Freightliner. I just started running a 2017 4900, and the quality has gone way down since 2013, when my last one was new. And I was told the same thing by a trusted friend in 2013 when that one was new.

They're all junk!

 

I have. Freightliner is a sub standard product. It was designed by idiots. The service network is staffed by drooling idiots who just be constantly reminded to close their mouths.

 

Well, all I can say is after driving nearly every make out there including 18 years with KWs (which I swore up and down were the best trucks on the road), and swearing I would never drive a Freightliner as long as I had an option, having driven Cascadias the last 3+ years, I'm definitely a fan.
Admittedly, the last KW I drove was a new model at my old company in 2013 (I think it was a T680). On my starting day at my current employer, I was given a new 2014 Cascadia. Based on that, if given the choice now, it would be Freightliner. (Not a fan of the 2018s, BTW, but my coworkers would disagree with me.)
Again, everybody's different, I won't knock the choices others make.