Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/328668
D uring economic downturns like the current one, typical fleet owners have to make tough decisions. Brad Davis — not typi- cal by any measurement — has decided to expand. Opportunities exist in every economic cycle, Davis says, even the current one. So it's his view that when the going gets tough, the tough move into new markets. Davis owns Mobile Force Refueling, Phoenix, Arizona, a com- pany that has delivered on-site fuel and lubrication to construc- tion sites since 2000. Last year, Davis expanded his marketing efforts to include servicing commercial truck fleets across all industries. "I entered the fleet fueling busi- ness strictly based on projec- tions that construction was going to slow down," says Davis. "We dedicated an entire new business to com- mercial truck fleets. It's a lit- tle more recession proof and creates a nice buffer for us." Recently, Mobile Force's customer base has ex- panded rapidly. To keep up with demand, Davis ordered five new Peterbilts in 2008, and three more in 2009, increasing his fleet size to 20 trucks. Because his business model of fleet fueling requires highly spe- cialized equipment, Davis works with truck builder Southwest Products in Phoenix, Arizona, to build the body. Rob Hanish at Southwest Products and Davis prefer Peterbilt medium-duty trucks, headlined by the Models 337 and 348, and Model 365s. They spec medium-duty vehicles with Cummins 330 hp engines, while the Model 365s get Cummins ISM 425 hp en- gines, Eaton 10 speed transmissions, 20,000 lb front axles and 46,000 lb rear axles. Critical uptime A Mobile Force truck might travel only 20 miles to each cus- tomer location, but while there it works constantly. "Uptime is critical in this business," says Davis. "Every minute our trucks are running, we're able to generate revenue." Mobile Force experiences very little downtime, adds Davis. "Our equipment is the lifeblood of our opera- tion and Peterbilt is our equipment choice." When Southwest Products designed the truck body, Davis suggested a number of labor-saving in- novations that help his servicemen work smarter, A Mobile Force To Be Reckoned With 6 FIRST CLASS Peterbilt Medium-Duty trucks, Model 365s carry the load for this high-tech refueling fleet "A Peterbilt fleet says something to customers about our commitment to quality. — Brad Davis