We’re in the logistics business, and the biggest component of logistics in our operation is a reliable fleet,” says Kevin Barbour, senior vice president-operations at 1-800-PACK-RAT. “We set schedules for equipment to meet customer moving and storage needs weeks in advance, so uptime is everything.”
Offering a unique brand of moving and storage services, the Wake Forest, NC-based company provides residential and commercial customers with 16x8-, 12x8- and 8x8-ft. moving and storage containers. The company serves more than 70 markets in the U.S. and Canada with 30,000 containers, which are moved by almost 200 medium-duty trucks.
Several years ago, 1-800-PACK-RAT began standardizing on Kenworth T370 models, which are supplied through MHC Kenworth-Wilmington in North Carolina. Today, the company operates 115 T370s and has 30 more on order.
The 230-in. wheelbase trucks are equipped with proprietary lift systems designed to raise containers straight up and place them squarely on the truck chassis, eliminating shifting of contents. Some trucks in the fleet also pull trailers with containers.
The decision to standardize on the Kenworths was based on the experience of one of the franchises in the 1-800-PACK-RAT system. “That location was experiencing better reliability and fuel economy,” Barbour says. “We need reliable trucks to provide dependable service, and the T370s with 280-hp. Paccar PX-7 engines and Allison automatic 5-speed transmissions had been getting 2 mpg better fuel economy than other truck makes and models. When you consider that our trucks drive about 60,000 mi. annually, going from 6 to 8 mpg means an extra $10,000 a year in fuel savings per unit.”
A well-maintained fleet is just as critical for the service-oriented, asset-based operation at 1-800-PACK-RAT, explains Barbour. “We have a maintenance contract with Penske Truck Leasing to handle all of our service needs,” he relates. “Effective maintenance is an essential part of ensuring customer service. Because our equipment is unique, if a truck breaks down, we can’t simply use a loaner or rent a replacement.
“Many of our locations are standalone so they can’t share assets, and many have as few as three trucks,” adds Barbour, “so if one goes down, it cuts capacity by a third. Any unplanned downtime can cause problems to snowball throughout our entire system, which jeopardizes our ability to live up to our 100% satisfaction guarantee.”
Barbour notes that effective maintenance is important for maintaining favorable CSA scores. “CSA has huge fleet management and compliance requirements, including appeals, which can be very time consuming,” he states. “The enhanced enforcement activity under CSA has had such an impact on our operation that ensuring compliance has become a large initiative for us. We actually have one manager who spends most of his time following up on roadside inspections, which we have found to be somewhat subjective and produce varied results in different jurisdictions.”
The idea behind 1-800-PACK-RAT was conceived in 2001 when a North Carolina entrepreneur sketched out an all-steel weatherproof portable storage container that was jokingly referred to as a “Pack Rat” because of its ability to store everything. Three initial locations opened in the state in 2003, and beginning in 2005 under new leadership, the company expanded within two years to include 50 facilities. Today, it operates from 63 locations.
“1-800-PACK-RAT continues to expand,” Barbour says. “We plan to begin serving new markets this year, next year, and into the foreseeable future. As a result, we’ll be adding to the fleet. In the moving and storage business, trucks aren’t just the backbone of logistics — they also project our mantra of providing excellent and reliable service.”
