Idealease of Turlock/Modesto

Should Fleets Own or Lease Trucks? Trucking fleets are looking more closely at all their options, from outright ownership to finance leasing to full-service leasing, even opting to own some trucks while leasing others. Opting to acquire power units through a finance or full-service lease in lieu of ownership has long been seen as a financial decision, typically based on how standard a fleet’s trucks specs are and how quickly it cycles out trucks. Today, however, fleet manager...s may have other good reasons to consider leasing over owning, namely as a strategy to deal with the galloping arrival of new equipment technologies (everything from electronic logs to advanced emission systems to alternative power) and the ever-growing shortage of qualified technicians. While leasing historically has been favored by sizable fleets running fairly standard equipment on shorter trade cycles, full-service and finance lessors say such marketing distinctions are not so cut and dried anymore. More fleets are looking more closely at all their options, from outright ownership to finance leasing to full-service leasing, even opting to own some trucks while leasing others. Typically, larger fleets, driven by an interest in tax benefits and the company’s cash flow, choose a leasing model, says Steve Goodale, vice president of Daimler Truck Financial, which provides services for customers of Freightliner, Western Star, and other Daimler Trucks North America brands. For example, a larger fleet may not need the depreciation benefit that comes with financing [by loan] and will decide to take advantage of [finance] leasing’s lower payments, which allows them to simply expense the monthly lease payment. This also offers them shorter equipment life cycles and allows them to adopt the newest technology as it becomes available. In addition, he notes that a finance lessor can offer customized deal structures, such as seasonal payments, balloon payments, and extended terms that work for the needs of the specific customer. On the other hand, smaller fleets tend to gravitate toward retail finance because they are more comfortable with the product, and want [to outright own] the asset, or have a longer trade cycle planned. That last element is often a congruent factor for fleets that run specialized truck equipment. Full-service leasing from a third-party provider continues to have an advantage over the ownership model for a variety of reasons, chief among those are buying power and an expansive, reliable maintenance network. Full-service leasing is a growth market and has been for quite some time now. See more

EPA intends to review truck emissions regs to uniform rules, add tighter NOx standards The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday afternoon announced plans to explore overhauling emissions regulations for heavy-duty trucks and engines, aiming for greater simplicity of emissions regulations and national uniformity of such regs, said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. Specifics about the program, dubbed the Cleaner Trucks Initiative, were sparse, but EPA says it ...Continue reading

A Driver's Perspective: The Best & Worst things about being on the road

International Extends Commercial Truck Lineup With Classes 4-5 CV Series CHICAGO International Truck, a unit of Navistar Inc., launched its International CV Series Nov. 7 by underscoring it is the only Classes 4-5 truck designed, distributed and supported by a manufacturer specializing in commercial vehicles. The truck, which accommodates a wide range of specialized body types, is aimed at businesses that are expanding, such as landscapers and tow companies, according to ...Continue reading

Is your Company Prepared in the event of an accident? Depending on the severity of the accident, just the involvement is enough to throw the thought process of most drivers and supervisors into array. Companies need to have a clear and direct plan in place that will be implemented when an accident occurs. This plan needs to be flexible and can be activated no matter what time of the day or night. When an accident occurs the company has a number of immediate items that need to...Continue reading

Improving Driver Health Driving a truck can make healthy living a difficult challenge but not impossible. A lack of physical activity and fast food dining can add up to a health risk at any age. Make Healthy Fast Food Choices Stick to these simple ground rules: Eat a variety of foods in moderate amounts. Use less salt on your food. Carry seasonings (like Mrs. Dash) in your cab so you can add extra flavor without the extra salt. Avoid foods labeled jumbo, giant, and supe...r-sized. Larger portions mean more calories. Order a regular or junior portion instead. Choose grilled or broiled sandwiches with meats like lean roast beef, turkey or chicken breast. Request that special sauces or added dressings be left off your order, and add lots of veggies to the mix. Skip the croissant or biscuit in favor of a bun, bread or English muffin. Fill up at the salad bar if available, but beware of thick, creamy dressings. When eating Mexican food, order bean burritos, soft tacos, fajitas and other items that are not fried. Chicken is better than beef, especially with the addition of lettuce, tomatoes and salsa. Limit refried beans, and go easy on cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Watch out for fried tortilla shells! A taco salad can have more than 1,000 calories. Pizza can be a good choice. Order thin crust pizza with veggie toppings, start with a salad, and limit yourself to one or two slices of pizza. Avoid these traps: fat-free muffins with plenty of sugar, skinless fried chicken contains a lot of fat, Chinese food that is deep fried or high in sodium and fat. See more

Hundreds of truckers turn out to make boy’s dreams come true More than 150 trucks and 1000 drivers were in attendance. This weekend, as many as 1000 truck drivers came together to celebrate the birthday of a teen truck enthusiast who is fighting serious health challenges. Dakota Cadd (known by the nickname Bubba) made a name for himself in the trucking community in Milton, Wisconsin, as he sat in his wheelchair in his family’s front yard along Highway 26 so that he could wa...tch and wave at semi trucks passing by. Bubba, who suffers from Dandy-Walker Malformation and cerebral palsy, became a favorite of local drivers and then the trucking community at large as these local drivers shared his story on social media. Eventually, the 18 Wheels for Bubba Facebook event was created by truck driver Jeremy Wallenkamp and shared online by thousands of truckers. To celebrate Bubba’s 16th birthday on August 15, hundreds of members of the trucking community came out on Saturday, August 18, to return the young truck enthusiast’s appreciation. At least 150 trucks and 1000 truck drivers showed up at Schilberg Park in Milton to throw a surprise birthday party for Bubba. Many of the drivers in attendance brought Bubba birthday gifts like t-shirts and toy trucks. He even got a ride back to his home from one of the truckers who attended the party, according to local news station WSAW. Many drivers who attended the event say that they got as much out of it as Bubba as they watched members of the trucking community come together to make a difference in the life of someone they’d never even met before. Driver Scott Krogh attended the event and wrote on Facebook, I’ve been driving for 19 years now, and this is the first time in my driving career I’ve felt like I actually helped make a difference. Yesterday I saw big fancy trucks, plain trucks, dump trucks, small trucks, tow trucks, and it didn’t matter to anyone but a special birthday boy. So many truck drivers and regular citizens come together to celebrate someone they didn’t know. I was moved to tears so many times. To the organizers and family of Dakota, and Dakota I personally want to thank you for letting me be a part of your special day. It’s one I’ll never forget. See more

California advances bill to establish minimum training standards for CDL students The bill would establish a minimum number of behind-the-wheel training hours needed for a driver to receive a CDL. California lawmakers have pushed forward a bill that would implement a federal rule establishing new training standards for entry-level CDL drivers.... The bill, SB 1236, would require the [Department of Motor Vehicles], no later than June 5, 2020, to adopt regulations related to entry-level driver training requirements for drivers of commercial motor vehicles including specified minimum hours of behind-the-wheel training and in compliance with the requirements of specified federal regulations. The bill also addresses minimum behind-the-wheel training standards for entry-level CDL holders. The legislation would require an applicant for a class A or B commercial driver’s license to complete a minimum of 15 hours of behind-the-wheel training, at least ten hours of which shall be on a public road. The language of the legislation allows 50 minutes of driving to be considered an hour behind the wheel. Drivers would be required to complete the training with either a certified commercial vehicle instruction training program or from a certified employer before receiving their CDL. An earlier version of the bill was initially introduced on January 9, 2017, by Sen. Bill Monning but it never advanced to a floor vote. Monning reintroduced the bill on February 15 of 2018 and it has advanced to a final reading on the California’s Assembly chamber floor, after which it is eligible for a vote. When the FMCSA passed its own Final Rule establishing minimum training standards for entry-level CDL drivers in December of 2016, it did not establish a minimum number of hours for behind-the-wheel training. Rather, it would would be required to demonstrate proficiency in knowledge training and behind-the-wheel training on a driving range and on a public road, with training obtained from an instructional program that meets FMCSA standards. Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has come out in support of the legislation.