Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/723417
Voices 4 | Overdrive | September 2016 When the question inevi- tably comes around, says Wisconsin-based owner-op- erator Jenson Lawrence, his typical answer is exemplified by the image of his fuel economy shown on this page. As Lawrence posted on his Facebook page recently, "Because I can get this kind of mileage with it if I drive carefully and pull lighter loads!" Mind you, the particular load he was pulling with his 1996 Freightliner FLD when he got these results was little more than 11,000 pounds in his 2002 53-foot Great Dane dry box. His 370-hp Cummins M-11's ECM typically reads around 6.7 mpg for lifetime fuel mileage lately (on around 38,000 miles' worth of recent history). But it's still impressive and comes on the heels of an out-of- frame overhaul completed last year by his regular mechanic at the small family-run Larson Diesel Service in Oakdale, Minn. His move to overhaul the truck is one that more own- er-operators are making these days for a variety of reasons. In Overdrive's Op- erations survey conducted this year, around six in 10 respondents reported oper- ating equipment powered by 2006 or older engines. Versatility in decisions about the business is boost- ed by a variety of factors associated with outright ownership of older equip- ment, given maintenance and purchase-price worries about newer units. Lawrence bought his 1996 seven to eight years ago after driving an own- er-operator's second truck while leased to a flatbed fleet. Lawrence is indepen- dent today, using a dispatch service for freight. Before deciding on the recent overhaul, he was on the verge of financing $150,000 for a new glider from Fitzgerald Glid- er Kits, but the $3,200 monthly payment didn't make sense. "I'd have to run hard," he says. He preferred to save for repairs rather than make the big investment for new equipment. "Who can afford a $3,000-a-month truck pay- ment and the higher cost of insurance" that comes with a newer truck? asks Tennessee-based owner-op- erator Andy Soucy, who runs in a 2001 Western Star powered by a Cum- mins N-14. Soucy extolled the ad- vantages of older equip- ment when items such as the turbo go out after the warranty terms close. With new trucks, "you have repairs that are four to five times the cost than with the older trucks," he says. "The turbo on my N-14 is rough- ly $700," far less expensive than that on a next-gener- ation ISX, he says. "What is the point of cutting your fuel expense by 40 percent when your maintenance cost is triple and reliability is not there?" While it's been doc- umented that most 2010-emissions-spec en- gines are averaging better fuel economy than older trucks have for years, multi- truck owner John Benning provided a counter-exam- ple. "My 2013 386 Peterbilt [powered by a Paccar MX and a 10-speed] generally gets from the high 4s to 5.5 mpg," he says, and better when empty. His 1998 379, however, gets almost 6 mpg consistently with a 550-hp Caterpillar 3406E and an 18-speed, "and it actually goes when you step on the throttle." The 1998 model also "has an aversion to the shop," Benning says, yet another paramount con- cern for operators. "Let's not forget, war- ranty doesn't cover lost revenue" when the truck needs repairs, Soucy says, "not to mention customers will be hesitant to deal with you" if your equipment is unreliable. Why hang on to that old truck? The carrier that sold this 1996 Freightliner FLD to owner-operator Jenson Lawrence originally had spec'd it as lightweight as possible for hauling grain, a boon to Lawrence's fuel mileage. It features a single fuel tank and relatively thin frame rails. Hauling light, largely in the Midwest, and taking it easy while often running away from the interstates, Lawrence is able to hit big fuel-mileage numbers on certain legs. Aerodynamic enhancements to the trailer, including a TrailerTail and more to come, also have helped.