Truck Preview: 2000

Crews and equipment sitting in an office or a garage don’t make lawn and landscape contractors any money. So, before the first mower is ever gassed up or the first shrub is ever planted, contractors have to know that they can count on their trucks to deliver their crews and equipment to their service routes and job sites without fail.

SURVEY RESULTS. A 1999 survey conducted by Lawn & Landscape magazine elicited some interesting data about contractors and their service vehicles.

Full-size pickup trucks remain the most popular choice for landscape vehicles, with 86.5 percent of respondents saying they operate at least one such vehicle. These trucks are followed in popularity by 1-ton cab and chassis models (50 percent), compact pickup trucks (34.4 percent) and medium-duty trucks (32.2 percent).

The debate of "buy vs. lease" clearly results in two distinct, and almost equally popular, philosophies. Almost 25 percent of survey respondents indicated they always purchase their vehicles, while about 23 percent of respondents replied that they lease vehicles as often as possible.

The question of "new vs. used" is also an issue for truck buyers to grapple with, and contractors are divided almost half-and-half as to their preferences. Twenty-four percent of respondents indicated they buy new vehicles all of the time compared to 21.9 percent who buy used vehicles all of the time.

And truck buyers are generally not locked into acquiring trucks at any one particular time of year, as 43.7 percent said they buy trucks throughout the year and the remaining respondents prefer to buy at various times throughout the year.

While landscape contractors may not always agree about the right time to buy a truck, they do have some clear thoughts on the reasons they purchase a particular truck. When asked about the four most influential factors on their vehicle purchasing decisions, more than 75 percent pointed to overall vehicle quality. Quality was followed in popularity by price (56.2 percent), serviceability (50.0 percent), durability (44.7 percent), tow rating (31.1 percent) and brand loyalty (24.4 percent).

Contractors are known for putting upwards of 200,000 miles on a truck at times, and the importance of a long life for their trucks was reinforced by the fact that slightly more than one-third of respondents indicated they replace trucks after four to five years of service while almost 30 percent replace trucks every six to eight years.

In addition, the increasing number of after-market manufacturers of truck accessories has boosted the popularity of customizing trucks.

Almost 22 percent of survey respondents indicated they customize at least 90 percent of their vehicles. The most popular alterations are to change the bed size (52.8 percent), add ramps for loading equipment (52.7 percent), add storage compartments (51 percent) and add hand-held equipment racks (42.7 percent).

WHAT THEY SAY. While contractors are always looking to get more out of their equipment, those interviewed for this article seem generally satisfied with the vehicles currently on the market. The durable 1-ton and ¾-ton trucks remain popular for various landscape applications, and contractors continue to convert their fleets over to include as many extended-cab vehicles as possible.

"The extended cabs let us seat five crew members comfortably," noted Glen Wilhite, vice president, Brookwood Landscape, San Diego, Calif. "We even use the extended cabs on our smaller trucks for supervisors and sales people because then they have the additional necessary storage room for blueprints or anything else they may need for appointments.

"Then, for maintenance operations, the ¾-ton trucks work well because towing weight is what matters when we hook a trailer up to the truck to carry equipment or debris," added Wilhite.

Len Wallace, president, Kd Landscaping Co., Falmouth, Maine, commented that he is considering purchasing some of the cab-forward design vehicles that put the front seat of the truck above the engine so the driver’s visibility isn’t obstructed by the hood of the truck.

"We are interested in obtaining the maximum payload while remaining under a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,000 pounds so we can stay away from CDL requirements," Wallace said. "We’re also looking for as much visibility for our drivers as possible, and the position of the driver’s seat as well as the rounded body styles of the cab-forward trucks enables drivers to see a lot better, which is really important for plowing snow."

Ed Crawford, operating manager for vocational marketing, American Isuzu Motors, Cerritos, Calif., pointed out that the tight turning radius offered by cab-forward vehicles can also be an advantage for contractors.

One issue many contractors debate is whether to go with a gas or a diesel engine in their trucks.

"We think diesel is the only way to go," related Wallace. "Granted, nobody likes to pay more for anything and diesel engines do cost more, but a diesel engine lasts longer and the maintenance is much easier."

"We tend to go with a gasoline engine in our ¾-ton vehicles and diesel engines in our larger trucks," added Wilhite. "We’ll get about 200,000 miles out of a diesel engine and 120,000 miles from gasoline engines."

"When looking at the gas vs. diesel question, contractors have to look at the operating hours and miles the engine will be called upon to deliver and the conditions the vehicle will operate in," explained Jim McNamara, public relations manager, Sterling Trucks, Willoughby, Ohio. "The engine should also be matched to the required torque capacity of the vehicle. A vehicle that will be used for hauling of heavy materials or that will start and stop or drive in hilly areas often has to have the right transmission."

"Contractors are predominantly buying gasoline engines, but diesel technology is becoming more popular," noted Crawford. "The reliability and longevity issues favor diesel engines, but the cost issue favors gasoline engines."