International Truck & Engine Corp. has launched a web site for government buyers.

The site, www.internationaldelivers.com/government, offers detailed instructions for specifying equipment, including a glossary of terms and a sample bid spec. It also has a payment calculator and information on International’s municipal lease programs. The programs feature payments that can be tailored to the government agency’s budget cycle, low interest rates and zero down payments.
Financing is full-payout, typically with a $1 buyout at the end of the term. The lease is subject to annual appropriations, so it does not violate most government charters, which prohibit the creating of long-term debt without voter approval.
“We have to help our government customers do more with less when it comes to purchasing and maintaining truck fleets,” said International Truck Group President Steve Keate at a recent press briefing.
He noted that the budget shortfall among state governments this year totals an estimated $30 billion and some believe it may go as high as $80 billion next year. Along with deteriorating tax bases, state and local governments are facing higher health care, insurance, fuel and energy costs as well as the need to support new initiatives such as homeland security. At the same time they must deal with increased infrastructure demands including traffic congestion and deteriorating roads.
International estimates that some 20,000 to 25,000 Class 6-8 trucks are sold to government entities each year. Figuring a 10-year lifecycle, that puts the population at about 250,000 trucks. Severe service marketing director Rob Swim said their conversations with municipal buyers –- especially smaller cities and towns –- indicate that they use the Internet as a source of information.
“Based on what we heard from them, they’re reducing resources on the human and financial side,” he said. “They need to acquire trucks efficiently. They need knowledge at their fingertips.”