Why The American Truck Fleet Is Getting So Old
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- čas přidán 16. 05. 2024
- Why The American Truck Fleet Is Getting So Old
Curious about why the American truck fleet is aging? 📅
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The average age of Class 8 semi-trucks is 12.8 years, and Class 6 vehicles are a whopping 16.5 years old on average! 🤔
But what's causing this trend, and why does it matter?
Join us as we dive into the intriguing reasons behind this phenomenon.
🛠️ Discover how stronger materials and advanced engineering techniques are making these trucks more durable, allowing them to hit astonishing mileage figures! 📈
Find out why trucking companies are holding onto their rigs for longer and how the shortage of qualified drivers is impacting the industry. 🚛💨
▬▬▬ The video ▬▬▬
00:00 Start
00:25
Why the American Semi-trucks
is getting old?
02:19 The rising cost of new semi-trucks
03:56
The shortage of qualified drivers
04:38 The increasing use of used trucks
05:21 The environmental regulations
06:00 Why an old
truck fleet can be a problem?
08:51 The future of the
America semi-truck fleet?
Liked this? then you might enjoy one of these
✅ Why Trucks Have Such Long Wheelbases? - • Why Trucks Have Such L...
✅ Why Trucks with Stick Shifts Are Going Extinct - • Why Trucks with Stick ...
▬▬▬ End ▬▬▬
Why The American Truck Fleet Is Getting So Old
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Nobody wants to deal with the def system, end of video.
Is that like the adblue we have in Europe? Eurea based liquid that lowers nox emissions?
@@eezergoode8588yes
@@eezergoode8588Yes
@@eezergoode8588 similar but it's arbitrary.
the biggest problem with the def system is it puts back pressure on the whole engine, anybody with knowledge about engines knows that back pressure is hazardous towards your engine's function. they've been nothing but trouble since they were introduced
Furthermore: there's a recently banned manfuacturing of "glider kits" which is a modern body truck but can be outfitted with a non-def diesel engine, circumventing EPA regulations.
they're still possible to find but have become more scarce due to the stigma of "bandit trucking"; a term that hasn't existed since the 1970s and part of the 80s
@@eezergoode8588yes it is. Problem here in the US is there are vanishingly few mechanics that are trained properly in the systems maintenance. What we end up with is just a bunch of techs swapping parts based on codes with no idea how to diagnose the actual issue. An owner operator can spend tens of thousands of dollars "fixing" a problem that just keeps repeating itself.
There is no shortage of drivers.
There is a shortage of CDL holders will to work for crappy wages.
For every 10 guys on the road. There is 7 guys with CDL's not driving anymore due to low wages (hours put in vs hours actually paid).
I did my year OTR now getting a local job. I enjoy the road but for the amount of life missed out on its not worth it right now. Maybe when I'm older I'll get back out
I am one of them. I have a class A in my pocket as well as a Dot medical card. I tried the trucking industry for a little bit. The pay is not worth the hassle for me personally.
Literally the reason my CDL is gathering dust, and my med card lapsed. Sorry, but I'm not gonna run my dick to the nub to barely break even.
@@brandonsteele2826 Your right. I got a CDL. I tried the industry. I walked away and took a pay cut
@@brandonsteele2826it's still ultimately a pay issue. People are willing to put up with more BS if the pay is sufficient. People aren't quitting due to the hassle, they are quitting because the hassles are not worth the pay currently offered (even if, on paper, the pay is good).
O/O here. '98 379 Pete N14 bought in 2008 for $25K. 2.5 million miles on clock now. Last year I had a Reman motor installed. 7+MPG. Old one ran 1.5 million miles. I can diagnose/fix the problem, mechanical or electrical, under a shade tree while hitting on a 6 pack. In that 15 years that truck has grossed me $3 million easy and I don't run a lot. So yeah, I'll buy a "new" truck for $1500/week and the dealer 10 day lead time to diagnose the problem. Fu** that
Motor or engine?
@@johnelliott3650 Yeah, I hate it when others do that too. Engine
@johnelliott3650 Depatrment of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Motor vehicle, Motorcar, Motor transport. Motor vehicle mechanic. I don't see a problem. As far as the engine goes, yes, jet engine, internal combustion engine, "search engine"
Motor and engine are interchangeable nouns that are defined as .. any of many power units that develop energy or impart motion.
Im still operating a fleet of 1986 Peterbilt 359's with 3406B Cats and 6x4 Spicer Transmissions. Of the Original 50 my Father Custom ordered in Sept 1985. There are still 38 still running Dedicated Turns each week. Fully Mechanical, No Computers, No Electronic Sensors, No DEF, and best of all NO ELD.
Tell me you could use a driver based in Washington state ,,not dc district of Criminals
@@user-pb8je3qm4r Unfortunately my trucks only run Dedicated Turns East of I-25
Are your drivers well practiced at running on Multiple Log Books aka Forced Dispatch?
@@henryblanton6992 I haven't nor have my drivers run more than one log book since 1988. I bought my Dad's Trucking company 34 years ago. My drivers still run Dedicated turns each week, home every weekend, and make more than any Union Drivers, Pay and Benefits combined.
@@henryblanton6992 That is a very ignorant question. Even in the old days, this was not as common as the gvmt would have you believe.
They are reliable, they do the job, it makes economic sense to keep them as long as possible.
And when it wears it can be rebuilt
I call BS on newer trucks being built better.... I'm a 50+ year veteran driver and have driven many makes,models, and year trucks. At present I drive the new trucks and I'm here to tell you they aren't made as well as the older models. They may be more efficient, but they won't hold up like the older models
Yeppers!
As a former heavy truck mechanic/driver I can vouch for this…the fact is the exhaust scrubbing systems create increased cylinder pressures, excessive EGTS and in some cases actually burn more fuel due to active regeneration systems…there still isn’t much standardizing when it comes to the exhaust systems…new trucks go down ALL THE TIME for something as dumb as a software update 😂THERE IS NO DRIVER SHORTAGE OR MECHANIC SHORTAGE, there’s a PAY SHORTAGE…I’m one of many who have a CDL and gave the industry the finger …I keep it active because I’m one of the last drivers who still knows how to drive a manual truck and that lack of restriction is worth gold
@@localenterprisebroadcastin5971 the t880 i was driving stopped regenerating it's DPF filter because it had 1 broken wire, at least that's what the shop told me.
Absolutely, they are made now like everything else...throw away's. Right at about the payoff point and warranty end. Its why the megas dump them then as well, some even earlier.
The truck technology peaked around year 2001. All efforts past 2001 have focused on one objective. Satisfying the federal emissions standards at the sacrifice of reliability, cost, and longevity. Trucking companies are NOT stupid. They need a good, reliable fleet so they can provide the service their customers demand. They
Is it? Can't believe the US Truck industry didn't do. Because the European Trucks didn't. Modern Trucks are more fuel efficient, have more power, are reliable and running costs are less. Also the comfort for the driver is way better than ever. The security for drivers and the other party in an accident is way better. Less blind spots, etc...
Of course, there are downsides: to buy a new truck is more expensive, electronic failures may be cheaper than mechanical failures, but happen more often. Also i prefer the esthetics of old trucks
But over all: New trucks are better
@@petrophaga8523 More efficiency and power maybe, but I doubt reliable. With diesels in particular, emissions systems prove to be nothing but costly repetitive problems. Tighter maintenance intervals and costlier repairs really cuts into your bottom line if you wanna get every dollar you can out of a fleet, even more than spending a bit more on fuel for an older rig
The company I work for sells all trucks after three years, replacing them with brand new trucks. The driver is not allowed to perform any service requiring a wrench, as all warrantied service is free of charge.
@@knote4958 Interesting points. Maybe, because vehicle roadworthiness testing every 24 months is mandatory for all vehicles, a tight maintenance interval is not that big deal in Europa as it is in US. Every Vehicle has to be checked, so it is not as an competitive factor.
Volvo, Scandia, DAF are very reliable trucks. Have a look in the new Scania models.There are tons of videos here on YT, maybe you will be surprised.
My x15 is a fuel sucker my n14 red top got better fuel mileage. Power id say is about the same but that jack on x15 is on real but out a retarder on the n14 and it would do better
You think a truck that's 16 years old is old?? My newest truck rolled off the factory floor in 79'
Same here sir, don’t plan on getting anything newer, if it can’t be cheaper and easier to work on, I’m not really interested, I don’t care how many screens they can put on the dash.
Yeah I was thinking 16 years is young, there's 40 year old trucks still driving around loud and proud
Comments like this make me wish we could upload photos on here!
@@Ayeobe there's a tab on youtube calles community posts, ya can post as many pictures as you want on there :)
I like the older trucks they dont have emissions control systems and all the safety systems and are better made than the new ones
This. The, "distance warning" thing popping up because I'm not 3 truck and trailer lengths in clear weather in traffic is utterly ridiculous. Damn, "safety" systems is saying they have no faith in the professional driver
Don't forget garbage over engineered new transmissions
new american trucks are a joke. european truck is engineered
@@albertlam1249 im refering to older trucks in general regardless where the truck was manufaturered in the first place
@@JohannZ100 true even old Japanese European trucks etc will out play alot of this new ones I live in the rust belt the amount of 2015 Chevys that are rusted out compared to the old ones is insane
The idea that a new truck is better than the R Model Macks and Ford Louivilles with Big CAM Cummins that we were buying back in the 70's and 80's is so laughable.
As a long distance truck driver for over 30 years, I can say, some of this was off base. The shortage of drivers is a myth. Many drivers are changing jobs to find something better. But there isn't. Driver pay has been too low for 4 decades. Next, fuel efficiency isn't better on late model equipment. The emission controls bring it down. My 23 Cascadia, gets about the same mileage as the 88 cabover I drove in the early 90's. The safety systems are junk. Too many false alarms. And who needs the brakes to lock on a slippery road? These systems cause as many problems as they might solve.
Agree 100%, with everything you said. The first Cascadia I drove that had, with the anti collision avoidance system, scared the crap out of me (picked up a shadow line, on a bridge I was about to pass under and slammed on the skidders). "Modern Engineering"! And DEF systems, as it relates to performance, is like stuffing somebody's mouth full of dirty socks and asking them to breathe. I'll take my older tractor, with a stick AND NO ELD, any day of the week. "Eagle Claw", on the flip.
I have an easy solution for the safety systems. Press the damn buttons that turn them off. On Volvos and Scanias they are to the right, where most American trucks have 20 billion guages that does nothing.
@@tntfreddan3138 The only one I can disable on my 2023 Freightliner is the lane departure. And it only stsys disabled for 17 minutes.
All the BS of electronic equipment for the emissions. The old stuff worked. The new stuff leaves you on the side of the road broke down.
Lot of reasons some older drivers stuck in their ways and rather drive something from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. Another is some older trucks are more reliable than newer due to no emission systems. Also newer trucks tend to have more problems with Electrical Engineering issues. Just a variety of issues.
Nobody wants to deal with the DEF/emissions systems on newer trucks. POINT BLANK THAT IS THE REASON. More downtime, fixing those systems is not cheap(like 5 to 15k in some instances). Big mega carriers can afford new trucks and trade them off when they get to 300-500k miles and will start giving you problems, yet the resale is still pretty high.
U right
Well, those systems should last, no problems, point blank. If not, the manufacturers have failed.
They never let them get out of warranty and have standby units for when one inevitably has to go to the dealer for breakdowns. Since they’re mostly self-insured and keep driver wages low yet have a steady driver pool because they’ll pay for “CDL School”…which is now mandatory to get a CDL (thanks Biden) in exchange for hiring zero-experience new drivers on a 1-2 year contract that requires they pay the school money back with interest (they never make enough to do it) if they want to quit, they can actually sustain in spite of newer trucks being unreliable junk. Honestly if smaller fleets want to survive they’re going to have to start doing CDL school “scholarships” and contracting guys with no experience just like the big guys do, always being ready with a fresh set of drivers once their current ones hit their contract end date and quit. Things like this make me happy to be an owner-operator who doesn’t have to deal with drivers. I’ll never take home more than $100k in a year no matter how hard I run but at least I’m happy and not stressed.
@@unconventionalideas5683none of those systems last, and some of the emissions equipment like EGR systems actually reduce the lifetime of the engine. Manufacturers haven’t had the time to perfect anything before throwing it on the market, regulations have outpaced innovation. New ideas not only mean fitting new designs, but also new methods of protecting from the elements. There’s a plague of continual updates to most machines, because they are constantly sprouting new ways to fail, from electrical corrosion, too much vibration and parts rubbing, and sadly, just poor manufacturing as quality control seems to be dropping. I work on agricultural equipment, which generally has the benefit of not needing to meet standards for an extra year or 2 after on road, and even with that extra window they fall behind on innovations that actually work. And that’s before you factor in poor fuel economy due to engines forcing exhaust through more emissions mazes before it comes out the pipe.
Yeah, makes you feel sorry for the dice rollers buying those used trucks, not like the past, going to be rolling craps non stop.
As of 2013, a local construction company had 2 dumptrucks from 1954 still in serviice
that's 10 years ago..... they still got them?
Haven't been by there for awhile, but wouldn't be surprised if they still had them. They had no plans on getting rid of them at that point.
Love retro vehicles so they should keep them
Am sick and tired of so called shortage of drivers.
I can sum up the answer easily. EMISSIONS. THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF DRIVERS. There are a shortage of people who want to work 70hrs in a week to have a liveable wage.
They price of freight is way down. It's not a lack of drivers its a lack of pay
I got rid of a 2024 to get into an 05 379. No useless emissions, I shift gears myself and those “safety” features almost caused me to be some most likely fatal accidents merging because of brake lights in a lane beside me more then they ever benefited me. I unplugged the sensors because I value my life and being able to feed my family. Also my 2005 “classic” Peterbilt does better on fuel than the brand new truck that couldn’t get the exhaust through the dpf
I hear you there. I can't tell you how many times my t680 slammed the brakes coming to an overpass. Then I had transmission faults every other week on that piece of shit automatic. What made me quit was when I spent s week in a hotel in Tennessee when a DEF sensor went out.
@@teddyfartypants the worst part about that def sensor is if you put an exhaust probe in and drive it for a year the dpf vs the same engine deleted has the same exhaust output if not worse out of the dpf due to extra fuel used and all that come with more drilling but government makes money off them so we’re gonna be stuck with that useless garbage a while
@@ni1469 they don't reduce CO2 emissions either, they just get rid of smog. Kind of pointless if they're so worried about climate change.
@@teddyfartypants wind reduces smog more than anything but corn growing in the US is pulling more greenhouse gases out of the air and producing more oxygen than the Amazon, particularly with the more efficient gmo’s. Ironically they were worried using nitrogen in the air when justifying dpfs now they use urea def in the system…urea is nitrogen and the def fumes are actually causing the grass along the interstate to grow faster causing more mowing crew fuel to be used
@@ni1469 what exactly comes out of the DEF exhaust? I heard vaguely it's just CO2 and water vapor but I can kind of smell the urea.
Ps no shortage in drivers in the industry. Its a shortage of people willing to work for free
Older trucks consume more fuel..........well it's hard for the new trucks to burn fuel when they're broke down all the time with the stupid emission junk
It's all about economics. There's no money in the industry to replace the fleet. I don't make enough money to afford a 3500/month payment to replace my 20 year old truck. Trucking has become an unviable business model.
The FMCSA with its Lip Lock on the ATA’s Ass is the Main Problem.
I like old semis they look better and built better
One of my favorites is a 84 Kenworth K100 Aerodyne
You can pick up used going strong for under 60k
New ain't always better
I heard of newer ones being on side of road then cost a fortune to tow
Old can last longer
let's see we store up particulates, when the filter clogs, we blow it out in the atmosphere. when you regenerate the filter you waste a lot of fuel.
Yup, but that typical white collar who doesn't know anything about a truck can't see any smoke while they drive their electric car down the road so they think it's all good and fine
Shortage of Driving Jobs that Pay Enough to Do the JOB ,,,,No Driver Shortage None I Know many driver that quit since it does not pay enough for the job
Their is No Driver Shortage !! NO DRIVER SHORTAGE !!!!! It is a Shortage of driving jobs that PAY Enough to do the Job
Don't forget no edl for old trucks and no shortage of drivers only shortage of company's willing to pay drivers what they should
Drive a 2019 KW T680, one of the best I've driven. 485k miles. Two sensors, 1 turbo actuator. Shorter haul, heavy haul.
Ill keep driving his 2003 kw900 with a c15 cat until it stops working. Has had a rebuild and will out last thew newer over priced trucks he just bought
Cat is now offering NEW cast parts for the older motors! That says something.
Even old, it's still better than pakistan, bangladesh, india, myanmar, indonesia trucking
No modern day truck makes it past 500000 miles. Anything above that the cost in emissions cost more then payments of new trucks. Back in the day a million miles was expected. Now you can't afford to run a truck above 300000 miles
How about cost almost 200,000 for a new truck that after only 30,000 miles will throw a bunch of codes and then it's 1 month for the dealership to even look at it while all the payments still roll inn!!!!
Lmao your so wrong. The reason why truck age average is goiing up is not because of the new features but trucking companies are digging 20+ year of trucks out of the junk years because they don't have the sensors that shut down the new ones for months waiting on electrical or emission parts, YES new trucks are down MONTHS! Older truck parts are a tenth of the cost of new trucks and quicker to diagnose and repair than the newer trucks.
I trained on a fleet of new Freightliner cascadias and they literally would arrive to the yard broken, not running, falling apart, def problems etc... I'm talking major issues to safety and items that would get you an immediate out of service. Aside from that they were very lethargic in power, automatic tranny, plasticky and just not worth what they cost. The company used these new trucks as a recruiting tool and honestly it was a detractant to me. I hopped in an old Peterbilt and KW and it was so much better built and nicer and much funner to drive.
Freightliner is Mercedes but built in USA. The Mercedes built in germany much better quality. Even better is Scania.
I started driving in 1983, I now work for a construction company, 27 years, driving a low boy. It’s a 2001 w900 with a C15 cat, no DEF, my usual load is 104,000 lbs. At my age I don’t have a lot of years left, but I have no desire for a new truck, my old girl is faithful, she never lets me down.
All of the electronics and emission crap is too expensive to maintain.
If trucking companies want to attract AND To Keep GOOD Drivers is to Increase the PAY SCALE!
If they require English their job pool is negligible 😂
#1 reason to hold on to old trucks=emissions systems failures and cost to maintain on newer equipment.
I'm trucker from Finland. New truck replaced our 6 years old truck and new one consumes 20% less fuel in our route. Old ones are too expensive to use. And as driver are rather drive new than old truck.
Built heavy trucks for 30+ years and 15 years old was not old at all for most except the Freightliners which were cheap and mostly leased. After five years and out of lease you could pick one up for very little and many had tires worth as much as you paid. Where I worked built mostly custom class 8, very few ever not already with a customer order. Only big fleet we did was UPS which while looking plain had lots of top end, make them last, features as that is a UPS trademark.
Cause all the new crap that is on the new trucks the olds ones are just better.
I agree with the comment that says “nobody wants to deal with DEF”. Truck parts can still be found at decent prices if you look hard enough and everything else is just trivial. The main reason owner operators and small carriers stay away from new trucks is simply because of emissions. That is the largest reason why.
Parts for DEF systems are on back order, they are stupid expensive, and to do any kind of work on it you need a diagnostics computer which will cost you another 3,000-6,000 dollars.
That and the cost of new trucks is also stupid high with less reliability. It might not look like it, but that raggedy old truck you see rolling down the road will keep going and going and going compared to the new trucks you see. You don’t see people opening the hoods and fixing these new trucks because normally when something breaks it needs to be towed or junked.
In the words of Corey Taylor “ Old does not mean dead; new does not mean best”
My prior boss wants me back but I told him I'd need another tryck but needs to be a pre 2000 so it's exempt to e logs, & he doesn't mind since it would be pre emission as well. So we both be happy.
I'll take a friend of mine's 75 Peterbilt 359 Long Nose with a twin turboed 12V71 2-stroke Detroit over any f the garbage they put out now.
3 reasons nobody wants to deal with the 3 emmisions devices EGR DPF DEF each one by itself is FYTU and tends to be expensive to get the problem solved .Also less maintence on the older trucks and better MPG on the Trucks from the 90s and late 80s .
Simply, no semi or pick up owner want to deal with def or electronics. End of story. I believe a go kart has a life span of 100yrs since they never die if it’s the simple model. Reason, no electronics. Just carbureted. To be honest I save more money on a no electronic go kart than a go kart with electronics. Same with a car. 😂I love our modern era being useless 😂
To make my point, I don’t know much about trucks. Though I vote to remove emission standards on used or older trucks. Manufacturers can keep modernizing for clean runs. Though force people is out of the question because it’s against the Declaration of Independence. Man is free to choose and what they can drive. The emission standard is becoming communist more and more which is why the trucking industry is falling due by force toward environment. We can make a difference but not by force. China is already laughing at us for giving them our industries/manufacturers to them so we are green….without China supplying our stuff. We would fall. We need our freedom back and our industrial/manufacturing back. There are many ways to be green without shutting down jobs. Our current environmental plan is corrupted since the beginning Obama was in office.
In 1988 when I started my career a truck cost only $60,000 is what I was told. There was what a low of 8 sensors to the low end to as many as you want up to 15. 2023 have a minimum of what 125? Most of those are on the emissions. When people from other countries come here and buy a truck(used) the first thing that happens is all the emissions B.S. is removed. Why is the USA the only country to have all that? They say other developed countries have tier 4, but where? Also the railroads are supposed to have TIER 4 BUT THEY STILL PUT OUT SMOKE. That is why older trucks are still here less regulations.So I cannot go to californiciate? I did not loose anything there.
I may be wrong and I admit my mistake, I’m not an expert, but it seems to me that trucks used to be a little more reliable than today, their design was simpler due to their square shapes, they were easier to repair because they had fewer electronics and sensors, they are less demanding on fuel and oil. Still, back then there was a slightly different approach to selling cars. Today, it is not profitable for a manufacturer to sell (a reliable and durable, simple car), since the manufacturer earns from service and parts, even if not more than from the sale of the cars themselves, then at least a decent amount. Why would a manufacturer sell such good cars in every sense if their service life is enormous and their reliability is good? This is simply not profitable for the manufacturer.
Because they don't break every 10k miles (dpf/def) and when they do, they are 1/5th the cost to repair. That's why.
"New trucks are more fuel efficient and reliable."
Fuel efficient:Yes
Reliable:I wouldn't be so sure about that.
Because it’s easier and cheaper to overhaul an old truck than deal with the newer more expensive trucks with emission systems that breakdown constantly
back in the 70,s 80,s and 90,s you very seldom saw a truck on a hook. Now it's common to see them broke down on the side of the road or on a hook .pathetic modern junk
I see a truck broke down every 10-30 miles
Only $170k for a new truck ? That is much less than I would have thought given the cost of a normal basic car...
Emissions is an expensive headache
Wages aren't great
Overhead is increasing in cost
I drive a 1996 kenworth w900. Best truck I've ever had.
New trucks are junk less reliable than trucks without dpf filters and def fluid i work as a fleet mechanic. With new trucks you will have the computer d-rate the truck over an emissions issues that might not even be there we have replaced thousands in parts only to find years later it was a computer software issue that will be updated and fixed by the manufacturer.
Had to comment on the fuel efficiency thing. Not a direct comparison but back in 2012 the guy i worked for bought a brand new dodge 1 ton diesel. At the time I had a M35A2 that I was doing a rolling motor pool restoration on. His new truck got 13 mpg at its best, my 25+ year old military surplus truck sometimes got as high as 18 mpg AND I could work on it myself. Now have a 95 dodge 2500 with the cummins in it. Regularly gets 20 to 22 mpg abd again I can repair it myself.
Recently retired from trucking, the new trucks with the high-tech goodies break down far more often than old trucks. Our old fleet was down 8% of the time. Trucks of less than 3 years were down 15% of the time. It was always the computers and electronics.
Because nobody can afford to replace what they have! That's why.
My old company bought a brand new yard dog truck with a def system for some reason. But the def system caused the truck to stop running for three months and alot of money to fix a new truck.
Americans Canadians and Australians are badass not old! 💪🏻
Telling me you’ve never driven a truck without telling me you’ve never driven a truck
I drive for a private carrier in Missouri and boss just bought 8 brand new 2024 peterbilts all at two-hundres and fifty thousand dollars a piece. He bought 389's and one 389x.
6:39 shows a 6.5 liter HMMWV engine…not sure what that has to do with class 8 trucks but I guess stock footage is stock footage.
I haven't had any DEF related issues in any truck I have driven, and any issue I have had has been covered by the warranty, making the total cost of repair equal to the lost income from the down time, as the service is free.
The real reason the older trucks are still on the road. Is the paper log books a good seasoned driver. with experience . Likes. A truck that he can drive when he's awake and stop and sleep when he wants. not being told by the government when to sleep or when to drive average, a paper log truck will generate as much as 23% more revenue. Not to mention the reliability of the truck and the driver..
The companies I am aware of replace their trucks at 500,000 miles, before the warrenty runs out. Old trucks were simpler and lasted longer if you kept on top of the maintance. The new ones are done sooner. One model was done between 600,000 and 700,000 mile no matter what you do to it. I knew of an old truck that made 3 million miles before it was replaced. Newer trucks are more fragile the cost of repair is much higher after a wreck, but that is true for cars and pickups too today.
It seems the new trucks are designed by bureaucrats and not by the people who have driven them. But since most are bought by company executives who don't have to drive tham and don't care it is understandable. Odd how truking companies seem to dislike the drivers on which they depend.
Most companies get rid of the trucks at 500,000 so the manufacturers just seem to make them last that much and a bit so they can make them more attractive to the bean counters.
A company had Mack's with 12 speed automatics, Covid and company buy out put them about two years behind on their replacement schedule. The transmissions were mostly toast after 600 000 miles. They had some nee trailers (tanker) that had air pick up axeles, one would lift when empty. They gave varying degrees of trouble. Several the shop just gave up on and we just kept them down. Part of the problem was a shortage of equipment so the shop was just trying to keep them moving. And corporate was trying to save money, to look good to the bean counters, so the shop was underfunded and did as little repairs as necessary.
And the truck companies design trucks for just running down interstates, not local work. It seems new vehicles, car or truck, are not designed with repairs or maintenance in mind.
I wouldn't own a post 2006 truck if you gave it to me.
Owner Operators would love drive new trucks, but the added cost of emissions systems and electronic gremlins will push them toward keeping their older pre-emissions truck and buy older trucks. New trucks are for company drivers.
Old trucks are more reliable! Our new trucks are in the shop for months at a time. We have a 2000 International in our fleet, 23 years old and still working!
What is worse is that there are people who are complaining about how semi trucks are unreliable but still keep on voting for the same people who are responsible for those stupid emissions laws
I think you're sadly mistaken there you're forgetting who actually appointed them in office which it would be the president we don't get to vote on who gets elected to run those departments.
It's no secret the older stuff is better. The efficiency and safety of all the new fangled gadgets and emissions doesn't mean a thing when you are sitting on the side of the road waiting for a service call. People aren't as dumb as the government and manufacturers would like to think.
I have a heavy haul biz I have 3 Peterbuilts that have the old 2 stroke Detroit’s 12-v71 that are working daily along with several caterpillar 3408s and Mack V8s you can completely rebuild every part indefinitely end to end the big one no damned emissions equipment that DEF system is dangerous as hell ! Engines run hotter now and you have that blast furnace under the cab it’s a rolling bomb now days. Look how many truck crashes result in a fire ! Used to be fire was in less than 2% in a crash now about every one you see fireball on impact ! DEF it self is not flammable but mix it with fuel and you have a Bomb !
the cost of a new truck is simply too high to replace them. i drive a day cab, it's a 2022 kenworth T880 18 speed manual, X15 cummins 565 hp. it is over 200K to replace it. new truck costs skyrocketed after covid
I run a 2007 kw with a cat. I have owned 13 years primarily because the newer equipment dosent last as long before major repairs and all repair parts are ridiculously priced and the emissions is unreliable and expensive
As far as drivers go… The problem is all of the asinine over regulation on CDLs in America. I’ve been a diesel mechanic for 20 years and I’m to the point where I’d easily take a local trucking job. But I’ve never had a CDL and with all the BS regulation place today. I never will have a CDL. Which is sad because while I’m definitely not one of these phenomenal drivers that can do anything with a stretched Pete and 53’ trailer. I’m really not a half bad driver.
I drove a KW 04 tri axle dump from new until last year when the owner got an offer he couldn't refuse 70 grand had a C-15 cat twin turbo had to do injectors once truck had 1.6 million km when sold and is still working hauling aggregate, Oh forgot to mention it hauled with a pony pub for the first 15 years 24.5 tonnes in the dump box 22.5 in the pony just work and no down time that couldn't be fixed in the yard I wouldn't take a pay cut so I left and retired because I don't wear safety sandals
New technology might look attractive on paper but no matter if its emissions or safety it often doesnt work as good in reality as on paper
Im running a 1993 Peterbilt 379 with a 3406 in it. Its reliable, has no def crap and makes the same money as a new one. Why on earth would i spend $165k on a new one only to gain cruise control.
Thats right.....MIne is 93' ih eagle 12,7 detroit....was making side money till Biden came along...
i personally like NEW trucks. Iv'e driven new and old. i'll always choose a newer truck over an old one.
I've been a CDL-A driver for nearly 8 years now. but i've been driving trucks for nearly 20 years all though those were non-CDL back then.
You obviously never drove any decent older trucks and were driving junk volvos and freightliner trash!! If you drove any of my 379's or w900's with 500hp+ cat or Cummins with 13spd or 18spd's that were set wide open then you would never want to drive a new POS ever again!!!! They handle better and have more power and will pull a mountain faster and get better fuel mileage!!!
Easy answer:
1. Older trucks have less down time
2. Older trucks are more visually appealing
3. Older trucks are cheaper and easier to maintain
4. Emission systems are very sensitive and very expensive to repair and maintain as well as being viewed as unnecessary by most drivers
5. With the price of new tractors exceeding $200k, it's cheaper and easier to buy a used truck, sink $100k into it, and end up with something more reliable and more enjoyable while still paying up to $60k-$80k less than the cost of a new truck
Drive a “97” 379 with over 2 million miles - 1.2 on this motor. Consumes 1 gal oil about the time a change is due. There isn’t a truck being made as reliable. Fuel is an issue
Unrelated but
Im taking a CDL class and they have about 8 automatic trucks and about 4 manual trucks.
The newer volvo manual trucks are SO BAD. Students grinding their gears have made them almost undrivable.
The steering is sloppy, HARD brake pedals etc.
Then we have an older manual Kenworth t800 sleeper
That thing is the smoothest thing I've had the privilege of driving.
Every gear is smooth
The steering is precise
The brake pedal is perfect.
IDK why, but none of the students like driving it.
One of the instructors called it "the ugly thing"
I absolutely love that old KW.
One my truck is 2019, other 2024, but i like my 2019 with 801K miles more, then new one , do to too much crap in it. Hits brakes on it's own, when going in to the corners.
😎😎 i got a 1999,379 with 1,806,933 miles. My daily driver. 👍
Just a note if the truck is maintained it doesn't lose any value, not only that fuel mileage hasn't changed in 50 years( 5 to 7 mpg). I tested a new truck emissions and older truck (1989) and there is no difference.
I love how this does not address the Edison motors truck with a diesel-electric generator on board. Electric semi with a built in generator. That’s the best we can do for semis right now
I gotta ask some experts - are DEF and AdBlue systems pretty much the same and causing same issues? Or are there some trucks that are kind of better (still headache but better) built for this?
Adblue is def, Diesel exhaust fluid. Then there is dpf diesel particulate filter this is basically like a catalytic converter but not really in the technical way it works as the def is metered in when cleaning the dpf, it uses a diesel nozzle to burn at high temps to burn the heavy soot and combined with def( is carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, water) it reduces the NOx emissions by basically completing another combustion cycle with and enriched environment.
As far as reliability, anything 08-12 is basically garbage it was the first gen and had first gen issues, the worst tho is the international max force engines but either way it compounded with most mechanics not knowing anything about it so misdiagnosis was frequent, basically it really sucked then. 13-16 bit better, 17-current not great compared to old but with good maintenance and a good mechanical understanding of the systems they can be better than old rust in some ways.
I wanted to be a owner operator but most companies want you in newer trucks and the price tag for a Cascadia alone is $200+k
Costs of operating a truck go down the longer a truck is in the road, the carbon footprint also decreases the longer you keep the truck running.
There are 30-40 year old trucks out there running still and they are more economical to run if you wash and maintenance them.
You stated electric trucks offer lower operating costs. Source please? How does a truck with 20% of the range less then 50% of the load capacity and takes hours to recharge lower operating costs?
My newest truck with 10 lugnuts was built in 1979 and I don’t plan on anything newer than that, the trucks built 30 years before me are simple, cheap and easy to work on. It doesn’t make financial sense for me to buy a new truck for $170,000 when I can buy one out of a grain field for $4,000 roll it in my shop and work on it all winter and get a basically new truck for less than $50,000 that’s simple and easy to work on, but I’m just one guy, and me and my wife are the entire business so if we have an extra truck and a couple good prospects tucked into a hay barn I might get to live a comfortable life before it becomes the next generations problems to figure out.
Damn right
_If drivers only understood how to pick the right engine, that is not subjected to rules and limitations, such as Cummins, and understand how to keep that engine conditioned with the proper oil, I’m not gonna mention it, but there is an oil on the market. That is the only oil in the world that is 100% anti-friction and bonds itself to the metal. This oil can give your truck an extra 150,000 miles before the next inframe rebuild._
_In terms of modern trucks, the ones that break the down, the most, are the freightliners, and Volvos most trucks with a Cummins engine rarely break down but when they do, it’s nothing major like a freightliner or a Volvo; you have to go for the international or any one of the PACCAR trucks (KW or Peterbilt)_
_If you purchase a new truck specked out the right way to attract used truck buyers, you can maintain more than a 60% resale value on the truck after it has been used_
_it doesn’t matter what changes come to the trucking industry, you’re not gonna stop in American truck or from having what he wants_
Nothing prettier than a long nose Pete or KW on the highway ( with Manual )
My semi is 30 years old...Its gonna stay that way...
If anyone wants to play a video game try 18 wheeler
amazing fun
also, most fleets have moved to the "owner operator" business model, which is similar to Uber... the drivers are burried in debt to pay for their tractors, and don't make enough money.
as a diesel tech I know how to fix dpf they’re easy but im not teaching someone who will undermine me and do it for less
Cool video