Eric Wanberg, Author at Work Truck Direct

Freightliner Unveils the Inspiration, the World’s First Autonomous Big Rig

May 15, 2015 by Eric Wanberg Leave a Comment

Freightliner recently debuted their very first self driving Semi-truck, the Inspiration. The national highway traffic safety administration has a rating system for a vehicle’s level of autonomy from 0-4 (0 given to a standard human operated vehicle, and 4 given to a fully autonomous vehicle). The Inspiration has a 3 rating, meaning that an operator is still required for certain functions and a driver must always be in the seat ready to take over. The Inspiration can maintain legal speeds, keep safe driving distance, and brake when necessary. It cannot, however, merge and exit highways, drive on local roads, or dock the trailer.

For now, commercial drivers are still required and who knows if semi’s will ever become legally fully autonomous. But what does this mean for the commercial trucking industry? What are your thoughts on autonomous cars and trucks? Leave your comments below.

For More information on the Freightliner Inspiration, Click Here.

For the video of the unveiling at the Hoover Dam, Click Here.

Fraud Prevention Tips

May 1, 2015 by Eric Wanberg Leave a Comment

Internet Fraud and Identity Theft are major problems that we face in our lives. According to the Internet Crime division of the FBI, there were 262,813 Internet crimes reported totaling $781,841,611 in total reported losses during 2013. The average loss for people who reported a monetary loss was just over $6,000.

Here at Allegiant Partners, we’re always looking out for our customers’ security. We put together a list of top tips to help keep your personal information and identity secure:

Do not disclose personal or transactional information about your Allegiant Partners lease/loan with someone who is not an Allegiant Partners employee
When providing information online, make sure the web page is secure – the URL begins with “https” or the page has a padlock icon
Be careful about the programs you install or run
Use secure passwords with a mixture of symbols, numbers, and capitalized characters
Be cautious of email attachments from unknown senders

Following simple steps like these will help ensure your identity and personal information stays secure.

If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to call us.

To CNG or not to CNG? That is the question.

April 29, 2015 by Eric Wanberg Leave a Comment

You have to admit, most of you have wondered about what it would be like to switch to a CNG (compressed natural gas) powered truck. You’ve wondered what it will cost, how much money you’ll save, and if there is even a CNG fueling station near you. Many companies already use CNG vehicles, so is it right for you? This article is here to answer all of your unanswered questions.

Is CNG better for the environment?
Yes. CNG puts out less greenhouse gases and lower emissions than traditional gasoline or diesel engines.

What is the maintenance like on a CNG vehicle?
Because CNG burns so much cleaner than gasoline, the maintenance rate per mile is almost half that of a gasoline powered vehicle. That means up to half of your normal lifetime maintenance cost!

Is CNG as fuel efficient as gasoline?
CNG powered engines are just gasoline engines with a few modifications, so your CNG vehicle would have near the same fuel effienciency as your gas vehicle.

Where do I fill up?
Click Here to find your nearest fueling stations.

What’s the total cost of ownership?
Upfitting your truck to run on CNG is costly initially, but with gas prices over a dollar more expensive per gallon than CNG you would recoup the initial cost in as little as 2 years! In addition, there are many state-run tax incentives and grants that provide reimbursement of the upfit.

Work Truck Direct can finance CNG upfits on new vehicles and new CNG commercial vehicles. To find out more about the programs in your state and take advantage of the savings and finance options from Work Truck Direct Click Here or contact one of our industry experts at 1 (888) 998-6909.

Freightliner SuperTruck

April 17, 2015 by Eric Wanberg Leave a Comment

Freightliner recently released information on the Freightliner SuperTruck, their newest road-worthy concept. The goal during the creative process was to maximize efficiency of the big rig truck. Everything about the traditional tractor was rethought out. Aerodynamics, engine, transmission, parasitic losses, heat energy loss, and weight reduction were examined.

The SuperTruck more than doubles the average fuel economy of current tractors, averaging 12 mpg during fully loaded tests on Texas roads. The hybrid propulsion system uses regenerative braking as well has engine heat recovery to keep the battery charged. Aerodynamics are also greatly improved to provide less wind resistance.

Altough the supertruck is not a production model, many of it’s features will soon make their way into current and future models.

For more information, check out https://www.freightlinersupertruck.com/#main

Burger and Fries

April 10, 2015 by Eric Wanberg Leave a Comment

Fuel economy and the commercial vehicle sector are like Burgers and Fries. What do we mean? When you want a burger, do you go for the meal at the closest fast food chain or do you head over the the local burger joint? On one hand the fast food chain has a plain burger and fries for around $5 and on the other hand there is Joe’s Local Burger where you can get a fresh made burger with homemade sauce and fresh condiments with garlic fries for $8. Sure the $5 meal is cheap, but you’re getting a lot more out of the $8 dollar meal. It’s tastier, healthier, more gratifying, and it lasts longer than the supposed “value meal”.

As with our truck purchases, what are we looking at? At the end of the day, are we choosing the $5 meal or are we making a decision that goes beyond thinking about the instant sticker price and extends into the final value and cost over time.

What we are talking about is the total cost of ownership aka TCO. What at the end of the day is your vehicle costing you per gallon of gas? Is the sticker shock of an alternative fuel conversion (CNG/Natural Gas) or aftermarket hybrid system (Kinetic Hybrid) turning you off? With the volatility of gas prices, we can’t bank on the price to get any cheaper and we all know that it will come back again higher than ever. So, why not seek out an alternative fuel solution?

Rebates and grants are available for companies that are interested in pursuing them and natural gas prices are lower than ever. With savings that can pay off your equipment within a matter of months, put more money into your pocket, and benefit the environment, what is holding you back?

Are you settling for the “good deal” at the moment, or are you buying someone else’s headache; the truck without the warranty, the one that looks like it’ll get the job done, the $5 meal?

If you have questions about the TCO of your next purchase, warranties, or alternative fuel conversions, Contact Us or give your Account Manager at Allegiant Partners a call.

Step Van Direct is now Work Truck Direct

April 3, 2015 by Eric Wanberg Leave a Comment

Allegiant Partners announced today the expansion of Step Van Direct into Work Truck Direct. Step Van Direct has long been the premier source for financing and sourcing Step Vans for the FedEx Industry but due to the changing automotive climate, Step Vans aren’t the only choice for the parcel delivery sector. Step Van Direct’s parent company, Allegiant Partners, wants to reflect the change in truck preferences by evolving into Work Truck Direct.

Work Truck Direct is now the Premier source for financing and sourcing all types of commercial work vehicles from Step Vans to Cutaways and Straight Trucks. Work Truck Direct has a knowledgeable staff who are experts in many industries including Arbor, Parcel Delivery, Cleaning and Restoration, and much more.

“Allegiant Partners is excited for this change,” Says Mike Helder, VP of Sales & Business Development. “We are looking forward to helping businesses in other industries get the equipment they need to be successful.” Work Truck Direct’s partnerships with the body manufacturers and vendors allow them to source specific vehicles and upfits for many industries.

Work Truck Direct looks forward to continuing to source and finance commercial vehicles across 50 states.

Better MPG with the Kinetics Hybrid

March 27, 2015 by Eric Wanberg Leave a Comment

I bet you’ve never wished for your truck to be more fuel efficient. Oh you have? Well you’re in luck because Step Van Direct has a fleet solution for you.

Crosspoint Kinetics, a Cummins Crosspoint company, offers an electric hybrid system that boosts fuel economy (up to 30% improvement) in class 3-7 delivery vans and work trucks. The system uses regenerative braking to store electricity in durable ultra-capacitors. That energy is used to help spin the drive shaft during acceleration, reducing fuel consumption. The Kinetics Hybrid system is a post transmission, bolt-on piece of equipment that doesn’t void the manufacturer’s warranty. Current government incentives can help reduce the cost of the system by up to 80% in some areas. Enjoy paying less for fuel while saving the environment!

Step Van Direct can help finance the purchase of the Kinetic Hybrid systems for installation on new or recently new trucks, buses, and delivery vans. Contact us, your national account manager, or Crosspoint Kinetics for more information.

Expedited Pick-Up and Delivery with the Utilimaster Velocity

March 20, 2015 by Eric Wanberg 2 Comments

This year at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, IN, Utilimaster unveiled their latest truck, The Velocity. Similar in size to the Isuzu Reach, and based off of the Ford Transit cutaway chassis, the Velocity promises great fuel economy combined with a segment low total cost of ownership. This vehicle has the same engine options as the the Ford Transit cargo van. The standard 3.7L V6 gas engine (putting out 274 hp and 260 lbs-ft. of torque) can also run on E85 or be modified to run on CNG or propane. The optional Ford 3.2L I-5 diesel engine puts out 185 hp and 350 lbs.-ft of torque.

The Velocity is a low entry and exit step van made ergonomically for parcel delivery. With 3 different size options (12 ft., 14 ft., and 16 ft. length), the new step van can handle 574 cu. ft. to 784 cu. ft. of cargo capacity and a payload capacity of 3200 lbs. to 3700 lbs.

The Utilimaster Velocity is expected to be in full production during the third quarter and Step Van Direct will be able to source and finance any variation of the vehicle. We will keep you updated as more information and pricing becomes available. If you would like to see currently available Transit vehicles Click Here. Contact us or your national account manager for further information.

Our Very own Mike Helder and Scott Enbom with Utilimaster at the Work Truck Show In Indianapolis

Our very own Mike Helder and Scott Enbom with Utilimaster at the Velocity unveiling at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, IN

Amped about the new Workhorse

March 13, 2015 by Eric Wanberg Leave a Comment

“The times they are a-changin,” Bob Dylan once said. That can be said about many things, but today we’re talking about the growing prevalence of alternatively fueled vehicles. This process is already well on it’s way in the passenger vehicle sector. All the top producing car manufacturers offer a number of hybrid and electric vehicles.

It was only a matter of time before public transit jumped on the band-wagon. Local transportation companies have used and tested electric, hybrid, CNG, and even hydrogen vehicles. Now we are starting to see more and more alternative fuel companies diving into the commercial vehicle sector. UPS has used natural gas vehicles in areas of the country for years and in a previous blog article we talked about the electric Zenith Cargo Van joining the sector. This week we wanted to highlight a company called Amp Electric who has re-birthed the Workhorse name.

Amp Electric has taken the Workhorse chassis and updated the vehicle with a brand new electric drive system . The E-Gen E-100 is powered by a 268 hp electric engine with a range of approximately 60 miles. That might sound low but the E-gen also has a range extender built in. Any time the vehicle is put in park, a small 25 hp gas/propane engine fires up to recharge the battery pack.

If you live in California, Chicago, or New York you can take advantage of many hybrid vehicle incentives.

Give us a call or contact your account manager for more information on the electric delivery vehicles available.

Tire-d of the icy roads?

March 5, 2015 by Eric Wanberg Leave a Comment

Pop Quiz: My van came from the factory with all -season tires. All-season means they will work well in the snow, right?

In short, no. ~~“All-season” is fancy talk for, “I can drive through some light rain and not hydroplane”~~. All-season is an all encompassing term for tires that can handle a variety of conditions including wet roads and slight winter conditions. You have to pay attention to the ratings and specifications on the tire. Snow tires have a mountain and snow flake insignia on the tire sidewall (as seen on the right).

The fact of the matter is that if you’re not using temperature and rain/snow appropriate tires in the winter, you’re not going to be able to keep traction under emergency braking and you might crash. Here’s a video that shows the difference between all-season and winter tires on identical cars: https://www.tirerack.com/videos/index.jsp?video=23

Here are some tips to stay safe on the road with winter/snow tires:

Keep the tires properly inflated to the manufacturers recommended air pressure. (remember to check the pressure when the tires are cold)
Be mindful of the tread wear markers on the tires. Often winter and all terrain tires will appear to have plenty of tread left even when they have worn down past the tread wear marker.
Make sure you use the same brand and model tires on all four wheels. Do not put them only on the drive wheels or mix and match tread patterns.

That being said, if you are looking at buying a new van in the near future and are experiencing extreme snow, take a look a the Ram ProMaster, the only delivery vehicle equipped with front wheel drive. In snowy conditions, even with snow tires, front wheel drive will edge out the competition and get you where you need to go. Click Here to see the difference between front wheel drive and rear wheel drive on a snowy road.

Stay safe out there!