Are The Trucks Coming Through Your Truck Wash
by：Snowaves Mechanical
2020-08-07
Okay so, I own a motor-coach which is on a truck chassis which is 3-feet over the legal limit in CA, but since it is a private vehicle, not for hire, I am never bothered much by police or highway patrol, except for a few rare circumstances, such as along the old highway 50 on the way up to Tahoe, where they are sticklers for length. I can tell you that when I go to a truck wash, they often cringe when they look at the side and I try to pass off my NASCAR looking rig as a mere motorhome or even just a regular truck. The thing is huge and it's a hell of a lot to wash.
Now then, in the future I suspect over-the-road trucks to continue to get larger. I'd say they will also have more siding to clean as the aerodynamic engineers put on skirts and fairings to maintain proper airflow efficiency to improve mileage. I've also noticed some US states now giving waivers for post-trailer cones to prevent drag, often sticking out another good 5-6 feet. If you have to clean these vehicles it means a lot more brush strokes and often the mechanized tunnel truck washes are not enough. In fact, the more recent undercarriage skirts often get completely missed.
On November 8, 2012 there was an interesting article in the Journal of Commerce titled; 'Walmart Canada Tests 60-Foot Truck Trailer,' by Peter T. Leach, Senior Editor which stated that a Canadian Province is allowing the larger trailers as a test pilot project.
The average truck trailers used to be 48-ft, then we started seeing 53-foot trailers, some even longer with shorter cab-over tractors towing them, as they still had a maximum length. However with a 60-foot trailer, this is a whole new ball-game, as now the trailers or the combination with box area are 12-foot longer, so the price must go up right? Well, just try to raise your prices as the economy goes into a recession?
If you have two of these units inside your truck wash back-to-back because you normally clean 2-trucks at a time per bay, then one will stick out the back. Thus, it may not be over your reclaim system, or you might not be able to close the back door. Not good on really hot days if your crew is running the air-conditioning system as to not over heat, or when it's very cold out and you don't wish to let any heat out. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and what these new trends mean for your truck wash business.
Now then, in the future I suspect over-the-road trucks to continue to get larger. I'd say they will also have more siding to clean as the aerodynamic engineers put on skirts and fairings to maintain proper airflow efficiency to improve mileage. I've also noticed some US states now giving waivers for post-trailer cones to prevent drag, often sticking out another good 5-6 feet. If you have to clean these vehicles it means a lot more brush strokes and often the mechanized tunnel truck washes are not enough. In fact, the more recent undercarriage skirts often get completely missed.
On November 8, 2012 there was an interesting article in the Journal of Commerce titled; 'Walmart Canada Tests 60-Foot Truck Trailer,' by Peter T. Leach, Senior Editor which stated that a Canadian Province is allowing the larger trailers as a test pilot project.
The average truck trailers used to be 48-ft, then we started seeing 53-foot trailers, some even longer with shorter cab-over tractors towing them, as they still had a maximum length. However with a 60-foot trailer, this is a whole new ball-game, as now the trailers or the combination with box area are 12-foot longer, so the price must go up right? Well, just try to raise your prices as the economy goes into a recession?
If you have two of these units inside your truck wash back-to-back because you normally clean 2-trucks at a time per bay, then one will stick out the back. Thus, it may not be over your reclaim system, or you might not be able to close the back door. Not good on really hot days if your crew is running the air-conditioning system as to not over heat, or when it's very cold out and you don't wish to let any heat out. Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and what these new trends mean for your truck wash business.
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