Preventive maintenance

Each manufacturer will have slightly different schedules and parameters and, as a result, the costs and service intervals may vary considerably. This is another reason you should use the dealer’s cost estimating programs. As a very rough estimate, you could assume an average cost of about $4 per operating hour over the course of a 12,000- to 15,000-hour life cycle. Pressley says to note that good preventive maintenance isn’t just lubes, fluids, and filters but also includes:

Cleaning,

Oil analysis,

Inspections,

Testing,

Sampling,

Measurements,

Adjustments,

Repairs, and

Proper documentation.

“Good preventative maintenance (PM) is usually the single most important and controllable factor the customer has in reducing owning and operating costs,” he says. “It’s the principle of pay now or pay later, and the up-front costs required for good PM is minimal compared to the cost of a machine that’s down due to failure.”

Repairs

A ballpark estimate amortized over a 12,000- to 15,000-hour life cycle would fall in the $5-an-hour range.

Operator wages

Determined by company policy and regional trends.

Additional

Articulated trucks, their drivelines, and transmissions have become more sophisticated over the past few years in order to better help you conserve fuel, increase productivity, and reduce tire and component wear, says Pressley. Learning and comparing the competitive features of each brand and then training your operators to take advantage of these features can produce significant cost savings and productivity gains. AM

O&O COST CALCULATIONS

Based on a Volvo A40E articulated truck. 2,000 hours per year, five-year life cycle.

Note that all these figures are general estimates and for discussion purposes only. To get a more accurate accounting of your own costs, consult a dealer. Also be aware that some operators prefer to calculate O&O costs without including the resale value of the machine at the end of its life cycle. This will yield higher owning costs, but is sometimes done for tax or bonding purposes. Consult with your accountant or tax adviser before deciding which model is appropriate for your business.

                                                      Per hour                      Per year                        Per 5 years

OWNING COSTS

Purchase price                              $65                           $130,000                        $650,000

Purchase price

(excluding tires)                           $60.20                        $120,400                        $602,000

Resale value                                $28.80                         $57,600                          $288,000