A new study undertaken by FTR and CK Commercial Vehicle Research combines survey information gathered from fleets with industry and analytic data to broaden the trucking industry’s knowledge base with regard to heavy-duty vehicle usage, maintenance practices and replacement parts purchasing activity.
The 30-page report looks at the activity that drives equipment replacement and parts purchases such as vehicles age, typical trade cycles, miles driven per year, and preventive maintenance intervals. The total cost of maintenance and replacement parts (including tires) is analyzed by identifying the annual dollars the reporting fleets spend for the vehicles they operate.
The survey also identifies preferences for service and parts vendors.
Some findings from the study that are included in the report, are as follows:
• Average Class 8 vehicle age differs significantly between small, medium and large fleets as reported by survey participants. For small fleets, the average age of their Class 8 vehicles is 5.0 years while large fleets report an average of 2.7 years.
• Class 8 miles driven (industry wide) is expected to increase in 2016, up 2.2 from 2015.
• The primary reason given for outsourcing maintenance is the lack of technical knowledge to complete the work at the fleet level.
• More than half of outsourced maintenance work is performed by OE dealers.
• Typical PM schedules for all fleets reporting is 2.3 months for trucks and 2.7 months for trailers.
• Class 8 ton miles forecasted to increase 1.1 percent 2016 vs. 2015.
For most fleets, when Class 8 trucks pass the 6-year old mark, average annual part costs can increase by as much as 50 percent.
