Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Xtra Lease Plans to Buy 10,000 Trailers with $300M Investment

Xtra Lease announced that it will invest more than $300 million to purchase over 10,000 trailers in 2019, the largest capital investment made by the company for trailers in a single year.

April 2, 2019
Xtra Lease Plans to Buy 10,000 Trailers with $300M Investment

Xtra Lease plans to invest more than $300 million to purchase over 10,000 trailers in 2019, decreasing the average age of its over-the-road van trailer fleet by over 5 1/2 years.

Photo courtesy Xtra Lease

2 min to read


Xtra Lease announced that it will invest more than $300 million to purchase over 10,000 trailers in 2019, the largest capital investment made by the company for trailers in a single year.

Ad Loading...

With the purchase of new dry vans, reefers, flatbeds and chassis, Xtra Lease’s fleet will grow to approximately 85,000 trailers. New vans and reefers will be equipped with side skirts, air disc brakes and trailer tracking, free on all rentals and leases. All new vans include a cargo sensor, also a free service.

Ad Loading...

“We invest in new trailers every year to provide the youngest, most reliable fleet of rental trailers in the market,” said Bill Franz, president and CEO of Xtra Lease. “Our purchase this year will lower the average age of our over-the-road vans to 5.6 years. And our flatbed fleet will drop to an average age of 4.9 years.”

Xtra Lease’s 2019 purchase includes a mix of:

  • 53- and 48-foot dry vans

  • 53- and 48-foot liftgated vans

  • 53-foot reefers

  • 53- and 48-foot flatbeds

“Our goal is to ensure that fleets have access to quality trailers that they can count on to perform well with low maintenance,” he added. “A young fleet with disc brakes makes reliability a priority. Trailer tracking, fuel-saving side skirts and cargo sensors help fleets keep utilization high, costs low and drivers driving.”

Flatbed Overhaul

The fleet will get a significant boost with the addition of 1,400 new flatbeds in 2019, the largest flatbed investment by Xtra Lease in several years.

Ad Loading...

The company will add a variety of models, including:

  • 53-foot spread-axle straight frame and single-drop flatbeds

  • 48-foot tandem slider, spread-axle and single-drop flatbeds

  • 48-foot 40-ton double-drop with hydraulic removable gooseneck, which is new to the XTRA Lease fleet

  • 20/40-foot tridem chassis

New trailers are arriving at Xtra Lease branches now, and new production will continue to occur throughout the year.

More Equipment

Diagram of trailer tandem slider suspension
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeMarch 19, 2026

SAF-Holland Redesigns Suspension Slider to Save Weight in On-Highway Trailers

SAF-Holland reengineered the UltraLite40 Slider for the ULX40 Mechanical Sliding Suspension and Axle System to reduce weight, improve durability, extend trailer life, and increase payload efficiency.

Read More →
Magnus Koeck, Volvo Trucks North America.
Equipmentby Jack RobertsMarch 18, 2026

Volvo Teases Next-Gen VNX as Platform Expansion Continues at TMC

Volvo Trucks North America highlighted new connectivity, safety tech and production investments at TMC. The OEM also signaled that a new heavy-haul flagship tractor is coming soon.

Read More →
Back of truck cab showing air and electrical line connections
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeMarch 16, 2026

SAF-Holland Introduces SmartSto System for Safer Tractor-Trailer Uncoupling

The system combines a fifth-wheel air release with stowage for air and electrical connections, helping prevent damage and reducing driver injury risk.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Diagram of SAF Holland BrakeSight
EquipmentMarch 16, 2026

SAF-Holland’s BrakeSight Aims to Take the Guesswork Out of Air Disc Brake Maintenance

New Haldex sensor technology from SAF-Holland integrates with telematics systems to give fleets continuous insight into air disc brake condition.

Read More →
Solar panels on top of a red Class 8 truck sleeper cab
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeMarch 15, 2026

Vanair Introduces Solar, Battery Power Ecosystem for Class 8 Trucks

The company’s expanded EPEQ ecosystem includes flexible solar panels, lithium batteries, hydraulic power systems, and a portable fast charger for electric trucks.

Read More →
Phillips Connect Smart Trailer technology.
Equipmentby Jack RobertsMarch 15, 2026

Phillips Connect Expands Smart Trailer Platform with New Safety, Cargo and Equipment Intelligence

Phillips Connect Smart Trailer enhancements give fleets deeper operational insights from trailers -- even when another provider supplies basic GPS tracking.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Accuride ProShield XGT.
Equipmentby Jack RobertsMarch 15, 2026

Accuride Unveils ProShield XGT Aluminum Wheel Coating at TMC

Accuride’s patent-pending surface-coating technology targets filiform corrosion and promises easier cleaning, longer-lasting gloss, and greater durability for aluminum truck wheels.

Read More →
Valvoline at TMC 2026.
Equipmentby Jack RobertsMarch 15, 2026

Valvoline, Cummins Extend X15 Oil Drain Intervals to 100,000 Miles

New approval for Valvoline Premium Blue One Solution Gen2 allows fleets running Cummins X15 engines to extend oil drain intervals by up to 25,000 miles -- reaching intervals as high as 100,000 miles.

Read More →
Al Anderson, Peterson.
Equipmentby Jack RobertsMarch 15, 2026

A New Approach to Lighting Reliability

Peterson’s Genesis lighting system and repairable J560 connector target two persistent fleet problems: LED light failures and costly electrical connector downtime.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Illustration of a row of trucks with question marks overlaid
EquipmentMarch 12, 2026

The Hidden Cost of Delaying Truck Replacement

Many fleets extended truck replacement cycles during recent market disruptions. But holding equipment too long can lead to higher repair costs, longer downtime, and new operational risks.

Read More →