TRUCK & TRAILER GUIDE- TRUCK TRENDS: No Fleeting Decision

Many landscape contractors probably remember the old days when their fledgling operations could subsist on unreliable, used pickup trucks and trailers. With most of their limited client base located around the corner, a little quality could sometimes be sacrificed for lower cost.

But several hundred thousand dollars in revenue later and with accounts all over the city, these growing enterprises often become more concerned about efficiency, durability and long-term truck use. And, according to truck industry experts, landscape contractors should be paying more attention to what they’re purchasing to ensure their needs are being met.

"We get so many phone calls from members who have gone into a dealership and got talked into buying a truck only to find out they can’t do with it what they thought they could," explains Steve Spata, technical services manager, National Truck Equipment Association, Farmington Hills, Mich.

Hence, the scope of a landscape contractor’s business and its location should determine what type of truck he or she buys.

MILES AHEAD. As gas prices remain volatile, contractors with fleets traveling acrosstown to multiple locations may want to consider diesel-engine trucks. Diesel engines cost $3,000 to $4,000 more than gas-powered engines, but the higher price may be worth it in the end, depending on mileage, says Todd Bloom, vice president of marketing, General Motors Isuzu Commercial Trucks, Cerritos, Calif. Contractors who drive more than 20,000 to 25,000 miles annually should look closer at diesel engines because gas engines are only designed to last 100,000 to 150,000 miles before requiring major engine work, according to Bloom, who estimates that approximately half the landscape industry is using diesel engines. Diesel engines can last anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 miles, say truck manufacturers.

Mike Eaves, manager of medium-duty trucks, General Motors, Detroit, agrees with the 20,000-mile-plus threshold for purchasing gas trucks but cautions that contractors also should consider engine-idling time. For trucks equipped with power take-off applications, such as fertilizer spreaders, contractors need to include usage by hours along with miles when considering gas vs. diesel, which can lower the mileage barrier even further, Eaves says. The amount of gas used during idling time can be affected by engine revolutions per minute and temperature, but a general way to convert idling time into miles would be approximately 35 miles per hour of idling time, according to Dan Cutler, sales engineering manager for GM Isuzu Commercial Truck.

Aside from engine durability, another consideration is fuel price. Diesel is less money per gallon than gas. "I’m struggling to find a downside to diesel when gas is $2.15 a gallon here in Michigan, and diesel is $1.65," explains Lew Echlin, marketing manager, Ford Division Commercial Trucks, Dearborn, Mich. "The advantage to diesel is you can leave things idling all day. They use very low fuel at idle, and their heating capabilities and ability to cool themselves makes them naturally superior."

Norcross, Ga-based Landmark Landscapes uses diesel flat-nose cabover trucks for its operations, according to Owner Mark Thelen. The diesel trucks last longer and are more fuel efficient, Thelen says, adding that the company has two 1989 diesel models that are still in operation. But contractors need to keep in mind that unless their trucks travel at least 20,000 miles annually, diesel engines may not be the best choice.

"Obviously you’re a businessman, so you need to ask yourself, ‘Am I a little better off spending that money on my fuel or do I want to spend that money upfront with a diesel engine?’" Eaves says. "So obviously you would do your own cost-benefit analysis, and for a landscape contractor with low mileage per year, a gas engine would make a lot of sense."

Thelen says his trucks average between 16,000 and 20,000 miles per year but that mileage wasn’t a factor when deciding on a diesel engine, adding that it was more of a reliability and longevity issue.

IN THE CITY. Maneuvering a car around corners and through tight spots can be a challenge in many metropolitan areas. Driving a truck and trailer through city streets can be even tougher. Some truck manufacturers say more landscape contractors are moving away from pickup trucks and trailers and moving into conventional trucks where they can design and attach a body to the cab and low-cab forward (LCF) designs, which position the engine under the driver instead of in front. LCF trucks are usually available in gas and diesel. Using the same wheelbase as a conventional cab, these trucks tend to provide a shorter turning radius and offer greater visibility on the road because they’re lower to the ground, Spata says.

"The reason cabovers do so well is your sightline," Bloom explains. "You can see the ground 3 feet in front of you. If you take a conventional truck, it’s 27 feet before you can see the ground. When you’re in neighborhoods where there are children, you need to be able to see what you’re doing – you need to be able to maneuver that vehicle easily, and that’s one reason the cabover models have been so popular in the landscape industry."

Landmark Landscapes uses primarily diesel cabover trucks for its operations and designs different bodies for use in its lawn maintenance, irrigation and construction divisions, Thelen says. Only Thelen’s account managers still drive pickup trucks. "They have a longer wheelbase than the pickups, so I can put a 16-foot bed on the back and haul more equipment than I can on pickups. The pickup diesels are just these monster engines that we really didn’t need." Safety is another reason Landmark abandoned pickups, says Phelen, adding that the driver is situated over the tires, creating better visibility and a tighter turning radius. Landmark’s trucks cost about $40,000 each after customization.

On LCF models, landscape contractors typically purchase class 3 or 4 trucks, which range from $28,000 to more than $40,000, according to Justin Dent, finance associate, Middle Georgia Freightliner, Macon, Ga. The higher end of the price range is usually for trucks equipped with 16-foot enclosed bodies designed specifically for the landscape industry. In the $28,000 to $30,000 range are open flatbed bodies used for transporting lawn maintenance equipment such as mowers, trimmers and blowers. Dump bodies with hydraulic ramps used to haul and dispose of rocks, mulch and other heavy debris cost approximately $33,000, Dent says.

PICK UP STEAM. Contractors like Thelen who live in warmer climates where the landscape business is year-round don’t have to consider snowplows. In the northern half of the country, pickup trucks still dominate much of the landscape industry.

In the heart of the Northeast, where Gliford, N.H.-based Belknap Landscape Co. operates, pickup trucks are a must. "We want a vehicle that’s going to serve our purpose 12 months out of the year," says Belknap Director of Operations Andrew Morse. "We steer away from vans and light-duty pickups because we don’t have much use for that in the winter." Depending on hauling and towing needs, most landscape contractors in the northern regions are purchasing light- and heavy-duty pickup trucks, which range in price from $21,000 to $35,000, Echlin notes.

Belknap’s fleet consists of eight heavy-duty pickup trucks, five pickups customized with utility bodies and three dump trucks. The heavy-duty pickup trucks are used for general lawn maintenance equipment, and the trucks with utility bodies transport irrigation and lighting supplies and fleet management tools, Morse says. Dump truck applications include hauling heavier materials such as rocks and mulch. The pickup trucks range from $25,000 to $30,000, plus $3,000 to $5,000 for the utility bodies. The dump trucks cost between $29,000 and $35,000, according to Morse.

In addition, Morse says the company recently switched to automatic transmissions because they’re easier to operate and reduce plowing time in the winter. "You’re not going to have an A+ driver in the seat all the time," he says. With all this rugged use comes rising demand for higher load and towing capacity. Some 2005 pickup trucks can handle considerably higher towing capacities and many diesel engines have increased pulling power, according to Echlin.

Also, once an after-market add-on, trailer brake controllers are now being integrated into the dashboard of newer-model trucks, Echlin says. These in-dash controllers indicate instantly how much brake power is going to the trailer. Another trend in pickup and cabover models are crew cabs, which add $3,000 to $4,000 to the cost of a truck, according to Tony Pisciotta, general manager, Kelly Commercial Truck Center, Atlanta. "If you can fit everybody in there and take one truck, you’ve got the feasibility of having the extra staff to take care of customers’ needs," Pisciotta says.

Contractors should choose these features based on staff size and services they provide. Otherwise, contractors may end up wasting money on trucks larger than necessary or too small for their intended use. For instance, contractors with crews made up of three or more men should get at least a four-seat truck cab, according to manufacturers.

"They have to determine what type of business they’re in," Eaves explains. "What truck they need is going to depend on what services they offer and how large their operation is. And that’s where they need to talk to their local dealer, and understand what exactly the requirements are so they can spec out the right vehicles to do the job. The thing you don't want to do is to put too light of a duty truck into an application because then you're going to put too much stress on it.

"The heavier trucks are going to take more abuse, but you don't want a truck that's going to be too heavy because then you're squandering vehicle resources. So it's important you seek out good advisors who can spec out the right vehicle to do the job."