Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/328674
many of which have been growing longer. "It used to be that when petroleum was coming up from Ven- ezuela to US terminals, our guys would be going to get it and be gone two days at a time," says Dillon. "Now, it comes from vari- ous mid-continent sources. Drivers can be gone up to two weeks at a time, so it's important that we keep them comfortable." "And it's important we keep them safe," notes Musgrove. "Our customers are very aware of our safety record, and we do what we can to minimize driver fatigue. These Peterbilts have ex- cellent sightlines and maneuverability, and that helps too." Adds Dillon, "We're definitely replacing fewer bumpers since we began running these Peterbilt aeros." More payload, higher margins Dillon also finds he's turning a higher profit margin since switching to Peterbilt aeros. Even with a sleeper, his Model 386s net a 27-ton payload. Model 384 day cabs deliver 28 tons. "That really makes us more competitive," says Musgrove. "Others are bidding jobs on the basis of a 23- or 24-ton load, while we can do it at 27-28. That's a huge difference." Dillon says he consistently sees a return of 50 percent in resale after his four-to-five-year ownership cycle with Peterbilts. His fleet average in fuel economy is just over 6.7 mpg. But one of the big reasons he sticks with Peterbilts is harder to put a number on. "The people in the community, they see our trucks and they know where we're going," says Dillon. "It may not have our customers' name on the door, but we know our trucks are an extension of our customers' image. It matters to them that we run quality Peterbilt equipment." FIRST CLASS 11 Peterbilt Model 384 day cabs help Dillon Transport deliver as much as 28 tons of payload. Dillon also runs Peterbilt Model 386s and 388s in sleeper configurations for longer hauls.