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Jeffersonville, OH | Clay SEIA - 11/21/2024 21:38
Well, if your benchmark for "noisy, dirty, and crude" is something built circa 2004, you sure must not have much experience with something built circa 1974 or prior....
We've only had 2 trucks newer than 2004 LOL
Right now our fleet is a 1985 IH 9670 C/O, 1995 Pete 377, 2001 KW T800, 2004 KW T800, and a 2014 Pete 389...the only one I wouldn't jump in and drive anywhere is the Cabover...it's just not up to snuff...yet. Slowly bringing it back to life...bought it new in 85, sold it in 95 with a million miles for the 377 above, and found it again in 2021 after a pretty rough life and another million miles. Still sporting some of our original lettering, so it's family again!
As far as our operation, I'd say the trucks are the biggest cost of operation, mainly for trailers. The trucks aren't terrible, but we try and keep the trailers updated every 3-5 years since we run them every day...and a RGN to handle today's iron isn't cheap, last new Landoll was $145K. We used to keep the trucks traded every 4-5 years as well, but the emissions problems from 2009-2014 we had pushed us to a Glider in 2014 and our driver tells us this one will get him to retirement if we'll keep fixing it. Yes Sir!
After that, per hour spent on it, it's my used oil boiler we try and heat the shop with. The cost to buy it, plus the amount of issues and money spent on it to make it work has been nuts. We bought the wrong brand mainly, and now are too stubborn to cut our losses and buy something else. We'll make it run long enough to junk it, we're committed!!
Chris | |
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Machinery Operating Costs
