While the trucking industry continues to enjoy a strong economy, there are a couple of drawbacks. According to Dean Engelage, president at Great Dane, “The current driver shortage continues to impact fleets on many levels, including the purchasing of new trailers. The driver shortage is limiting fleet expansion and they are experiencing a capacity constraint.” Nonetheless, new trailer builds have increased the first half of this year.
Building to meet total cost of ownership
“We know that fleets are concerned about the total cost of ownership (TCO), and we are continuing to work on providing value for our customers,” says Engelage. He goes on to say Great Dane believes that a focus on TCO is a good thing and fits with the company’s premium product strategy. “Our trailers are not just a commodity,” he states. “We design for every application and build what our customer’s want, not what we want. For instance, for refrigerated vans, such as the Great Dane Everest TL featured on the cover of this magazine, we offer PunctureGuard lining systems that extend the life of the reefer by protecting the inside walls from impact damage, and with ThermoGuard which also reduces insulation outgassing and moisture absorption. More recently we’re in the final stages of eliminating wood in our reefers which extends trailer lifespan by stopping damage from wood rot as the trailer ages. Features such as these also work to reduce weight gain over time, which allow fleets to maximize payload.”
He adds that the thermal efficiency of ThermoGuard interiors also helps insulation hold temperatures, which means that reefer units don’t need to work as hard or consume as much fuel.
Leveraging its proprietary research, testing and technology, the trailer maker offers additional innovations, such as CorroGuard undercoating to protect against corrosion, and an EnduroGuard rear frame design with stainless and galvannealed steel components for long-term durability and protection—all of which help to lower trailer maintenance costs. Another way Great Dane helps fleets realize their TCO goals is through its AdvantEdge program, a national aftermarket parts and service program with centralized billing, nationwide coverage and roadside service offered through its North American branch and dealer network.
Future projections
Providing trailers to help fleets meet TCO goals in the future will likely involve the use of new, non-traditional materials, notes Engelage. “Our customers will see less wood and more plastics in trailer construction [that will reduce vehicle weight to increase pay- load and increase fuel economy]. In addition, as demonstrated in the trailer we supplied for the Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience proto- type trailer, carbon fibers will be used. Eventually, we may even be using Nano-materials and similar specialized coatings as water repellents to further reduce corrosion potential. Also, newer adhesives may make it possible to reduce the number of construction fasteners.” He goes on to say that it is likely that more electronics/telematics will be available on trailers in the future.
“The demand for technology is only going to increase,” Engelage says. “With more data collection will come the need for more ways—and people to collect and report on the information. Customers will continue to look at long-term value. They will be looking beyond the initial cost of trailers to the long-term benefits of the unit— and that plays to our strengths. We are continuing to upgrade our trailers based on customer feedback, and through our collaboration with Johnson Truck Refrigerated Truck Bodies (a Great Dane subsidiary), we are ex- tending our knowledge into new parts of the trucking industry. The future is very bright for Great Dane.”
