Per the NRMCA, the average mixer truck gets 3.14 mpg and that’s not with any extra weight on the truck. Of course how hard the driver drives the truck, the wear on the tires, sitting in traffic can all affect the mpg, but the biggest factor that affects the mpg is the additional weight on the truck. Obviously when the truck leaves the plant with a load to deliver, there’s not much one can do to affect the weight and the mpg. But studies indicate that just an additional 100 lbs of weight, mostly consisted of built up concrete on the mixer or inside the drum lowers the mpg significantly. For a fleet of 100 trucks, just that additional 100 lbs of built up concrete can add over $50,000 per year in gas costs.
Unfortunately for years reps have gone into ready mix plants and explained how they have the best product to clean their trucks and remove concrete, thus reducing the weight of your mixer trucks, but the first thing out of their mouth is I can get you this “great” product at “X” dollars per gallon. Ready Mix companies have heard that so often over the years that most companies care more about what the price per gallon of the product one is trying to sell than anything else. As soon as they here the price they want, they move forward with that product. There’s a huge problem with that.
Yes, they got that LOW price per gallon, but many people neglect to ask how will this low cost product affect their investment (their fleet of mixer trucks). I have yet to run across or meet a rep that has said they tell their clients how the product they sold them will cause corrosion, cause unwarranted repairs, will ruin the paint, will etch the glass, is dangerous to the employees and the environment. And when using a low cost concrete remover once again I’ve never met a rep that says, “btw by using this product the life span of your truck lowers; your drum, electrical, the rollers, the chutes, the trunions, etc.”
The sad thing is this way of doing business has been going on for so many years the Ready Mix companies just assume this is how things are done. By not cleaning the mixer trucks properly with the right products, things that are affected are: fuel mileage, carrying capacity, drum life cycle, wear and tear, just to name a few.
The focus has to change to asking a rep who walks in your office “how much is your product per gallon to clean my trucks to what can your product do to help me save money in SO many other aspects of cleaning my fleet, removing concrete from my mixers without causing corrosion leading to un-needed repairs, not having to repaint the fleet, not causing my drivers to get injured from using harsh acids so they don’t miss work, etc.”
One has to ask, what more important; saving $1.00/G for your concrete remover or spending $50,000 plus in gas alone, not even mentioning all the other costs incurred from using a concrete remover that causes so much more damage to your fleet of mixer trucks.
Synpro’s entire line of products will keep your fleet clean, remove concrete AND prevent concrete build up on the hopper and chute areas, prevent concrete build inside the drum, keeping your maintenance and repair costs down and if used correctly, INCREASE your mpg per truck.
Next time a rep walks in your office telling you how they have the best product for cleaning your fleet, ask them how they and their product can help increase your mpg for mixer trucks and see the reaction you get, I’m certain it will make your day and you might get a good laugh at the same time.
For more information on Synpro’s entire line of products, please visit our website or contact me directly. As I mentioned in the beginning, the mpg figure came straight from studies by the NRMCA.