When you’re looking for the right truck that meets all of your business requirements there are many factors you might want to consider. Here are just a few.
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When it comes to selecting the right commercial truck for your business needs there are a wide range of considerations to take into account. Commercial transport is a business that is built on trust. Your customers depend on your company to deliver on time, every time –and not doing so could have dire consequences for both sides of the Business Transaction.
The market is rich with new and used commercial truck sales to choose from, but many find themselves wondering what factors are most important to consider. From mileage to load capacity, whether you’re looking for commercial, heavy, and long haulage trucks, this guide will help you choose a configuration that meets the many different criteria affecting your business.
1. Special Purpose Trucks
Special purpose trucks are built to serve a specific function in your unique industry. Often these trucks require an added level of reliability, as in many cases there may be lives on the line. Some examples of special purpose trucks include fire trucks, mining trucks, rescue trucks, waste collection, various defence needs, heavy haulage, over-sized loads, road train, and vacuum tanker trucks.
Whatever purpose you’re looking to find a truck for, consider the most important factors for your business and make a list. This list will come in handy as we continue working our way through the rest of this guide.
2. Fuel Efficiency
When we take all of the factors that add up to maximum fuel efficiency, it really boils down to three fundamental corner stones: the vehicle itself, the driver, and the level of service the truck receives.
If you plan to purchase a used commercial truck, ask if it has been serviced regularly with care and what shape it is in. A truck with reliable driver support systems will also come out on top for fuel efficiency –however much of your fuel efficiency comes from the driver himself and it is important to ensure that your truck drivers understand that as well.
Talk to your commercial truck provider for cost-saving tips, as every truck model is different. Your vendor of choice should be able to set you straight with unique information that is specific to your prospective truck.
3. Mileage
Many years ago, once a truck has reached 500,000 miles on its factory engine it was for the scrap yard or for a complete rebuild, however that is no longer the case with modern purpose-built trucks.
Trucks today have the potential to run for years beyond this former expiry date, although every type of truck is different. Consider looking at the average lifespan of each truck engine model before you buy to ensure that yours will last as long as you need it to.
4. History
For new Trucks, the history to consider comes as the sum of the lifespan of its predecessors, and for used trucks the proof is in the pre-existing maintenance records.
Be sure to look for common issues that plague a specific make and model of truck by researching a handful of the same model to gain a complete picture. And of course, in the case of used trucks, it is easy to discover the accident history of any given truck so it is always prudent to do so!
Because you never know that there may issues that make your truck not compliant (and this is where DOT compliance services can definitely help).
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