Today, Jayco's fleet hauls products to customers from its manufacturing facilities in Texas and South Carolina, returning with empty bins. Over the years, the company expanded its transportation department.
“We will pick up four or five deliveries along the route from our customers’ vendors and deliver to their production sites,” Maynard explained. “We’re also using our trucks to shuttle fabricated parts to finishing plants.”
In some cases, the Jayco fleet backhauls and handles freight for other companies. In South Carolina, for example, the company operates a 3PL warehouse where it receives and delivers loads for customers from its other vendors.
Full-service leasing helps Jayco control costs
“That activity is mainly about offsetting our transportation costs,” Maynard said. “The total cost of ownership equation for a private fleet is different than that for a for-hire or dedicated contract carrier. Our main mission is to service our customers, while making a small profit helps ensure we can cover our costs.”
Cost control was also the primary reason Jayco moved from owning trucks to full-service leasing with PacLease. In the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, the company operates two Peterbilt Model 579 day cabs and two Peterbilt medium-duty Model 536 box trucks. It recently onboarded a Model 579 day cab in its South Carolina plant.
With company-owned trucks, Maynard noted, reliability issues and breakdowns meant frequent scrambling to rent trucks to keep up with deliveries, along with high costs.
“Leasing has made our operation more cost-effective and less stressful,” he said. “We know our costs and can budget, and we have the support we need to handle maintenance and repairs, and if there ever is a need for a loaner.”
The Peterbilt 579s in the Jayco fleet are spec’d with full Paccar powertrains, including Paccar MX-13 engines rated at 455 hp, Paccar TX-12 automated transmissions, and Paccar DX-40 rear axles. The medium-duty Peterbilts feature a 260-hp Paccar PX-7 engine and 8-speed Paccar TX-8 automatic transmission.
When spec’ing the Peterbilts, Maynard had Jayco’s senior driver, an employee for more than 20 years, work with PacLease to select components and the powertrain.
“Our drivers know our routes, the weights we haul, and other needs, so it was essential to have our lead driver involved in the process,” he emphasized. “The end result is trucks that our drivers like and that make our operation efficient.
Having its own fleet has driven Jayco's growth
“Operating our own fleet shows our commitment to customer service,” Maynard added. “It also makes us a more valuable partner for our customers. The fleet has also been one of the key reasons we’ve been able to manage our growth.”
Founded by Maynard in 1998, Jayco Manufacturing is thriving. The company has expanded its two manufacturing facilities significantly over the years. In just the past seven years, it has achieved 150% sales growth, from $16 million in 2018 to $40 million by the end of the 2025 fiscal year.
Today, Jayco remains focused on producing a range of components for products consumers rely on every day. In turn, the company relies on its transportation department and fleet to make that happen.
