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Replacement Cycles

Running Trucks Till the 'Wheels Fall Off' is Expensive and Counter-Productive

The cliché in fleet management is that trucks are kept in service until the wheels "fall off." In many cases, this isn’t too far from the truth. Typically, the more expensive the asset, the longer it will be kept in service, especially units upfitted with expensive auxiliary equipment. However, as study after study shows, extended truck replacement cycles often have the unintended consequence of resulting in greater long-term expenses and degradation in worker productivity.

Policy Versus Guideline: The Trend Toward Flexible Replacement Cycles

Nearly all fleet-related expenses, both fixed and operating, are influenced by when a vehicle is taken out of service. A growing number of fleets are shifting to more flexible vehicle replacement cycles. Some fleets no longer call their replacement cycle a policy and instead call it a “guideline.” They want to reserve the right on determining when to take a vehicle out of service based on prevailing market conditions rather than predetermined mileage and months in service.

Hard & Soft Cost Impacts of Extended Vehicle Cycling

Lengthening vehicle replacement cycles significantly affects such bottom-line important issues as fleet maintenance budgets, fuel economy, resale values, safety and ergonomics issues, company image, and driver morale.

Short-Term Cost-Cutting Strategies Backfire in the Long-Run

The new reality of a tighter corporate operating environment has forced fleet managers to pursue two different types of cost-cutting goals - cost deferral and cost elimination. However, many cost-cutting decisions for fleet are made for the short-term, with very little consideration for total cost of ownership. Sometimes senior management is more interested in the fiscal, rather than economic, consequences of their decisions.

Top 2009 News: Fleet Replacement Cycles Remain Steady

TORRANCE, CA - An Automotive Fleet study on fleet vehicle depreciation expenses revealed replacement cycles for several segments appeared to remain steady since 2005. The information is based off data supplied by Automotive Resources International, GE Capital Solutions Fleet Services, LeasePlan USA, PHH Arval, and Wheels Inc. from 2005 to 2008 of more than 1.5 million vehicles.