Pro Tips: What do you do with your old truck?
There comes a time in many distributors' lives when they outgrow their tool truck. Whether it's become too cramped, too old, or you're just ready for a change, there are a thousand reasons to make the switch to a different set of wheels. But what happens to the old truck? We asked tool distributors to share what they did with their old trucks. Here's what they had to say.
Pro Tips is a monthly series from Professional Distributor offering advice from mobile tool distributors to mobile tool distributors on how to best run your business whether you're a veteran or just starting. If you have any 'Pro Tips' you'd like to share or topics you'd like covered please email [email protected].
1. Pass it on
"My first truck went to my son, the second I sold to another dealer in my district, and the third went to North Carolina. I sold it on ToolTrucks.com. It's by far the best way to sell a tool truck, unless you have someone in your district who wants it. The last one, after the wreck, was sold through Copart for about $9,500."
Bonus tip: If you sell your truck to someone from another franchise, make sure to remove all your logos and graphics first.
-Jay Hashagen, Cornwell Quality Tools
2. Keep it in reserve
"I want to keep it in reserve because it doesn't cost hardly anything for us to store an empty truck. When I come down,* instead of me riding along with the various routes, I can just go deliver toolboxes, and they don't have to come in on a Saturday or go off route. So that's one thing, but also, if we were to break down again — perish the thought — we could use it as a backup."
*Trombold no longer drives a truck for his business. He manages three routes and visits Midland one week each month to connect with his drivers.
-Chuck Trombold, Mac Tools
3. Add another route
"I reassigned my first truck to a secondary route under another driver, my employee Chris Williams. It was a practical way to increase capacity while keeping a reliable asset in service.”
-Robert Robinson, Mac Tools Distributor
4. Put it in your flag's Facebook page
"I'm thinking about getting a new [truck], so I posted a picture of mine on Cornwell Tools' Facebook page. I've reached out to my district manager, made contacts with dealers across the country. You shoot them a text, 'Hey, my truck's coming up for sale, this is what I'm going to be asking for it. This is the truck, this is the number of miles.' And then just start kind of getting feelers for who's looking for a truck. Once I get someone locked in, and I know the market is relatively good, then I'll pull the trigger on a new truck and just start texting, 'Hey, it'll be ready in X amount of days, who wants it?'"
-Tracy Bourdin, Cornwell Tools
5. Utilize all your resources
"ToolTrucks.com is an all-listing site for tool trucks. They have listings for Mac or Cornwell. Facebook Marketplace is also a good one. There's also a lot of leasing companies that will work with you, so partnering with them when you go to sell might open the door for someone that says, 'Hey, I can't afford it, but I can lease it.'"
-Ryan Visona, Independent
About the Author
Elli Carder
Assistant Editor | PTEN & Professional Distributor
Elli Carder is an assistant editor for Endeavor Business Media's Vehicle Repair Group. With a background in professional and creative writing, Carder helps edit for both Professional Tools and Equipment News (PTEN) and Professional Distributor magazines, as well as VehicleServicePros.com.
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Emily Markham
Editor | PTEN and Professional Distributor
Emily Markham is the editor of Professional Tool & Equipment News (PTEN) and Professional Distributor magazines. She has been writing about the automotive aftermarket since 2019, after graduating from UW-La Crosse with a bachelor's degree in English. During her first three years with EndeavorB2B's Vehicle Service & Repair Group, Markham also wrote for Fleet Maintenance magazine.
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Nadine Battah
Editor-in-Chief
Nadine Battah is the editor-in-chief of Professional Tool & Equipment News (PTEN) and Professional Distributor magazines. She has been covering the automotive aftermarket since 2021, after graduating from Kent State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and marketing.
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