Walmart's New Supercube Freight Truck

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You do realize that Walmart is one of the biggest corporations in America that hires the most American workers. Also, Walmart does sell quite a bit of MADE IN USA items now these days you just have to look. But you can't sell MADE IN USA if its not made here can ya? Not their fault. Its also not their fault that they became North Americas largest grocery and department store by being wasteful? I didn't think so. Its called business at the end of the day and I fault them not. The money you save now is the money you get to keep later in your pocket and no one elses and still hire Americans, Canadians who ever. Don't hate for being better than everyone else. Everyone here in this country thinks they are owed something at the expense of the bigger guy. WRONG, you want something owed to ya then go EARN it.

Now don't get me wrong I don't like walmart either but its not because of who they are, its more like how busy they are and its such a big inconvience to get anything done there then someplace else. And if you say you vote with your wallet then you must be one broke dude. I my friend vote with a finger and a touch screen or pen depending on how backwards you are. Didn't get us far the other day but hey whats 4 more years.
 
Not every load weighs the same. I imagine the movingvan style trailers would go with xmas bows and plastic junk, and the traditional trailers with traditional tires and suspension will have to be used when it's pallets of paint oil liquids etc.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
While I'm sure they've made some improvements, cabovers are usually worse to drive than conventionals and are usually disliked by drivers. I can't imagine their driver pool is very happy about the change from conventional tractors to cabovers.


COE is the standard configuration in Europe.
 
Doing the math on a really basic level, I think that truck costs, including allocable capital cost and fuel, would exceed driver labor cost per hour.
Also, I have no doubt that Walmart expects the drivers to help load and unload, so their labor is not strictly driving.
I don't like to see people put out of work.
It's still hard to argue against improvments in efficiency.
A larger volume trailer is better suited to the low density loads that probably comprise most Walmart store deliveries.
I'm not a big Walmart fan either.
The only thing I've bought there personally over the past few years is G-Oil when it's been FAR.
 
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
While I'm sure they've made some improvements, cabovers are usually worse to drive than conventionals and are usually disliked by drivers. I can't imagine their driver pool is very happy about the change from conventional tractors to cabovers.


COE is the standard configuration in Europe.


Indeed, but it's not for driver comfort, it's for their shorter wheelbase and maneuverability in the narrow European streets. Conventionals are far more comfortable for the driver than a cabover-so much so that back when cabovers were being phased out in the US, it was a big selling point for driver recruitment if the company had conventionals.

The drivers who used to drive them (and I put a few miles in a cabover grain truck on the farm in my younger days) have a saying. "When a cabover is in an accident, the driver is the first to arrive on the scene".
 
Been done by moving companies for years:

allied-van-lines-freightliner-argosy.jpg


united_van_lines_frtlnr.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
3000 loads per year. While fuel is a big cost, I imagine labor is a bigger one, so yet another way to pull jobs from the population while sending money to China for cut rate garbage.



So being fuel efficient and saving the environment is now un-patriotic? This equates to sending jobs to China?? Last time I checked Walmart was a US Corporation. They employ over 7000 truck drivers who contributed over $100,000 to local school foundations for safe driving mile rewards alone. Walmart is very American to me. I shop there all of the time.
 
Originally Posted By: VicVinegar

From a macro standpoint, you can probably find an argument that a certain level of inefficiency is desirable to keep the labor market going.


Yes, the labor market in India and China for certain...if you look at the macro standpoint. Because the manufacturers investment dollars will always chase lower wages, taxes and higher efficiency.
 
Originally Posted By: getnpsi
Not every load weighs the same. I imagine the movingvan style trailers would go with xmas bows and plastic junk, and the traditional trailers with traditional tires and suspension will have to be used when it's pallets of paint oil liquids etc.

Individual stores do not get trailers of paint or oil though. The only separation is Grocery and General Merchandise. Within those two categories the trailers are mixed pretty well. They are so well mixed the unloaders have to separate the stuff into the right department as its coming off and then put it onto the correct pallet.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2

I assume that the box behind the cab is also for cargo - Id imagine that may effect comfort for the driver... But who cares, right?


Doesn't look like much room for the driver no.
 
Originally Posted By: Timothy Ferguson
Also, Walmart does sell quite a bit of MADE IN USA items now these days you just have to look. But you can't sell MADE IN USA if its not made here can ya? Not their fault.

Actually, Walmart had a big hand in it. Walmart demanded that manufacturers lower their prices on goods. The only way to lower the price, was to lower the cost.
I don't shop at Walmart for a variety of reasons. That being said, I can't fault them for wanting to be more efficient with transporting goods. This is a mole hill being made into a mountain.
 
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: SubLGT
Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
While I'm sure they've made some improvements, cabovers are usually worse to drive than conventionals and are usually disliked by drivers. I can't imagine their driver pool is very happy about the change from conventional tractors to cabovers.


COE is the standard configuration in Europe.


Indeed, but it's not for driver comfort, it's for their shorter wheelbase and maneuverability in the narrow European streets. Conventionals are far more comfortable for the driver than a cabover-so much so that back when cabovers were being phased out in the US, it was a big selling point for driver recruitment if the company had conventionals.

The drivers who used to drive them (and I put a few miles in a cabover grain truck on the farm in my younger days) have a saying. "When a cabover is in an accident, the driver is the first to arrive on the scene".


My uncle loved his Kenworth COE...he threatened to quit when his boss told him he was getting a conventional! (He was serious. Another guy got the conventional, he kept the KW.)
 
There are several elements of the increased volume. It's not likely that all have been used simultaneously.

Some were definitely selected with Walmart's load profile in mind.

I'm guessing that their loads are almost always "cubed out", meaning that the trucks are loaded to their volume limit while remaining significantly under their load limit. A carton of paper towels has very low density, and they many more paper towels than barbell sets.

Even in Canada, most stores are under a day round trip. Sleeper cabs aren't needed.

The aerodynamics of a dropped floor are significantly better than a typical trailer, and better than skirts.

I wonder if their loads are completely palletized, or somewhat hand stacked.
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Where did I say that? Im calling a spade a spade.

I boycott their "efficiency" every chance I get because it does nothing but rob jobs and send them to the third world.

It might be palatable if they far and away sold American goods and were just a conduit bringing those goods to market in as efficient and profitable way as possible.

I vote with my wallet.


Must be a Union guy as that is how they reason.

Would you employ a landscaper to mow your lawn who first does it with a riding mower but shows up next week with two extra guys and push mowers instead with double the billing rate? I mean it is the same principle and all.

Then again, I see you are in Jersey and they have that gas pumper jobs program.
 
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Originally Posted By: djb
There are several elements of the increased volume. It's not likely that all have been used simultaneously.

Some were definitely selected with Walmart's load profile in mind.

I'm guessing that their loads are almost always "cubed out", meaning that the trucks are loaded to their volume limit while remaining significantly under their load limit. A carton of paper towels has very low density, and they many more paper towels than barbell sets.

Even in Canada, most stores are under a day round trip. Sleeper cabs aren't needed.

The aerodynamics of a dropped floor are significantly better than a typical trailer, and better than skirts.

I wonder if their loads are completely palletized, or somewhat hand stacked.

Hand stacked on pallets, then shrink wrapped and loaded on to the trailer. Hilarity results when heavy stuff is stacked on top of squishable stuff.
 
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