ANTHONY, Kan. - With the advent of new engine technology to meet EPA 2010 emission standards, plus maintenance record requirements under CSA, running a truck maintenance shop for Anthony, Kan.-based Farmers Oil Company has never been as complicated as it is now for service manager Mitch Barker.
 
"The equipment in our company's trucking operation has become more diversified with different engine platforms and technologies, particularly with the newer engines that meet the stricter emission requirements," said Barker. "You have to carry a lot more parts in stock for the different engines, and with the regeneration systems, it takes longer to do a preventive maintenance service."
 
The company must also keep a much tighter reign on its maintenance records under the provisions of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Compliance, Safety, Accountabilty (CSA) program.
 
Enter the Kenworth PremierCare® Connect system, which helps Barker manage parts ordering and maintenance for the company's fleet of more than 120 trailers and about 80 tractors, including Kenworth T660s and Kenworth W900s. The Connect system is a comprehensive online fleet management program that helps companies to manage parts inventory, maintenance, fuel and tires for their fleet, regardless of truck make.
 
As service manager for Farmers Oil, Barker oversees a shop with five mechanics on duty at the company's main facility in Anthony. Barker is also in the process of setting up a second shop at a new depot in Afton, Okla. Farmers Oil, which is owned by Larry Graves, specializes in the transportation of liquid petroleum gas products, liquid fertlizers, and distillates like butane used in the refining industry to produce fuels, mainly gasoline. The company, which operates throughout the Southwest and Midwest, also hauls propane, anyhdrous ammonia and cement.
 
In addition to the challenges that stricter emission and safety requirements bring to the shop, Barker must also deal with new circumstances brought on by the use of new components like wide-base tires. Since Farmers Oil now uses wide-base tires on the newer models to get better fuel economy, Barker said there is a greater need for different, lesser used parts that can be easily overlooked during parts ordering.
 
"We've noticed that since we started using wide-base tires, we need to stock more S-cam brackets," he said. Barker sets the Connect system to place an inventory replenishment order in the queue for his review and approval as the shop's supply of S-cam brackets dwindles below a predetermined minimum number. "Since we haven't had to order those parts as often before, it can be an easy item to overlook until you go to the shelf and it's not there," Barker said.
 
Kenworth PremierCare Connect, which is used by nearly 300 fleets representing about 28,000 trucks, simplifies shop operations by giving service managers like Barker access to preventive maintenance tracking and in-depth reporting in addition to electronic parts purchasing. Connect provides convenience and reliability via multi-user, multi-location functionality and extensive training and technical support. It also offers scalability, as well as limited customization, with options and features companies can add as their needs change.
 
Connect helps Farmers Oil improve shop productivity by enabling Barker to monitor work loads and efficiency. The company's mechanics can also schedule reminders so that when a particular unit is back in the shop, specific tasks are followed up or areas of concern can be monitored more effectively and specific issues addressed before they lead to bigger problems, Barker said. Since the Connect system communicates with the company's dispatch system, his mechanics can more closely coordinate with company dispatchers to develop maintenance schedules that are more cost-effective and least disruptive to the company's operation.
 
Barker also uses Kenworth PremierCare Connect to compare pricing from different parts suppliers, eliminating the need to make numerous calls to suppliers before making a purchase decision. He can run daily and weekly reports from the system. And since the system is linked to his local Kenworth dealer, Wichita Kenworth, in Wichita, Kan., he doesn't have to carry as many parts in his own shop's inventory. It's this kind of dealer support that Kenworth customers appreciate. Kenworth received the 2011 J.D. Power and Associates award for "Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Heavy Duty Truck Dealer Service."*
 
"Last year, we had a situation in which we didn't have the right parts on hand to return a truck back out on the road," Barker said. "By using Connect, we were able to track down the part and with the help of Wichita Kenworth, we got it delivered that same night. If we hadn't been able to get that truck back out on the road, it would have missed its next load, and that would have cost our company more than $1,500. But more importantly, it would have affected our reputation. I've really come to rely on Connect to make our jobs easier."
 
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World's Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is an industry leader in providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The company's dedication to the green fleet includes aerodynamic trucks, compressed and liquefied natural gas trucks, and medium duty diesel-electric hybrids. Kenworth is the only truck manufacturer to receive the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Air Excellence award in recognition of its environmentally friendly products. In addition, the fuel-efficient Kenworth T700 equipped with the low-emission PACCAR MX engine was named the 2011 Heavy Duty Commercial Truck of the Year by the American Truck Dealers. Kenworth's Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. A PACCAR Company.