Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/417162
12 l FIRST CLASSCLASS Ride and comfort — and the associ- ated reduction in driver fatigue — figure into the West Coast safety plan as well, according to the Struiksmas. "Almost everything we do is about safety," says John Jr. "It's our number one concern. Everybody goes home at the end of the day, and that's the import- ant thing, but it's also good business. Being safe saves us money, and the driver environments in these Peterbilts help us achieve an excellent safety record." Strong resale Both Struiksmas have long been wit- ness to Peterbilt's outstanding residual value. Their resale cycle has ranged from six to 10 years and in any economic envi- ronment, return has always been strong. "There have been people, no joke, they'll call me daily about our used equip- ment," says the younger Struiksma. "And some of those trucks will have up to 800,000 miles on them. That's a testa- ment to Peterbilt. We've had some com- petitor trucks in here over the years, and their dashboards are falling off — literally — at 500,000 miles. "Peterbilt's durability record definitely gives us confidence that we'll see the same kind of returns on the 567 and 579." But for all the business reasons the Struiksmas prefer Peterbilts, some are less tangible. "We just like the way Peterbilts look," says the elder Struiksma. "Always have." Transfer dumps such as this one, towed by a new Peterbilt Model 567, make up the bulk of WCSG fleet work. WEST COAST