s m a r t s p e c' i n g
Looking Good Is Good Business
Basics and goodies affect what the rig looks like and what people think of you.
Image is in the mind of the beholder. It’s what people think about your company, and a lot of what you do affects how they think. Most folks want people to think highly of them and their business enterprises; it’s only human nature to want people to like you, but it’s also good business. Quality shippers — the ones who pay a decent rate and treat drivers decently at the docks — are usually impressed by good-looking rigs and feel better when their products are carried in them.
What your trucks look like and how they’re driven most directly affect your company’s image. If your drivers operate safely and courteously at all times, they’re handling that part of it. The truck’s appearance is mostly up to you, the fleet manager or owner. It all starts with the most basic choice of all.MAKE AND MODEL
There are very basic reasons for buying the tractors and trailers you do, and often they have little to do with image. Features, price, financing, residual value and dealer support are among these. Some of these apply to the choice of the “large car” (also called “big ride”) type of tractor; its traditional styling is preferred by most drivers, and even the public recognizes that “this is a macho truck!” Desire for practicality and fuel economy might cause you to buy aero-style tractors, but these have their own appeal, especially if outfitted right.
There are two or three truck makes that hold a mystique for many truckers, even though these builders also assemble very workaday models (such as construction and trash trucks, as well as aerodynamic tractors). That mystique is part of the image that many truckers want and are willing to pay extra for. Often it makes business sense, because certain vehicles bring more money at trade-in or resale time (whether measured in dollars or percentage of original purchase price) and they sell fast, too.
Some owners are so loyal to their tractors’ nameplates that they put them on the mudflaps of their trailers. But trailers have “Cadillac” brands, known for quality and durability, and deserve more respect. After all, it’s the trailer that carries the cargo.
Owner-operators and “premium” small fleets often outfit their vans and reefers with shiny quilted-surface rear doors, stainless steel door sills and other fineries (though these examples make sense, too, because they don’t rust or corrode). Extra marker lamps can be applied to any trailer, and polished aluminum frames are especially popular among flatbedders. Air-ride suspensions now go on a big majority of new trailers, and truckers who think about specifications and haul heavy cargoes tend to buy wide-spread tandems because weight distribution is easier; they also look purposeful.
Though interior appointments in the tractor can’t be seen by the public, handsome, comfortable upholstery and good-riding seats make drivers feel better and improve their image of their employers (or of themselves and what they do for a living). Most longhaul fleets now buy well-equipped tractors to attract and keep good drivers; if and when a recession strikes and jobs become scarce, they might back off from fanciness, so drivers should enjoy it while they can.PAINT AND STRIPING
Back in the 1960s and ’70s, multicolored paint jobs were the “in” thing. But they’ve gone out with psychedelics. Monotone paint, sometimes with a few stripes, is now the rule. A single paint color is far easier for the factories (production can be seriously limited by how many times a cab has to pass through the paint booth), so it costs less to buy this type of truck; it’s also easier to repair after body damage.
White is the most-often ordered color and, indeed, is the cliche color of the ’90s. To be sure, white has a lot going for it: It doesn’t show dirt, is highly visible night or day (except maybe in a snowstorm) and displays lettering, striping and other graphics very well. It’s “neutral” and goes with any other color on a trailer. Of course, there are many shades of white, so a buyer can take a stab at being distinctive, even if most eyes won’t notice the difference between one white and another.
If your tractors are white, you can relieve the monotony by applying splashy graphics. These are produced in adhesive-backed vinyl or plastic materials, but are best applied by specialists. Later on they can also be removed — carefully — with a heat gun or hair dryer. Or you can have stripes painted on; whole sections of the tractor can be painted in accenting or contrasting hues to liven up white or any other monocolor. Just use good taste.
Owner-operators and small fleets tend to choose pastels or dark colors (dark metallic red, blue and black set off bright-metal trim very well). In spec’ing a nonstandard color, remember that what looks good on a paint chip can be way too much on the vast expanse of a tractor’s nose, cab, sleeper and fairings. Remember, too, that the darker the color, the harder it is to keep clean.BRIGHT METAL
Chrome, stainless steel and polished aluminum hardware, accessories and trim are signs of anyone wanting attention. These come in many forms and cost varying amounts, and are available as factory options and through specialty sellers. Just eyeball the rigs at any truckstop to catch the variety available. Too often these adornments are dirty along with the rest of the rig, but they sure look sharp when shined up. For instance:
• Dual chrome stacks are an almost basic spec in over-the-road tractors. To be most visually effective, they must be mounted at the cab’s corners, ahead of the sleeper; to simply work (by reducing exhaust back pressure), they can be behind the sleeper or on the frame rails.
• Bright metal bumpers really catch the eye, especially if they’re of the deep-section (sometimes called “Texas-square”) type. These are also made for specific aero-style tractors and replace or accent the bland plastic bumpers. Materials can be polished aluminum or stainless steel, or chrome plating applied to steel or aluminum.
• Polished aluminum wheels are one of the marks of a rig whose owner has pride; some truckers buy those with handholes that mimic the builder’s logo. Unpolished aluminum wheels say the owner is only interested in light weight. Steel wheels, whether disc or spoked, can look smart if kept clean and painted.
• Trim panels, with and without cutout lettering, can almost cover a tractor’s sheet metal and fiberglass. Fleet managers sometimes put these on “reward” tractors (which tend to be large cars); if you do, remember to secure them properly and get drivers to keep them clean and shiny so the expense pays off.EXTRA LIGHTS
Whether used to see or be seen, extra lamps light up the rig and, maybe, their drivers’ personalities. If you buy them, be sure your alternators can carry the extra load and that they’re hooked up properly on their own circuits. Do NOT cut into existing wiring, because this can create complications — including wide-ranging malfunctions and fires — with today’s complex circuitry.
• Extra marker lamps on a trailer tell motorists to keep their distance and sort of delineate the vehicle’s outline. The “Christmas tree” effect is still favored by some truckers, but we’ll bet most outgrow it after bulb-changing gets old. Also, extra lamps are less necessary since the requirement for those red-and-white “conspicuity” reflective markings.
• Auxiliary driving lamps buried in the bumper give any vehicle an aggressive look, especially if constantly turned on so they burn the eyeballs of motorists up ahead. Serious lights can be a safety aid in fog and other severe weather, but you may find that today’s halogen headlamps do a pretty good job on their own.CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO ...
You know the rest of that adage, and there are many others, like, “You can be poor, but there’s no excuse for being dirty.” Cleanliness is the simplest thing toward a good image. Even a “plain vanilla” truck can look good if it’s kept clean. But a chromy large car looks lousy if it’s encrusted with dirt and bugs; it almost shouts, “I really don’t care, see?” Often the driver’s appearance matches the rig’s, so at least there’s consistency.
Many conscientious truckers run dirty rigs because they don’t want to spend the money to have them washed, they just don’t have time or they just don’t think it’s important. But a clean rig tells onlookers that your company cares about the truck and the driver is proud of it. If your drivers’ grooming, attitude and performance are also above par, they’ll have an easier time dealing with everyone, including safety inspectors.
It’s hard to keep a truck clean, especially in inclement weather. But getting it washed regularly (say, weekly) keeps it, and its driver, in a respectable routine. Consider issuing the driver a soft-bristled brush with an 18-inch handle, a bucket and some detergent or car-washing compound, and maybe a short ladder. Ask him to use these a few minutes each day tending to the things that grab dirt and make the rig look the worst:
• Windshield. This can get splattered with bugs in a hurry, dimming and obscuring the driver’s view of the world. It’s a safety hazard while heading into a bright sun. So drivers should also carry a windshield scrubber-squeegee and use it often. If the windshield’s hard to get at (most are), an extendible handle (like those for paint rollers) will screw into the base of many scrubbers.
• Tires and wheels. Muddy sidewalls are one of the first things to grab the eye (and a camera’s lens, if you’ve a mind to snap some photos).
• Steps, fuel tanks and side skirts. These pick up grime right away.
• Lights. Headlamps and taillamps should be wiped off every day so they shine brightly. Freshly cleaned lamps at the back of the rig tell everyone that the driver and this company care about safety.
• Rear doors. Negative air pressure causes grime to stick here. While at a truckstop, drivers can use the long-handled brush at the fuel pump to clean off the entire surface of each door, then spray it with the water hose (be sure to rinse out the brush bristles so dirt doesn’t scratch the next guy’s windshield).
Does all this seem silly? Tell it to the guys and gals you see waxing their rigs. They’ll tell you about pride.