For Transport Nalaco’s Jonathan Aubut, knowing your costs means knowing your business. “We track everything from labor, to maintenance, to fuel, to routes and detention time,” says the corporate development manager for the Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec-based bulk hauling company. “That data enables us to set a competitive rate per metric ton of material that we haul, and to assign internal hourly rates for our drivers.”
Operating a fleet of 75 Kenworths — primarily T680s[link to: https://www.kenworth.com/trucks/t680/] with low total cost of ownership — combined with excellent support from Kenworth Maska (current Kenworth Dealer of the Year), is a formula that has been successful for Transport Nalaco, a division of Jefo Logistique. The company continues to grow as a leader in transporting bulk products — primarily protein and grain, as well as dry box and container. “We pay a little more at the outset for our Kenworths, but we get that back in resale value,” Aubut says. “Our cost for maintenance is low, while our fuel economy is excellent. Plus our drivers like being behind the wheel. That shows in the pride they have in driving and in keeping the trucks looking nice. The T680s serve as our best marketing card.”
The company’s newest T680s with 76-inch mid-roof sleepers are spec’d with PACCAR MX-13 engines rated at 510 hp at 1,850 lb-ft of torque. According to Aubut, Transport Nalaco has been a long-time fan of the PACCAR MX-13 engine. “It’s clearly reliable and we’ve been very pleased with our fuel economy,” he says. “We know what we’re getting and the PACCAR MX-13 has enough strength to handle the heavy loads we carry.”
