New CDTOA Membership Program
With Mack Sales of Southern California
Gets Off to a Strong Start

Rodney Schelhaas, Bellflower, CA. is
presented with the first program membership

Ian Gordon, the Vocational Sales Representative at TEC La Mirada announced the new Mack/CDTOA membership partnership program with his dealership at the CDTOA May Board Meeting in Universal City. In June, the first new program member was announced, it was Rodney Schelhaas.

Rodney just purchased a new Mack CXN613 Vision tractor equipped with Superior boxes and trailer. The transfer’s boxes and trailer is referred to as a Superlite transfer dump by Superior Trailer. The chassis tare weight is 13,360 lbs. The tare weight of truck with the Superior boxes/trailer is 11.87 tons (wet), just under 24,000 lbs. Special options that contribute to light-weight and fuel efficiency of this transfer are: 1.) an aluminum Fuller “Lighting” 10-spd transmission, 2.) Merritor 40-145A 40,000 lbs rated aluminum rear-ends, 3.) Alcoa 14” x 22.5” aluminum wheels combined with 445-55 Michelin super single drive and trailer tires, 4.) 6MM frame rails with severe duty cross members. 5.) Steertek 14,600 lb. fabricated front axle with air-ride springs. 6.) Maxilite 40,000 lbs. rear air-ride suspension, 7.) Extended lube or no lube drive shafts and slack adjusters, otherwise synthetic lube oil used throughout. Behind the cab

the unit melds the newest Superior Superlite 14ft boxes and trailer design and saves weight here through the use of composite trailer springs and a one piece draw bar.

As a former Pete owner, Rodney said, “the switch to Mack was an easy decision.” He explained, “besides the comparatively low purchase price (about 20% less than a similarly equipped Pete) and great financing at TEC La Mirada, I really like the smooth ride, quite cab and great maneuverability.” Plus, Rodney didn’t have to wait 8 months for the truck. “The best feature of this Mack/Superior transfer dump though is its payload capacity, at just over 28-ton,” said Rodney. He calculated that, with the extra income generated from the additional payload, the added revenue would be equivalent to about six truck payments a year. He said, “For a transfer it’s all about payload in my opinion!”

Rodney especially noticed the smooth ride of the Mack, “The ride really makes the day a little better for me with the set-back front axel, suspension system and air-ride seat. I just don’t feel as beat-up at the end of the day as I did with my old transfer.”

For Rodney, it was also important that the truck’s fuel economy be efficient. He believed that with fuel at $3.20 plus a gallon, it is one of the most important operating expenses a truck owner-operator needs to pay attention to. “My new Mack 427 AC 12 liter engine with 427 hp delivers both power and fuel economy. The engine isn’t even broken in yet and I’m already getting about 6.4 miles to the gallon,” he explained. The on-board computer also helps him keep the truck running in the right gear and road speed in order to get the best fuel mileage. Other unique technology features on the truck include Mack’s down-loadable VIP computer system that advises him of fuel mileage, fuel used and remaining fuel in the tank. There’s also a feature that tracks maintenance intervals and any engine fault codes.

Rodney was presented with his new membership to CDTOA by Ian when he took delivery of the truck in early June.

At 44, Rodney is a committed family man and has been involved with the trucking industry most of his working career. In fact, he has been involved in the trucking industry (mainly in construction) for the past 27 years, 12 years as an owner-operator.

Rodney’s love for trucks began as a kid and while attending high school he worked at BigSky Coop Trucking (Santa Fe Springs) washing and moving trucks. In 1980, he was hired on for his first real truck driving job, working for C. Oliver and Sons/Paramount Ready Mix as a transfer driver. He worked there for eight years. By 1988, he bought his first tractor/trailer, a cabover Pete and a 57’ Alloy van trailer, hauling aluminum cans through Dirksen Transportation. He worked as an owner-operator on this haul for the next nine years. He sold that rig in 1997 and went to work for ARB Inc., as a driver, hauling pipe. In 2003, Rodney bought his first transfer dump, a 1996 Pete/Superior from West Coast Sand & Gravel. He contracted with them as an owner-operator for the next three years. Rodney sold that transfer and bought the new Mack in June. He currently works through VerSteeg - Van Kampen Transportation.
Rodney lives in Bellflower with his wife, Tricia and their 4 young children.

CDTOA Membership Program From
The Mack Dealers Perspective

Ian Gordon, Vocational Sales Representative at TEC La Mirada

“As a new and used truck dealership who specializes in selling all kinds of Mack dump trucks in the California Market, I think it is very important to support organizations like the CDTOA,” explained Ian. “We try very hard to work as a business partner with our customers. As a part of this partnership it is TEC’s responsibility to inform our customers about the benefits of membership in the CDTOA. Even though Rodney has been in the business a long time, he was unaware of what the CDTOA does for the industry and how the many programs offered by the association benefits all truck operators.”

Ian noted that, “TEC stresses the importance of membership as a way of not only lowering operating costs on such things as insurance, safety compliance, drug testing etc. but by staying informed concerning industry issues, pending legislation and the current lobbying efforts of the organization.”

Finally, Ian also asks the same questions many members do about non-members, “How can an individual owner-operator change the problems we see in the industry?” Yet he is quick to answer his own question, “Only by joining the CDTOA and having a collective voice and collective buying power. The more members the organization has, the more clout!”

Part of buying a Mack from Ian at TEC is receiving a lecture on the benefits of membership with the CDTOA.

Clearly, Ian Gordon and Rodney Schelhaas represent optimistic and committed professionals that are so important to our industry and its promising future. We’re lucky to have new members that both understand and support CDTOA.

(07/06)