Articles Tagged with ''beverage fleet''

Fleet equipment and technology are evolving at an unprecedented pace, with vehicles approaching obsolescence after only a brief time on the road.

Although tires aren’t always the first items distributors think of when optimizing delivery and fuel efficiency, their role in getting cases safely and cost-effectively from points A to B cannot be overstated.

For Powers Distributing, the key to modern beverage fleet management comes down to one simple term: velocity.

Here’s a rundown of what to expect as we roll into 2018.

This year’s event was the first time that the summit was produced by BNP Media’s Events Division with Beverage Industry serving as its media partner.

One of the best ways to reduce exhaust emissions and cut fuel costs obviously is to burn less fuel. Although fuel prices have substantially decreased in the past few years and have largely stabilized for now, beverage fleets remain proactive about reducing their fuel consumption. Between route/load optimization and updates to the latest drivetrain technology, the low-hanging fuel-economy fruit has been thoroughly harvested. Among the more common fuel saving strategies reported is the use of factory-installed idle shut-down timers to reduce unnecessary engine idling.

As urban legends go, the belief that retreaded tires aren’t safe or practical ranks up there with the idea that one can find an honest politician during an election year. The reality is that a retreaded tire produced by a top-quality retreader will perform as well as a comparable new tire and at a lower price.

For a family-run company that has been in the beverage business for more than a century, Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Atlantic, Iowa, is by no means stuck in the past. Late last year, the company grew from two locations to nine, expanding its territory to cover most of Iowa and portions of adjoining states. As part of the acquisition, Atlantic also has accelerated its shift to end-load equipment, including the recent purchase of 16 new Kenworth T370 tractors and 13 new trailers.

Beverage Industry conducted its annual fleet survey to get the latest data on the size and makeup of current delivery fleets as well as operational concerns and strategies. Continuing trends in this year’s results include the popularity of small vans, as well as the continuing split in favor of end-load trucks and trailers versus traditional side-load equipment.