Western Railroad Discussion > Life span of a trailer or container

How long is it?
Yes I know about accidents etc.. What about normal use?

From literature I've seen from the trucking industry:

Average trailer in non-intermodal service (always being pulled by a truck) is 8 years
Average reefer trailer in non-intermodal service is 5 years

Add 2-3 years to each of the above if it commonly is used in intermodal service

Containers have a 10-15 year lifespan with refrigerated containers usually having 10-12.

Another intesting data...the average tractor truck usually lasts only 5 years and truckers average just above 100,000 miles a year

CREDIT FOR THIS BELONGS TO:
“Truck Costs for Owner/Operators”, Mark Berwick, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, North Dakota State University

Roadrailers have a 15 year rail age limit.

BNSF6400 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From literature I've seen from the trucking
> industry:
>
> Average trailer in non-intermodal service (always
> being pulled by a truck) is 8 years

And then there's UPS, where everything seemingly lasts forever.

rfprr

rfprr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BNSF6400 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > From literature I've seen from the trucking
> > industry:
> >
> > Average trailer in non-intermodal service
> (always
> > being pulled by a truck) is 8 years
>
> And then there's UPS, where everything seemingly
> lasts forever.
>
> rfprr

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/09/08/ups.driver/index.html

For those who don't bother to click on the link above, there's a UPS driver who has logged over 1 million miles and has been driving the same truck since 1987 (story from 2008 = 21 years).

The "life spans" cited above are certainly relative. There are plenty of smaller companies and owner-operators who will continue to repair and use a tractor/truck or trailer for a very long time. You can make 'em last forever that way, really.

Mark



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/11 15:27 by mwbridgwater.

mwbridgwater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For those who don't bother to click on the link
> above, there's a UPS driver who has logged over 1
> million miles and has been driving the same truck
> since 1987 (story from 2008 = 21 years).
>
> The "life spans" cited above are certainly
> relative. There are plenty of smaller companies
> and owner-operators who will continue to repair
> and use a tractor/truck or trailer for a very long
> time. You can make 'em last forever that way,
> really.
>
> Mark

It's true, just look at some of the 50+ year old American cars rolling around Cuba.

At the end of the day, it's about averages, and if a man stood with one foot on a block of ice and one foot in a pot of boiling water, on the average he would be comfortable.