Going Green

Tractor demonstrates advantages of 2007 engines

“We believe that our customers will realize a .5 to one mile-per-gallon improvement compared to previous generation equipment.”

– Gary Le Loup, general manager,

Allstate Leasing,

Eagan, Minn.

Established in 1968, Allstate Leasing, based in Eagan, Minn., is a full-service truck leasing company. “We currently operate 10 facilities in the Midwest,” says Gary Le Loup, general manager. “We provide a full range of services, including licensing, fuel, maintenance and short- and long-term replacements. We take full responsibility for the product by providing a bumperto-bumper lifetime guarantee on the vehicle.

“We currently have about 900 trucks and trailers under contract,” he adds, “which includes grocery stores, fuel companies, beverage distributors and produce haulers. Our truck fleet is primarily Peterbilt and 99% of our trucks are powered by Caterpillar engines.” With the introduction of 2007 EPA-compliant engines and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel, some of Allstate Leasing’s customers began to have concerns about fuel economy and performance.

“We realized that we didn’t know, nor could we tell our customers what the impact of the 2007 engines was going to be,” Le Loup says. “That’s how the idea for the Green Machine came about.”

“We decided to put together a tractor that we believe will be readily accepted throughout our customer base, and provide the best fuel economy that’s available today.” says Robert Johnson, director of purchasing. “There is nothing experimental in the Green Machine. It’s all current technology that is readily available.”

The Green Machine is equipped with a Cat C15 Engine with ACERT™ Technology, 13-speed Fuller transmission, and a 3.25 rear gear. It also includes a Thermo King TriPac auxiliary power unit to reduce engine idle time and further improve fuel economy.

Allstate Leasing also specified the state-of-the-art Green Machine with Cat Messenger, which provides instant feedback to drivers on fuel economy and other operating characteristics. Fleet managers are also provided with valuable vehicle trip information.

“The Green Machine is a demonstration vehicle that we are providing to our customers to operate for a week or so,” Le Loup says. “Initially, we plan to take it to 15 customers. One may see a 5% increase in fuel economy, while another customer may see a 10% to 15% improvement. The idea is for each customer to take the vehicle and see how it performs in their operation. We know what this vehicle can do and we want them to see the results for themselves.”

Passion for Perfection

Allstate Leasing, based in Eagan, Minn., prides itself on providing customers with top-notch equipment and customer service.

“We’re very focused on helping our customers operate their businesses profitably,” says Gary Le Loup, general manager. To do that, we ask a lot of questions – What can we do to help you? How can we help lower your costs? How can we arrange our shop hours so we aren’t taking your vehicles out of service when you need them? What type of equipment is the most economical and provides the best operation for your business, not just the lowest price?

“We also spend time learning about their operations,” he continues. “We look at the loading docks, production lines, packaging areas, and talk to the drivers. It typically takes six months from the time we say we’d like to place a bid until we actually put the bid together. It’s not a quick process because if we don’t spend time with the customers, we’re not delivering the best products and services to them, whether it’s specifications, hours of operation, or shop locations. We spend time understanding all aspects of our customers’ operations, from top to bottom.”

“Many of our customers don’t have the expertise to determine what type of vehicle is best for them,” adds Robert Johnson, director of purchasing. “So they rely on us for that information. We really try to know and understand our customers.

“We try hard to eliminate discomfort and apprehension in our conversations with our customers and prospects,” Le Loup adds. “We know what specific vehicles can do and we show them the results. We show them the actual truck and our support network. We work with our customers on driver training, fuel economy and specifications. We’re not a cookie-cutter operation.”