CCJ

February 2015

Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal

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JACK ROBERTS is Executive Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. E-mail jroberts@ccjmagazine.com or call (205) 248-1358. sioned by Overdrive, owner-operators in 2013 controlled 38,200 fewer trucks than they did in 2006. So another 40,000 – or, dare I say, another 60,000? – owner-operators on the road today would be an instant shot in the arm for the industry and would go a long way toward easing the capacity crunch and taking enor- mous pressure away from fleets scrambling to find drivers. And every truck manufacturer I know would love to see a market for an additional 30,000 to 60,000 high-end Class 8 trucks suddenly materialize. The obvious question: What can the industry as a whole – and yes, even the government – do to get more owner-operators on the road? All fleets know the problems with acquiring and operating equip- ment today, and the larger ones are much better prepared to deal with skyrocketing equipment costs and wildly fluctuating fuel prices than owner-operators. That doesn't take into account other increased operat- ing costs that didn't exist in 2006 such as new required technology and increased maintenance and (maybe soon) insurance costs. Many large fleets already offer lease-to-own owner-operator pack- ages as an incentive to attract drivers and convert company employees to owner-operators. These efforts should be applauded and promoted better. It's also time for the industry to pressure financial institutions to lower interest rates, and for the government to offer tax incentives to help aspiring owner-operators get started – including some for first- time Class 8 truck buyers – and existing ones stick around. The argument could be made that while all small businesses are good for our country and our economy, trucking plays a vital role in a much larger transportation infrastructure with a real impact on international competition and trade. That's why trucking entrepreneurs ought to be granted incentives and allowances to compete and stay in business. If industry analysts are correct, the driver shortage soon will begin to af- fect the industry's ability to move freight effectively, and that crunch will af- fect impatient brick-and-mortar and online consumers, eventually putting a drag on the economy as a whole. Many solutions are being touted to solve the cur- rent – and coming – driver crunch. It's time to consider getting more owner-operators on the road and making serious efforts to turn that idea into reality. COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | FEBRUARY 2015 23 WANT MORE EQUIPMENT NEWS? Scan the barcode to sign up for the CCJ Equipment Weekly e-mail newsletter or go to www.goo.gl/Ph9JK. INBRIEF r 5IF/BUJPOBM)JHIXBZ5SBOTQPSUBUJPO4BGFUZ "ENJOJTUSBUJPO informed CMA and Double Coin that no additional obligation for providing a remedy or notification was required following the companies' internal revisions to begin plac - ing required sidewall markings on all U.S. tires. r .BDL5SVDLT announced that Comcar Industries of Auburndale, Fla., has added 350 Pinnacle models to its fleet. r 7BOHVBSE5SVDL$FOUFSTopened its newest Mack and Volvo dealership, located about 10 miles west of downtown Flagstaff, Ariz., within view of Interstate 40 at Exit 185. r .BDL5SVDLTbroadened its support for custom - ers and body builders by creating a support team focused on ensuring effective collabora- tion among body builders, dealers and custom- ers during the ordering and body installation process. r 'POUBJOF.PEJGJDBUJPO7PDBUJPOBM4FSWJDFT reopened its modification center in Garland, Texas. The facility had been closed since 2012, but the company said demand for modifica - tions on Peterbilt trucks produced in nearby Denton has grown steadily. r &BTU.BOVGBDUVSJOHredesigned its Parts Cen- ter at its headquarters in Randolph, Ohio, which provides aftermarket parts and accessories for dealer, fleet and owner-operator customers within a 150-mile radius. r 3ZEFS4ZTUFNpartnered with telephone inter - pretation service Language Select to provide seamless communications in more than 200 different languages for its preowned vehicle customers. Customers can call 800-873-3875. r 1BD-FBTF updated its website at www.paclease. com to enhance access to information on the company's full-service leasing, rental and con - tract maintenance programs for medium- and heavy-duty Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks. r )PXFT-VCSJDBUPS1SPEVDUT teamed with Sage Truck Driving Schools for the "Howes Truckers of Tomorrow $1,000 Scholarship Program." The scholarship is funded by Howes Lubricator and can be used at any of 25 Sage schools across the country. Applications are available at www. sageschools.com and www.howeslube.com. r 1FUFSCJMUcelebrated its 75th year with an anni - versary party in Stockton, Calif. Held at the San Joaquin Fairgrounds, the gathering attracted 351 Peterbilts, which the truck maker billed as "the largest collection of Peterbilt trucks ever assembled." 5IFZMJUFSBMMZ QBZUPCFQBSU PGUIFJOEVTUSZ XIFOUIFZCVZ UIFJSPXOSJHT

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