There was one overarching theme at the “Truck Specs 2022” panel held during the Technology & Maintenance Council’s fall meeting: choosing the correct specifications depends on the application, but the options are constantly changing due to evolving technology.
For example, downspeeding, the use of axle ratios that allow lower R.P.M. at high speeds, is excellent for highway cruising. If your routes focus more on two-lane roads, the loss of power may be a problem. However, higher gearing may net you a better R.O.I. since trucks with higher gearing have a higher resale value.
There’s a similar problem with horsepower. You don’t need much power for highway routes, but high horsepower trucks are easier to sell. However, a smaller engine costs less to buy, and since it weighs less, your trucks can carry more cargo.
Automated and manual gearboxes have more evident advantages and disadvantages. A.M.T.s cost more to buy, but they recoup that cost quickly through fuel savings. There are also fewer drivers trained on manuals, making it harder to resell manual transmission trucks.
Other equipment is improving, resulting in lower costs and better performance. For example, Advanced Driver Safety Systems (ADAS) and Collision Mitigation Systems (C.M.S.) are merging, using the same assortment of sensors to do the same job. At the same time, an increase in sensors and better software helps these systems do more with fewer false positives. Other technologies on the horizon are poised to cut costs. In the future, mirror camera systems will offer the same view as physical mirrors. By replacing large mirrors with small camera pods, they’ll reduce drag, increasing fuel economy.
Of course, no decision should be made without input from your staff. Your truck maintenance crew will know if your choices will make repairs a headache, and your drivers will know if the trucks will be a pain to use. Collecting data on your fleet’s operations is critical to make the right choices to reduce commercial truck maintenance costs and operating costs while keeping your employees happy. As long as you can back up your decisions, it should be easy to get everyone on board.
