Ploger Transportation Nears the 100,000-Mile Drain Interval Mark

Ploger Transportation is widely regarded as one of the most fuel efficiency-focused fleets in North America. Based in Norwalk, Ohio, Ploger has a close association with Volvo Trucks, and runs an 82-truck fleet of both Mack and Volvo tractors and 200 dry van trailers hauling dry goods and custom furniture throughout the lower 48 states. The trucks average about 120,000 miles a year in those applications.

In 2016, Shane Sattler, director of maintenance for Ploger, wanted a way to extend drain intervals on the fleet’s trucks while reducing its overall carbon footprint. After conferring with Northeast Lubricants, Ploger’s local distributor, as well as engineers at Castrol, Sattler decided on Castrol’s Vecton Long Drain 10W-30 CK-4 premium diesel engine oil for all power units in the fleet.

Almost immediately, Sattler said, he noticed several improvements in the trucks’ performance, including improved cold-temperature starts – always important in Ohio – as well as reduced oil burn-off.

The most marked improvement, however, was in the significantly longer drain intervals the new oil provided for Ploger trucks, as well as the associated increased fuel economy and decreased fleet operating costs.

“Using Castrol Vectron Long Drain 10W-30 CK-4 premium diesel engine oil, we’ve extended drain intervals for all warrantied trucks out to 60,000 miles, and non-warrantied equipment out to 96,000 miles without any issues,” Sattler said.

Sattler and Ploger technicians worked closely with Castrol engineers, including an extensive oil sampling program to achieve those results, which have netted real-world cost savings for Ploger. Sattler said that since switching to Castrol and extending drain intervals fleet wide, Ploger has saved $10,000 a year in maintenance costs, totaling over $70,000 in savings since the inception of the program. Moreover, Sattler added, Ploger has reduced its overall carbon footprint by 34,000 lbs. annually in the same time period.