work truck magazine march/april 2011

THE RESOURCE FORMANAGERS OF CLASS 1-7TRUCK FLEETS

WWW.WORKTRUCKONLINE.COMMARCH/APRIL 2011

VOL. 5 NO. 2

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: DONDLINGER OF AUTO DONDLINGER OF AUTO

TRUCK GROUPTRUCK GROUP

HOW TO SPEC A HOW TO SPEC A DUMP BODYDUMP BODY

TELEMATICSTELEMATICS ININWORK TRUCK FLEETSWORK TRUCK FLEETS

CAPSULES VS. CARGO VANS PAGE 14 ISUZU’S NPR ECO-MAX TOUR PAGE 26 STAPLES’ ALL-ELECTRIC TRUCKS PAGE 34

2011 NISSAN NV20122012 NISSAN NV:NISSAN NV:FUNCTIONAL & FLEXIBLEFUNCTIONAL FUNCTIONAL && FLEXIBLEFLEXIBLE

2012 NISSAN NV 2500HD

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HIGHER QUALITY.At Ford Fleet, we believe higher quality is in the details. When your employees are in our vehicles, you can be confi dent we’ve left no stone unturned to ensure those vehicles are reliable, durable and sustainable. We’re committed to continuous improvement and dedicate ourselves every day to creating cars and trucks that are greener, safer and smarter. When it comes to quality, hard work and higher standards are all we know. Because our fl eet is your fl eet. Ford Fleet. Get More.

fl eet.ford.com

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IN THIS ISSUE MARCH/APRIL 2011VOLUME 5 ISSUE 2

Features

Departments

12 2012 NISSAN NV RAISES THE ROOF & FUNCTION OF COMMERCIAL VANSNissan has been in the commercial vehicle market for more than seven decades and is introducing its all-new commercial van to the U.S. market.

14 CAN PICKUP BED CAPSULES EFFECTIVELY REPLACE CARGO VANS?Manufacturers that build pickup bed capsules discuss the advantages and limitations of the fi berglass-enclosed bodies and explain when fl eets should consider replacing cargo vans with truck bed capsules.

18 DONDLINGER OF AUTO TRUCK GROUP DISCUSSES HIS POST-ACQUISITION STRATEGYJim Dondlinger, president of the recently acquired Auto Truck Group, discusses the company’s change in ownership, integration of Fleet Body Equipment, the history of ATG, and changes in the industry over the years.

20 TELEMATICS USE IN WORK TRUCK FLEETSTruck fl eets can improve operational effi ciency, boost driver safety, and reduce high-cost vehicle repairs by implementing telematics systems. Highlighted are some of the latest products available.

26 ISUZU NPR ECO-MAX TRUCKS RETURN FROM NATIONWIDE TOURFor more than two months, the Isuzu NPR ECO-MAX toured the coun-try educating dealers and service and parts personnel.

28 HOW TO SPEC DUMP BODIES FOR LIGHT- & MEDIUM-DUTY TRUCKSIf a fl eet doesn’t properly equip a chassis or dump body to handle a load, cost savings will vanish due to premature maintenance issues and greater risks to employee safety.

34 WHAT STAPLES EXPECTS FROM ALL-ELECTRIC MEDIUM-DUTY WORK TRUCKSMike Payette, manager of fl eet equipment for the offi ce supply company, discusses his experience with all-electric trucks and factors fl eet managers should consider when including such vehicles in fl eet.

38 DECALS CONVEY PROFESSIONALISMDecal manufacturers can provide customizable options for updating the look of current fl eet vehicles. One benefi t of decals is the ease in which they can be affi xed.

40 SPRINKLES DELIVERS HIGH-END CUPCAKES WITH MERCEDES SPRINTERThe owners of Sprinkles Cupcakes designed and upfi tted their

eye-catching “Sprinklesmobile” to refl ect the image of the gourmet cupcake chain.

2 WEB TOC

4 LETTERS■ Concerns and Benefi ts of CSA 2010

6 TRUCK NEWS ■ ARI Acquires ATG

■ FMCSA Introduces CSA 2010

10 STATS■ Top 10 Most Fuel-Effi cient Trucks of 2010

42 TRUCK PRODUCTS ■ Truck Caps and Capsules

44 END OF FRAME EDITORIAL■ Speed Limiters on HD Trucks:

Will Medium-Duties be Next?

WORK TRUCK MAGAZINE (CDN IPM# 40013413) is published bi-monthly by Bobit Business Media, 3520 Challenger Street, Torrance, California 90503-1640. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Work Truck P.O. Box 1068 Skokie, IL 60076-8068. Please allow 8 to 16 weeks for address changes to take effect. Please address Editorial and Advertising correspondence to the Executive Offi ces at 3520 Challenger Street, Torrance, California 90503-1640. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without consent of Bobit Business Media. All statements made, although based on information believed to be reliable and accurate, cannot be guaranteed and no fault or liability can be accepted for error or omission.

14

12

www.worktruckonline.com MARCH/APRIL 2011 WORK TRUCK 1

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http://www.worktruckonline.com

www.worktruckonline.com

what you’re readingw

2 WORK TRUCK MARCH/APRIL 2011 www.worktruckonline.com

FRITO-LAY LOOKING AT PROPANE AUTOGAS FOR UP TO 2,000 VEHICLESWorking with ROUSH CleanTech to develop a liquid propane autogas conversion system for Ford E-350 dual rear-wheel cutaway chassis vehicles.

TOMMY GATE BREAKING NEW GROUND IN VAN APPLICATIONSIn the fi nal stages of testing on the fi rst American-made cantilever lift for panel vans.

EPA, DOT, AND CALIFORNIA ALIGN TIMEFRAME FOR PROPOSING FUEL ECONOMY AND GREEN-HOUSE GAS STANDARDSThe single deadline will be Sept. 1, 2011 for proposals for model year 2017-2025 cars and light-duty trucks.

RYDER COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF CARMENITA LEASING IN CALIFORNIAHow many vehicles did Ryder add to its fl eet as part of this acquisition? Go to worktruckonline.com to fi nd out.

ATG’S DONDLINGER MERGES FLEET BODY EQUIPMENT INTO EXISTING OPERATIONSATG now has fi ve upfi tting operations.

Use the navigator on the WorkTruckOnline.com home page to browse the latest articles from the channels. Enter a channel to view in-depth news, articles, tools, calculators and more related to that specifi c topic.

March/April’s Web Channel Highlight: GPS & TELEMATICSLease vs Buy is a diffi cult decision in regards to your work truck fl eet. Use the below resources to help you make this decision, guide you through the process and other helpful tips such as negotiating a fl eet lease management agreement.

▲ Telematics Use Grows in Work Truck Fleets

▲ How Can Telematics Help Your Fleet?

▲ Using GPS to Measure a Quality Stop

▲ Telematics Cuts 200-Truck Fleet Annual Fuel Spend by Nearly $200K

▲ Fleets Search for Effective Anti-Idling Solutions

Industry Trendss Telematics Safety Remarketing Fuel

the 5

THE FLEET CHANNELS

WORKTRUCKONLINE.COM TOP 5 MOST POPULAR STORIES AS OF OCT. 18, 2010

1

2

3

4

5

What We’re Blogging About

MARKET TRENDSBy Mike Antich

www.worktruckonline.com/

blog/markettrends.aspx

February 8Idea Emerges to Create Networking Group for Women in Fleet

January 28NHTSA Proposes Speed Limiters on HD Trucks: Will Medium-Duties be Next?

January 24Fleet Applications Emerge for Mobile Com-munication Devices

January 18High-Mileage Used Fleet Vehicles Create Dif-fi culties Financing ‘C’ and ‘D’ Paper Buyers

FLEET BLOGSThe Voice of the Fleet Community

(www.fl eetblogs.com)

January 31: Can You Place a Dollar Amount on the Value of Employee Retention?by Kate Harland

January 31:The future of driving?by Jennifer Sutherland

January 14: Monthly Rants – The National Debtby Anonymous Public Fleet Manager

January 10: Are your drivers paying attention? It could be costly!by Steve Fowler

Interested in starting your own blog? Go to www.fl eetblogs.com for more information

ANTICH

FLETCHER

CHATTY CHASSIS By Lauren Fletcher

www.worktruckonline.com/

Blog/Talking-Truck.aspx

January 24Is it Really a Truck?

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http://www.w


http://www.worktruckonline.com/

http://www.worktruckonline.com/

http://www.fleetblogs.com

http://www.fl

Partners at Work

For our fleets in Big Sky Country and beyond, the sky’s the limit.Vehicle reliability and readiness are always critical. But perhaps never more than when you’re

managing a 1,000-vehicle fleet covering three northwestern states. ARI ensures every

passenger car, pickup, bucket truck and digger derrick is at the ready. Our team also helped

reduce fleet expenses by $1.3 million over three years while the fleet size grew 30%! From

acquisition and maintenance to fuel and compliance services, to consulting and remarketing,

there’s no limit to what ARI can do. Some call it going “above and beyond.”

We call it, “Partners at Work.”

Read the full story and more at:

www.arifleet.com/partnersatwork

ROB HOYSGAARDUtility Fleet Expert

As a power industry specialist, Rob focuses his energy on innovative fleet management solutions that help ARI’s utility partners succeed.

WT0311tocweb.indd 3WT0311tocweb.indd 3 2/9/11 2:58:42 PM2/9/11 2:58:42 PM

http://www.arifleet.com/partnersatwork

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR


Which DOT Number to Use?I manage a fl eet of vehicles that are mostly are pickups. However, we also

operate eight DOT-stickered trucks to move equipment. These trucks have

a GVW greater than 10,000 lbs. but less than 26,000 lbs. We have a func-

tioning DOT program. When our work exceeds the capacity of our trucks,

we rent Penske Trucks to make up for shortages and will only use a DOT-

trained driver. My question is, do we have to label the Penske truck with our

own DOT number? There is some debate on whether we need to let the Pen-

ske DOT number remain or cover it with our own.

Scott Livengood, Logistics Manager

Winter Environmental, Norcross, Ga.

DOT Number on Rental TruckWe lease Penske trucks to transport our computer equipment for trade shows.

Penske says we do not have to have a DOT number, but one of our drivers

was told at a weigh station by an Illinois Commerce Commission offi cer that

we did need one. Do we or don’t we need a DOT number for a rental truck?

E-mail by Debbie Palmisano

Even trucks that need to display DOT numbers do not have to have them on the door if the company rents the truck for less than 30 days. – Editor

Vicarious Liability ConcernsOne concern cited in the January/

February editorial, “Legal Motion

Seeks to Halt Public Release of CSA

2010 Data,” was that major shippers,

brokers, and intermodal carriers may

feel compelled by the threat of vicar-

ious liability to bar use of any carrier

shown to be under “alert” in any of the

six BASIC areas.

One way around this is by leasing

your vehicles. Vicarious liability will

not apply to the owner if the vehicle is

leased to someone else and a contract

for indemnifi cation is in place.

E-mail by Stroman

You are correct; however, an enterprising attorney may still wish to sue. Lawsuits involving vicarious liability are part of a broad trend in tort cases where the court seeks awards from secondary parties. There is legal precedent for these vicarious liability concerns. Two notable legal decisions — Schramm v. Foster (2004) and Jones v. D’Souza (2007) — established that shippers may be held liable for “negligent hiring” of truckers. In Schramm v. Foster, a Maryland court ruling found a third-party logistics company guilty of hiring

a carrier that caused an accident and did not take into account the company’s FMCSA rating prior to hiring.

– Editor

Getting Your Ducks in a RowAfter reading the September/Octo-

ber 2010 issue editorial, “Most Fleets

Unprepared for CSA 2010,” I want-

ed to reply to say this may be the most

clearly stated explanation I’ve seen on

CSA 2010.

What drivers need to realize is this

will affect them if they are inherent-

ly lazy when it comes to performing

proper inspections of equipment and

maintaining proper logs, because com-

panies will not be able to shoulder the

burden CSA 2010 will put on them fi -

nancially. In my own writings, “How

to Start a Trucking Company,” I strong-

ly urge the use of compliance services,

such as J.J. Keller, to be more produc-

tive by ensuring you have all of your

“ducks in a row.”

E-mail by Benjamin Bellville

CSA Impact on Freight Rates

I read the September/October 2010 is-

sue editorial, “Most Fleets Unprepared

for CSA 2010” and got to wondering

how will it affect freight rates?

E-mail by Denise M. Pagura

Benefi ts of CSA 2010Thanks for writing the editorial,

“Most Fleets Unprepared for CSA

2010.” (See September/October 2010

issue.) It is amazing how many regu-

lated fl eets are still not aware of this

program and have not accessed their

performance measured under the new

system. I believe CSA will make the

highways safer by uncredentializing

the unsafest drivers and fl eets. How-

ever, the program is the most effective

when drivers and fl eets use the experi-

ence to become better, safer, and more

effi cient in their operations.

E-mail by Nick Goodell

Better than NothingIn reply to the discussion on whether

to mandate tire pressure monitoring

systems (TPMS) for medium- and

heavy-duty trucks, I believe the key

issue will be the design parameters

to trigger the alert. If the system is set

up for too great a variation in pressure

before it alerts the driver (say a 20-lb.

variation, over or under), then the system

is fl awed from the start. The reality, as

you know, is the driver will only react

when it is convenient to infl ate the tires.

If the tires are under- or over-infl ated

before the system alerts, damage is

already being done to the tire. I don’t

think a system with an “idiot” light,

while better than nothing, is adequate.

Just my thoughts.

E-mail by M. Berra Jr.

Predicting At-Risk DriversThe article “How to Predict and Ad-

dress At-Risk Driver Behaviors,” writ-

ten by Thomas Bray of J.J. Keller was a

very good article. (See July/August 2010

issue.) None of us want unsafe drivers

in our industry, and the best way to ac-

complish this is during the job interview.

This may translate into fewer hires, but

by hiring the best, it will foster reten-

tion and enhance the safe driving be-

haviors of your fl eet, as a whole.

Author wished to be anonymous

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THE CHALLENGE: MEETING TOUGH STANDARDS

OUR SOLUTION: 2011 MOTOR TREND TRUCK OF THE YEAR®

| 2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500HD

Redesigned for exceptional strength and capability, the Chevrolet Silverado HD

has been named the 2011 Motor Trend Truck of the Year.® With a maximum

payload of 6,635 lbs.1 and best-in-class conventional towing,2 it’s ready to handle

tough jobs. For more solutions, visit gmfleet.com.

1 Requires Regular Cab model and gas engine. Maximum payload capacity includes weight of driver, passengers,

optional equipment and cargo.2 Requires available 6.6L Duramax® diesel engine. Maximum trailer ratings assume a properly-equipped base vehicle,

plus driver. See dealer for details.

©2011 General Motors LLC

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MIAMI – Ryder System, Inc., a transportation and supply

chain management solutions company, completed its pre-

viously announced acquisition of substantially all the as-

sets of the full-service leasing and rental business of Car-

menita Leasing, Inc., located in Santa Fe

Springs, Calif. The acquisition is expect-

ed to be accretive to earnings in 2011 and

will operate as part of Ryder’s Fleet Man-

agement Solutions business unit.

In the transaction, Ryder acquired Carmenita’s fl eet

of approximately 189 full-service lease and rental units,

serving 58 contract customers. Ryder assumed and tran-

sitioned its operations to the Carmenita Santa Fe Springs

facility in late January, to ensure ongo-

ing service to customers, while Ryder’s

existing Santa Fe Springs location

closed as a result of a freeway expan-

sion project.

Auto Truck Group Merges Fleet Body Equipment into OperationsBARTLETT, IL – Auto Truck Group (ATG), an upfi tter

in the work truck industry, completed its merger of railroad

truck upfi tting company Fleet Body Equipment (FBE).

FBE was a subsidiary of Automotive Resources Interna-

tional (ARI), which acquired the assets of ATG.

ATG President Jim Dondlinger noted: “With the inte-

gration of FBE into the ATG fold, we have strengthened

ATG’s position and can now provide unsurpassed cover-

age to meet the upfi tting needs of companies in any in-

dustry, no matter how large.”

Dondlinger and his present management team con-

tinue to lead all ATG operations, including Auto Truck

Inc. (Chicago); Fort Wayne Fleet Equipment Company

(Fort Wayne, Ind.); Layton Truck Equipment

Company (Colorado Springs, Colo., and

Denver);Louisville Truck Equipment (Louis-

ville, Ky.); and Fleet Body Equipment (Kan-

sas City, Mo., and Fort Worth, Texas).

According to ARI President Carl Ortell,

the acquisition of ATG continues the com-

pany’s strategy of delivering industry sup-

port to companies, government, and other

organizations with complex and vocation-

al fl eet needs.

Frank Cardile, senior vice president of oper-

ations and client relations for ARI, now over-

sees the upfi tting businesses, ARI customer

service teams, vehicle acquisition, and supply

chain management areas, the company stated.

Cardile joined ARI in 1983 and has served in

his current position since 2004.

Bob White was promoted to senior vice

president of fl eet services, responsible for ve-

hicle remarketing, ARI’s in-house call cen-

ters, and all fl eet service areas. White joined

ARI in 1989 and most recently served as vice

president of operations.

FMCSA Launches New Commercial Truck ProgramWASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Trans-

portation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

(FMCSA) launched the Compliance Safety Accountabili-

ty (CSA) program Dec. 13, 2010. The centerpiece of CSA

is the Safety Measurement System (SMS), which will ana-

lyze all safety-based violations from inspections and crash

data to determine a commercial motor carrier’s on-road

performance. The new safety program will allow FMC-

SA to reach more carriers earlier and deploy a range of

corrective interventions. The program also advances the

Obama Administration’s open government initiative, pro-

viding the public with safety data in a more user-friend-

ly format. This will provide consumers a better picture of

carriers that pose a safety risk.

The SMS uses six safety improvement categories called

BASICs to examine a carrier’s on-road performance and

potential crash risk. The BASICs are unsafe driving,

driving when fatigued, drivers unfi t to operate a commercial

vehicle, operation of a vehicle while impaired due to

alcohol or drugs, improper maintenance, and crash/

incident experience. Under FMCSA’s old measurement

system, carrier performance was assessed in only four

broad categories. By looking at a carrier’s safety violations

in each SMS category, FMCSA and state law enforcement

will be better equipped to identify carriers with patterns of

high-risk behaviors and apply interventions that provide

carriers the information necessary to change unsafe practices

early on. Safety interventions include early warning letters,

targeted roadside inspections, and focused compliance

reviews that concentrate enforcement resources on specifi c

issues identifi ed by the SMS.

FMCSA will continue to conduct on-site comprehensive

compliance reviews for carriers with safety issues across

multiple BASICs. Where a carrier has not taken the

appropriate corrective action, FMCSA said it will invoke

strong civil penalties. To learn more about the new CSA

program, visit http://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/.

TRUCK NEWS


Ryder Completes Acquisition of Carmenita Leasing

fa

in

e

c

s

CARDILE

WHITE

DONDLINGER

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http://csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/


For a free demo, visit www.gpsinsight.com or call 866-GPS-4321

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WT0311leggettplatt.indd 1 2/9/11 1:31:54 PM

TRUCK NEWS CONTINUED

2011 Ford Explorer Named NAIAS North American Truck of the Year DETROIT – Ford announced the 2011 Ford Explorer was named the North

American Truck of the Year by a panel of 49 journalists from the U.S. and Can-

ada. The award was presented to the automaker at the start of the 2011 North

American International Auto Show (NAIAS).

Ford said the award, in its 18th year, recognizes vehicles based on a number of

factors, including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and val-

ue for the dollar, among others. Ford stated that the Explorer’s win represents the

seventh time a Ford vehicle has received this award, with the Ford Transit Con-

nect winning in 2010. The Ford F-150 received this recognition in 2004 and 2009,

and the Escape Hybrid

won in 2005.

Boulder Electric Vehicle Trucks Now CARB Zero-Emissions Certifi edLAFAYETTE, CO – Boulder

Electric Vehicle announced that

CARB certifi ed its 11,500-lb.

GVWR trucks as zero-emissions

vehicles (ZEV). The company

said these models include a

medium-duty delivery van,

passenger shuttle van, fl at-bed

work truck, parks-and-recreation

service truck, and a service body

build-out.

More information about the compa-

ny’s CARB certifi cation notice can be

found at www.automotive-fl eet.com.

Search keywords: Boulder Electric Ve-hicle. For more information about the

company, visit www.boulderev.com.


RECEIVE BREAKING NEWS WHEN IT HAPPENSSign up for Work Truck’s weekly eNewsletter for timely updates on the latest industry news in fl eet management, as well as research and trends, industry events, and current Work Truck magazine articles and features. Subscribe at www.worktruckonline.com.

RSSSnnnW

Vol. 5 No. 2

PublisherSherb Brown

Editor/Associate PublisherMike Antich

[email protected]

Senior EditorsLauren Fletcher

lauren.fl [email protected]

Grace L. [email protected]

Assistant EditorThi Dao

[email protected]

Web EditorGreg Basich

[email protected]

Art DirectorArmie Bautista

Production DirectorKelly Bracken

Production ManagerBrian Peach

(310) 533-2548

For Subscription Inquiries(888) 239-2455

[email protected]

Great Lakes Sales ManagerRobert Brown Jr.

1000 W. University Dr., Ste. 209Rochester, MI 48307

(248) 601-2005 Fax (248) 601-2004

Regional Sales ManagersEric Bearly

(310) 533-2579

Joni Owens (310) 533-2530

Sales CoordinatorTracey Tremblay

Business and Editorial Offi cesBobit Business Media

3520 Challenger St.Torrance, CA 90503Fax (310) 533-2503

ChairmanEdward J. Bobit

CEOTy Bobit

Chief Financial Offi cerRichard E. Johnson

Editorial ConsultantHoward Rauch

Change Service Request Return AddressHallmark

P. O. Box 1068, Skokie, IL 60076-8068

Autom

otive Fleet

a

w

Ford announced the 2011 Ford Explorer was named the North American Truck of the Year by a panel of 49 journal-ists from the U.S. and Canada.

CARB certifi ed Boulder Electric Vehicle 11,500-lb. GVWR trucks as zero emissions vehicles (ZEV).Boulder EV Medium-Duty

Delivery Van Specifi cations

Range: ...................................120 miles.

Charge Time: ............................. 8 hrs.

Top Speed: ..............................65 mph.

Payload: .................................3,000 lbs.

Warranty: .......6 yrs./100,000 miles.

GVWR: ...............................11,500 lbs.


http://www.automotive-fl

http://www.boulderev.com



mailto:[email protected]






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WT0311hino.indd 1 2/7/11 2:05:24 PM

STAT SHEET

Average cost ofdiesel fuel inthe U.S. in

2010.

$3.00

Class 1-2Trucks 36%

2010 Top 100 Truck Fleet Vehicle Segment

Percentages

Top 10 Most Fuel-Efficient Trucks of 2010

Class 3-6Trucks 31%

Rank Vehicle EPA MPG EPA MPG City/Hwy Combined

1 ............................. 2010 Ford Ranger...................................................................22/27.................................. 24

2 ............................. 2010 Toyota Tacoma...............................................................20/26.................................. 22

3 (tie) .................... 2010 GMC Canyon................................................................18/25.................................. 21

3 (tie) .................... 2010 Chevrolet Colorado....................................................18/25.................................. 21

3 (tie) .................... 2010 Suzuki Equator..............................................................19/23.................................. 21

3 (tie) .................... 2010 Nissan Frontier.............................................................19/23.................................. 21

3 (tie) .................... 2010 GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid...........................................21/22.................................. 21

3 (tie) .................... 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hybrid ............................21/22.................................. 21

4 (tie) .................... 2010 GMC Sierra 1500.........................................................15/22.................................. 18

4 (tie) .................... 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ..........................................15/22.................................. 18

Vans 27% SUVs 6%

36% 27%

31%

6%

Average U.S. National Per-Gallon Diesel Fuel PriceTrend

July 10 Aug. 10

$2.93$2.96

Sept. 10

$2.95

Oct.10 Nov. 10

$3.06$3.14

Dec. 10

$3.24

Jan. 11

$3.38

Jan. 10 Feb. 10

$2.87$2.82

Mar. 10

$2.91

Apr. 10

$3.05

May 10

$3.07

June 10

$2.96

SO

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MAKE/MODEL ENGIN

E

EPA MPG

TOTAL F

UEL C

OST:

60,00

0 MILES

TOTAL E

ST. ANNUAL

MAINT

ENANCE COST

ACQUISITIO

N COST

(INCLUDES

DESTINATIO

N)

TOTAL A

CTUAL

DEPRECIATION

COST

PER MILE

LIGHT-DUTY PICKUPS

2011 FORD RANGER XL 2.3L4 19/24 $8,348 $1,610 $17,030 $9,905 $0.3311

2010 CHEVROLET COLORADO W/T 2.9L4 18/24 $8,630 $1,472 $16,085 $10,435 $0.3423

2010 GMC CANYON W/T 2.9L4 18/24 $8,630 $1,419 $15,585 $9,935 $0.3331

2010 DODGE DAKOTA ST 3.7L6 15/20 $10,356 $2,343 $18,918 $11,618 $0.4053

2010 NISSAN FRONTIER XE 2.5L4 17/22 $9,243 $2,324 $17,431 $9,706 $0.3545

2010 FORD F-150 XL 4.6L8 15/19 $10,563 $1,990 $18,456 $9,056 $0.3601

2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 W/T 4.3L6 15/20 $10,356 $1,285 $18,511 $7,386 $0.3171

2010 DODGE RAM 1500 ST 3.7L6 14/20 $10,814 $2,897 $18,180 $10,305 $0.4003

2011 GMC SIERRA 1500 W/T 4.3L6 15/20 $10,356 $1,361 $18,511 $7,386 $0.3184

SO

UR

CE: V

INC

EN

TR

IC

FORD F-150 XL

DODGE DAKOTA ST

CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 W/T

Light-Duty TruckLifecycle Cost Analysis

WT0311stats.indd 10WT0311stats.indd 10 2/9/11 6:37:18 AM2/9/11 6:37:18 AM


WWW.HINO.COM

HINO TRUCKS RANKS “HIGHEST IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH CONVENTIONAL MEDIUM DUTY ENGINES, THREE YEARS IN A ROW1.” AND “HIGHEST IN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WITH CONVENTIONAL MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS2.”

1. Hino received the highest numerical score among conventional medium duty engines and transmissions in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2008- 2010 Medium Duty Truck Engine and Transmission Customer Satisfaction Study SM. Study based on responses from 1,255

responses measuring 5 manufacturers. Survey was of primary maintainers and owner operators and measures opinions of primary maintainers of two-year-old (by model year) Medium Duty (Class 5, 6, and 7) trucks. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of

consumer surveyed in June-August 2010. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com. 2. Hino received the highest numerical score among conventional medium duty trucks in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Medium Duty Truck Engine and Transmission Customer

Satisfaction Study SM. Study based on responses from 1,258 responses measuring 8 manufacturers. Survey was of primary maintainers and owner operators and measures opinions of primary maintainers of their new Medium Duty (Class 5, 6, and 7) trucks (2009 model year). Proprietary

study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumer surveyed in June-August 2010. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

THE POWER OF FOUR.

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2012 NISSAN NV

RAISES THE ROOF & FUNCTION OF COMMERCIAL VANS

Nissan has been in the commercial vehicle market for more than seven decades and is introducing its all-new commercial van to

the U.S. market. By Lauren Fletcher


Nissan isn’t new to the com-

mercial vehicle (CV) mar-

ket. In 1937, Nissan pro-

duced its fi rst commercial

vehicle in Japan and 2011 marks the

automakers’ 75th year in the commer-

cial vehicle industry. Marking this an-

niversary is the sale of the all-new 2012

Nissan NV (Nissan Van).

Nissan CVs are currently sold in

more than 75 percent of the world’s

markets, including Japan, China, Mex-

ico, Russia, Europe, and the Middle

East. According to the manufacturer,

CVs represent 20 percent of Nissan’s

global volume. Nissan aims to have a

40-percent fl eet registration mix on this

new commercial van, and production

began in January 2011 with sales ex-

pected in the spring.

“The new kid on the block, as it

turns out, is also a long-time player in the

global commercial vehicle market. As the

fi rst non-domestic nameplate to design,

manufacture, and sell CVs in the U.S., we

bring a more than seven-decade tradition

of durability, quality, and reliability to our

products,” said Joe Castelli, vice president,

Commercial Vehicles and Fleet, Nissan

North America, Inc. (NNA). “At the same

time, we’ve taken a fresh look at every

aspect of the CV business — including

styling, powertrain, interiors, cost of

operation and ownership, dealership

sales and service operations, and most

importantly, real-world customer needs.”

MULTIPLE CONFIGURATIONS

AVAILABLE

The 2012 Nissan NV lineup will be avail-

able with a choice of 4.0L V-6 and 5.6L

V-8 engines and in two body styles, Stan-

dard Roof (all models) and High Roof

(NV2500 HD and NV3500 HD only).

2012 NISSAN NV MODEL, ENGINE & GRADE

AVAILABILITY

Standard Roof

Engine Offerings Grades

NV1500 4.0L V-6 S, SV

NV2500 HD 4.0L V-6 5.6L V-8 S, SV

NV3500 HD 5.6L V-8 S, SV

High RoofEngine

Offerings Grades

NV2500 HD 4.0L V-6 5.6L V-8 S, SV

NV3500 HD 5.6L V-8 S, SV

The 4.0L V-6 engine is rated at 261 hp

with 281 lb.-ft. of torque, while the 5.6L

V-8 engine is rated at 317 hp and 385 lb.-

ft. of torque. Both engines will be mated

to a standard 5-speed automatic.

Nissan also created an all-new

commercial-duty chassis for the NV,

which will be built at the Canton, Miss.,

plant. The Nissan NV was designed,

engineered, and built in the United

States. The rugged, industry-exclusive

high roof body-on-frame construction

was built for heavy-duty usage. The

van also offers up to 9,500 lbs. towing

capacity (when equipped with the V-8

engine).

Safety systems include dual-stage

supplemental front air bags, three-

point front seat belts with pretension-

ers and load limiters, available supple-

mental front seat-mounted side-impact

air bags, and roof-mounted supplemen-

tal curtain air bags.

FUNCTIONAL & FLEXIBLE

Inspired by customer needs, the Nis-

san NV offers an array of smart func-

tionality features, including storage

pockets, spaces, and compartments

designed to provide secure access to

typical commercial customers’ every-

day use objects. An under-seat drawer

fi ts small tools or items typically stuck

in a driver’s pocket, such as wrenches,

notebooks, etc. The deep door pock-

ets fi t fl ashlights, legal-size binders,

and clipboards.

High Roof models offer an avail-

able overhead console designed to

hold work gloves, legal-size binders,

safety glasses, and system books. The

available lockable center console (re-

movable) fi ts hanging fi les and laptop

computers — and includes a comput-

er or mobile phone charging point, as

well as a sliding lid that provides a

The all-new 2012 Nissan NV goes on sale in the spring and will be avail-able in two roof options and three models:

■ Standard Roof: NV1500, NV2500 HD, and NV3500 HD.

■ High Roof: NV2500 HD and NV3500 HD.

AT A GLANCE

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usable work surface.

The van’s rear doors open extra wide

(280 degrees) with a simple click of the

rear-door hinges. In addition to the wide

door openings, the NV offers room

between the wheelhouses to accom-

modate standard plywood or drywall

sheets or pallets. There is also a range

of cargo area tie-down rings.

The NV’s nearly vertical sidewalls

maximize the usable cargo space, ac-

commodating common aftermarket

storage systems, as well as a bulk-

head behind the driver. Also, dedicat-

ed mounting points were pre-installed,

negating the need to drill through the

panels to install upfi ts, cabinetry, or

storage solutions.

The Nissan NV was also designed to

accommodate aftermarket customiza-

tion and modifi cations. The dedicated

roof mounting points are designed for

installation of various ladder or utility

rack systems without piercing holes in

the roof, which can lead to corrosion

and water leaks. The available “upfi t-

ter pre-wiring” allows easy access into

the electrical system.

The NV also offers multiple rein-

forced integrated attachment points

for installation of cargo customiza-

tion equipment — again requiring no

sheet metal drilling.

Package options include tow (V-8

only), rear-door glass, all-around win-

dow, sliding door window, technology

package with rear camera, and a side

and curtain air bag package.

Additionally, customers have the

choice of an industry-exclusive no-

charge graphics package through Orig-

inal Wraps, which includes 70 square

feet of free graphics or a no-charge up-

fi t package from Adrian Steel.

PICKUP TRUCK-LIKE FUNCTIONALITY

In developing the new Nissan NV,

one of the goals was to combine pick-

up truck-like comfort, interior ameni-

ties, and drivability with a cargo van’s

capacity and security.

One major contributor to the pick-

up-like cab is the absence of the tradi-

tional van engine “doghouse” that in-

trudes into the cab due to the setback

engine placement. The Nissan NV uti-

lizes a conventional truck engine layout

with out-front engine design. This not

only frees up space under the instru-

ment panel and between the seats, it

also provides easy under-hood access

to the entire engine for routine service

and maintenance.

The NV’s cargo area provides a 120-

inch cargo fl oor length and 70.2-inch

maximum cargo fl oor width. NV Stan-

dard Roof models offer a maximum

55.8-inch cargo area height. The NV

High Roof provides a maximum of

76.9 inches of cargo room height, or

enough room for a 6-foot 3-inch driv-

er to move around the cargo area while

standing upright.

For more information and vid-

eos, visit Nissan’s all-new CV web-

site: www.nissancommercialvehi

cles.com. WT

NISSAN DONATES TO HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

P art of a recent event introducing the new 2012 Nissan NV (Nissan Van)

included a donation of $35,000 worth of building supplies to Habitat for

Humanity of Greater Miami. The materials, which will be used to build af-

fordable homes for low-income families, were delivered to the Habitat ware-

house in the new 2012 Nissan NV commercial van as part of the vehicle’s na-

tional media preview.

Lowe’s em-ployees load building ma-terials into new 2012 Nis-san NVs for transport to the Habitat for Humani-ty of Greater Miami’s dona-tion center.

The 2012 Nissan NV is available in two models: Standard and High Roof. The cargo area of the High Roof version enables a 6-foot 3-inch driver to stand upright.

WT0311nissan.indd 13WT0311nissan.indd 13 2/9/11 6:24:08 AM2/9/11 6:24:08 AM


http://www.nissancommercialvehi

CANPICKUP EFFECTIVELY R

Manufacturers that build pickup bed capsules discuss the advantages and limitations of the fi berglass-enclosed bodies and explain when fl eets should consider replacing cargo vans with

truck bed capsules. By Sean Lyden


Body manufacturers that build

fi berglass-enclosed bodies that

slide into and attach to pickup

truck beds claim their “inserts”

or “capsules” are a more cost-effective

alternative to standard cargo vans.

Several large commercial fl eets

seem to agree, including Verizon

Wireless, Cable One, CenturyLink,

Qwest Communications, and other in-

dependent telecom companies across

the country. According to Eric Paul,

VP of sales and marketing at Fort

Worth, Texas-based BrandFX Body

Company, Verizon recently took de-

livery of 715 Chevrolet Silverado

1500 Hybrids, with BrandFX’s fi ber-

glass inserts as direct replacements

for cargo vans.

Why shift from vans to pickups

with self-contained inserts, or cap-

sules? The following explains the ad-

vantages and limitations of pickup bed

inserts over cargo vans and how man-

agement can determine which is a bet-

ter fi t for a fl eet’s application.

THE ADVANTAGES OF CAPSULES

Why should fl eets consider shifting

from cargo vans to pickup bed capsules?

Body manufacturers point to these sev-

en advantages:

1IMPROVED FUEL ECONOMY WITH ½ -TON CONFIGURATIONS

“Your van is averaging about 10.2-10.4

mpg when loaded. With a ½ -ton pick-

up, fuel economy can be increased up

to 20 mpg unloaded and 14.5 mpg load-

ed up to 80-percent capacity. That’s a

50-percent increase in fuel economy,”

Paul said.

Dan O’Connell, director of sales and

marketing of Paul Maranda Enterprises, a

fi berglass capsule manufacturer, agreed.

“Without exception, I’m hearing 9.8-10.2

mpg for the van,” O’Connell said. “But

[fl eet managers] tell us they get 14-15

mpg on a pickup. You get a substantial

increase in fuel economy and decrease

carbon footprint dramatically.”

These numbers don’t factor in the

fuel economy ratings from the new

fuel-effi cient engines OEMs are roll-

ing out for ½ -ton pickups, including the

Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hybrid (20

mpg city/23 mpg highway) and Ford’s

new 3.5L EcoBoost engine, an option

for the 2011 F-150 pickup, expected to

achieve up to mid-20s mpg.

The critical point to keep in mind is

that fuel economy savings is realized

with ½ -ton pickups. When moving up to

the ¾ - or 1-ton class, the pickup truck’s

advantage diminishes, with fuel econo-

my more comparable to the van.

2 OPTIMIZED CARGO MANAGEMENT

If looking strictly at cubic feet or inch-

es when comparing cargo capacity,

the van wins big over the comparable-

size pickup bed capsule.

However, Paul of BrandFX said there’s

a signifi cant difference between cargo

capacity and actual usable space.

“When you measure the useable

cargo inches in the van versus that of

a 5½-foot pickup bed insert, [the dif-

ference between the insert and cargo

van] is actually a wash in cubic inch-

es,” Paul said.

“One of our customers commented,

‘Why buy this van and haul around a

bunch of empty air?’ This is because the

cargo inches calculated [for the van] are

basically air — unusable space,” Paul

According to proponents, advantag-es of capsules over vans include:

■ Improved fuel economy.

■ Optimized fuel management.

■ Enhanced ergonomics.

■ Lower lifecycle and maintenance cost.

■ Minimized downtime.

■ Higher resale value.

AT A GLANCE

The BrandFX WORKPoD (pictured)

comes with fl ooring and sidewalls, which makes it

easy to remove and transfer without unloading. The products fi t all popular Chevrolet, Dodge,

Ford, and GMC pickups and bed lengths,according to the company.

Maranda manufactures a one-piece, fully trans-ferable workshop capsule that, according to the company, features a proprietary body anchor-ing system, unique water management system, and universal fi t. Pictured is the Maranda V-370.

WT0311replace.indd 14WT0311replace.indd 14 2/9/11 6:47:48 AM2/9/11 6:47:48 AM


P BED CAPSULESY REPLACE CARGO VANS?


explained. “When you’re looking at set-

ting up a truck insert versus a van, re-

member that big sliding door on the van

and the two double doors on the rear of

the van. And you have only one set of

shelves running down the street-side

of that van. Very seldom will you have

anything down the passenger side be-

cause of that door. This all adds up to

wasted space.

“The insert offers you a much more

effi cient and scalable system to manage

cargo,” Paul continued. “When you have

a large inventory of parts — small com-

ponents and connectors — that needs to

be organized in such a way that allows

for easy retrieval from the exterior of

the vehicle, which is about 90 percent

of your utility/telecommunications ap-

plications, then the insert clearly wins

out. It cuts time at the jobsite because

technicians do not have to rummage

through piles of parts to fi nd what they

need for the job.”

3 ENHANCED ERGONOMICS

O’Connell of Maranda said one fl eet

he works with pays $20 million annu-

ally in Workers’ Compensation claims,

with a large percentage of those claims

related to three key elements:

1. Slips and falls out of trucks.

2. Bending and lifting inside confi ned

compartments, such as in a van.

3. Reaching and managing the lad-

der on top of a van roof.

O’Connell suggested that a pickup

bed capsule is designed to reduce these

types of Workers’ Compensation claims.

“With the capsule, you can reach every-

thing from a standing position. No bend-

ing or lifting is required,” he said.

Paul of BrandFX added, “If you’re 5

feet 4 inches, 5 feet 6 six inches, or 5 feet

7 inches, can you imagine trying to reach

up to the top of a van to grab a ladder?

You’re talking about an 80-90-lb., 32-

foot extension ladder. How do you get it?

What if, with an insert, you didn’t have

to reach that high because the height of

that insert from the ground to the high-

est point is less than 7 feet?”

4 LOWER LIFECYCLE COST

Truck inserts provide lower costs than

van upfi ts when transitioned to new ve-

hicles. “When comparing initial acqui-

sition cost between the insert and van,

it’s pretty much a wash. But with the

second and third vehicle cycle, that’s

when you gain the cost advantage with

the insert,” Paul said. “Fleets spend

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAPSULES AND TRUCK CAPS?

While both types of pickup bed upfi ts offer viable alternatives to standard

cargo vans, there is one distinct difference: The capsule (or insert) is a

self-contained, fully enclosed unit, from fl oor to sides to roof. In contrast, the

truck cap, also known as a “topper,” is not self-contained, but instead mount-

ed on top of the bedrails, leveraging the actual interior of the pickup box as

part of the cargo area. What are the pros and cons of each?

■ Truck Caps

Pro: Gain many of the fuel economy, cargo management, ergonomic, and oth-

er advantages of a capsule (versus the cargo van), at a lower upfi t cost.

Con: Sacrifi ce the transferability of a self-contained capsule, requiring signif-

icant downtime for crew to manually empty a truck, when it needs repairs, to

transfer to a replacement vehicle.

■ Capsules

Pro: Transferability. When a truck breaks down, use a forklift to lift the in-

sert (fully loaded) out of the pickup and transfer it to the rental truck — a pro-

cess that takes about 30 minutes.

Con: Higher up-front cost compared to truck caps.

A capsule is a self-contained, fully enclosed unit, from fl oor to sides to roof. (Shown at left is a Maranda M-120 capsule.) A truck cap, or “topper,” is not self-contained, but mounted on top of the bedrails. (Pictured at right is a SnugTop SnugPro XL Commercial Topper.)



WT0311isuzu.indd 1 2/8/11 5:02:15 PM

$23,000-$26,000 on a turnkey van and,

at the end of the rotation, it starts all

over again — with a new van and new

upfi t. Whereas with the insert, it’s paid

for just once — with the fi rst truck —

and then it can be used for at least two

more vehicle cycles.”

“At the end of the life of the van, the

upfi t can be thrown away,” O’Connell

said. “The shelving typically stays with

the van, and so does the ladder rack. But

at the end of the life of the pickup, take

the capsule out, buff it so it looks like

new, and place it into the new truck.”

5 LOWER MAINTENANCE COSTS

Using a pickup may also result in lower

maintenance costs. “According to what

our fl eet managers tell us, vans run 15-

20 percent more in maintenance costs

than pickups because pickups are built

heavier than vans,” Paul of BrandFX said.

“The maintenance with vans is most-

ly transmission and suspension related.

The components on the pickup are much

more robust — the suspension, braking

systems, springs, and transmission. The

pickup is a dual-purpose vehicle, de-

signed for both hauling and pulling. So

those components are signifi cantly more

beefed up on a pickup compared to what

you would fi nd with a van.”


Truck Capsules

6 MINIMIZED DOWNTIME

Proponents also point to the capsule’s

transferability as a key factor in lower-

ing maintenance costs because it mini-

mizes downtime.

When a van breaks down, techni-

cians need to empty all tools, parts, and

equipment, then load that cargo into a

rental or replacement van (that most

likely doesn’t offer an identical stor-

age system), causing several hours of

non- revenue downtime. And, when the

original van is out of the shop, techni-

cians must repeat the process.

With the self-contained pickup bed

insert, staff can use a forklift to lift

the insert (fully loaded with techni-

cian tools, parts, and equipment) out

of the pickup and transfer it to a rent-

IS A CAPSULE RIGHT FOR THE FLEET APPLICATION?

Here are four questions to help fl eets determine whether a truck bed

capsule is the right choice:

1. Is payload 1,200 lbs. or less?

2. Will technicians be most productive having easy access to tools, equip-

ment, and parts from outside the vehicle?

3. Do vehicles carry a large inventory of small, intricate components and

parts that require precise organization?

4. Do vehicles need to clear low parking garage heights where cargo vans

can’t fi t?

If you answered “yes” to any or all four of these questions, the capsule/pick-

up combination may be a good fi t for the fl eet’s application.

Despite their advantages, even proponents concede cap-

sules aren’t a good fi t for every application. The follow-

ing details three key examples where a van may make more

sense for a fl eet:

1. When hauling large equipment or bulky cargo“Applications, like Stanley Steamer, that carry very tall equip-

ment inside of the vehicle would not be a good application for a

capsule,” said Dan O’Connell, director of sales and marketing

for Paul Maranda Enterprises. “The primary target for capsules

is power companies, telecommunications, cable companies —

people who carry intricate, sophisticated equipment.”

2. When doing considerable work from inside the vehicle“There is a philosophical difference between the van and

the insert,” explained Eric Paul, VP of sales and marketing at

BrandFX Body Company. “The van is designed to store ev-

erything inside. If you’re a technician, your accessibility to that

van is from the inside. If you’re setting up a mobile offi ce, or

the technician would be otherwise working from inside the

vehicle, especially in Canada, the Northeast, and other parts

of the U.S. where there is a lot of inclement weather, the van

would win out.”

3. When hauling more than 1,200 lbs.This would require bumping up from a ½ -ton class vehi-

cle to a ¾- or 1-ton. In this case, the pickup truck loses its fu-

el-economy advantage over the van. Also, instead of the ac-

quisition cost being about equal between the two types of

vehicles (including upfi t costs) on the ½ -ton class, the larger

pickups can cost up to $4,000-$5,000 more than the van be-

fore factoring in upfi ts.

The Bottom Line

Can pickup bed capsules effectively replace cargo vans? Not

altogether. Both the capsule and van each have their own “sweet

spot,” where one or the other performs better and/or is most

cost effective. How, then, does fl eet management determine

which is right for the fl eet? Identify the “sweet spot” that best

describes the application — and choose accordingly.

al truck — a process that takes about

30 minutes.

7 HIGHER RESALE VALUE

According to O’Connell of Maranda, at

disposition, a pickup with a capsule is

typically worth more than a van.

How so? “There is a smaller market

for cargo vans because they’re used al-

most exclusively for commercial applica-

tions,” O’Connell explained. “Also, fl eet

management needs to fi nd a buyer that

will appreciate the shelving systems in-

stalled in the van. Pickups can be used

for both personal and professional use.

You can easily take out the capsule, re-

install the tailgate, and convert it back

to a regular pickup truck. This broad-

ens the resale market.” WT

THE LIMITATIONS OF CAPSULES



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■ EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW ■

DONDLINGEROF AUTO TRUCK GROUP DISCUSSES HIS

POST-ACQUISITION STRATEGY

Jim Dondlinger, president of the recently acquired Auto Truck Group, discusses the company’s change in owner-

ship, integration of Fleet Body Equipment, the history of ATG, and changes in the industry over the years.


Automotive Resources In-ternational (ARI) recent-ly purchased the assets of Auto Truck Inc. ARI is a

Holman Enterprises company, which consists of more than 25 operating companies. Following the acquisition by ARI, Auto Truck Group LLC was formed from the merger of Fleet Body Equipment and Auto Truck’s assets. Auto Truck Group Presi-dent Jim Dondlinger and his man-agement team were given the re-sponsibility to run the new Auto Truck Group operation.

In the following interview, Dondlinger discusses the history of ATG, the increase in capabilities to serve its customers, the broader base of opportunities for his group, and the state of the industry.

WT: WHAT CHANGES DO YOU

ANTICIPATE WILL RESULT FROM

THE NEW OWNERSHIP?

DONDLINGER: The management style

of Holman Enterprises is to empower its

proven management teams to run their

businesses while providing fi nancial con-

trol and necessary resources to grow the

business. The Holman management ap-

proach proved to be very successful in

the case of Fleet Body Equipment

and will now empower the ATG

management team to continue to

operate and grow the combined

operations in the same way.

ATG’s existing management struc-

ture will remain as is and will be in

charge of running the new operation.

The new structure will give us strong

fi nancial stability, systems, and tech-

nical support. The change gives us the

opportunity to leverage our size, com-

bined expertise, and facilities to better

serve our customers. At the same time,

the change gives our people the oppor-

tunity to grow along with us.

WT: HOW WILL THE RECENT

INTEGRATION OF FLEET BODY

EQUIPMENT IMPROVE AUTO

TRUCK GROUP’S OFFERINGS?

DONDLINGER: Fleet Body Equipment

has core competencies, really good peo-

ple, and brings a knowledge base and

new capabilities to our combined or-

ganization. In this situation, one plus

one is going to equal much more than

two. Fleet Body Equipment facilities

in Kansas City, Mo., and Fort Worth,

Texas, will give us the potential to im-

prove relationships with the OEMs that

produce vehicles in those areas. The

locations will also allow us to better

serve our fl eet, niche, and local markets.

WT: BRIEFLY EXPLAIN THE HIS-

TORY OF AUTO TRUCK GROUP,

INCLUDING HOW AND WHEN

THE BUSINESS GREW.

DONDLINGER: The Auto Truck Group

started as the Auto Truck Steel Body

(L-R) Guy Chollet, engineering manager, Jim Dondlinger, president, and Pete Taskovic, process manager, work together to ensure proj-ects go according to plan.

DONDLINGER

WT0311atg.indd 18WT0311atg.indd 18 2/9/11 6:20:46 AM2/9/11 6:20:46 AM



Company in 1918. It was purchased

from the original owner by my grand-

father in 1927. Over the next three

decades, he ran the business until he

passed away in 1962. My dad, who al-

ready was active in the business, took

over until he retired in the mid-1980s,

which was when I became president

of the company.

From the 1920s through the mid-

1970s, we had one facility in Chicago.

In the early 1980s, we had outgrown

this facility and built a new, much larg-

er facility in Bensenville, Ill. By 1985,

we had already outgrown that facility

and added on to it.

In 1987, we recognized the fl eet in-

dustry was looking for a way to han-

dle vehicles coming from the manufac-

turers. General Motors built a plant in

Fort Wayne, Ind., and we opened Fort

Wayne Fleet Equipment Company

there as well. We added a new building

in 1991 in Chicago and expanded the

Fort Wayne facility in 1995. In 1997,

we bought out Layton Truck Equip-

ment in Colorado Springs, Colo. In

1999, we added a Louisville, Ky., op-

eration with Ford ship-through capa-

bility in response to the needs of our

large fl eet customers.

We also purchased Ledom-Hayes

in Colorado Springs, which added to

our capacity and market on the Front

Range of the Rocky Mountains.

Today, ATG operates from seven

locations. The three types of custom-

ers we serve are fl eets, niche markets,

and the local customers. Our fl eet cus-

tomers are in the energy, utility, pest

control, and many other specialty

businesses.

An example of a niche market for us

is the railroad market. The local cus-

tomers include municipalities, police

departments, construction contractors,

and snow and ice equipment compa-

nies. Growth is part of our strategy

and we believe it is necessary to sup-

port our customer base.

WT: HOW IMPORTANT TO ATG

IS THE INTERACTION WITH

FLEET MANAGEMENT COMPA-

NIES (FMCs)? WHAT SHOULD

FLEET MANAGERS LOOK FOR IN

AN UPFITTER?

DONDLINGER: Over the last 25 years,

FMCs have become a core part of our

business because they manage the fl eets

that require our services. Serving them

well requires the ability to handle vehi-

cles all the way up to Class 8 trucks and

includes a wide range of applications from

simple to very complex. We recognize

that we have to serve our FMCs with in-

tegrity, the highest level of service, and

the best possible pricing, so we continue

to earn their trust in the future.

WT: WHAT UPFITTING CAPA-

BILITIES AND SERVICES DOES

ATG OFFER?

DONDLINGER: Our upfi tting capa-

bilities were put into place and tai-

lored to serve the complexities of

an FMC’s customer base. We offer

ship-through pool, solid modeling,

computer-aided design, fabrication,

upfi tting, fi eld service, IT and data

support, and the brick and mortar of

seven locations.

WT: HOW HAS THE INDUSTRY

CHANGED IN THE PAST FEW

YEARS WITH RESPECT TO

MANUFACTURERS, SUPPLY

CHAIN MANAGEMENT, ETC.?

DONDLINGER: There has been a con-

solidation in the industry and larger

entities have evolved. To compete in

the marketplace today, you can’t sit

still — you have to grow. Being big-

ger brings new opportunities. Op-

portunities are in many areas, not

just upfi tting.

WT: CAN YOU GIVE US SOME

INSIGHT INTO HOW THESE

CHANGES WILL IMPROVE OR

CHALLENGE THE UPFITTING

PROCESS AND INDUSTRY IN

THE COMING YEARS?

DONDLINGER: When ATG fi rst start-

ed, we could survive very well in

just the local market. But to serve

the FMCs, niche markets, and large

fl eets, you need to have capabilities

in many areas. Not all players are ca-

pable of doing that.

There’s also a growing need to

transcend borders into Canada,

Mexico, and beyond North Amer-

ica. Companies that are globaliz-

ing fleets are looking for upfitters

with the capabilities to serve them.

The market is going to continue to

require sophistication and abili-

ties such as data integration, engi-

neering, and immediate informa-

tion. We believe Auto Truck Group

is now positioned to deliver on all

accounts. WT

(Left) Ruben Hernandez, fabrication manager, shows Dondlinger the welds on a new tow hitch.

(L-R) Diego Avila, installer; Francisco Medina, installer; Chuck Lukritz, production manager; and Dondlinger reviewing a CNG installation.

WT0311atg.indd 19WT0311atg.indd 19 2/9/11 6:20:51 AM2/9/11 6:20:51 AM


WT0311nissan.indd 1 2/7/11 3:52:28 PM

TELEMATICSUSE IN WORK TRUCK FLEETS

Truck fl eets can improve operational effi ciency, boost driver safety, and reduce high-cost vehicle repairs by implementing telematics systems. Highlighted are some of the latest products available.

By Lauren Fletcher & Grace L. Suizo


Truck fl eets have differing needs and tele-

matics requirements from car-based fl eets.

Various companies discuss with Work Truck their products and programs and how they

are best utilized by work truck fl eets.

Telematics systems offer sev-eral benefi ts to truck fl eets, including:

■ Increased driver safety.

■ Reduced speed and idling.

■ Lower fuel consumption.

■ Maintenance alerts to reduce

high-cost repairs.

■ Information on how vehicle

was damaged, etc.

AT A GLANCE

■ GREENROAD HELPS DRIVERS MAKE SMARTER DECISIONS

GreenRoad 360 is more than telematics — it’s a com-

plete technology and services program for ongoing

driver safety and fuel savings, according to the company.

The result: immediate and ongoing cost savings, including

lower maintenance costs and lower management overhead

requirements. GreenRoad addresses the cause of crashes

by improving driver decision-making on the road. Real-time

feedback enables positive changes in the moment, not days

later after reviewing reports or video with a manager.

At the end of 2010, GreenRoad added an idling perfor-

mance solution to its overall service to help fl eets further re-

duce fuel consumption and vehicle emissions. The new idling

management capability quickly identifi es specifi c drivers, ve-

hicles, or trips that negatively impact

fuel performance. This customizable

solution automatically identifi es idling

activities that are exceptions to com-

pany policy, based on client-defi ned policy thresholds, ap-

plying fi ltering to the unavoidable idling that occurs at traffi c

lights and stop signs.

According to GreenRoad, Engage is a fl eet-proven method-

ology and provides risk assessment, implementation exper-

tise, best practices, communications, and training.

GreenRoad earns the trust and confi dence of drivers by

providing proactive, accurate, and real-time feedback. Its self-

correcting approach is non-invasive and is focused on person-

al responsibility, reinforcing skills, and giving drivers the tools

to align their driving with company goals and guidelines, ac-

cording to the company.

With drivers making smarter driving decisions, Green-

Road reports that fl eets typically reduce

fuel consumption by 10 percent immedi-

ately and reduce crash costs by 50 per-

cent within the fi rst six months.

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■ KENWORTH & SPRINT TARGET MOBILE CONNECTIVITY

Kenworth Truck Company and Sprint have partnered to

provide mobile connectivity for the Kenworth NavPlus,

a PACCAR proprietary navigation and business technology

system for Kenworth Class 5-8 trucks.

“As the core development partner, Sprint

will integrate its advanced network con-

nectivity into Kenworth NavPlus, which

will also offer telematics, navigation, di-

agnostics, and business system features,”

said Sprint CEO Dan Hesse. The in-dash

NavPlus technology system utilizes a high-

resolution, 7-inch color screen and 8 gi-

gabytes of memory. Together, navigation

and business systems will be provided with

vehicle connectivity services for drivers to

easily and safely use while traveling. When a truck is not in mo-

tion, the driver will be able to access the Internet and send and

receive e-mails to enhance communications with dispatchers,

logistics providers, and shippers. The Sprint con-

nectivity service is available as an option.

NavPlus also includes hands-free phoning with

Bluetooth, back-up camera options, vehicle data,

and audio controls. When launched in 2011, Ken-

worth NavPlus will become standard on Kenworth

trucks with all premium interior trim offerings and

on diesel-electric hybrid vehicles. The system will

also be available as an upgrade on any Kenworth

standard trim package. NavPlus was developed

on the Microsoft Windows Embedded Automo-

tive 7 software platform.

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The in-dash NavPlus technolo-gy system utilizes a high-resolu-tion, 7-inch color screen and 8 gigabytes of memory.

WT0311telematics.indd 20WT0311telematics.indd 20 2/11/11 9:21:00 AM2/11/11 9:21:00 AM


WT0311nissan.indd 1 2/7/11 3:52:28 PMWT0311telematics.indd 21WT0311telematics.indd 21 2/11/11 9:21:10 AM2/11/11 9:21:10 AM


Telematics

■ ROADNET TELEMATICS HELPS FLEETS ‘SEE UNDER THE HOOD’

In 2010, UPS Logistics Technologies introduced Roadnet

Telematics, a solution that offers visibility into a fl eet’s health

and maintenance, risk management and safety, and productivity

and compliance/regulation. The Roadnet Telematics product

provides fl eet managers the ability to “look under the hood” of

fl eet vehicles and monitor how they are handled on the road.

This insight allows for the development of greater effi ciency

in operations and maintenance management, according to

Cyndi Brandt, VP of marketing, Roadnet Technologies, Inc.,

formerly UPS Logistics Technologies.

“With Roadnet Telematics, you no longer need to pull

your vehicles off the road for routine maintenance; you can

now wait for the vehicle to tell you when it will need repairs

and schedule the maintenance when it fi ts your schedule,”

said Brandt.

Roadnet Telematics provides users the ability to monitor

fl eet/driver safety, vehicle maintenance and operation,

regulation compliance, and vehicle effi ciency. The accelerometer

technology provides sensitive detection of such maneuvers as

harsh braking, rapid acceleration, and aggressive backing.

Replacing drivers is costly. Roadnet Telematics provides

fl eet managers with driver-specifi c information and the tools

needed to help drivers monitor and change their unsafe habits.

To gain the ability to pinpoint fl eet-specifi c

risks, the program provides the ability to

assess risk by driver, branch, region, etc.,

so remedies can be prioritized toward

the riskiest people and practices. With

comprehensive reporting, the solution provides the auditing

and reporting tools needed for accurate IFTA calculation and

to meet an increasing array of compliance obligations.

Access the big picture and monitor a full spectrum of risk

factors, including speed, harsh braking and rapid acceleration,

seat belt use, idle time, revving, stops per day, and after-hours

use. Manage idling and speed, which accelerate fuel consumption,

oil changes, and engine wear. In-cab idling alerts help drivers

minimize their idling, and exception notifi cations can alert

supervisors of excessive idling.

Optimize fueling by fi lling up only when needed to keep

vehicles productive and cash fl ow on track.

With Roadnet Telematics, fl eet managers can wait for a

vehicle to send out a distress call and schedule maintenance

accordingly. Additionally, using Roadnet Telematics in

conjunction with the strategic planning, daily routing, and

dispatch tools available within the Roadnet Transportation

Suite, businesses are able to gain effi ciencies and cost savings

with one complete solution.

Roadnet Telematics offers a solution for monitoring the

vehicle and the driver, according to Brandt. “The Roadnet

Transportation Suite has mastered the ability to provide optimal

routing and scheduling for your fl eet operations to ensure

effi cient deliveries and service calls.”

Looking ahead, Roadnet Telematics will

be GPS-integrated with its MobileCast

solution and will soon be integrated

with an hours-of-service solution.

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■ FREIGHTLINER GOES BEYOND FAULT CODES

Freightliner’s Virtual Technician is a remote diagnostic system

that determines the cause of a check-engine light and acts

as an event recorder to record everything that happened one

minute before and 15 seconds after the light turns on. “Virtual

Technician’s control module provides the communication link to

our Customer Assistance Center,” explained Keith Harrington,

product manager for Freightliner LLC.

“The module listens to our system, and as soon as an event

happens, the module picks up on it and auto-

matically transmits it to a processing server, and

then forwards it to our call center,” The prod-

uct has been in the works for about four years,

stemming from an outgrowth of the truck man-

ufacturer’s testing and validation process.

On most vehicles, a fault code can be read

off the instrument cluster with a special device,

but Harrington said the problem is only the

dealership can do that, so the engine light

remains a mystery to the customer. With Virtual

Technician, “when a condition occurs, the system

automatically downloads it and automatically

makes the call” rather than just passing on a fault

code, he explained.

“We know the location of the truck, altitude, speed, and

what other things were going on in the vehicle,” explained

Harrington. “The vehicle calls our data processing center,

which puts all the information together and sends it to our

customer service center at Detroit Diesel in Michigan. The

technicians look at the data and snapshot of the events and

say, ‘Here’s the issue right here, and this is the way to fi x it.’

We can actually tell them what’s wrong with

the truck, what service parts are required, and

what skill level of technician is needed. All that

before you even get to the dealership.”

The process takes six to 10 minutes, and

then an e-mail is sent to fl eet maintenance

for the copy to be dispatched. Then they

can determine what to do with the driver

and the load.

Virtual Technician is currently operating in

220 of Freightliner’s customer units, ranging

from fl eets using the system on more than 100

units to smaller fl eets. Meijer, a grocery chain,

currently has 65 equipped on its trucks.

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Virtual Technician provides a snapshot of data to help determine the cause of a check-engine light.

WT0311perc.indd 1 2/10/11 2:02:54 PMWT0311telematics.indd 22WT0311telematics.indd 22 2/11/11 9:21:11 AM2/11/11 9:21:11 AM


See what’s in store for propane autogas.

At the NTEA Work Truck Show, we’re showcasing new products and

technologies that are reshaping the industry. You also can learn the latest

on R&D, safety, and training — straight from the experts. Visit the Propane

Education & Research Council Booth 5085 or www.autogasusa.org/NTEA.

And discover how propane autogas is taking innovation to the limit.

©2011 Propane Education & Research Council

WT0311perc.indd 1 2/10/11 2:02:54 PMWT0311telematics.indd 23WT0311telematics.indd 23 2/11/11 9:21:14 AM2/11/11 9:21:14 AM

http://www.autogasusa.org/NTEA


Telematics

■ FORD OFFERS CREWCHIEF TELEMATICS SERVICE ■ ZONAR NARROWS DOWN DATA

Ford Motor Company offers the CrewChief telematics/fl eet man-

agement service, a comprehensive solution offering the benefi ts of

access to exclusive Ford vehicle data, factory installation, and protec-

tion of an OEM warranty (three years/36,000 miles for new vehicles).

Driver safety and corporate sustainability are part of every fl eet’s op-

erating objectives. With CrewChief, Ford helps fl eets achieve these ob-

jectives through seat belt status, tire pressure reporting, and accurate fuel

consumption/fuel economy data along with CO2 emissions reporting.

Ford’s 2011 F-150 and F-Series Super Duty trucks feature a more so-

phisticated oil change monitor called the “Oil Life Minder.” The Oil Life

Minder uses complex algorithms and inputs (including soot levels for

diesel vehicles) to assess oil life to provide a more accurate assessment

of oil life than a mileage-based calculation.

CrewChief now reports the values from Oil Life Minder on the Crew-

Chief dashboard so the fl eet manager can better manage the mainte-

nance needs of the fl eet. CrewChief will e-mail a notifi cation when the

oil life falls below a critical threshold established by fl eet maintenance

managers, e.g. below 5 percent.

CrewChief’s analysis page helps make cause-and-effect analysis easier.

Looking back over the past week, month, or quarter, the analysis page

helps identify causal factors of poor fl eet performance.

“In one instance, for example, we reviewed the driving history for

the prior month of a fl eet that had a vehicle incident,” said Bill Fryk-

man, product & business development, Connected Services and Ford

Work Solutions for Ford. “The vehicle involved in the incident had the

highest top speed, greatest amount of time over the speed threshold,

the most panic stops, and was the least likely to have the seatbelt en-

gaged. Aided by CrewChief, a little positive mentoring may have avoid-

ed an on-road incident. Thus, CrewChief’s analysis page can continue

to benefi t fl eets who use its fullest capacity.”

While Ford’s Crew-

Chief was launched on

the F-150, F-Series Super

Duty, and E-series, the

automaker has also ex-

panded the program to

the Transit Connect.

“CrewChief is in pilot

in customer fl eets using

the Ford Escape and the

Ford Fusion sedan. Plans

are to expand CrewChief

based on customer de-

mand. Many fl eets try to

look solely to reduced

fuel expenditures (driv-

en by reduced idle time,

etc.) to justify the investment in a telematics solution,” said Frykman. “In

actuality, the ROI gains are much broader. We see customers achieving

12- to 20-percent reductions in fuel costs. But that’s only touching the

tip of the iceberg in terms of the benefi ts of a managed telematics so-

lution. The benefi ts of a safer and better maintained fl eet will continue

to fl ow to the bottom line in the form of increased operating effi cien-

cy, decreased downtime, lower repair costs, etc.”

Zonar Systems provides electronic inspection,

tracking, diagnostics, and management

solutions for fl eet operations, servicing customers

with an “Inspect Regularly, Track Instantly, Know

Always” approach. The company originally

provided electronic inspection products and

services to the pupil transportation industry.

Today, Zonar serves several industries, providing

telematics solutions to a customer base that

operates more than 100,000 vehicles in several

vertical markets including trucking construction,

utilities, waste and recycling, municipalities, and

transit fl eets.

Designed to ensure inspections are completed

accurately and thoroughly to improve fl eet safety

and performance, Zonar’s Electronic Vehicle

Inspection Report (EVIR) system verifi es pre-

and post-trip inspections. EVIR complies with

all USDOT mandated pre-and post-trip vehicle

inspection regulations, as well as OSHA and

MSHA equipment inspection requirements. The

system helps identify defects faster and more

reliably, speed vehicle repairs, and reduce on-

road breakdowns, according to the company. Data

from the electronic inspections provides instant

reporting and alerting of noted defects.

Zonar’s V2J High-Defi nition GPS & Vehicle

Diagnostics System couples next-generation

GPS tracking and reporting with advanced

remote vehicle diagnostics to communicate

directly with a vehicle’s on-board computer.

The V2J telematics platform captures actual fuel

consumption information by reporting the total

fuel shot through engine injectors on a per trip,

per driver, and/or per vehicle basis. Additionally,

fuel consumption is captured and reported

geospatially. Automatic geospatial tracking of

fuel usage including off-road fuel consumption

is available to simplify fuel tax reporting and

fi ling. The system also differentiates unnecessary

vehicle idling from necessary idle time, such as

PTO hours.

This information is accessed through Ground

Traffi c Control, a Web-based fl eet management

portal available via any Web browser. Fleet

operators are given real-time visibility into their

operations from anywhere, at anytime, so they

always know the location, status, and health of

their equipment.

Zonar Intelligent Navigation and Guidance

(ZING), one of several modules available within

the Ground Traffi c Control fl eet management

portal, provides Web-based dispatch, route

management, navigation, and two-way messaging

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aFord Work Solutions is a technology-based product line of optional tools In-Dash Com-puter, Tool Link, Crew Chief and Cable Lock designed with feedback from people who are out on the job earning a living with their trucks.




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Ground Traffi c Control, Zonar’s fl eet management portal, provides fl eet managers real-time insight into the health and performance of their entire fl eet operation. Engine diagnostics is one of the many reporting features included.

used by drivers and dispatchers. ZING

enables the timely dispatch of equipment

to a specifi c location.

ZAlert, launched in December 2010,

offers customers the ability to select

fl eet data most important to their

operation, set acceptable operating

parameters around that data, and

be notifi ed automatically when an

asset is operating outside established

parameters. “Simply stated, ZAlert

automatically sends the right information

to the right people at the right time

— allowing customers to spend more

time managing their operation and less

time reading reports and looking for

exceptions,” said Chris Oliver, VP of

marketing, Zonar.

Initial training and continued education,

training, and support are provided for

all products. Many are customer-driven

solutions. “We frequently receive

requests and ideas for new solutions.

Many telematics technologies today have

the capability to capture a very large set

of data around fl eet vehicle operations

— the challenge is transforming this

tsunami of data into a palatable set of

information that improves the fl eet

operation,” said Oliver.

Oliver said the most frequent request

from fl eet managers is to provide only

the information they need and want “in a

way that’s easiest for them to receive and

digest. Subsequently, we have released

ZAlert, which enables customers to

establish the parameters within which

they want their fl eet to operate and

the channel through which they wish

to be notifi ed if these parameters are

breached.” WT



ISUZU NPR ECO-MAXTRUCKS RETURN FROM NATIONWIDE TOUR

For more than two months, the Isuzu NPR ECO-MAX toured the country educating dealers and service and parts personnel.


The fi rst low-cab forward

medium-duty trucks in

the U.S. market to meet

stringent new 2010 emissions

regulations returned Nov. 17, 2010 from

their nationwide introductory tour.

Isuzu Commercial Truck of America,

Inc., (ICTA) originally announced the

ECO-Advantage Tour — a coast-to-

coast showcase for the fuel-sipping,

emissions-reducing technology found

on the 2011 Isuzu NPR ECO-MAX —

when the trucks departed Santa Ana,

Calif., Sept. 7, 2010.

POWERED BY PROVEN

TECHNOLOGY

Two upfi tted versions of the Isuzu NPR

ECO-MAX visited more than 200 Isuzu

truck dealers during the tour. The light-

weight ECO-MAX Tool Pro was upfi t-

ted with a recyclable aluminum utili-

ty body engineered by The Reading

Group, LLC. The streamlined ECO-

MAX Aero Body featured an aerody-

namic van body designed by Supreme

Corporation.

Both ECO-MAX trucks are pow-

ered by Isuzu’s clean, effi cient, and

powerful 3.0L dual overhead cam-

shaft (DOHC) turbocharged diesel en-

gine, engineered to achieve 20-percent

better fuel economy than the engine it

replaces. This engine meets the strict

EPA 2010 and CARB HD-OBD emis-

sion standards.

Real-world fuel mileage from the

tour resulted in the Isuzu NPR ECO-

MAX Tool Pro truck achieving 15-

21 mpg. The Isuzu NPR ECO-MAX

Aero Body truck achieved 15-23 mpg.

Each vehicle used less than 10 gallons

of diesel exhaust fl uid (DEF). DEF is

the diesel engine fuel additive used in

all 2010 and later EPA-compliant die-

sel engines.

WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS

At each stop on the ECO-Advantage

Tour, representatives of ICTA deliv-

ered product presentations and con-

ducted training for local dealership

sales, service, and parts personnel.

Representatives of Reading and Su-

preme were also available to answer

questions at select locations. Stat-

ic displays with additional product

information supported the live pre-

sentations.

“Whether you’re a fl eet manager, a

small business owner, or just an inter-

ested member of the public, we want-

ed everyone with an interest in environ-

mentally friendly truck design to see

the state of the art in the industry and

to experience the fuel economy these

vehicles provide,” said Shaun Skin-

ner, executive vice president and gen-

eral manager of ICTA.

Photos and videos from the tour

were uploaded regularly as the tour

progressed. This information, as well

as information about the complete line

of 2011 Isuzu N-Series Trucks, can be

found on ICTA’s website at www.isu

zucv.com. WT

At each stop on the ECO-Advantage Tour, representatives of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America delivered product presenta-tions and conducted training for local deal-ership sales, service, and parts personnel.

“Whether you’re a fl eet manager, a small business owner, or just an interest-ed member of the public, we wanted ev-eryone with an interest in environmental-ly friendly truck design to see the state of the art in the industry and to experience the fuel economy these vehicles provide,” said Shaun Skinner, executive vice presi-dent and general manager of Isuzu Com-mercial Truck of America.

k

“Wsssssssmed

ntage T Two upfi tted versions of the Isuzu NPR ECO-MAX visit-ed more than 200 Isuzu truck dealers between Sept. 7 and Nov. 17.

WT0311isuzu.indd 26WT0311isuzu.indd 26 2/11/11 9:20:19 AM2/11/11 9:20:19 AM


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HOW TO SPEC

FOR LIGHT- & MEDIUM-DUTY TRUCKS

DUMP BODIES

If a fl eet doesn’t properly equip a chassis or dump body to handle a load, cost savings will vanish due to premature maintenance issues and greater risks

to employee safety. By Sean Lyden


Whether hauling loose

granular materi-

als, such as topsoil

or sand, or large

chunks of construction debris, dump

body trucks equip a crew to unload

cargo quickly, with little effort, and

move on to the next job.

The dump functionality eliminates

the need to manually unload the truck,

reducing labor time (and costs), which

preserves more profi t for each job.

With a simple push of a button, the

dump body tilts either toward the rear

or side of the truck, leveraging grav-

ity (instead of manual labor) to pour

the payload directly into a dumpster

or on the ground.

However, despite all the promise

of increased productivity, if either

Factors to consider when spec’ing a dump body for light- and medium-duty trucks include:

■ Purpose.

■ Maximum load weight.

■ Size.

■ Material.

■ Electric or PTO hoist.

■ Single or multi-directional hoist.

AT A GLANCE

A contractor’s dump is similar to a standard fl atbed with short

(12- to 24-inch) solid sides that fold down to create unfettered

access to load the body.

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the chassis or dump body is not prop-

erly equipped to handle the load, cost

savings will vanish due to premature

maintenance issues and greater risks

to employee safety. Considering that

light- and medium-duty dump trucks

(up to Class 7) cost as much as $40,000-

$70,000 per unit to purchase (depend-

ing on dump body type, material, and

capabilities), the stakes are high for fl eet

managers to get the spec right.

So, how should a dump body be

spec’d to tackle the job? Here are sev-

en questions to guide the process.

1 HOW EXACTLY WILL

THE TRUCK BE USED?

Will the fl eet use the dump body truck

for a specifi c purpose, such as hauling

asphalt? Or does it need a more fl exi-

ble dump that serves multiple purpos-

es? The answers to these questions will

help determine what type of dump best

fi ts the application.

Here are four common dump body

types built for Class 3-7 trucks:

■ Flatbed/platform dumps are pri-

marily fl atbed bodies that provide

the option for use as a dump body

when needed. For applications that

use the dump function on occasion,

the fl atbed dump is a low-cost op-

tion that offers fl exibility.

■ Conventional dumps are built

with solid stationary sides, welded

to the body, and primarily used to

haul and dump loose granular mate-

rials such as dirt, sand, gravel, etc.

■ Contractor dumps are similar

to fl atbeds with short (12-24 inch)

solid sides that fold down to create

unfettered access to load the body.

The sides come with a groove that

allows users to add a board to make

the sides a few inches higher when

an application requires extra height.

The fl eet can use a contractor dump

to haul a broad range of materials,

such as loose dirt and sand, or large

chunks of concrete debris.

■ Landscape dumps can be con-

fi gured in several different ways.

Some landscape dumps have solid

sides up to 12-24 inches, with metal


Dump Bodies

mesh adding several inches in height.

This “hybrid” solid-mesh side con-

fi guration enables hauling loose ma-

terials (such as topsoil and mulch)

at the bottom of the body and larger

branches and brush above that. Op-

tions for swing-open rear and side

gates are also available.

2 HOW MUCH WEIGHT IS

THE MAXIMUM LOAD?

This answer determines what size truck

chassis is needed for the job. (Refer to

sidebar, “How Much Does the Payload

Weigh?” to help estimate payload re-

quirements.)

For example, to haul fi ve cubic yards

of sand, weighing 2,700 lbs. per cubic

yard, the total payload inside the body is

13,500 lbs. This would require at least

a Class 6-7 truck chassis, depending on

the weight of the body and other equip-

ment installed on the truck.

That’s assuming the sand is dry.

If it is wet, it can weigh as much as

3,300 lbs. per cubic yard. Therefore,

the same amount of sand (fi ve cubic

yards) that’s wet at 3,300 lbs. per cubic

yard would raise the payload require-

ment to 16,500 lbs. That’s a 3,200-lb.

difference from dry sand, which may

require a bigger truck.

Once the maximum payload is esti-

mated, factor a buffer into the calcula-

tions to cover any surprises. Then select

a chassis that will handle the load.

3 WHAT SIZE DUMP

BODY?

When evaluating contractor, landscape,

or fl atbed dumps, think in terms of

length, width, and height of sides (if

applicable). For example, the spec may

be a 12-ft. fl atbed dump, 96 inches wide

with 24-inch stake rack sides.

Since conventional dumps are man-

ufactured with the sides, tailgate, and

fl oor fused together to form a single

unit, their capacities are spec’d, not in

length, height or width, but in terms of

cubic yards. A conventional dump body,

for example, may be referred to as a “2-

yard dump” or “5-yard dump.”

4 STEEL, STAINLESS

STEEL, OR ALUMINUM

DUMP BODY?

Factors that drive this decision are cost,

corrosion resistance, and weight. Steel

is usually the lower cost material and

is well-suited for daily heavy-duty us-

age. For corrosion resistance, the advan-

tage goes to stainless steel and alumi-

num. In terms of weight, aluminum is

This “hybrid” solid-mesh side con-fi guration enables hauling loose ma-terials (such as topsoil and mulch) at the bottom of the body and larger branches and brush above that.

The advantage to the multi-direc-tional hoist is that it enables use of the dump function without having to unhook and re-hook a trailer, which saves signifi cant time and hassle.

PHO

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Dump Bodies

users to turn off the engine when oper-

ating the dump, offering fuel economy

and environmental benefi ts.

For heavier-duty applications, which

require a bigger Class 6-7 truck chas-

sis, the power-takeoff (PTO) hoist is

more common. Since the PTO hoist

is driven by the truck engine, it gains

greater power and durability in han-

dling heavy loads. The downside, how-

ever, is that the driver must keep the

engine running to operate the dump

body, which eats into the unit’s fuel

economy.

Consult the body company on which

hoist best matches the desired load and

dump usage requirements.

6 SINGLE OR MULTI-

DIRECTIONAL HOIST?

Most dumps use a single direction

hoist that lifts the top end of the body

to dump toward the rear. However,

some body companies offer a multi-

directional hoist that offers the option

to dump toward both the rear and the

side. This side dump capability en-

ables use of the dump function with-

out having to unhook and re-hook a

trailer, which saves signifi cant time

and hassle.

either by the truck battery (electric

hoist) or the engine (PTO hoist) to lift

the dump body off the truck frame.

Which type of hoist works best for an

application?

For lighter duty (Class 3-5 truck) ap-

plications or for occasional use, most

body manufacturers recommend an

electric hoist. Since the electric hoist is

powered by the truck battery, it allows

the lightest of the three materials, en-

hancing fuel economy and payload ca-

pacity, but is usually not recommend-

ed for harsh, heavy-duty use.

5 ELECTRIC OR PTO

HOIST?

Positioned between the rear axle and

back of the cab, the hoist is powered

HOW MUCH DOES THE

PAYLOAD WEIGH?

Here are weights for common ma-

terials hauled in dump bodies:

■ Crushed stone: 2,500 lbs. per

cubic yard.

■ Gravel: 2,700 lbs. per cubic yard.

■ Sand (dry): 2,700 lbs. per

cubic yard.

■ Soil: 2,500 lbs per cubic yard.

For more material weights, go

to www.age.psu.edu/extension/

factsheets/h/H20.pdf.

SOURCE: PENN STATE UNIVERSITY- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING.

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WT0311strattec.indd 1 2/7/11 3:19:30 PM

7WHAT ADDITIONAL

OPTIONS WILL OPTIMIZE

A DUMP BODY’S PERFOR-

MANCE?

Consider the following four options

and ask the body manufacturer for

a listing of options specifi c to their

offerings.

■ Cab shield. Stretches over the

top of the cab from the front bulk-

head of the dump body, protecting

the cab from damage. Cab shields

come in a variety of sizes to cov-

er one-fourth to half or even more

of the cab.

■ Tarp. Used to keep loose ma-

terial (such as gravel and crushed

rock) from fl ying out of the bed

and onto the highway, causing

damage to other vehicles. Tarps

can be manual or electric. What

drives decision is cost and con-

venience. If the budget requires a

lower priced option, go with man-

ual. For greater convenience and

effi ciency, spec electric.

■ Underbody toolboxes. Con-

nected to the frame under the

dump body, these toolboxes se-

cure equipment and tools from the

elements or theft, without taking

up extra cargo space on the body.

Underbody toolboxes come in va-

riety of dimensions and a choice

of steel or aluminum. The differ-

ences between the two are price

and weight. Steel toolboxes cost

less while the aluminum boxes

weigh less and offer better pro-

tection against corrosion.

■ Application-specifi c options. In the landscape industry, for ex-

ample, some body companies of-

fer the option of a removable dove-

tail that connects to the rear of

the dump body. This way, a land-

scape crew can lower the ramp on

the dovetail and drive their mow-

ers and other equipment onto the

dump platform. Then when the

crew needs the dump function to

unload brush and other lawn de-

bris, they can detach and roll away

the dovetail. This saves the land-

scape company from purchasing

two trucks — one to transport

equipment and another to dump

debris — when one truck can per-

form both functions. WT


PHO

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WHAT

STAPLES Mike Payette, manager of fl eet equipment for the offi ce supply company, discusses his

experience with all-electric trucks and factors fl eet managers should consider when including such vehicles in fl eet. By Sean Lyden


Last November, offi ce supply gi-

ant Staples, Inc., of Framing-

ham, Mass., added 41 new all-

electric Class 6 Smith Newton

delivery trucks to its fl eet of 2,000

vehicles in North America.

The purchase is part of Sta-

ples’ ongoing fuel-effi ciency ini-

tiative, started in 2006, to achieve

a 40-percent improvement in

fl eet fuel economy by 2015 and

signifi cantly reduce its carbon

footprint.

Manufactured by Smith Electric Ve-

hicles, based in Kansas City, Mo., the

Newton all-electric medium-duty chas-

sis offers a range up to 100 miles, top

speed of 50 mph, and a payload

capacity up to 16,000 lbs., ideal

for short-range urban delivery

applications that demand heavy

stop-and-go driving.

In what instances do medium-

duty electric trucks make fi nan-

cial sense for fl eets? What are

realistic fuel savings expecta-

tions? How long should it take to recoup

the higher initial cost? What impact do

electric trucks make on day-to-day fl eet

operations, including driver training

and maintenance schedules?

Work Truck magazine spoke with

Mike Payette, manager of fl eet equip-

ment at Staples, who spearheaded the

company’s electric truck initiative, to

get his real-world perspective on these

questions and more.

WT: WHEN DO MEDIUM-DUTY

ELECTRIC TRUCKS MAKE SENSE

FOR A FLEET? WHAT’S THE

IDEAL APPLICATION?

PAYETTE: What’s not a good fi t is if you

have to take the truck out on the freeway

and drive 20 miles at 55 mph. That will

drain your battery too quickly.

The ideal setup is to be able to pull

out of a terminal and make the fi rst de-

livery within a mile of where the vehi-

cle left. We have several of those situ-

ations at Staples.

In Los Angeles, for example, 180

of our routes operate between 35-70

miles per day. That’s why electric ve-

hicles are perfect for the L.A. mar-

ket, as well as many other inner city

metropolitan-type markets.

The shorter routes are actually more

harmful for the diesels. We found that

with some of our diesels in the L.A.

market, we’ll pull a download off the

Differences in managing a fl eet of all-electric medium-duty work trucks include:

■ Decreased operating expenses in shorter driving routes and reduced fueling expenses.

■ Changes in vehicle operations.

■ Adjustments in lease structures versus diesel trucks.

AT A GLANCE

PAYETTE

EXPECTS FROM ALL-ELECTRIC MEDIUM-DUTY WORK TRUCKS

Manufactured by Smith Electric Vehicles, the Newton all-electric medium-duty chassis offers a range up to 100 miles, top speed of 50 mph, and a payload capac-ity up to 16,000 lb., ideal for short-range urban de-livery applications.

WT0311staples.indd 34WT0311staples.indd 34 2/11/11 2:06:14 PM2/11/11 2:06:14 PM


engine control module (ECM) and fi nd the ECM called

for a regeneration of the diesel particulate fi lter (DPF) 119

times, but was only able to complete the re-gen three times

because the vehicle was not running long enough for the

20 minutes required to clean that fi lter out.

If we’re making 50-60 deliveries per day, the truck is

running about eight minutes between stops. The driver

must pull the truck over to the side of the road, put it in

park, hit the exhaust re-gen button, and let it go through a

20-minute re-gen.

By pulling those diesels out of the short-mileage routes

and incorporating electric trucks, you’re helping the die-

sel vehicles run cleaner and putting the electric in its opti-

mal operating environment.

WT: WHAT IS THE UPGRADE COST GOING TO

THE ALL-ELECTRIC VERSUS DIESEL POWER?

PAYETTE: When you factor available federal and state funds,

the cost of these electric trucks is roughly two times the

cost of a conventional-powered diesel truck.

WT: HOW LONG DO YOU ANTICIPATE IT WILL

TAKE FOR YOU TO RECOUP THAT INVESTMENT?

PAYETTE: Understand that over the life of the vehicle, the

equation in place today will change. Fuel prices will change;

the electric rate I’m paying is likely to change. However, if

you use today’s numbers, here’s what you’re looking at:

If you’re going to run a diesel truck on a 100-mile route

at 10 miles per gallon, that’s roughly $35 in diesel fuel to

cover the route. In California, by charging electric trucks

during off-peak hours, we’re paying $9 in electricity to run

the same 100-mile route. So that’s about $8,900 per year

for fuel and $2,300 in electricity.

Since we plan to keep these units in service at least 10

years, the overall differential is $66,000 per truck — if fuel

remained $3.50 per gallon or $0.10-$0.12 per kilowatt hour.

That alone offsets the incremental cost of the electric vehi-

cle over 10 years without even talking maintenance.

WT: WHAT’S DIFFERENT WITH MAINTENANCE?

PAYETTE: On an equivalent 100 mile-per-day diesel vehi-

cle, we spend roughly $900 per year in preventive mainte-

nance — oil changes, fi lter changes, anti-freeze adds, and

eventually transmission oil changes. With the electric ve-

hicles, we take that down to $250 per year.

The electric trucks are only equipped with four grease

fi ttings and no engine or transmission oil. The truck must

still be taken to look at brake lines and other wear compo-

nents that may be cracked. Overall, there is virtually noth-

ing that goes wrong with these things.

You’re running air disc brakes that, with regenerative

braking (a system that leverages the motor to slow the truck

when you take your foot off the accelerator, reducing wear


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All-Electric Trucks

on the brakes, while also restoring

charge to the battery), gives us two to

four times the brake life over a conven-

tional set of hydraulic brakes.

The electric motors are expected to

last about 20 years. By the fi fth year,

you get into what’s called a “battery-

refresh” program. The truck is removed

from service and the large battery pods

are pulled off each side. They’re opened

up and disassembled. There are indi-

vidual battery cells inside each pod,

which are put through a complete re-

generative process, one at a time. Any

bad [cells] are removed, new ones are

put in, and the battery pack is reassem-

bled. They’re good to go for another

fi ve years after that.

The estimated cost for this fi ve years

from now is between $4,000-$5,000.

That’s strictly an estimate, which as-

sumes you need to replace at least 10

percent of the batteries on board.

WT: WHAT IS THE IMPACT

ON YOUR DRIVERS? WHAT

ADJUSTMENTS DO THEY NEED

TO MAKE?

PAYETTE: You can’t just grab some-

body and say, “OK, push this button,

do this, and drive this pretty much

like a diesel.” There’s a sophisticat-

ed driving program we put the driv-

ers through, which focuses primarily

on battery conservation.

When drivers leave in the morning,

they’re leaving when the truck is at its

heaviest, which is when they are going

to use the most power. However, it is

also when drivers get the greatest re-

generation capacity by lifting their foot

off the accelerator, which pushes more

“juice” back into the battery.

These trucks are also wired with

full telemetry, and part of the program

where we get money from [the federal

government] is to report to the govern-

ment on the performance of these ve-

hicles, with data automatically down-

loaded from the truck itself.

This helps us see how effective our

driver training has been, in terms of

power conservation — how they’re op-

erating the trucks, how hard they’re

depressing the accelerator pedal, and

TRUCK SPECS

SMITH NEWTON CLASS-6

ALL-ELECTRIC TRUCK● Top Speed: 50 mph.

● Range: Up to 100 miles.

● Payload: Up to 16,280 lbs.

● Motor: 120 kW induction motor.

● Battery: Lithium-ion iron

phosphate.

● Full Battery Recharge: 6-8 hours.

● Deck Lengths: 15-19.5 feet.

● Cab: All-steel two-door with

hydraulic tilt.

● Interior: Driver seat, dual

passenger seat, Sony stereo CD.

● Tires: 215/75R 17.5 inch.

● Warranty: 36-month bumper-to-

bumper; 60-month drivetrain.

SOURCE: SMITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES

how hard they’re coming down on the

brakes. How much coasting time do

they have? We encourage them, if driv-

ing down a long hill on the way to the

fi rst stop, to take their foot off the ac-

celerator and let the truck “juice up,”

or put juice back into the battery.

It’s educating drivers on how the

system works and how they can get

optimal performance out of it. We’ll

adapt our driver program as we learn

from these 41 trucks.

WT: WHAT ARE THE MAIN

DIFFERENCES WITH OPERAT-

ING ELECTRIC TRUCKS?

PAYETTE: There are several different

factors you must take into consider-

ation, not the least of which is the fact

these trucks make virtually no noise

except from rolling resistance from the

tires on the road or gravel. If the win-

dows are down, you may hear the tires,

but that’s about it for noise. So driv-

ers must be very aware of pedestrians

on the sidewalk. If they don’t hear the

vehicle, the driver must be aware they

could step out in front of it.

The controls to operate the vehi-

cles are very simple. The driver en-

ters the vehicle and turns the key to

the “on” position, which wakes up

the 24v control module on these elec-

tric trucks. The driver then bumps the

key against the starter as if it were a

gasoline or diesel engine, which acti-

vates the traction motor system. That

sends the signal that says, “OK, we’re

ready to go.”

There’s a small handle not much

larger than a pen, with a mushroom-

shape button on the top. The driver

simply slides that from a neutral po-

sition to forward or reverse and takes

off. There’s no gear shifting.

A small screen, mounted just above

the driver’s visor, shows the state of

charge, how many amps it’s drawing,

and the range the driver should attempt

to stay in. There’s also a convention-

al fuel gauge on the dashboard tied to

the state-of-charge gauge. If the state-

of-charge gauge shows 50 percent,

the “fuel gauge” will show halfway,

much like the gauge in a convention-

al truck.

WT: HOW DO THE ELECTRIC

TRUCKS IMPACT YOUR JOB AS

FLEET MANAGER?

PAYETTE A few things: First, there’s

no real history really in the U.S. to

help make qualifi ed decisions on all-

electric trucks. I’ve had to work real

hard to bring all the key parties togeth-

er. I organized meetings with Penske’s

maintenance team, Smith Electric,

and Morgan [Corporation]. We had

two days of meetings to explain how

these trucks operate and what would

be required of Penske and Morgan in

designing the body.

My role as a fl eet manager has been

to bring these parties together, educate

them all, and enforce the education to

make sure everybody is on the same

page. It’s been a learning curve for all

of us. I try to do as much thinking for

everyone as possible to see what we are

willing to be exposed to in terms of risk.

All of us are taking some risks.

The second thing is managing the im-

pact on vehicle lifecycles and how our

leases are structured for diesel trucks.

If a fl eet manager is used to operating

a fl eet with 100-percent diesel vehicles



and, for example, has 2,000 diesel ve-

hicles in service, some of those trucks

run 5,000 miles per year while others

run 50,000 miles per year.

When you try to standardize a fl eet

to seven years and 230,000 miles, you

can move vehicles around from route to

route. After two years, you can pull a

diesel off a 100,000-mile route and put

it on a route that will run only 10,000

or 20,000 miles during the next few

years so you can equalize your mile-

age. You’ve kept your cost of operation

down and cost per mile right within the

tolerances you expected. And you can

make a good business plan for that.

However, when you suddenly start

to pull low-mileage options out to

place a high-mileage diesel and re-

place the low-mileage diesel with an

electric vehicle, now you’re changing

how you arrange leasing parameters

for the diesel.

In other words, by bringing in the

electrics for the short routes, you no

longer have a 10,000-mile route to move

that 50,000-mile diesel truck down


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to. You’re going to achieve 230,000

miles out of that truck, but you may

hit that 230,000 now in fi ve years in-

stead of seven.

So you have to start reorganizing

your lease structure. If you’re paying

$700 per month on the lease, expect-

ing it to go seven years, you may have

to pay $850 to as much as $900 per

month because the truck is only go-

ing fi ve years. The vehicle should be

worth a little more because it is two

years newer, but it still has high miles

on it, which impacts the residual.

WT: FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE,

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR WID-

ER SPREAD ADOPTION OF ALL-

ELECTRIC TRUCKS?

PAYETTE: Over time, as the cost of

these electric vehicles begins to drop,

the expectation is that at some point,

federal [government] incentives will

go away and these vehicles have to

stand on their own merits. We all un-

derstand that to get there, the busi-

ness case has to be made to increase

production, including reduced vehicle

costs, lower maintenance costs, and

improved range.

It’s all about battery capacity and

weight and how that impacts your pay-

load. And over the last 10 years or so,

we’ve started to get our hands around

those things. WT

“Over time, as the cost of electric vehicles drop, the expectation is that

at some point, federal [government] incentives will go away and these vehicles will have to stand on their

own merits.” Mike Payette, manager of fl eet equipment.



DECALSCONVEY PROFESSIONALISM

Decal manufacturers can pro-vide customizable options for updating the look of current fl eet vehicles. One benefi t of decals is the ease in which they can be affi xed.


Every company operating a fl eet

wants its vehicles to convey a

professional image to its cus-

tomers. By utilizing a well-

designed decal program, fl eet managers

can save by including decal manufac-

turers as part of their supply chain.

Decal manufacturers, such as Cleveland-

based Sun Art Decals, Inc., can provide

this service.

Quality decal markings can be

used on vehicles for corporate logos,

lettering, numbering, and graphics.

DECAL MANUFACTURER

WORKS WITH FLEET

Exterior decals are easily applied to ve-

hicles using self-adhesive materials that

have the durability to last the service life

of a vehicle. By using a well-equipped

decal manufacturer as a source for vehi-

cle graphics, companies can avoid main-

taining an inventory of fl eet markings.

Most fl eet maintenance departments have

personnel able to provide the installation.

In the past, decal manufacturers

were reluctant to service small fl eet

accounts because of their small pro-

duction needs. New production capa-

bilities enable manufacturers to pro-

duce custom decal products on an

as- needed basis for large and small

fl eet operators. The development of

computer- aided design and manufac-

turing (CAD/CAM) and digital output

systems have made this possible.

The advantage of these computer-

based systems is that once an image

is saved, it can be edited on a comput-

er screen to provide a customized de-

cal in almost any dimension and color.

Providing customers with any size, col-

or, or quantity they need is no longer a

production problem.

“If a fl eet needs one decal six inches in

diameter and another 30 inches in diam-

eter, they can have it,” said Jim Soppelsa,

president of Sun Art. “The new system

is also ideal for situations where only

one panel of a vehicle is damaged. A

customer can call Sun Art and order the

one replacement decal if necessary. As a

result, vehicle downtime is minimized.”

In a 9,000-sq. ft. facility with more

than $200,000 in equipment operated by

skilled employees, Sun Art Decals can

maintain quality control and consistent-

ly fulfi ll tight delivery deadlines.

“Our production capabilities enable

the production of simple, one-color

lettering or complex full-color decals

cut into elaborate shapes,” said Sop-

pelsa. “Through the use of digital sys-

tems, decal markings can be produced

quickly, typically within 24 hours. For

example, a long lead time for Sun Art

is one week.”

DECALS PROVIDE BENEFITS

One advantage to using decals is they

do not require any special skills to af-

fi x to a vehicle’s exterior.

“In fact, factory decaling on new mod-

els has become so prevalent that most

mechanics are already experienced in

decal work,” noted Soppelsa.

Unlike paint, decals do not notice-

ably fade. If there is a fading factor, it

will take place over a long period of

time, but it will be consistent. Another

advantage to using decals, even tem-

porary markings, is that they can be

removed.

“Decals can be removed using heat

and solvents,” explained Soppelsa.

“This eliminates the need to repaint

the entire vehicle prior to selling it from

the fl eet.”

Fleet professionals can mail, fax, or

e-mail an image for a price quote. The

sent image can often be used for pro-

duction purposes. WT

Decals, such as those shown above on the doors of work trucks, provide a professional image. Unlike paint, decals do not noticeably fade.

WT0311sunart.indd 38WT0311sunart.indd 38 2/9/11 6:42:06 AM2/9/11 6:42:06 AM


WT0311sunart.indd 39WT0311sunart.indd 39 2/9/11 6:42:10 AM2/9/11 6:42:10 AM

WT0710amerifleet.indd 1 6/15/10 9:29:02 AM

SPRINKLESDELIVERS HIGH-END CUPCAKES WITH MERCEDES SPRINTER

The owners of Sprinkles Cupcakes designed and upfi tted their eye-catching “Sprinkles-mobile” to refl ect the image of the gourmet cupcake chain. By Thi Dao


Afew years ago, the

gourmet food truck trend

hit Los Angeles, and res-

taurants, bakeries, and en-

trepreneurs began selling an array of

mobile food options that far surpassed

the offerings of traditional taco trucks.

Among the early adopters, Charles and

Candace Nelson, founders of the high-

end cupcake bakery chain Sprinkles

Cupcakes, purchased and customized

a 2007 Sprinter van that not only had

the feel of their unique bakery, but al-

lowed them to portray an exterior fi t for

their gourmet treats.

According to Charles Nelson, the

bakery was using plain trucks for de-

livery and mobile sales at television and

movie studios in the Los Angeles area.

“We said, wouldn’t it be great if we had

something that both felt like Sprinkles,

but you pulled in, opened it up, and you

were ready to go?” Nelson said.

The Nelsons purchased the Dodge-

branded Sprinter and almost imme-

diately converted to Mercedes badg-

ing. They chose the Sprinter because

the van met their bakery’s needs. Nel-

son cited interior standing room (up to

76.4 inches), large cargo capacity (up

to 547 cu. ft.), high fuel effi ciency (av-

eraging 22 mpg), clean diesel engine

(3.0L BlueTEC V-6 diesel with diesel

exhaust fl uid [DEF] system), and low

maintenance costs in comparison to

the bakery’s other vans.

Working with Sprinkles store archi-

tect and designer Andrea Lenardin, and

the California-based luxury automo-

tive restyling center West Coast Cus-

toms, they transformed the Sprinter

into the “Sprinklesmobile.” The choc-

olate-brown bakery-on-wheels rolled

out in January 2008, with a capacity

of 1,500 cupcakes that can be loaded

in trays in the back and retrieved from

the front. The van features angled trays

that are set up exactly as they are in the

store, wheels designed with the signa-

ture “modern dots” that top their cup-

cakes, and a brown awning that pre-

vents cupcakes from melting on sunny

days, Nelson explained.

According to Nelson, the vehicle in-

vestment was well worth it. “It’s gotten

a lot of notoriety in every market we’ve

been in,” he said. “We’ve realized [the re-

turn on investment] probably in the fi rst

year, just in the marketing value.”

Nelson said the bakery took delivery

of its second Mercedes-Benz Sprint-

er van in November 2010, and he and

his wife are working on converting

the bakery’s four other vans for use in

their nationwide chain this year. The

other vans will have the same design

but will be customized for their specifi c

applications. He estimated the vans run

20,000-25,000 miles annually.

The expanding popularity of food

trucks can be seen with a show on the

Food Network, and more businesses

have started up with services that range

from pet grooming to mobile optical

practices. As for Sprinkles, the Nel-

sons are happy with their choice of the

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which allows

them to expand their branding and re-

fl ect the bakery’s high-end image. “We

wanted to be the Louis Vuitton of cup-

cakes,” Nelson said. “The Mercedes

brand was important to us.” WT

The Sprinklesmobile has allowed Sprinkles to become a mobile cupcake bakery. Employees park the Sprinter (loaded with 1,500 cupcakes) at various locations in Southern California and “tweet” its location on Twitter. Candace and Charles Nelson found-

ed Sprinkles Cupcakes in 2005 in Beverly Hills, Calif. The chain now boasts nine locations, with another opening in New York in April.

WT0311sprinkles.indd 40WT0311sprinkles.indd 40 2/11/11 2:08:53 PM2/11/11 2:08:53 PM


KEY FEATURES• Coordination of vehicle

upfi tting and delivery process

• Single point of contact throughout

up-fi tting and delivery process

• Door-to-door delivery of vehicles

• Pre- and post-inspection when needed

• Title, license, and registration prior to delivery

• Service to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada

• $6 million in primary insurance coverage

CLIENT BENEFITS• Reduced delivery times

• Quicker vehicle utilization

• Increased worker productivity

• Improved driver

satisfaction and morale

• Increased revenue

• Improved regulatory

compliance

Our Name Says It All

CWhen it comes to work truck logistics providers,

WorkTruck Transport has years of experience as part

of AmeriFleet Transportation. We are THE truck

specialists. Our Turn Key Ready Delivery program

increases revenue and improves delivery times. We

manage the entire process — from ordering vehicles,

to upfi tters through delivery. We can even pick up your

used vehicles and take them directly to auction or a

remarketing center for immediate disposal. With our

many years of experience, you can be assured that

your work trucks will be back on the road quickly.

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www.worktrucktransport.com

AN AMERIFLEET COMPANY

WT0710amerifleet.indd 1 6/15/10 9:29:02 AMWT0311sprinkles.indd 41WT0311sprinkles.indd 41 2/11/11 2:09:03 PM2/11/11 2:09:03 PM

http://www.worktrucktransport.com

➠ ➠P R O D U C T H I G H L I G H T S :

TRUCK CAPS & CAPSULES

A.R.E.’s Deluxe Commercial Unit (DCU) truck cap

is available for the 2011 Ford Super Duty and is custom

made to fi t the size and shape of the new Ford’s Regular,

Extended, and Quad Cab designs, as well as both long and

short beds.

Specially built to withstand the rigors of any work sit-

uation, the A.R.E. DCU has a rugged, fully welded alu-

minum frame construction. A.R.E. offers more than 100

options to provide professionals the power to create a

customizable solution for their work trucks, according to

the manufacturer.

Truck fl eet managers can choose from a variety of door

and window confi gurations, toolboxes, ladder racks, inte-

rior fabric liners, side panels, and cap heights from 23-36

inches. In addition, A.R.E. provides organizational solutions,

such as a full selection of plastic storage bins to hold small

parts, tools, and extension cords in the side compartments

of the DCU.

A.R.E. truck caps come with a three-year warranty on

materials and workmanship. All DCUs feature Strattec lock

cylinders in folding T-handles on all doors for added securi-

ty as well as Suspa gas props on all doors.

Website: www.4are.com

Snugtop’s form-fi tting all-fi berglass cap, the SnugPro

XL Topper, provides a well-engineered solution to carry-

ing tools, equipment, and supplies to the workplace with

100-percent security, according to the manufacturer.

The SnugPro XL features 48-inch wide double rear

doors leading to its large interior and eliminates the need

for a tailgate. Two extra-large side doors provide easy ac-

cess to storage and shelving options tailored to the user’s

exact needs. The reinforced roof with optional racks can

support 500 lbs. of gear and materials.

Because it’s about half the weight of comparable steel

toppers and lighter than aluminum models, the SnugPro XL

transforms this advantage into improved fuel economy and

increased carrying capacity, according to SnugTop.

Its aerodynamic design blends with the host vehicle to fur-

ther optimize fuel economy and reduce the vehicle’s carbon

footprint.

Efforts were focused on the ergonomics of the SnugPro

XL, with ease of access to the truck bed and side compart-

ments, eliminating much of the bending, lifting, and crawl-

ing common to most commercial toppers and maximizing

worker effi ciency while reducing on-the-job risks.

When comparing a pickup equipped with a SnugPro XL

topper to a van, the increased fuel economy, extended dura-

bility, higher residual resale value, and safer working environ-

ment make the truck an obvious choice, according to SnugTop.

The SnugPro XL is available for late-model Ford F-150, Chev-

rolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Ram long-bed pickups.

Website: www.snugtop.com/XLpromo


➠ SNUGTOP OFFERS SNUGPRO XL TOPPER

The A.R.E. Deluxe Commercial Unit truck cap is avail-able for the 2011 Ford Super Duty and comes with a three-year warranty on materials and workmanship.

Snugtop’s form-fi tting all-fi berglass cap, the SnugPro XL Topper, provides a solution to carrying tools, equipment, and supplies to the workplace.

Snugtop’s form fitting all fiberglass cap the SnugPro XL

➠ A.R.E. OFFERS DELUXE COMMERCIAL UNIT TRUCK CAP FOR 2011 FORD SUPER DUTY

WT0311products.indd 42WT0311products.indd 42 2/9/11 6:28:42 AM2/9/11 6:28:42 AM

http://www.4are.com

http://www.snugtop.com/XLpromo



First unveiled at the 2010 SEMA Show, the new LEER

Encore 1000 sets new standards for size, styling, and ver-

satility, according to the manufacturer. With interior ceil-

ing height of 57 inches and a clear opening of over 54

inches through the twin-hull hatchback-style door, the

Encore can hold nearly half-again as much (47-percent

more) cargo as regular caps, according to LEER. Com-

mercial cap customers who regularly move large loads or

need to provide a secure, weather-protected workspace

for technicians, parts, and tools can utilize the increased

capacity, in many cases reducing the number of trips and

trucks on the road in the process.

Available for full-size long bed pickups, the Encore

commercial cap can be equipped with large side toolbox-

es and solid fi berglass side doors. The reinforced roof

can accommodate true commercial-grade rack systems,

and the interior is spacious enough to be outfi tted with a

wide range of bins, shelves, and storage racks.

The option list includes high-function LED lighting sys-

tems to illuminate the interior, the toolboxes, and the

workspace created by the open hatchback rear door.

Website: www.leerfl eet.com

Maranda, Inc. launched the latest iteration of its M170

Workshop Capsule. Called the “VANKILLER,” the new

M170 offers 50-percent more usable capacity than a com-

parable van and when teamed with the latest fuel-effi cient

pickup from any manufacturer, offers signifi cant fuel sav-

ings, according to the manufacturer.

Maranda’s design allows the capsules to be cycled

through several pickup trucks without modifi cation to

the capsule (or the pickup) while eliminating downtime to

commercial users’ business.

Maranda has added two new features to the current list

of accessories and options.

■ According to the manufacturer, the new “Slam Lock”

allows users to simply slam the left rear door portion of

the double doors without having to twist the door han-

dle, as is typically the case with other dual door suppliers.

■ Maranda now offers remote keyless entry for every door

on its workshop capsules.

Website: www.vankiller.com

➠ LEER ENCORE OFFERS SOLUTION FOR COMMERCIAL CAP CUSTOMERS

➠ MARANDA ANNOUNCES ‘VANKILLER’

The LEER Encore 1000 includes an interior ceiling height of 57 inches and a clear opening of over 54 inches through a twin-hull hatchback style door.

New features added to the Maranda M170 workshop cap-sule include “slam lock,” which allows users to simply slam the left rear door closed, and remote keyless entry.

New features added to the Maranda M170 workshop cap-

WT0311products.indd 43WT0311products.indd 43 2/9/11 6:28:46 AM2/9/11 6:28:46 AM


http://www.leerfl

http://www.vankiller.com

AF0111roush.indd 1 12/13/10 12:58:16 PM


The National Highway Traffi c

Safety Administration (NHTSA)

announced it will launch a

rulemaking to mandate speed limiters

on heavy-duty trucks in 2012. In the

Jan. 3 edition of the Federal Register, NHTSA granted two separate petitions

for rulemaking, one fi led by the American

Trucking Associations (ATA) and the

other by the safety advocacy group Road

Safe America (RSA) in conjunction with

nine truck carrier fl eets. Both petitions

proposed installation of tamper-resistant

devices to limit the top speed to 68 mph

on trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings

(GVWR) greater than 26,000 lbs. The

key difference between the two petitions

is that RSA and the nine carrier fl eets

also want speed limiters mandated on

all existing trucks built after 1990.

Other countries have already man-

dated speed limiters. For instance, the

European Union has limited the max-

imum speed of large trucks to 62 mph

since 1994, as has Australia since 1990.

Japan limited the maximum speed of

large trucks to the equivalent of 56 mph

in 2003, while Quebec and Ontario lim-

ited maximum speeds to the equivalent

of 65 mph effective Jan. 1, 2009.

PETITIONS STARTED FOUR YEARS AGO

On Oct. 20, 2006, the ATA submitted

a petition to NHTSA requesting the

agency initiate rulemaking to amend the

federal motor vehicle safety standards

to require truck OEMs to install speed

limiters on trucks with a GVWR greater

than 26,000 lbs. It petitioned that trucks

be equipped with an electronic control

module (ECM) capable of limiting the

maximum speed to no more than 68 mph.

The ATA argued that reducing speed-

related crashes involving trucks is critical

to NHTSA’s safety mission.

On Sept. 8, 2006, RSA and nine

truck carrier fl eets petitioned NHTSA to

likewise require OEMs to install a device

to limit the maximum speed to 68 mph

on trucks with a GVWR over 26,000 lbs.

They also recommended that every Class

7 and Class 8 commercial motor vehicle

manufactured after the 1990 calendar-year

be equipped with an electronic engine

speed governor.

During a public comment period in

January 2007, NHTSA received 3,850

comments. Comments from truck fl eets

and consumer groups maintained that

large truck accidents that occur at higher

speeds often result in more serious injuries

or death compared to accidents at lower

speeds. The faster a truck is traveling, the

less time a truck driver has to react and

stop. For example, large trucks require

20- to 40-percent more braking distance

than passenger cars and light trucks for a

given travel speed.

Schneider National, one of the peti-

tioners, commented that its trucks have

been speed-limited to 65 mph since

1996. According to Schneider’s crash

data from its own fl eet, trucks without

speed limiters accounted for 40 percent

of the company’s serious collisions while

driving 17 percent of the company’s to-

tal miles. Schneider stated that its vehi-

cles have a signifi cantly lower crash rate

than large trucks that are not speed lim-

ited or have a maximum speed setting

greater than 65 mph.

The Insurance Institute for Highway

Safety (IIHS) stated an onboard ECM

will maintain speed control for vehicles

when enforcement efforts lack resourc-

es. The Truck Maintenance Council stat-

ed that an increase of 1 mph results in a

0.1 mpg increase in fuel consumption,

and for every 1 mph increase in speed

over 55 mph, there is a reduction of 1

percent in tire tread life.

OPPOSITION TO SPEED LIMITERS

Comments opposing the rulemak-

ing were received from independent

truckers, the Owner-Operator Inde-

pendent Drivers Association (OOI-

DA), and the Truckload Carriers As-

sociation (TCA).

According to OOIDA, speed limit-

ers would not have an effect on crash-

es in areas where the posted speed limit

for trucks is 65 mph or below. OOIDA

believes the petitioners are attempting

to force all trucks to be speed-limited

so the major trucking companies with

speed-limited vehicles can compete for

drivers with independent trucking opera-

tions that have not limited their speeds to

68 mph or below. OOIDA argues speed

limiters would be counterproductive.

According to OOIDA, when weather

and traffi c conditions permit, a truck

operating at posted speed limits is not

unsafe, and most western states allow

trucks to travel at the posted speed lim-

it of 75 mph — the same as cars. Some

comments favored a 75-mph limit for

truck speed limiters, instead of 68 mph,

to match the highest posted speed limit

in the country.

TCA likewise commented that a

speed differential will be created in

many states by the 68-mph speed limit

for heavy trucks and a higher speed

limit for other vehicles, and may be an

additional safety risk for cars and trucks.

Other comments stated truck drivers will

experience more fatigue with a 68-mph

maximum speed, which could result in

more crashes.

NHTSA cautions that initiating

the rulemaking process by no means

guarantees an actual regulation will

be adopted.

Let me know what you think. WT

[email protected]

NHTSA Proposes Speed Limiters on HD Trucks:Will Medium-Duties be Next?

END OF FRAME EDITORIAL BY MIKE ANTICH

WT0311edit.indd 44WT0311edit.indd 44 2/9/11 6:21:46 AM2/9/11 6:21:46 AM



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(1) Based on Automotive News classi⇒ cation. (2)When properly equipped. Ordering starts March 2011, arriving late Spring 2011. Best-in-class rating based on Automotive News classi⇒ cation for one-ton full-size pickups. Ram 3500 regular cab ST equipped with 6.7L Cummins® Turbo Diesel, automatic transmission and 4.10 axle ratio. (3)See your dealer for complete details and a copy of the 5-year/100,000-mile limited warranty. Cummins is a registered trademark of Cummins Inc. Ram is a registered trademark of Chrysler Group LLC.

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WT0311cover.indd 994WT0311cover.indd 994 2/11/11 2:38:07 PM2/11/11 2:38:07 PM

work truck magazine march/april 2011

Documents

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truck bed capsules

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manager of fl eet equipment

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