Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/212850
ing environment in the cab. We give them premium seats, Eaton UltraShift transmissions, Prestige-level interiors and leather steering wheels." MX power Additionally, Blueknight gives its drivers the horsepower to do what needs to be done, with a PACCAR MX-13 rated to 485 hp. Nieto has been an early proponent of the MX-13, given its proven reliability and the weight efficiency offered by a Compacted Graphite Iron block. "We had some reliability concerns with previous engines we had," says Nieto. "When we saw the design and innovation of the PACCAR MX-13, we knew they were going to make it work." Adds Hatley, "We haul by the barrel. That's how we get paid and that's how our drivers get paid, so any weight-savings offered by the MX-13, we'll take advantage of that. And the fact is, we're still running at 485 hp, with the same torque, just as we were with the bigger block engines, and save 350 lbs." While the performance of the Model 388 has been validating the new purchases, particularly with drivers, what's come as an unexpected surprise is the response the equipment is getting from customers. "We work for some of the biggest names in the business, and even though they generally don't own their own equipment anymore, they still dictate what hauls their product," says Hatley. "They see our equipment through orientations and checkouts on the well sites. "So one day one of them says to me, "that is the finest piece of equipment I've ever seen on one of our properties.' And that's from the mouth of a drilling executive with a very major player in the oil industry. Clearly, our Peterbilts made an impression on him." Just as clearly, Hatley sees competitors' equipment often making an equally powerful impression. "There are some makes of trucks that are simply unfit to work in the 'oilpatch,' but I still see them out there. To me, that's just brain-dead. I mean, come on, you're running a business, you've got a responsibility to make the right decision! And that means running Peterbilt!"