Fuel Oil Truck Dealers See Trends in What Heating Oil Companies are Looking For

Oil tank trucks have seen some significant improvements in recent years, and truck dealers say their customers have responded by consistently purchasing vehicles with the equipment that makes their job easier and more efficient.

The engine, drivetrain and chassis have each benefited from recent advances that can make big differences.

"In the last five to 10 years, there’s been a real increase in horsepower, and I’d say more than 90-percent of our customers are going with automatic transmissions now," said Bob Cusick, general sales manager of Minuteman Trucks in Walpole, Mass. "There’s been a shift to air suspensions in the last five years too."

The new automatic transmissions make life much easier for delivery drivers, and in addition they can make it easier for an oil company to find a qualified driver.

"It can be hard to get drivers, so simplicity is what they’re looking for," said Ed Ardler, owner of A&M Truck Center in Goshen, N.Y. "They want it so the driver can do everything as easily as possible, and a 10-speed can be hard to drive."

The increase in horsepower on many of today’s new trucks can improve trip times, Cusick pointed out. And the new air suspensions—as opposed to the spring suspensions of older trucks—not only make for a better ride, but also help keep the tank in better shape.

"You’re giving the tank more life, especially with road conditions and potholes and things like that," Cusick said. "Also you can crack a spring in the cold weather, and that’s something you can avoid with the air suspensions."

As for tanks, Ardler said he has noticed his customers going with fewer compartments in general. He said he doesn’t sell many trucks with four- or five- compartment tanks, but mostly tanks with one or two compartments. Ardler also said that rear controls for the power takeoff and electronic meters are among the most popular features his customers look for.

"There’s very little price difference between a mechanical meter and an electronic meter, but the electronic meters work better," he said. "An electronic meter can save you manpower in the office. It lets you know how long a driver has been out, how much he has pumped, things like that."

Ardler said he often finds that his oil truck customers have a pretty good idea of what they’re looking for before they even come into his dealership. One of the options he can provide is different types of meters, and he said he often puts the customer in touch with a representative from the meter company if they have specific questions.

Ardler said oil companies are also generally opting for aluminum tanks, air controls, automatic tire chains and locking differentials. Additionally, he noted that the "tag axle," an axle that can be raised or lowered depending on the size of the load being carried, is also a popular option.

Deciding what options make sense for an oil dealer is all part of the sales process, and Ardler said he talks to his customers to find out whether they’re doing most of their business in town, if they’re making a lot of stops, or going up and down a lot of hills.

"If they’re doing most of their business in town, they probably don’t need a lot of horsepower, and they might not need a lot of gallons either if their terminal is just five miles away," he said. "But if their terminal is 100 miles away, they’re going to need more gallons, and that’s what we try to figure out."

Cusick said that Minuteman has a basic oil tanker spec that it always keeps in stock, and they can then configure that unit based on a customer’s needs.

"Just make sure you’re dealing with a truck salesperson who knows what he’s talking about" Cusick suggested. "Our job is to stay up-to-date on these products, and it’s become more complex than it used to be, so it really pays to rely on someone who knows what he’s doing."