Fuel for Thought

Included, But Never Invoiced

Sometimes who you buy from matters more than what you buy. Anyone who’s been in trucking long enough knows this. We all have our favorites, and we all have our reasons. For some, it’s Freightliner. For others, it’s Rotella. Maybe you swear by Michelin. Whatever the product, we all form opinions—some mild, some stubborn—and most of them come from years of experience or from people we trust: friends, peers, family, or the old‑timers who taught us what to look for.
For decades, I’ve been a Daimler guy. Freightliner or Western Star—it doesn’t matter which badge is on the hood, the DNA is the same. My experience with the brand has proven it to be reliable, predictable, and efficient when spec’d correctly for the job. That last part matters more than people think. A truck can be a dream or a disaster depending on how it’s put together, and Daimler has always given me equipment that performs the way I need it to.
Tires, though—that’s a different story. I’ve run Michelin, mainly because they came from the factory on the truck. Then I ran Goodyear for a while because that’s what came on a new truck that year. Later, I switched to Bridgestone when it was time to replace the factory set. Nothing against the other two brands—they’re solid tires—but for me, the cost‑to‑wear ratio on Bridgestone just makes more sense. That’s the thing about preferences: they’re personal and shaped by what you’ve lived through on the road, not by what some brochure or salesman says.
Liftgates are another area where experience changes your perspective. My last two new trucks had Waltco tuck‑under gates on them. They did the job—no complaints—but my current truck has a Dhollandia slider, and the difference is beyond comparison. They all lift and lower freight, sure, but the Dhollandia does it smoother, faster, and with a larger, more stable platform. Once you’ve used one, you understand immediately why people talk about them the way they do.
But equipment is only half the story. The other half is where you buy it and who stands behind it. Anyone can sell you a truck or a liftgate. That part’s easy. The real question is: where are they after the sale?
My current truck was spec’d and purchased through Blake George at Velocity Freightliner in Raleigh, NC. We had never met before this purchase—I was just looking for a new truck salesman. I told him what I wanted to build, and he made sure every piece worked together the way it should. He didn’t “sell” me options I didn’t want or need; he helped guide the specs I provided to make sure the end product worked in harmony with all the other options I requested. That matters. Just because you want something doesn’t mean it can be done safely or work as you intend. It is absolutely possible to build an undrivable truck if no one is paying attention.
This was also the truck where I switched from Waltco to the Dhollandia slider. I know plenty of drivers who prefer Palfinger, and that’s fine—but I always ask them if they know why. For me, the Dhollandia checked every box I had, came loaded with the features I wanted, and still landed at a reasonable price point.
A month or so after the purchase, Blake called just to check in. No sales pitch, no agenda—just making sure the truck was doing what it was supposed to do. I mentioned this to another driver who told me he never heard from his salesman again after the day he signed the papers. That’s the difference I’m talking about. And that wasn’t the only instance of after‑sale communication, either.
Fast‑forward nearly 18 months. I had my first issue with the Dhollandia. Went to unload some freight and the gate wouldn’t move. I checked fuses, checked connections, grabbed my voltage tester, and traced the power until I found where it stopped. Then I called Blake. He called back within minutes. I explained what I found, and he immediately gave me the direct number for Dhollandia tech support and the names of the people who could help.
Dhollandia picked up right away. I walked the tech through what happened and what I had already checked. He pulled up my model, guided me through the wiring, and helped isolate the issue. One of the flashing platform lights had shorted. Once I unplugged those and replaced the fuse, the gate came back to life. Before I could even ask, they offered to send replacement lights free of charge—or I could come to one of their service centers to have them replaced, also under warranty and cost‑free.
That’s service after the sale. You can’t put a price on it, and it will not be a line item on the invoice, but you feel its value the moment you need it.
So yes, who you buy from matters. And I think you already know where I’ll be buying my next truck—and whose liftgate will be hanging off the back.
Thank you Blake (Velocity Freightliner), and Teague and Dennis (Dhollandia tech support), for the service‑after‑the‑sale and the superior customer service that is sadly lacking in many companies nowadays.

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
  -  Maya Angelou

See you down the road,
Greg