LET'S talk.
It sounds pretty simple. Shouldn't there be communication in all aspects of business? Well, yes. But Chuck Martin and Robert Mercer believe it's not so simple. That's why they will be stressing communication in their session, “Frequently Overlooked Issues in Developing Medium-Duty Truck Specifications,” scheduled for Wednesday from 9:30-10:45 am.
Martin, of Mickey Truck Bodies in High Point, North Carolina, and Robert Mercer, of Freightliner Trucks in Melbourne, Florida, made this presentation at the independent owner-operators meeting last year. Martin says it was well-received.
“Let's just talk about it,” he says. “The communication setup is the key to the whole thing.”
Martin and Mercer will give an expanded view of issues that are often overlooked. Sometimes chassis options are ordered that are inconsistent with the body selected. Sometimes it is not realized that chassis options are available to meet certain operator needs.
“A lot of times people will buy a body and chassis combination that isn't compatible,” Martin says. “It's a common problem for us to have a customer who will buy a low-profile chassis, and the body application doesn't fit that. They buy on concept, as opposed to the reality of the situation, and haven't done their homework to determine what advantages you can get from a low-profile and what advantages you cannot get.
“Very frequently they'll order extra fuel tanks or seemingly standard options that get in the way of the add-on body, particularly as it pertains to a beverage unit. A lot of purchasers aren't fully aware of the technological developments and advantages available to them, simply because they don't ask. They go to their dealer and tell him what they want, what they need. It's the dealer's responsibility, but he's not always listened to.
“The difficult thing is that the specifications can get very complicated. The answer is to have conversation, to talk, with both the chassis dealer and the bodybuilder, and they in turn need to communicate between themselves.”
Martin says there are important issues related to ABS harnesses when the frame is lengthened. In beverage applications, it's common to lengthen the chassis, but the harness can't be lengthened.
“Therefore, it's critical upfront that they specify and offer an extra-long harness,” Martin says. “That is a very simple communication. It's an available option with virtually everybody. Failing to select it creates a lot of problems.”