You may not realize it, but you could be one of the many in this industry suffering from IFS. It's a new disorder identified by psychologists caused by the increased speed and volume of information. The official name: Information Fatigue Syndrome.
The world of business is ever changing, with new challenges constantly being created by economic swings, new competitive pressures, globalization of the marketplace, and many other factors.
There is the accelerating pace of innovation, technology, vehicles and equipment, and regulatory changes.
Distribution channels are changing, as are logistics methods and strategies. So are maintenance products and practices.
With the ever-quickening pace of business, and life, time is becoming an even more precious resource.
In the meantime, our ability to produce information and deliver it 24 hours a day is outstripping our ability to process it. Information glut, or infoglut as it has come to be called, has been steadily growing, as has the stress to the psyche.
All of this is contributing to IFS. We are drowning in information.
With all of the numerous challenges you have to contend with, in addition to performing daily job functions, it is difficult to stay up-to-date on truck and engine model offerings, and the diversity of specifications.
Refrigerated Transporter's annual Power Guide has been designed to help alleviate some IFS for our readers. In the guide we have gathered important details about new medium duty and heavy duty trucks, and the engines that power these vehicles.
This year's guide, which begins on page 34 of the print edition, has been expanded to provide additional data to enable you to more easily compare 2008 models, spec-by-spec.
The guide is only intended to provide some of the essential information needed for the most advantageous vehicle spec'ing. Selecting the most appropriate equipment with the correct specs for its intended applications contributes to the lowest life-cycle costs.
When it comes time to acquire new equipment, seek the counsel of the truck, engine, and component manufacturers. This, too, can mitigate IFS, since vehicle technology and electronics is constantly evolving.
It is the job of these manufacturers to remain current on their products and forthcoming developments. Check with them to learn about the latest advances and new products.
Make the time to discuss with them your operation and go over how your current equipment and specs are performing.
An investment in time and effort to get the proper specs provides significant returns in cost-savings. Improper spec'ing can add to operating costs as a truck with the wrong components operates less efficiently.
Under-spec'ing can cause unscheduled repairs and increased costs because of premature component failures. Over-spec'ing can add unnecessary weight to a vehicle, which also increases operation costs due to reduced fuel economy.
If you haven't already done so, cultivate a business relationship with representatives of truck, engine, and component manufacturers. Have them serve as your on-going resource, educating you to be more successful in your operation by offering you solutions to your specific transportation needs and challenges.
And keep in mind that good vehicle preventive maintenance actually begins when you spec out new equipment. Greater durability and reliability, plus reduced life-cycle costs and increased vehicle uptime, can be had with longer-life components that require low- or no-maintenance.
Having too much information can be as stressful as having too little. Both situations make it far harder to find the right solutions or make the best choices.
Having the right information gives you the knowledge to formulate the most effective decisions. And that is our objective with Refrigerated Transporter.
I welcome your thoughts and comments.