Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/212850
"We were having some extreme issues with emissions, particularly EGR cooler failures," says Lynn. "We were also experiencing some injection pump failures. And we had some durability concerns. So we began looking at other options." Peterbilt stands out Today, you'll find the Peterbilt Model 337 emerging as the premium truck of choice in the PennLine fleet. Lynn placed his first order for a Peterbilt in 2011, and has since cycled in another batch of Peterbilts, including some Class 8 vehicles. But it wasn't until Lynn conducted a thorough evaluation process that he settled on Peterbilt's versatile medium-duty, paired with PACCAR PX-7 and PX-9 engines. Lynn's review started, appropriately, at the frame level. "We took a hard look at the tensile strength of the frame and its rigidity," he says. "We fabricate just about everything onto these trucks so we had to know that between our body builders and Peterbilt's engineers, that we had the right frame rails for our application. To do what we do, it needs to be pretty robust." Lynn also turned his eye toward cab construction. "You could see the quality in the cab as we made comparisons," he says. "Certainly, in fit and finish, in design, Peterbilt had the edge. "Not only that, but Peterbilt had an attractive cost-of-ownership projection." Value plays a role in every equipment decision Lynn makes, and he knew that Peterbilt would have to stand up in a total life-cycle cost evaluation if he were "Peterbilt gave us flexibility we couldn't get with other truck manufacturers." to make a fleet change. He fully expected Peterbilt to score well in resale, as PennLine typically cycles out its medium-duty equipment after nine or 10 years. Moreover, he became convinced that PACCAR's emissions technology would minimize the downtime costs he had been experiencing. What he found somewhat surprising was that Peterbilt was attractive on the front end of the cost analysis. Negotiating with Peterbilt's dealer organization also revealed a nationwide support network that Lynn found reassuring as well. PennLine Equipment Center Manager Dave Lynn has begun integrating Peterbilt Model 337s into the PennLine fleet. "Peterbilt's dealer locations and regional service centers really fit our regional areas of interest," Lynn says. "We felt that we could get quality support wherever we might need it. And the dealership organization was very knowledgeable in helping us build a truck to our spec." Specifically, Lynn says pairing the 330 horsepower of the PX-9 at 1,000 lb/ft of torque with an Eaton Fuller 8LL transmission gave Peterbilt a driveline the competition couldn't match. "We went into Peterbilt and said, 'Look, we need to pull a 20-ton trailer behind this truck too, so it not only needs to work off-road but it needs to go down the road well.' That's our heavy spec. But other applications, like our guard-rail pounders, can run on a PX-7 with lower hp. "Peterbilt gave us flexibility we couldn't get with other manufacturers." Drivers like it Once Lynn integrated some Peterbilts into the fleet, he started hearing from another group that had an interest in the equipment: its operators. "They can't believe how quiet it is," he says. "They like the turning radius and tell me that there's a tremendous visibility improvement." FIRST CLASS l 15