A truck’s cost should be thought out and calculated by thinking of the buying-using-selling cycles. A more realistic cost of the price of a truck should also include financing and tax implications. This is from Patrick Gaskins, AmeriQuest Transportation Services Vice President of Financial Services.
Gaskins believes that those in procurement believe that getting the lowest price and best financing is the way to go. The fleet manager thinks a truck with the highest fuel economy and lowest repair costs would be best. Then you have the department handling disposition of used assets thinking about resale value.
In an ideal world, the finance people, fleet manager and resale of assets people should all work together in the truck purchase process. Each department presents their needs and all three areas should collaborate to come to the solution that accomplishes their end goal, which is running at the lowest cost per mile possible.
For more information on truck buying, go to the story written by Jason Cannon of Successful Dealer.