Cost of new equipment figures largely in the difficulty of operating in today’s environment. Anecdotal reports from operators in my piece on the no. 5 named top owner-operator challenge in this month’s issue show a 30 percent rise in new-tractor pricing between 2006 and 2012 model years with all the new emissions-reducing equipment truck makers have been required to put on by the EPA.
The one silver lining in the most recent round of emissions standards is the potential for savings in fuel mileage. Company tank driver and former owner-operator Rick Gaskill, hauling for a small fleet leased to Quality Carriers, made note of his carrier’s relatively recent purchase of new Peterbilts to put on at a terminal in Texas on the occasion of a new contract. “We’re hoping fuel savings on the newer trucks will convince him to renew the fleet” in Kentucky, where Gaskill is based.
Find more thoughts from story sources on equipment costs below.
Allen Smith
We always bought used trucks with low mileage that were maintained well and passed mechanical inspection.
Have a mechanic you trust in your area. If at all possible, do not sign a lease agreement with a carrier unless you have an attorney look at it and explain the fine print. More drivers have lost their shirts doing this, even after they’ve been warned. Also, be leery of those who take out a percentage for a maintenance escrow account. If you leave, you may never see that money again. I personally had to take a company to court in order to get mine back and recently had a friend just go through the same thing. If you’re an owner-operator you should be able to determine what you need to put aside for maintenance.
It’s been a few years since I bought a truck, but the key to operating a business is you need: 1) Capital to start in order to cover expenditures. 2) To calculate maintenance, trailers, and all possible other add-on costs into your business formula. We used to set aside 15 percent after each move was complete. It’s vital to include this when calculating profits or you’ll find yourself in big trouble when things either break down or you want to expand. 3) Obviously, find the best prices and shop around.
Jerry Connolly of Truck Center auctions
After the 2008 meltdown, a lot of your lenders pulled their reins in and were not making loans – the used units became more desirable, and the prices started to increase and have steadily been increasing until abut the last 90 days [as of June]. … The market’s plateau’d off and [prices are] starting to drop a little bit. The new truck manufacturers are ramped up and are producing trucks at a strong pace.
