Loaded with extras

Trailer-leasing companies today are doing much more than just renting out boxes. They now offer 24-hour emergency service, computerized maintenance, and other options.

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 5/1/1998

A box is not just a box. That's what trailer- and container-leasing companies are telling customers today. More and more, lessors are touting the value-added services they offer.

No wonder. The Truck Renting and Leasing Association, based in Alexandria, Va., says that some 275,000 trailers were leased in the United States in 1994 (the last year for which figures are available). To gain a slice of that market, lessors have to give

the customer special value with their lease. Here are a few of the additional services companies offer today.

Rollins Leasing now offers trailer users a free analysis of the tradeoffs between leasing and owning equipment. The program uses the latest maintenance numbers and covers every aspect of the time and money that will be spent for maintenance, administration, and fuel. Rollins even offers before-tax and after-tax versions for a broader financial picture.

The program can profile every type of vehicle, including light and straight trucks, tractor-trailers, and refrigerated equipment. It posts costs in the years in which they will occur for a true cash-flow representation, reflecting warranty impact and the vehicle maintenance curve. Detailed backup sheets for all cost categories are included as well.

Rollins leases both dry and refrigerated vans from more than 200 locations across the United States.