Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/445385
Tank haulers face unique fuel economy challenges, but Groendyke personnel feel the Model 579 will bring fuel economy improvements. Put 100 or more extra gallons of cargo in that tank, six times a day, 325 days a year. It adds up. "And then you think about how con- gested some of our highways are. If you can deliver the same amount of product with fewer trucks on the road, saving weight like these Peterbilts do is really a green initiative." Saving fuel is another green initiative that has Hodgen's attention. While some in the tank industry discount the fuel-sav- ing potential of aerodynamic design such as that found on the Model 579, Hodgen will take any edge he can get. "It's different for us with all these pipes and the swing length we need, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be interested in what aerodynamic designs can do for tanks. The EPIQ package (page 11) is intriguing and some of those things will work for us. If we can make even a small fuel economy improvement, it's a win." Such "wins" help overcome the per- ception that only traditional convention- als make sense in a tank fleet. "You know, you think about the long hoods and the big air cleaners and there was just this image of what a truck should look like. But the image of what a big truck should look like is changing. "Truckers are capable of change," he adds with a grin. "Sometimes it just takes us a little while." What is also on the verge of changing is the presence of Peterbilts in the fleet, which Hodgen says will likely be growing significantly. "It's a human business. Trucks are important, but your people are absolute- ly vital to your success. If Peterbilt trucks help us keep our best people, they'll con- tinue to be an important factor in our success." FC 8 l FIRST CLASS