Dive Brief:
- PGT Trucking has gained access to Penske Truck Leasing’s 24/7 roadside assistance network and shops in a new deal announced Sept. 21.
- The move shifts PGT’s maintenance technicians away from an internal network. All of those employees were transferred to and rehired by Penske, PGT Chief Administrative Officer Gerry Hickly told Transport Dive.
- The Pennsylvania-based carrier said the deal will help simplify roadside service and reduce maintenance downtime. It began the three-year agreement with Penske on Sept. 12, Hickly said.
Dive Brief:
The new maintenance model allows PGT to focus on other areas of the business. The carrier previously had a network of different vendors operating under different standards.
“We think this might be a model for motor carriers that continue to have their own internal shops, partnering with somebody that really excels in this area is a win for everybody,” Hickly said.
Established players aren’t the only companies partnering with Penske. In May, the autonomous tech company Torc Robotics said it will use Penske for maintenance services for its test fleet.
The shift away from an internal maintenance tech network for PGT comes as the carrier works to ensure capacity in a tight freight market.
“You need to have trucks up and running in a safe manner,” Hickly said.
Penske Public Relations Manager Alen Beljin said the practice of rehiring is common in new service agreements and involved 31 PGT maintenance technicians becoming part of Penske.
Penske also has taken over the management of five shops: Two are in Pennsylvania (Midland and Blairsville) along with others in Trenton, New Jersey; Gary, Indiana; and Laredo, Texas.
The group of maintenance techs will continue working at those locations. “They’re just moving from one company to the next and actually still working in their same physical location that they worked for,” Hickly said.
It comes after PGT went through a lengthy process of evaluating alternatives, he said.
Penske’s deal comes with mobile roadside maintenance service, access to over 880 maintenance locations and other perks. Hickly said PGT was drawn to this national network.
“A breakdown can happen anywhere,” Hickly said. “It doesn’t happen necessarily where your shops are.”
