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ABF | 33 Foot trailers

Sumting Wong

Sumting Wong

TB Lurker
Credits
345
from the conference call:
Jeff Kauffman, Buckingham Research Group - Analyst [136]

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Some pretty strong results in a tough environment. I have a question off the board here, it looks like the Senate and the House are passing a funding bill to the president that he's likely to sign. Assuming this also funds the transportation housing urban development, which would include a provision for 33-foot trailers, am I accurate in this? And what have --
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Judy R. McReynolds, ArcBest Corporation - President and CEO [137]
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I believe so, yes.
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Jeff Kauffman, Buckingham Research Group - Analyst [138]
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So what does this mean for you and that $200 million of cash sitting on the balance sheet?
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Judy R. McReynolds, ArcBest Corporation - President and CEO [139]
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Well I mean, it certainly would be helpful to us to have the 33-foot trailer option available to us. We're excited about that if that were to go through.

But we -- it's my view, and I think it's shared by our equipment folks and our operations folks that that would be more of a progression into our fleet rather than an upfront replace and purchase all new 33-foot trailers. We don't see ourselves doing that, and we see it's something that we're going to take advantage of over time.
 
Jeff Kauffman, Buckingham Research Group - Analyst [142]

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Okay. And have you thought at all about what a 33 could potentially mean in terms of productivity or P&L or anything like that?

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Judy R. McReynolds, ArcBest Corporation - President and CEO [143]

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Well I think, again, it would improve productivity, but it's going to be a progression into our fleet. So we really haven't quantified that for -- we've looked at some numbers and thought about that a lot ourselves, but we're not really going to be disclosing something until we see what happens and we see how that can progress into our fleet.
 
"...we see it's something that we're going to take advantage of over time."
Like with Hoffa, and like with your hard working, stressed-out employees?
 
You can blame Fred Smith, CEO of FedEx if we get 33 foot pups. He's the one that originally proposed it. He also saw how no one enforces the Surface Transportation Act of 1984, which greatly limits where you can go with a 53 footer. Guys peddle with them, with liftgates, even. Highway use only trailers, but when dispatch sends a guy into a residential neighborhood with one,......the driver puts his head down,.....and does it.
 
canaryinthemine said:
You can blame Fred Smith, CEO of FedEx if we get 33 foot pups. He's the one that originally proposed it. He also saw how no one enforces the Surface Transportation Act of 1984, which greatly limits where you can go with a 53 footer. Guys peddle with them, with liftgates, even. Highway use only trailers, but when dispatch sends a guy into a residential neighborhood with one,......the driver puts his head down,.....and does it.
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We have more than the transportation act of 1984 and I'd expect that a cantankerous old meanie of a Shop Steward could do something about it. There IS contract language that states that we will not have to peddle freight with a 53 footer if there is other equipment available. 53's with gates should be nipped in the bud. Turn them into UE trailers and go get some 40 footers with gates if they want to go that route.
 
canaryinthemine said:
You can blame Fred Smith, CEO of FedEx if we get 33 foot pups. He's the one that originally proposed it. He also saw how no one enforces the Surface Transportation Act of 1984, which greatly limits where you can go with a 53 footer. Guys peddle with them, with liftgates, even. Highway use only trailers, but when dispatch sends a guy into a residential neighborhood with one,......the driver puts his head down,.....and does it.
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I had a day last week where I was just on a 53 in a tight business area. I delivered some of the freight then came back and swung it into a pup. I'm glad I did because my next stop was so tight it was even challenging with a pup.

Also if I have a 53 and there's a stop I know it won't fit in, I just put it as a bring back and say it needs to be on a pup. Not going to risk damaging something just to deliver some freight!
 
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norcal10 said:
I had a day last week where I was just on a 53 in a tight business area. I delivered some of the freight then came back and swung it into a pup. I'm glad I did because my next stop was so tight it was even challenging with a pup.

Also if I have a 53 and there's a stop I know it won't fit in, I just put it as a bring back and say it needs to be on a pup. Not going to risk damaging something just to deliver some freight!
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This is a classic example of how out of touch our upper-echelon is...53's into a neighborhood or tight business district is terrifying. I haven't had the 'pleasure' of that situation yet, but a stern "NO" is always in my vocabulary.
 
hangbelly said:
I wonder if these will finally spell the end of triples? 120+ feet of trailers? Please God no.....
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I doubt that. The net result would be less trailer space and counterproductive to the cause.
 
ABFer said:
We have more than the transportation act of 1984 and I'd expect that a cantankerous old meanie of a Shop Steward could do something about it. There IS contract language that states that we will not have to peddle freight with a 53 footer if there is other equipment available. 53's with gates should be nipped in the bud. Turn them into UE trailers and go get some 40 footers with gates if they want to go that route.
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40 footer would work if the tandems were not all the way to the back, it makes it impossible to get in tight spots not to mention they are 102 wide & restricted on most rural roads....
 
GO40 said:
40 footer would work if the tandems were not all the way to the back, it makes it impossible to get in tight spots not to mention they are 102 wide & restricted on most rural roads....
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Particularly up here in coal country. There is no reason for the tandems to be fixed at the back Kalifornia style. Nice spring loaded Great Dane sliders would be in order. And since it would be a dedicated city trailer with no hopes of running the road it could be 12' 6" tall.
 
ABFer said:
We have more than the transportation act of 1984 and I'd expect that a cantankerous old meanie of a Shop Steward could do something about it. There IS contract language that states that we will not have to peddle freight with a 53 footer if there is other equipment available. 53's with gates should be nipped in the bud. Turn them into UE trailers and go get some 40 footers with gates if they want to go that route.
Click to expand...
40 footer would work if the tandems were not all the way to the back, it makes it impossible to get in tight spots not to mention they are 102 wide & restricted on most rural roads....
ABFer said:
Particularly up here in coal country. There is no reason for the tandems to be fixed at the back Kalifornia style. Nice spring loaded Great Dane sliders would be in order. And since it would be a dedicated city trailer with no hopes of running the road it could be 12' 6" tall.
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It was 12-6 a lot of customers couldn't drive in the trailer forklift or freight was to high....
 
norcal10 said:
Didn't they buy some 40ft lift gates with just one axle?
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Yes they did. We got one. 12" 6' high. Most of our customers can get into it with their forklifts,........only a few with oddball high rack lifters can't get in. Nice little "porch lights" mounted on the outside of the door for when you're making night deliveries that I don't think will make it through the winter before someone clears them off with freight or a close clearance towmotor. Nice trailer, though.
 
canaryinthemine said:
Yes they did. We got one. 12" 6' high. Most of our customers can get into it with their forklifts,........only a few with oddball high rack lifters can't get in. Nice little "porch lights" mounted on the outside of the door for when you're making night deliveries that I don't think will make it through the winter before someone clears them off with freight or a close clearance towmotor. Nice trailer, though.
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I hear that they have your picture on the side of it manning a hand truck with a big smile on your face, is that right?
 
canaryinthemine said:
Yes they did. We got one. 12" 6' high. Most of our customers can get into it with their forklifts,........only a few with oddball high rack lifters can't get in. Nice little "porch lights" mounted on the outside of the door for when you're making night deliveries that I don't think will make it through the winter before someone clears them off with freight or a close clearance towmotor. Nice trailer, though.
Click to expand...
ABFer said:
I hear that they have your picture on the side of it manning a hand truck with a big smile on your face, is that right?
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Probably two hand trucks! One in each hand. The company needs the production. Gotta pay for those trailers somehow.
Oh wait, nevermind... I think we already took care of that. :tr10driving03:
 
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