February 2008, Automotive Fleet - Feature
Forecast of Truck Fleet Management Trends: 2008-2010
By Mike Antich
Green Fleet Initiatives
A growing trend starting to exert influence on truck specifications is corporate "green" initiatives to reduce a company’s carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. These initiatives are being felt at major truck fleets such as Wal-Mart, UPS, FedEx, and Coca-Cola. Corporate green initiatives often go hand-in-hand with fuel reduction initiatives. Many fleets are looking to offset petroleum usage with biofuels. Biodiesel is growing in popularity with truck fleets since it requires no modification to the truck engine and can be applied toward meeting EPAct mandates. Also, more nontraditional trucks, such as hybrid trucks, will enter the market.
Driver Ergonomics & Safety
he aging work force will impact the design of utility crew work trucks. Ergonomics is playing a greater role in upfitting decisions to minimize Workers’ Comp claims. The aging workforce is also significantly influencing work truck design. More fleets are specifying low-profile chassis, which make it easier for drivers to enter and exit, and equipment, such as hydraulic-assisted drop-down ladder racks, liftgates, and slide-out beds.
"The ergonomics for entering and exiting bodies easier is designed with more steps, grab handles, etc. Lift-gates and small cranes are added to lift heavy items," said Bob Shipp, national truck sales manager – northern zone for ARI.
"Fleets are supplying drivers with safer trucks such as low-profile spec chassis, which are easier for the driver to get in and out; and equipment, such as hydraulic-assisted drop-down ladder racks, which are less dangerous and easier to use than conventional ladder racks. Safer chassis and equipment are usually more expensive up-front, but fleets may save over time because safer trucks and equipment help reduce driver accidents, which reduces driver downtime and Workers’ Compensation claims," said Mike Corchin, manager of truck business development for Wheels Inc. "In addition to choosing safer vehicles and equipment, truck fleets are upgrading company fleet policies to be sure they are aligned with all safety regulations."
"One particular vendor we work with spends much of the consultative process working with our clients on driver safety and ergonomic issues. How many times does he bend, from what angle, and from what height?" said Greg Carson, director of operations for Union Leasing.
Driver & Technician Shortage
Fleets continue to struggle with a shortage of CDL drivers. In fact, demand for CDL drivers is greater than supply. For a number of years now, there has been a driver shortage, which is forecast to become even more severe.
"With the driver shortage continuing to worsen, automated manual transmissions will become more commonplace as they are somewhat cheaper than an Allison automatic," said Jeff Robley, national truck sales manager – western zone for ARI. More stringent security requirements are also impacting the available labor pool of truck drivers.
"Recent hiring restrictions and the shrinking of the labor pool will continue to push driver compensation higher," said Ken Gillies, manager, truck operations for GE Capital Solutions Fleet Services. "The demand on a fleet to find and retain competent drivers will continue to be a hurdle." Another industry-wide labor issue is service availability relating to the continuing shortage of qualified (and properly trained) maintenance/repair technicians.
Maintenance turnaround and decreased downtime will become a greater issue as the shortage of qualified service technicians becomes more exacerbated in the coming years. In addition, technologies employed to meet the 2007 and 2010 emission regulations require technicians to have a higher skill set since maintenance and repairs have become more complex.
"The technologies employed to meet the 2007 and the upcoming 2010 emission regulations add to the complexity as well as place additional strain on parts inventory. Both loom large for their effect on up-time," said Gillies. "Operating margin pressure will certainly continue to increase and the right-sizing of a fleet serves to continually pull spare truck availability out of fleets. It is simply one more factor that ratchets up the delicate balance of technician-to-vehicle ratios."