Kenworth and Peterbilt : Are they still best of the rest?
A common question for truck drivers who want to become owner-operators is what brand of truck they should buy.
The two main competitors are the Kenworth and Peterbilt brands.
Both have a reputation for reliable, high-quality trucks. It may be helpful to know that Kenworth trucks and Pete trucks are made by the same company.
Both trucks are manufactured by PACCAR, which is not surprising considering that they are the best Class 8 trucks.
What makes KENWORTH and PETERBILT so good ?
There are many reasons why Kenworth and Peterbilt have been recognized, recommended, and required by North American truck drivers.
In addition to having an extensive dealer network and strong customer service, they are also built with smarter designs and sturdy materials.
Let the numbers speak. They now control about 37% of the market share, but have been losing it in recent years.
Initially, they owned more than 50% of the Class 8 market because they could mass produce trucks at lower prices.
There are some little guys collecting there; for example, Volvo, Mike, International, all have about 10% of the market share, but the real big players are Freightliner and PACCAR.
Over the years, truck drivers have begun to notice that Freightliner has been producing low-quality vehicles that require constant maintenance.
Truck buyers now simply cannot afford downtime with such a low profit margin. Poor structure and poor quality control caused Freightliners to continuously lose market share to PACCAR.
PACCAR now controls approximately 28% of the market share. Even large truck fleets have begun to abandon Freightliner because they cannot afford the downtime.
They also try to attract drivers. Even large teams like Steven’s Transport in Dallas will buy high-quality PACCAR equipment.
Why? Because no one will jump from Stevens’ new Kenworth T680 to Swift Transport’s Freightliner.
Less maintenance, Less downtime -
Anyone who has owned a vehicle knows that it can face major (and costly) failures, or it can be easy. Become nickel and reduce to death in trivial matters.
It is no different for large rigs.
Nowadays, due to lower shipping costs, you need to make the most of your equipment.
Truck owners cannot afford downtime. Young and old alike choose PACCAR because their trucks have fewer mechanical problems compared to Freightliner, Volvo and Mack.
In terms of failures and emissions, the international situation has always been a disaster.
Many truck owners insist on using the more reliable Kenworth and Peterbilt truck brands.
Yes, Freightliners are cheaper.
However, the lower initial investment will sometimes bother you again. I also know many owners and operators who have purchased Freightliner, and they have encountered many repair and maintenance problems.
Sometimes, in the long run, these problems end up paying more for truck owners. Maybe it’s best to buy a beautiful Peterbilt truck first.
To make matters worse, I heard that a Freightliner walked away from a damaged vehicle and said to the owner: Endure it. Deal with it. Good luck.
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Best Quality-Cargo Airliner vs. Cargo Airliner -
For example, my little experience with Freightliner.
A friend of mine and I are preparing to load the goods in Salinas, California in the morning. I was driving a Peterbilt at the time.
I am driving a Freightliner. The two trucks are the same age and have almost the same mileage.
When we left the parking lot, my friend squeezed the clutch. The clutch rod is broken, it’s no big deal.
This is something that can be easily resolved, and we will still book a pick-up service. We disassembled its clutch coupling.
I am surprised how thin the metal is.
The stick in her bag is thinner than a pencil. In contrast, the clutch lever on my Peterbilt is very sturdy.
This Freightliner is assembled with such fragile parts. No wonder Freightliner trucks are lighter than Peterbilt trucks.
Everything about these trucks seems to be problematic because they cannot withstand the constant impact and vibration of the road.
Kenworth and Peterbilt: Excellent cab sealing, best insulation, wiring and A-1 wiring -
At the same time, Kenworth and Peterbilt cabs have the best seals in the industry.
They are also the best insulated trucks. Look at the airline’s wiring and routes, this is the best in the industry.
There are fewer problems because they are properly wired and wrapped to protect the wiring from wear.
PACCAR’s Peterbilts and Kenworths are well-trained, so the team is stronger.
When you are driving 500,000-800,000 miles, it is important to have sturdy equipment.
Dealer Network -
An important advantage of PACCAR Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks is that they have the best dealers.
PACCAR usually has Peterbilt and Kenworth dealers in the same city, which doubles the number of dealers available to truck owners.
Because they control less market share than Freightliner, these two dealers are usually easier to make appointments for repairs than Freightliner dealers who have just booked a lot of trouble!
Despite the hype about the 24/7 service, truck owners may have to wait several weeks before entering Freightliner dealers.
Although this is a good sales promotion, it’s not great if you can’t get a repair appointment as soon as possible. Downtime for truck owners is critical.
I have never encountered a situation where I cannot enter a PACCAR dealer.
They have better quality control of the vehicles, which also means that they are making better trucks. Less downtime, less store time.
They have the best classic pickup appearance and the best aerodynamic pickup appearance.
Paccar is now also making its own engine, which means it is like a shopping station.
If you need to perform repairs or warranty work on the truck, you can perform engine work and/or truck repairs.
This is very important when you buy a truck. However, even if you encounter a breakdown, you can be sure that you will find a dealer willing to help you get back on the road.
Maybe for regional or short-distance transportation, a Freightliner may be required, so the truck owner can save some money.
But based on my long-distance truck transportation experience, you need a reliable truck. I have always bought PACCAR and it has never disappointed me.
If the truck is back on the road as soon as possible after a breakdown, this is a sign of a good truck.
Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks have always been market leaders because they provide quality trucks and reliable service.
Their performance is better than other manufacturers because their trucks spend longer on the road, saving truck owners some money in the long run.
For a long time, Kenworth has been the best truck I know.
Read More : How to become a Successful Owner Operator