The company that I work for, is seeking to increase the percentage of owner ops leased to it ( not lease purchase ). They've asked me, among others, whether I'd be interested, and I respectfully declined ( atleast for the time being ). Some of the company drivers, though, are seriously considering the issue, since they'd be buying the very trucks that they drive.

What the company is offering is 2004 Kenworth T800 trucks, hitherto driven by the very same company drivers to whom they're being offered. They're flat-tops, since we work primarily within the province, spec'd for heavy hauling....475 Cat, 1850 torgue, 18 speed, 4.11 ratio, 14.6 fronts and 46 rears, equipped with APU, sattelite, and PTO ( blowers, since we haul dry bulk ). The price is 65,000 ( inclusive of taxes ), to be amortised over a period of 36 months, @ CDN$1800 a month. All mechanical work performed on the trucks, has been by the company's mechanics, and they're also offering free dyno-testing and oil-sampling. Fuel is capped at 37 cents a litre.

What would be your opinion on a truck like this ? FYI one of the main reasons that I declined is that I drive a 2006 Volvo with the same specs as above ( except that they have ISX Cummins and not Cat ) which is not for sale at this point of time ( and if I ever buy a truck, it'll be like the one that I drive ), and also, I would like to wait it out to see how things go for the others, before jumping in.

Please note that my query is primarily about the truck, and not about the work per se, neither about the rates on loads. Our owner ops have a pretty sweet deal.

$65K for an '04 T800 seems like alot to me. Does have heavy specs and an APU, but still.

Ask them if they will let you lease on when you buy your own truck from somewhere else. I wonder if they're just trying to dump their trucks.

Yes, most definitely they will let one lease on with a truck purchased from somewhere else. But the chief benefit of the 04 T800s that they are touting, and which has merit, is that, unlike a truck purchased from outside, these ones will have no question mark about any performance-related issues, since they're tried and tested in exactly the same applications, and also been serviced, repaired, & maintained by the very same mechanics ; not to mention, since the drivers have been driving these very same trucks, they know them inside out.

What, in your valued opinion, would be a fair value for these trucks ? I'm asking on behalf of some of my co-drivers, who are actively considering this proposal. Me, I'm happy with my union job....our rates are up for revision in March.

Is it CAT Acert, or it's a "bridge"?

In a private deal, I bet they could be had for $40,000 + the value of the heavy specs, APU and the other stuff. I'm assuming 400,000 miles and a fair sized bunk.

It's more like 400,000 km, rather than miles ( we have way too much work in Alberta, to be going out of province ). It's also got the residual coverage of the original warranty, upto 1 million klicks. Plus, no money down, option to back out of it at any time after the first 1 year, and when business is slow ( fall & spring thaw ), the monthly truck payment will be proportionately reduced.