MAKING YOUR MILES COUNT Robert D. Scheper
Success Requires Intentional Choices! Many couples have sat in my office asking about purchasing a highway tractor so that they can be an independent operator. Their concerns are well founded as a significant number have found the experience costly. There may be a great many operators who have credited the independent operator industry for securing a strong financial future, but not everyone has that story. Many feel they do not have any control of their future. When consulting with first time operators I am forced to simplify the procedure and circumstances for their success. It can be condensed into four or five primary keys. First, what is the cost of the truck? Purchasing a truck will always have some bottom-line cost per year. It does not matter if it’s leased or owned, there is always a liability carried by the operator. For a great video on understanding the difference between leasing and owning, as well as some associated costs of a truck, visit our website and watch the “Lease versus Own” video (30 minute and 15 seconds) (https:// makingyourmilescount.com/podcasts/). Second is fuel consumption. The highest variable cost of operating a truck is paying for the fuel. If you notice that I stated fuel consumption and not fuel price you know that my position on consumption is that it is more important than the price of fuel. Consumption is something every operator has direct control 8 • OVER THE ROAD
over. They cannot eliminate it, but they sure can minimize it. It starts with purchasing a truck with the right specs and continues all the way to proper acceleration practices from a stop sign. An operator controls consumption. There is nobody to blame but the guy behind the wheel. Good operators master the art of minimal consumption. Third is maintenance. Maintenance on a highway tractor is critical to success. An operator needs proper purchasing choices and must also treat the truck with respect. Purchasing a truck with minimal or no unnatural pollution control risks is paramount. I have seen too many very fine operators run $30-40k a year in pollution control maintenance. These costs do not increase the value of the asset; it only keeps the truck operating. Minimizing this minefield through smart purchasing can save years of wasted miles. It is a tricky part of the business. I once polled over a thousand operators and found that 70% of them ran pre-emission trucks (in a time when pre-emission trucks were all over 5 years old). Operators do not risk being the guinea pigs when their own money is on the line. They let someone else test the new technology. Operators must understand their equipment maintenance issues. Fourth is sale price of the truck. See ownership (Lease/Own video). At the end of the life of
JULY 2021
