In just a couple of weeks, it appears we are headed into yet another new era of how commercial trucks and trailers are going to be specified, thanks to the Oct. 1 emissions standards and the economy.

As Heavy Duty Trucking Editor Deborah Whistler writes in the September issue, "it's time for us to all wake up and smell the coffee -- or in this case, the fresh air." Despite lobbying and court challenges, "the new emissions regulations are a done deal."
This is the first of a series of articles dealing with spec'ing equipment in the new environment, HDT Senior Editor Steve Sturgess takes a look at what the new regulations mean when it comes to truck buying. The three-year trade cycle has gone and the emissions deadline is here. Economics and emissions are causing fleets to rethink their spec'ing strategies.
During a roundtable session at a recent meeting of the Truckload Carriers Assn.'s refrigerated division, a panel looked at how extending the trade cycle might actually benefit fleets by getting more useful life out of the asset by exploiting the durability and reliability of modern heavy-duty components.
John Martin, general manager for Freightliner's central sales region, said many fleets think the ideal cycle is five years and 650,000 miles. For practical purposes, though, four years and 480,000 miles allows owners to bring in the truck for trade and, by going for add-on warranties, make the trades look more attractive in the used market.
Fleets looking to buy used trucks to fill in for post-EPA '02 new trucks should consider the fact that many of those low mileage vehicles probably were spec'ed for a short-term trade, Sturgess notes.
Sturgess also addresses warranty issues and notes that because of the fine print of what constitutes an '02 engine, there will be some trucks built with current engines for a while after Oct. 1.
For more on Class 8 spec'ing in the new environment, see the September issue of HDT. To see if you qualify for a free subscription, visit www.heavydutytrucking.com.