Tips On Saving Money With Your Tractor Trailer Operating Costs

Posted on 8 August, 2011 by Chris

Any amount that we can save these days would be a great help. That is why we need to find every means possible by which we can increase our savings, whether it is on a personal basis, or in our business.

Trucking is a profitable business, and it provides a great opportunity to those who would be willing to undergo the trouble of starting a small trucking operation. A small time operator with his own truck could make a really handsome profit from his venture. But like any business today, tractor trailer operating costs have increased dramatically these past few years. The cost of fuel has risen to such a degree, that it really is difficult to imagine what would happen if it continues to increase. But the cost of fuel is not the only thing that has increased as of late, the prices of other requirements for the successful operation of a trucking business has also risen.

Here are some important things that you can keep in mind in regards with the cost of operating a trucking business:

Speed plays an important factor in the costs for operating a trucking business. The faster that your trucks go, the higher price on fuel that you will have to spend per mile traveled. Slowing down from 75 miles per hour, to 70 or even 65 could mean more than ten thousand dollars in savings per year, just on the cost of fuel alone, per truck for average miles driven.

When you slow down, you also save on the wear and tear on your tire and other parts. The same amount of slowing down that we have pointed out earlier, which would total to 10 mph less from your average running speed, could amount to a lot of savings. Tires, engine, and breaks are the parts most benefited with doing these changes.

Minimizing the amount of idling can also help a lot when it comes to savings. If the truck spends a few hours each day idling, add up all the costs in a year and that would be a substantial amount. When idling, the TV, air-conditioning or heater, and other equipment inside the truck are usually running so it would eat up some energy and add to your operational cost.

Tire pressure and alignment will not increase fuel efficiency substantially, but it does help in prolonging the lifespan of the tire. That too will add to some savings in the future.

Get the right sort of fuel for your operation. Make sure that you identify the fuel that could bring the most efficient operation out of your truck. Do the same thing with the equipment that you will need for your operations. Choose not only the right equipment but the best quality to save money long term.

It would be best if you know some suppliers who can give you the best deals in the industry. If you don’t know many, then this is the time to forge those relationships. This way you can get the best products and services that are available, even if you do not many if any discounts.

These are just some of the things that you need to keep in mind when you are running a trucking business. Like any other enterprise today, you need to explore all the avenues that are possible in order to save some money.

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Tractor Trailer Accessories To Suit Any Need

Posted on 25 July, 2011 by Robert

If you are in the business of moving large volumes of goods, you will be interested in tractor trailer accessories. Having a range of accessories will make your job more comfortable and will prepare you for the rigors of the road. This article looks at some of the extras available for your truck and where to get them.

To be ready for breakdowns and on-the-road repairs, the first thing you need is a toolbox. Fleet Truck Parts offer a variety of toolboxes in both steel and aluminum. The steel boxes are prime finished so that they can be painted to match your truck, and come with keyed T-latches or hasp latches to keep the cost down. The standard sizes are a combination of 18″ or 24″ high, 18″ or 24″ deep, and 24″ to 60″ long. You can also buy mounting brackets to prevent the box from sliding around on your journey.

If you have a problem with keeping the goods in order while you’re driving, you might like to try the Trailer Parts Superstore for heavy-duty cargo control straps, winches and accessories. Their basic tie-downs start from $14.99 and have a working load limit of 3,335 pounds. They come with flat hooks, J-hooks, delta rings, snap hooks and sewn loops. If you’re looking for cargo winch straps, they sell some made of a material called “Rhino Web” for extra durability and abrasion resistance.

The Tractor Supply Company sells an impressive range of tractor trailer accessories. For safety on the road during stops or breakdowns, you need some reflective tape. A 2″ by 30′ roll of red conspicuity tape costs $49.99, and if you don’t need to buy it in bulk you can buy strips of 1×12″ reflector tape in either red or clear for $2.99.

On the subject of safety, no rig is complete without a cabguard. Even if your cargo is sufficiently tied down, there is a huge amount of momentum there and a crash could see it flung forward at high speed. A heavy-duty cabguard, also known as a “headache rack”, could potentially save your life. United Truck Centers sells the Pro Tech cabguard for $849.95. Not only is it sturdy but its bright aluminum diamond plate panel looks good in your cab.

Finally, when driving for a living you want a cab that is easy on the eye. This will make you feel more at home and will impress any passengers or guests you might have. 75 Chrome sells a range of accessories to keep you driving in style. Their chrome foot rest costs $30.99, and they also sell vinyl armrests, cigarette holders, chrome snap caps, and chrome turn signal housings. For extra insurance, they sell a fire extinguisher inside a plaque for $20.99.

Having some of these tractor trailer accessories on board will truly make you a king of the road. With them you can get your cargo to its destination undamaged, and look good while doing it. More importantly, you can do your job knowing that you’re prepared and safe.

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Why You Should Buy An RC Tractor Trailer

Posted on 23 July, 2011 by Robert

A RC tractor trailer can provide hours of fun if you enjoy radio controlled toys as a hobby. There are many radio controlled toy vehicles available from planes to cars but trailers and trucks are in a class of their own. These mammoth vehicles require special control skills and are quite different from flying a RC plane or racing an RC car. You require precise judgment for maneuvering these huge trailers and your skills will have to be exact while backing or turning these vehicles. You can find various models and they are usually available in 1:16 or 1:14 scales. You can also get smaller scales of 1:12 and 1:10.

You have the option of building a RC tractor trailer from scratch with a kit or you could go for finished models. If you are into building things then building a trailer can be quite exciting as you will get to know various major components of these fantastic monsters and you can assemble the whole vehicle according to the specifications you want. You can pay attention to the main components and even select the minutest details. You can even build a semi trailer and then choose various suitable trailers or sleds like collapsible pole trailer, flatbed trailer, refrigeration unit trailer or box trailer.

The ability to customize your truck is just amazing. You can choose the type of tires and wheels, telescopic antenna, trailer lights, speed indicators, fog lamps, roof spoiler, oil shocks and the sound effects. These sound effects are actual recorded sounds of real trucks which will enhance the realism and driving experience. Your main components of a kit will be the chassis, engine, suspension system and gearbox.

The main purpose of the RC tractor trailer would be to haul very heavy loads. So depending on the weight you are planning to pull you would be choosing the scale of your truck, type of engine, and suspension system of the main kit or a finished model. The other major thing to consider is the RC unit and batteries. It is better to go for a 4-channel radio control unit as you are likely to get much less interference and there will be more driving functions. The batteries will usually be flat and rechargeable and you need to consider how long the truck will run before you need the next recharge. It is better to go for longer charges as it is quite irritating to keep recharging your truck frequently.

Once you have your RC tractor trailer truck ready then it is time for a test drive. First drive around without much weight attached to get the feel of the controls. Then you need to get familiar with maneuvering the truck with the sled or sleds you have bought or the one that has come attached with your model. This is the tricky part and will require some time to master this aspect. This hobby has many more exciting facets as you can custom build your RC tractor trailer and take part in power-pulling competitions which are becoming quite popular.

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