TransAm Trucking was founded in 1987 with 70 tractors, 100 trailers and a dedication to providing superior service to customers. Today, the company’s commitment to on-time service has helped grow its fleet to 1,240 Kenworth trucks and 1,900 trailers. Headquartered in Olathe, Kansas, TransAm maintains additional facilities in Rockwall, Texas and Tampa, Florida to better serve customers throughout the Midwest, Mid-South, Northeast, and Southeast.
“Quality organizations are committed to doing the right thing,” said TransAm Trucking President Russ McElliott. “We have to work a little harder to make sure our service level to our customers is excellent. And we have to make sure we’re taking care of our drivers.”
To that end, the company’s truck of choice is the Kenworth T680 – the Driver’s Truck™. Since the T680’s introduction in 2012, TransAm has purchased more than 1,300 T680s – including nearly 500 during the past two years – mainly equipped with 76-inch sleepers and PACCAR MX-13 engines.
“We purchase approximately 250 to 300 new Kenworths each year from MHC Kenworth – Olathe,” said McElliott. “Our drivers love the T680. Absolutely love them. It’s just a quality truck. I never hear a complaint. The average age of our trucks is 2.5 years, and drivers maintain them well. They like some of the options we add, like the APUs and inverters, refrigerators and automatic fifth wheel release. And they appreciate the automated transmission and responsiveness of the PACCAR MX-13 engine.”
When the PACCAR MX engine was launched in 2010, TransAm was one of the first fleets to spec the new engine. “It’s a quality, fuel-efficient engine that operates extremely well under all conditions,” said McElliott. “Every year, the fuel efficiency of the T680 has improved. There has never been a year when it has not improved. On our newest 2020 model trucks, we’re getting 7.8 mpg.* We’re running APUs on them, but every year – going back to the introduction of the PACCAR MX engine in 2010 – that mpg number has improved.”
Continuous improvement defines TransAm Trucking and the Kenworth equipment it operates. At the beginning of 2018, TransAm began specifying the complete PACCAR Powertrain – PACCAR MX-13 engine, PACCAR 12-speed automated transmission and PACCAR 40K tandem rear axles – with its T680 76-inch sleepers.
“Kenworth and PACCAR work tirelessly to get it right,” said McElliott. “They never back down and they stand behind their product from launch through the years to the present. The PACCAR MX-13 engine performs at a very high level thanks to the hard work and tenacity of Kenworth and PACCAR to get it right. Frankly, between the leadership and support we get from Kenworth, it’s the best dealer network we’ve ever worked with. They’re responsive, and they care. If there is a problem, they’re as invested in taking care of the problem as we are. They work diligently to support us, and the commitment of the upper management at Kenworth is beyond tremendous.”
TransAm will continue to grow its fleet with quality Kenworth trucks, according to McElliott. The Kenworth dealer network is second to none, and the T680 meets the company’s strict reliability standards for uptime. “MHC Kenworth and PACCAR have stood behind us from the beginning,” he said. “Kenworth is absolutely the best supplier we have.”
