Many times when a business transaction is about to take place, the seller of an item will offer to provide a Certificate of Authenticity. This certificate offers some comfort to the buyer, and the buyer has some additional level of security in having the certificate. The seller should have no problem providing the certificate if everything is as the seller represents it to be. You would not want to purchase something of value if you were not sure of the credentials of the seller. This is good common sense.

What would happen if you attempted to acquire a Certificate of Authenticity from your yard truck supplier? This would be interesting and could go something like this:

You: “So how long have you been an Ottawa Dealer?”
Potential supplier: “Well we don’t really sell Ottawa Trucks. We are a Brand X dealer. Brand X is cheaper but it is a better truck at least according to our salesmen. The occasional use of used parts in the building of new trucks also holds down the cost. Don’t pay any attention to the resale value of a used Brand X truck. We don’t actually believe in the old myth of maximizing your ROI. Remember, we are cheaper.”

The question of Authenticity could also go like this:

You: “So do you actually make your living being a yard truck dealer?”
Potential supplier: “Well we are actually a trailer rental company but we dabble in yard trucks. We are the cheapest in town and it is because we don’t know what we are doing and we don’t have any parts. The reduced investment in parts and expertise helps to keep our pricing low.”

For this answer you could also substitute forklift dealer, class 8 dealer or wheeler dealer.

So if you get past the first two questions and you haven’t hung up yet, then try this question:

You: “How long have you been in this business?”
Potential supplier: “We have been doing this for 5 months but actually saw one of these trucks operating about 20 years ago and we have been thinking about it since then.”

Some of these scenarios make me think about the old TV commercial where a man took his car to a garage to get the transmission worked on, and when asked about the mechanic’s experience working on a transmission He replied, “I always wanted to work on one of these.”

Cheap works for some things but when you make your living with a piece of equipment, you want that equipment to be the best and provide maximum ROI. If cheap worked best for all situations then we would all be driving Yugos.

A trusting relationship with a long-term reputable Ottawa Dealer is your Certificate of Authenticity. You can count on that and you can count on us.

This is what happens when one company so completely dominates a market because their product is superior to all of the wannabes. All of the other copy machine manufacturers spent all of their time trying to catch up to the leader. Many of them are no longer with us. Kleenex is another example of such a dominant force in their industry. We are always referring to any tissue as Kleenex. A particular tissue could have been made by Second Rate Manufacturing and it would still be called a Kleenex because it either was a Kleenex or it should have been a Kleenex.

This type of brand recognition has distinguished Ottawa from the other brands also. We have received parts inquiries from new customers who are in need of a part for their Ottawa. After some discussion and the customer gives us the serial number we realize that they do not own an Ottawa, even though they should. Many aspiring competitors have spent a great deal of time and money attempting to copy the Ottawa. Most of those aspiring competitors are only memories from the distant past. Some of the unfortunate buyers of the off-brand spotters are now stuck with a spotter for which there are no parts available and no resell market available other than a scrapyard.

Ottawa has such a dominant position in this industry that many people refer to an off-brand spotting truck as an Ottawa. This is natural considering that Ottawa produces and supports two thirds of the spotting trucks used in the USA. Many years of research and development have led to this dominant position. Ottawa has been producing spotters since the late 1950’s. No other brand comes close to this illustrious and distinguished history. Take a look at the companies today that are serious about making a profit and you will find that they own the Ottawa brand spotters.

Long lasting spotters that promise a positive ROI are what serious companies look for when they buy equipment. Your first choice for a Terminal Truck (aka; yard dog, yard bird, yard horse, yard mule, hustler, hostler, shunt truck toter, toter truck, terminal truck and terminal tractor) should be an Ottawa. If your current truck is not an Ottawa, it should be.

This is our competitors Research and Development Department.

The start of the new year for many people means beginning the long and dreaded process of hunting for a used vehicle. I don’t know one person who enjoys car or truck shopping. Visiting dealer after dealer, making deal after deal, and sometimes having to deal with haggling car salesmen all equal a huge headache.

You may begin to wonder if you’re getting the best deal, can trust the people you’re working with, whether the used car or truck you’re purchasing is in good condition and will last you a long time, and even if you’re getting the service you deserve.

We understand how frustrating that process can be. That’s why we’ve made it a priority here at Louisville Switching to make car buying something you can actually enjoy. We do internet sales with our customers, which means that we have thousands of vehicles for sale. The customer can tell us what they would like to purchase and we will search hundreds of dealers’ inventory to find that vehicle.

One thing that sets us apart from every other car dealership, is that we’re not out to make the biggest profit. In fact, we think treating our customers the right way is more important than making a sale. We’ll work with your budget and can even help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Shopping for a used vehicle can be a pleasant experience. Contact us if you’d like to learn more or are ready to start searching for your next car or truck.

Every year I look forward to the Mid America Truck Show held in Louisville, KY. We have been exhibiting there for the last 11 or so years. We spend a lot of time thinking about the upcoming show starting at the close of the current year show. As the show gets closer, the pace picks up and then during the week prior to the show, we are operating at full speed. There are final arrangements to be made. We have trucks to clean and shine and our booth to set up. We almost always have industry associates to welcome to town and with whom we coordinate our plans. Other dealers and factory representatives are always here. We love to work with them and also enjoy some social time with them.

When the show opens we can always count on many friends and customers to stop by and visit with us and discuss the latest trends in the industry. This is always enjoyable. We relive old memories as well as discuss the newest innovations with the Ottawa Trucks. As the days of the show roll on, the satisfying weariness of the pace begins to settle in. By the close of the show on Saturday afternoon, there are some sore feet and tired backs and we get a chance to relax again for a few days before we start thinking about next year’s show.

During the relaxation that follows the end of the show, I always relive the show in my mind and think about the recurring theme that played out in the conversations of our customers. Some years it has been new emission standards that are about to kick in. Other years it has been a slow economy that has affected our customers operating methods. This year had a different theme that encouraged me greatly. As I thought about the conversations carried out in our booth, a common story that we heard was about how the drivers had memories of driving an Ottawa Truck 30 or 35 years ago. These conversations were all contemporaneous in a relaxed and casual setting. We didn’t ask for testimonials, but this is what the drivers wanted to talk about.

The fact is that Ottawa Truck is the original terminal truck. The Ottawa Truck has endured much since the beginning in the late fifties. Many competing brands have come and gone in those years. The Ottawa brand has flourished through all of these times and attempts to unseat it as the premier terminal truck. Even now we see occasional upstarts that claim to be as good as the Ottawa Truck. The Johnny-come-latelies will build a knock off of our truck and then brag about being cheaper. The initial cost is sometimes cheaper but the cost of ownership is never less. Once you have ownership of a truck made by a company that is out of business or no longer making the trucks, then the question is always, where do you get parts and customer support? If the life expectancy of your off brand truck is half of that of an Ottawa Truck, then maybe a small initial savings in purchase price is not as sweet as it seemed at the time.

You can bank on your future with a truck that has proven itself for years and offers the absolute best in service and customer support over the long haul, or take a chance on a knock off brand that may or may not even exist next year.

This is the free market at its best. The strong survive and the weaker brands disappear into the night, taking your hopes for a positive ROI with them. I can think of at least 7 or 8 brands that have taken your hopes with them into the refuse pile of dreams that were based on “We are cheaper to buy” or “We have more glass” or “Our plastic cabs save fuel” or “Our trucks are GREEN” or “Our battery powered trucks are good for 20 minutes before a charge is needed.” Sometimes one of these claims will catch the attention of an unsuspecting buyer and then the disappointment starts to creep into the soul of the buyer as reality sets in.

The Ottawa brand has withstood the test of time. No one has built as many terminal trucks as we have or for as long as we have. The truck of choice is “Made in the USA,” by Americans, in Ottawa, KS. We are here to stay.

What a great show we had this year! It has only been closed for 3 days and I am already looking forward to next year’s show and wondering what common theme that we will be discussing. Well, back to the more mundane tasks that accumulate on my desk while I am out of the office. So long for now.

The Mid America Truck show begins today.

We blogged about the details last week here. Most years Louisville Switching joins our Nashville counterparts in the world of Ottawa/Kalmar to man the booth so to speak. We usually have one of our newer model Kalmar trucks, or a really nice rehabbed Ottawa Terminal Tractor. This year, Alley-Cassetty and Kalmar/Cargotec are bringing in three different trucks, including a gas powered truck, and we’ll have a much bigger booth.

While we won’t have a spread like Peter Built, Mack or Cummins, we are stepping it up a notch.

If you’re a client, vendor, supplier or partner attending the show, please stop by and say hi. One of our favorite parts of the show each year is connecting with industry friends. The truck show has a pdf of the floor plan available. You’ll have to zoom in at least 10-15 times in order to see anything, but it’s very helpful in finding your way around.

So come on out to the Mid America Truck show Thursday, Friday, or Saturday and participate in one of the largest events to come to the midwest each year.

P.S. Go Cats and go Cards!

It’s time once again for the Mid America Truck Show in Louisville. This yearly event is always a crowd-pleaser for those in the trucking industry. It’s also one of the biggest events in Louisville, bringing over 70,000 trucking professionals to the state!

This year’s event runs from March 22-24 at the Kentucky Fair & Expo Center.

This is typically the largest show held in Louisville, Kentucky. If you’ve never been, it’s a lot to take in. Louisville Switching Truck Sales will set up a booth with Alley-Cassetty and Kalmar/Cargotec and will be on-site all weekend to talk with attendees and answer any questions they may have.

The show is always a great place to see old friends in the industry, form new relationships as we do each year, and engage with the trucking community.

Here are a few reminders:

• You can pre-register online which is encouraged to expedite wait time at the show.
• Each attendee must register individually.
• If you’re traveling from out of town, you can view hotel information here.
• Here’s a list of Louisville restaurants and entertainment to check out while you’re here.

Here are some ways you can stay in the loop:
• Follow The Truck Show on Twitter
• Like them on Facebook
• Visit the show’s website
• Contact us with any questions

We look forward to seeing you there!

Well it could look like this.

This is a 2012 Kalmar/Ottawa 4X2. It is a wonderful piece of equipment. These terminal tractors are purpose built for spotting trailers. The Kalmar/Ottawa brand provides the maximum value for your dollar spent. They will perform better and last longer than any other Johnny-come –lately brand. This line of equipment has been developed and refined for over the 40 plus years. Their focus has always been on innovations and refinements rather than copying or producing a look-alike knock off. Maximum ROI is the goal and not necessarily the cheapest initial purchase price.

Perhaps your company would benefit from this type of equipment but the budget for this purchase is just not there right now. The best alternative is to purchase a used Kalmar/Ottawa brand tractor and still take advantage of the research and development that has gone into producing the very best equipment available. With the Kalmar/Ottawa brand you still have the advantage of the largest dealer network to support you after the purchase. Another consideration would be to purchase a refurbished Kalmar/Ottawa tractor from Louisville Switching Truck Sales that you know has been refurbished with all genuine OEM parts and not low quality aftermarket products. Give us a call and we would be glad to discuss all of these possibilities with you. We are here to help you get the most value for your dollar spent on a spotting tractor. This is our business and this is how we make our living. We take your trust seriously. That is why we have been in business for close to 40 years. We are waiting for your call.

About a year ago, we introduced a free guide on our website called the Ottawa/Kalmar User Guide. You can download it for free here.

This guide has been a popular download over the last year, but for some reason, it’s been really popular this winter. We’ve had several folks download it recently, and we wanted to give you a chance to do the same.

In the guide you’ll get three forms:

• A pre operation safety checklist
• A pre operation inspection list
• An operator evaluation form

If you’re a safety manager, general manager, facilities manager, or owner of a distribution center, then this guide is for you. It will help you understand how Ottawa Terminal Tractors (aka yard dogs) can make your business more efficient and safer. We’re certain those are two hot buttons for many of you. This is a great conversation starter, if you’re just beginning to research Terminal Tractors. Take a few seconds and get your copy today!

With our leasing customers, and those who choose to purchase an Ottawa/Kalmar Truck from us, our sales manager Chris Troutt typically does an onsite training. In the future we may try and share a video from one of our sessions. With the permission of our customer of course.

If you’re beyond the research stage, the next step is usually an onsite demonstration of an Ottawa Truck. There’s no obligation.

P.S. In other news be on the lookout for our first ever Louisville Switching newsletter in February.

We also like to take this opportunity to let our employees and our customers know how much we appreciate them. The people we work with really are the life of the business, and we have the best. We are grateful for the loyalty of both our employees and our customers, and we look forward to continuing to build those relationships as we enter the New Year.

Hopefully the excitement of the holiday season will linger awhile as we enjoy time with family and friends over the next couple of weeks. 2012 holds the promise of a happy and successful business year ahead.

Louisville Switching wishes you a joyous Christmas and a prosperous New Year.