Big rigs are a mystery for most of us. We loved them as kids and see them everywhere but what do we really know about them? One way to find some answers about big trucks would be to buy one so I asked Jim Edmundson, general manager of Southwest International Trucks in McKinney to help me pick one out.
“We first ask a lot of questions to try and match the customer’s needs with the right vehicle,” says Edmundson. “What product are you hauling? How much weight will you be carrying at one time? How far are you hauling it and how often? These all help narrow the choices down.”
Let’s suppose that plastic army men are making a big comeback because of recent news coverage. I have decided to manufacture them here in my garage and ship them across country. The demand is there so I think I’m going to need a big truck. Now what?
“Most of our new trucks are custom orders so we can finish out the tractor to work for you,” says Edmundson. “A company concerned with fuel economy will add extra aerodynamic cowls and different gearing ratios to limit speed and help mileage. An owner operator who is up against time constraints might be more concerned with speed than economy.”
The new economical truck might run at 7 mph while the speedier version might get 4 mph. A big truck would have a 150 gallon fuel tank and a long haul sleeper would probably have a second 150 gallon tank. Some quick math shows that a long haul driver could run 1,200 miles on 300 gallons and a fill up would cost about $850.
Unlike a car dealership, Southwest does not have a long line of new trucks and models out front.
“It would be unusual for an individual to come in and pick a truck off the lot,” he explains. “The base model and engine may be the same but one client may be hauling rocks from a quarry across town each day while someone else is hauling frozen foods across country. Every one is different.”
A good portion of Southwest’s business comes from parts and servicing the trucks, explains Tim Dreiling, a fleet parts sales manager. “Federal safety regulations on trucks and the mileage they run up demand frequent maintenance. States have additional rules that cover everything from weight to tires and lights. A failed Department of Transportation inspection pulls the truck off the road immediately and that’s not good for the driver or the owner of the cargo.”
Orders for my new plastic army men are taking off so I want the biggest and baddest that International has to offer.
Edmundson recommends the Lone Star Sleeper – Harley Davidson Edition, a truck that resembles a chrome freight train. Depending on the accessories, he says he can set me up for about $155,000 and the truck would be delivered in about 60 days.
The Car and Driver Magazine review for the Lone Star says that the 550 horsepower, 22,000 lb. behemoth “scares the bejeebers out of anyone in its path. The truck’s review goes on to say that it looks like Mad Max rolled into town with a giant chrome attracting magnet.”
A new Lone Star without the Harley trim would cost about $142,000 and a reliable used truck with 1 million miles could run between $80K and $110K based on its condition.
Unable to make a decision, I thanked Jim and Tim and headed home to do the math. If one 10 lb. box held 12 bags of 60 army men each, how many men could I fit in one 80,000 lb. trailer load? The answer is just 5.6 million. Maybe I should just call UPS.
No comments:
Post a Comment