ABF | Long Trailers

cityman

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I have noticed that ABF has purchased quite a few new pup trailers with roll-up doors the past few years,but I have not seen any new 48' trailers. The city drivers that I see in my neck of the woods pull old beat up Carolina long boxes,some with swing doors. Has ABF purchased any new long boxes?
 
they don't buy new 48's.What they have been buying lately for city work is reconditioned 48's. The last few that we have got into PVD have had new roll-ups installed. It's too bad they don't buy new with the same specs as the pups. It would be nice to have the E-track inside to secure your freight properly, but I guess it's cheaper to pay claims. It seems like they feel that the city equipment such as lift gate trailers too, don't warrant buying new. I would think that they make money for the company just as much as the new road pups, but that's just one opinion.
 
In my opinion the company should send out new trailers in the city because these are the trailers the customers see and load their freight on. I would bet the customers would feel more secure shipping their freight on a new city trailers instead of a 15 year old Carolina trailer with holes in the floor. In my opinion it would be a wise investment. I see ABF spends plenty of money on new tractors,pups,and the new flatbeds for the pods. Why they do not purchase city trailers is a mystery to me.
 
Hillbilly frog I work for Hmes but I have noticed Yellow's new city trl's. They are nice too. They will have that new faded looking logo on them. GRIZZ
 
Thats why ABF has a much better OR than Yellow.

They utilize pups better in the system and realize that you do not need shiny new trailers getting beat up all day long.

You do not hear ABF men complaining of tractors now do you....
 
Grizz I run linehaul so I don't pay a lot of attention to them. New is nice no matter what when it comes to equipment. I do know that when we get new pups they seem to try to keep them in the city but I don't care, New or old they all pay me the same.
 
I agree with Cityman. We've had customers refuse to load some of our city vans due to holes in floors or leaking roofs or torn-up side walls. It's a shame that this is what the customers see.
 
jellybean said:
I agree with Cityman. We've had customers refuse to load some of our city vans due to holes in floors or leaking roofs or torn-up side walls. It's a shame that this is what the customers see.
I also agree. We use 48' & 53' rentals that are not too bad, but most the 48' city vans with ABF logos on them are a disgrace.
 
For a while I've wanted to take pictures of the inside of some of our junk along with some pictures of Yellow, New Penn, Roadway, Duie Pyle, O.D. etc. Then e-mail them to corporate with the caption.. WHO WOULD YOU TRUST YOUR FREIGHT TO ARRIVE CLAIM FREE?
 
Some of the "new" long boxes yellow has used to say heartland express on the sides. I have heard that many companies are buying used or remanufacturing old trailers to side step some new braking system that is required on new trailers.
 
I came to ABF last year from Dugan (I'm a mechanic at ATL) and while Duagn had some crappy city trailers they were cadilacs compared to some of the $hit I have worked on since being at ABF.It's hard to believe they are still running 70 model trailers!. With that being said they are buying these used vans to run in the city that are in pretty good shape,they all have new roll doors and all the plywood on the walls are in good shape as well as the roof and floors
 
jellybean said:
For a while I've wanted to take pictures of the inside of some of our junk along with some pictures of Yellow, New Penn, Roadway, Duie Pyle, O.D. etc. Then e-mail them to corporate with the caption.. WHO WOULD YOU TRUST YOUR FREIGHT TO ARRIVE CLAIM FREE?
ABF has one of the lowest claims in the industry. I have worked for other freight companys and new equip. does not = less damage. It is quality people doing their best work. I think most drivers would not take a trailer that is unsafe to be loaded at a customers dock. If it is unsafe deadline it.
I would rather have a good tractor over a pretty trailer. But just my opinion.
 
do you guy still run the tri-axle vans and the open top vans and pups? if so, do you still use them for their open top or just like any other trailer now? and whats the benefit of a triaxle van?

thanks - Rob
 
nooksack said:
ABF has one of the lowest claims in the industry. I have worked for other freight companys and new equip. does not = less damage. It is quality people doing their best work. I think most drivers would not take a trailer that is unsafe to be loaded at a customers dock. If it is unsafe deadline it.
I would rather have a good tractor over a pretty trailer. But just my opinion.



It's not always a matter of being unsafe. If the plywood on the interior walls are broke and sticking out, the customers don't want to be bothered with looking where they're going. They are in the habit of letting a s/w pallet ride the wall. When they tear it up because of their own negligence they blame us.
 
militaryman4 said:
do you still use them for their open top? thanks - Rob

We still us open tops at some customers. I know one in VA. that requires them. As for tri-axles, yes we still us them but I see no real advantage to them but what do I know. I'm just paid to pull them.:duh:
 
The tri-axles were suppossed to compensate for getting rid of all the screws around 1985. The 3 axles originally were furthur forward with a long overhang to the rear. This was going to allow us to still gross 80,000lbs while only running single axle tractors. They had drop down legs on the rear to lower when at a dock for stabilization. However the powers that be didn't figure that if they were loaded with too much weight to the rear, you couldn't control them in bad weather because it would take to much weight off your drive axle. Therefore all the axles were moved back about 3-4 ft and became the joke of the fleet. In my useless opinion they should remove the front axle and retro-fit with overhead doors. Then retire them into the city as 45ft peddle vans.
 
wouldn't be that simple

to just remove to front axle, you would have to change the entire suspension and braking system on the remaining 2 axles if you did that, which would turn into big $$$$. right now all repairs on all vans over $1200.00 has to be approved by the powers that be at Ft Smith and who knows what they will decide! hell last week they approved putting an entire floor in a 45 ft 1974 old Carolina van along with other repairs at a cost of about 4000.00
 
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