Trucking Industry News

BONNEVILLE, Wyo., ­ Bonneville Transloaders, Inc. (BTI) was founded in 1985 to haul soda ash from the Green River Basin in southwestern Wyoming to the company¹s truck-to-rail transloading facility in Bonneville,
Wyo., 200 miles to the north.

Over the years, BTI has diversified and expanded its operations, growing its fleet to more than 130 Kenworth W900s. Today, the company hauls tankers and multi-axle trailers filled with everything from soda ash and coal to ammonium nitrate and compressed carbon dioxide. On specially equipped 14-axle trailers, payloads routinely reach 52 tons.

"All the oil and energy fields in this region are booming, so there's a very competitive market for experienced drivers," said Clair Anderson, president of BTI. "We have to do everything we can to keep good drivers. Having top quality equipment makes a big difference."

From Utah's canyon lands to the farthest mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, BTI drivers cover some of the most remote terrain in the western states. "These places are as extreme as you would ever want to experience in a truck, some as far as 50 miles off road, one way," said Anderson. "The Kenworth W900 is built higher off the ground and gives us better clearance for off-road work. Our drivers are out there day after day, all year round. Without good equipment, they definitely would not stay here."

Pointing to the beautiful but hostile landscape where weather often plays the biggest factor, Anderson said, "We need to have a good truck that's well put together, with a tight-fitting cab, that keeps the guys warm in the winter and cool in the summer."

While half the BTI fleet is equipped with day cabs, the other half is spec¹d with 72-inch AeroCab(R) FlatTop sleepers."A quality sleeper is a real big deal for us," said Anderson. "It's what these guys call home when they're out there in the elements."

"There are a lot of factors that go into providing a durable truck that drivers feel comfortable in," said Anderson, who specs his W900s with 500- to 600-hp engines, 18-speed transmissions, 46,000- to 52,000-lb rear ends and 3.55 gear ratios.

"We spec them heavy, which adds to their durability, reliability and versatility. Because we do quite a bit of work for Praxair (a global leader in the industrial gases industry), we have special set-ups to pull tanker
trailers. We have blowers for the pneumatics and wet kits. The W900 is just a good, all-around tractor for every application we have."

After five or six years of tough service, the company resells its Kenworth W900s. "We average about 1.5 million miles per truck," said Anderson. "Even with high miles, we get real good resale value. Our W900s are in high demand because they ride better and last longer. You can see our old trucks still in operation just about anywhere you go in Wyoming."

Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World¹s Best(TM) heavy and medium duty trucks. In addition, Kenworth is the recipient of the 2007 J.D. Power and Associates awards for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Over The Road, Pickup and Delivery and Vocational Segment Class 8 trucks. Kenworth's home page is www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. A PACCAR Company.