International Advantage

In today’s challenging economic conditions, small businesses are constantly on the lookout for ways to more efficiently manage their operations. To meet this need, International® created a completely new kind of payment solution. The innovative Turn-In-Three program offers customers a fixed monthly payment over six years, full warranty coverage and a new truck after three years into the program.

The past several years have been difficult for small businesses everywhere. First came the recession. Then credit dried up. That’s why International specifically designed two three-year leases with a fixed payment over six years—providing a new fleet management tool that provides greater certainty in an uncertain world. But what really makes the Turn-in-Three Lease unique is that, three years into the six-year term, the original chassis is replaced with a brand new one.

In the end, the customer receives outstanding reliability in the form of two new trucks over the course of six years with full warranty coverage and fixed payments throughout. But it also delivers something that won’t appear on the balance sheet: peace of mind.

“International’s Turn-In-Three program specifically offers fleets and small businesses a worry-free solution that also positively impacts the bottom line,” says Jim Hebe, Navistar senior vice president, North American sales operations.

The Turn-in-Three program is available on two truck models—both leaders in their categories. The International® DuraStar® has been the #1 selling medium-duty commercial truck for the past 20 years. And the company’s newest entry in the Class 4/5 commercial truck segment, the International® TerraStar®, is built to embody the same core values of the generations of International trucks that came before it. From its huck-bolted steel chassis to the powerful MaxxForce® engines with Advanced EGR™, the industry’s only no-hassle 2010 emissions solution, the result is a truck that offers the brand’s legendary toughness, durability, dependability and value.

Here’s a breakdown of the benefits of the Turn-in-Three program:

• A six-year fixed monthly lease payment where after three years, the truck is replaced with a new truck to fulfill the final three years. The body is also transferred free of charge;
• 100 percent warranty coverage on both vehicles, with a full parts and labor warranty on the engine, chassis and complete drivetrain; and,
• The chance to walk away at the end of six years or purchase the vehicle at market value.

Whether leasing the fleet of the future or just one truck, the Turn-in-Three program puts businesses in control by offering favorable lease terms in an uncertain economy. It also delivers two new trucks in six years to help companies keep growing stronger.

For more information on the Turn-in-Three lease program and to find a participating dealer, visit: International Trucks

It’s no secret that proper maintenance can add to any vehicle’s life span. With the help of OnCommand™ Preventive Maintenance, International customers can minimize downtime and maximize resale value by taking advantage of the consistently high quality of service available at participating International dealers.

The Preventive Maintenance (PM) program is another benefit of OnCommand, the largest and most comprehensive package of customer tools and support services in the industry. For those fleets constantly struggling to keep up with regular service, the life-cycle benefits of utilizing their International dealer for PM service could make smart business sense.

First, there’s the peace of mind in knowing that your vehicle will get top-quality service: the best parts, premium oil and filters, and service from factory-trained and certified technicians. Plus, the consistency of standard pricing and warranty on all parts and services means “fleets can better plan their operating costs and know that their vehicles will get the same inspections and service whether they’re in Tulsa or Tacoma,” says Dave Krason, service program manager, Navistar. The program is currently available at more than 500 dealers across the U.S. and Canada.

Thanks to the program’s fixed yet flexible pricing, fleets can better manage their operating costs by better controlling PM expenditures. “Preventive maintenance is the most important thing customers can do to control the number of breakdowns they have. It helps them keep their trucks in the best shape they can be,” says Krason.

In addition to ensuring you get the maximum return for your equipment investment, proper maintenance can also help fleets keep their safety scores clean. In today’s stricter regulatory environment, with more detailed inspections resulting in harsher penalties, it’s never been more important to ensure every aspect of your trucks is in tip-top shape. In fact, those who don’t keep an eye on truck maintenance could find themselves out of commission if they build up enough negative points for things like oil leaks and defective brakes.

“Both fleets and drivers have skin in the game and need to remain compliant with the new CSA (Comprehensive Safety Analysis) regulations,” says Krason. “By utilizing the OnCommand PM program to the fullest, fleets can position themselves to avoid costly downtime due to consistently poor inspections. Remember, it’s a cumulative measure. With a continuing grading system, it’s important to keep your grades in full compliance.”

The convenience and versatility of the program also help deliver significant benefits to the customer’s bottom line. International dealer locations feature extended service hours and, thanks to the OEM’s vast parts inventory, even hard-to-find parts are easily available. That means trucks are serviced quickly and back on the road in a timely fashion.

And from a budget standpoint, the dealer-focused program can be structured in a way that best fits specific needs: Service can be purchased on a job-by-job basis, or pre-purchased to ensure the lowest prices for an extended period. There is no enrollment necessary for the program, which offers three different inspection levels, and it’s available for everyone from the single owner-operator to the largest fleet.

Now more than ever, the proper preventive maintenance program can be a difference maker for fleets. With so much at stake, it’s a good feeling to know that your dealer—and your truck maker—has got your back.

For more information, ask your local dealer if they offer OnCommand Preventive Maintenance—or search for the nearest dealer on International Trucks.

Driver comfort has always been a priority for Tennessee-based truckload carrier Milan Express. But after five years of roller coaster fuel prices, the company’s president John Ross decided to make a fundamental change in how he specs his trucks. With fluid economy taking center stage, he turned to the International® ProStar®+ with the MaxxForce® 13 engine.

“We determined that we’re in an era of high fuel prices,” says Ross. “So now we’re definitely spec’ing our trucks for higher fuel mileage. That’s what led us to look at the ProStar+.”

Founded in 1969 by John’s father, Tommy Ross, Milan Express began with one tractor and one straight truck. The company now runs more than 400 power units and carries goods for clients like Briggs and Stratton and Wal-Mart. Their service area is primarily in the Midwest and Southeast.

While the company has always had good results from International trucks, in the 2000s Milan Express began incorporating vehicles from other OEMs into its fleet. “With the changes in emissions standards, we wanted to see what else was out there,” Ross says. Now, as the carrier seeks the best possible fluid economy—the total consumption of diesel fuel and DEF, the urea-based solution required for competitive trucks using SCR technology to meet 2010 emissions—Ross is wholeheartedly returning to the brand he’s always counted on.

“We are moving back to International,” he says. “We plan on being primarily an International fleet. That’s where we’re headed.”

The road back began early this year at Volunteer International in Jackson, Tennessee, when the dealer equipped Milan Express with two brand-new International® ProStar®+ trucks. According to Ross, sales professionals from Volunteer took the lead in helping spec the demo trucks for maximum fluid economy. Along with the lighter yet still plenty powerful MaxxForce 13 engines, the dealer recommended Eaton® UltraShift® automatic transmissions.

“Experienced drivers might be able to get better fuel economy with a 10-speed transmission. But new drivers who aren’t as savvy can often burn more fuel,” Ross says. “We found that the automatic transmissions helped us separate the driver part of the equation from the fuel side.”

Ross also chose the full aero package, incorporating side skirts and farings to help boost fuel efficiency. He initially considered going without the aero features, hoping to save some money on the sticker price, but in the end decided the investment was well worth it over the life of the trucks.

Once the new ProStar+ trucks were out on the road, Ross ran them against comparable vehicles from other manufacturers and found that the “ProStar+ far exceeded their products,” he says.

“We were getting in the neighborhood of 7.1 to 7.3 mpg when we started this program,” he says. When pulling lighter freight, the numbers were even better. Fully loaded trucks, whose routes took them through the mountains of North Carolina and East Tennessee, were getting in the 6.8mpg range.

“Those trucks got over a mile-per-gallon better fuel economy than our fleet average,” says Ross. “It was impressive.”

Obviously a number of factors influence fuel economy, most notably driver behavior. But knowing that his trucks can be spec’d in such a way to deliver those numbers brings Ross peace of mind at a time when there isn’t much of it to go around. “We need to train and hire the best drivers and offer fuel incentives. But to know we’re capable of that fuel mileage is exciting,” he says.

Milan Express recently placed an order for 50 trucks—some with automatic transmissions, others with traditional 10-speeds for his veteran drivers. Ross hopes to double that order next year. “We feel the ProStar+ gives us the best of both worlds: Over the life of that truck we feel we’re going to get a low operating cost, but we can also give a premium product to our drivers,” he says.

The lightness of the ProStar+ with the MaxxForce engine, which can add up to 400 or more pounds in weight savings versus the competition, was also a major factor in the purchase decision: “We have some accounts where the cargo doesn’t take up all the space on the trailer, but they maximize every pound. The more trucks weigh, the less we’ll be able to haul.”

In this economy, hauling less—and making less money—is not an option. Successful fleets are choosing trucks spec’d to do more with less weight and less fuel—and equipped with next-generation engines built specifically for the challenges of today’s operators.

“The aerodynamics and the automated transmissions were a factor,” says Ross. “But you have to attribute [the fuel economy numbers] to the engineering of that engine. You’re not going to get those kind of fuel numbers unless the engine was a major part of the puzzle.”

For more information on the International ProStar+ and MaxxForce 13 engine, visit: International Trucks

For more information on Milan Express, visit: Milan Express

All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

Sherwin Fast of Great Plains Trucking is the first winner in the International® Advantage Owners Monthly Sweepstakes. The president of the Salina, Kansas flatbed carrier received a Sirius XM satellite radio package, and was selected after earning entry points on the IA portal. Every month a new winner will be drawn, leading up to the year-end grand prize: a $5,000 Visa® Fuel Card.

All members of the International Advantage program are eligible for the sweepstakes. To enter, simply log on to the online portal and start earning entry points by taking advantage of the many benefits the IA program has to offer. For example: Complete your membership profile, submit a question to the “Ask the Expert” forum, upload a photo of your truck, or refer a friend or colleague to the program to acquire entry points.

Those with the most entry points have the greatest chance to win monthly prizes such as a Garmin navigation system or Sirius XM satellite radio package. And the points roll over month to month, which helps increase your odds leading up to the $5,000 Visa Fuel Card grand prize drawing on December 22, 2011.

As the inaugural monthly sweepstakes winner, Great Plains Trucking’s Sherwin Fast says he’s excited to receive his new satellite radio system. But more importantly, he’s appreciative of the service he receives from International Trucks, both on the corporate level, as well as from his longtime dealer, Roberts Truck Center.

“Our dealer knows our needs and they do their best to help us spec trucks that are a good fit,” Fast says, who notes he’s also visited the International truck plant in Escobedo, Mexico and MaxxForce engine plant in Alabama, along with representatives from the truck and engine maker. “International helps us gain a good understanding of our equipment options before we buy.”

Great Plains currently runs more than 60 over-the-road units. The all-flatbed carrier began in 1982 when its sister company, Great Plains Manufacturing, started a trucking division to haul its own products—high quality seeding units and farm implements—to dealers throughout the country. Over the years, the in-house trucking company continued to grow. Today, their fleet also brings raw materials from vendors back to Great Plains plants in central Kansas, and does for-hire flatbed hauling for other companies.

While Great Plains has traditionally run mostly International® 9900 trucks, the fleet recently added nine new International ProStar®+ trucks with 2010 emissions-ready MaxxForce® 13 engines—with eight more set to deliver this fall. After a test run with two pilot ProStar+ vehicles resulted in a half-gallon better fuel economy compared with trucks from competitive OEMs, Fast says the decision to go with International was an easy one.

“The transition to the new trucks has been seamless,” he says. “Plus, weight is a critical issue for us. And the ProStar+ trucks are the lightest trucks we’ve ever run.”

Great Plains Trucking also features two International LoneStar® rigs. The attention-grabbing trucks—decked out in chrome and lights—are frequently seen at area parades and events like the Kansas State Fair.

As the president of a small business, as well as the president of the Kansas Motor Carriers Association, Fast says he’s proud to be a partner with International. And winning the International Advantage Owners Monthly Sweepstakes only adds to his positive feelings about the truck maker.

“It helps solidify my relationship with International. That’s for sure,” he says. “They’re a great company.”

To start earning points for your chance to win great prizes, visit: International Advantage.

For more information about Great Plains Trucking, visit: GP Trucking.

For the second year in a row, the Navistar LPGA Classic helped raise thousands of dollars for the Wounded Warrior Project™—the non-profit that provides assistance to injured veterans. LPGA Tour rookie Jennifer Johnson played on behalf of WWP during the tournament, which took place September 12-18 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Prattville, Alabama.

Over 40,000 men and women in the United States Armed Forces have been wounded in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and approximately 300,000 suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor and empower these brave soldiers. Tens of thousands of wounded warriors and caregivers receive support each year through programs designed to nurture the mind and body, and encourage economic empowerment and engagement through job training and placement. In fact, many of these retired soldiers end up finding work in the trucking industry as technicians and drivers.

Navistar’s corporate mission of “doing the right thing”—combined with its strong connection with the US military as a truck supplier—made its relationship with WWP a natural fit, according to Archie Massicotte, president, Navistar Defense. Among the trucks currently helping protect front line soldiers are the International® MaxxPro® Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) family of vehicles and International 7000-MV medium tactical vehicles.

“It’s been an honor for Navistar to help contribute to WWP’s mission to help injured soldiers find work and move into a new phase in their lives,” Massicotte says. “As a company, we’re not only committed to leading the way with vehicles, people, and solutions our customers can count on, but we’re also committed to giving back to those who have courageously served our country.”

Several wounded warriors participated in tournament activities over the course of the event, which included long game and short game training sessions from PGA teaching professional Chris Walkey and other instructors. Dan Nevins, director of major gifts for WWP, competed in the Navistar LPGA Classic Pro-Am. A retired Army Special Forces sergeant who sacrificed both legs in combat in Iraq, Nevins learned to play golf through WWP.

“Wounded veterans shouldn’t have to suffer any more than they already have,” says Johnson, the promising young LPGA player who helped bring attention to the Wounded Warrior Project throughout the tournament. “They deserve all the support and care they can get.”

For Navistar LPGA Classic results and more information about the Wounded Warrior Project, visit: Navistar LPGA Classic.

All marks are trademarks of their respective owners.