Nathan Gay wants to see a driver in the field with the vacuum pump working overtime rather than standing over a propped-open truck hood in the shop.
The owner of A-1 Environmental Services in Wells, Maine, figures that his company is generating income whenever pumps are whirring, and blowing out profits whenever a truck is down and out of service.
So a solid truck maintenance program and regular vehicle replacement are keys to the success of Gay’s diverse company, which offers septic-pumping, portable restrooms and roll-off containers in Maine’s more populated southern region.
A-1 continually rotates service vehicles out of its fleet and Gay has been unafraid of pulling the trigger on truck purchases, even after controversial emissions systems upgrades hit 2008 models.
“I’d rather have a new truck partially paid for by selling an older truck in good shape, than waste time trying to unload a worn-out vehicle,’’ he says. “And I don’t want to have to spend lots of time keeping them on the road. I just don’t make any money working on a truck.”
In the past 4-5 years, A-1’s growth prompted quite a few vehicle purchases. Gay doesn’t expect that rate of growth to continue in the current economic climate, but believes things will pick up again in the near future. When that happens, he’ll continue to regularly move old equipment out of his fleet, as a policy.
STARTED OUT YOUNG
Gay has spent half his life in the pumping industry, starting by driving a portable restroom route straight out of high school in 1992. Two years later, he went to work for the local municipal sewage treatment plant, but he missed the portables business. Soon, he bought a slide-in unit for his Dodge Ram 3500 and a small inventory of 18 PolyPortables Inc. Poly Standard restrooms and worked these as a side job.
In April 1996, his friend Bill Locke expressed a desire to retire from running A-1 Septic Tank Inc. Gay started working for him with the idea of buying him out, which he did in 2000. He renamed the company A-1 Environmental Services, with the goal of expanding into three distinct operations: septic, portables and roll-off containers. A-1’s revenues split out percentage-wise at roughly 40 percent septic pumping, 30 percent portable restrooms and 30 percent roll-off rentals. The restroom division is known as Stop and Go Portable Toilet Co.
IN THE GARAGE
Over the past several years, Gay has bought a lot of vacuum trucks and other vehicles to serve a wide variety of tasks. Along the way, he’s developed a keen sense for how to manage and maintain a fleet for maximum profits and minimum hassles.
“I try to keep our fleet up to date. I monitor my depreciation, a good move tax-wise. Also, the weather makes our business seasonal, so those trucks need to be in top operating condition when we need them. We really need to perform during our very busy times, to get us through the slow times.”
A-1’s portables fleet consists of a 2009 Kenworth T270 service truck with a Best Enterprises Inc. stainless steel 1,500-gallon tank and Masport pump; 2002 International 4300 from Keith Huber Inc. with a 1,500-gallon steel tank and Masport pump; 2001 Ford F-550 delivery truck with a 450-gallon (300-gallon waste/150-gallon freshwater) slide-in unit with a Conde pump.
Septic service trucks include a 2007 Kenworth T800 with 3,600-gallon steel tank from Presvac Systems Ltd. and a Moro USA pump; 2004 Mack Granite truck with a Wastequip Cusco Inc. 4,300-gallon steel tank and Moro pump; 1998 Mack RD with 5,000-gallon Imperial Industries Inc. steel tank and Utile pump; and a 1984 Mack R with 2,500-gallon Boyd steel tank and Moro pump.
Industrial loading is performed by a 1993 Mack DM with a Vactor 1645 and Dresser Roots 10/21 pump. Roll-off containers are transported on a 2005 Kenworth T800 truck with Accurate Hoist Co. 75,000-pound hoist, and a 2001 Mack RD with the same hoist.
DRIVER PRIDE IMPORTANT
The 2009 Kenworth is outfitted with new emissions equipment required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2004 Tier 4 standards. Equipment made for the new standards, first mandated in 2008 models, was greeted with skepticism by some pumpers, who worried about higher sticker prices, unknown fuel economy and performance impacts.
Gay says the emissions equipment is bulky, and sometimes gets in the way at jobsites. He also says he’s found the emissions equipment makes the trucks less fuel-efficient than his older rigs. But on the whole, he’s glad he started making the switchover.
“Buying this truck was something of a risk,” admits Gay, “but that’s why I bought a 2007, too, so I could have pre-emissions equipment to fall back on. Still, we all have to deal with this equipment sooner or later, and I’m looking to the future. By the time there’s nothing else available, we’ll know how to handle it. Besides, it was more risky to run an old truck that might cause too much downtime.”
When it comes to making decisions about bells and whistles for a new truck, Gay takes into account features his drivers want. “I don’t let the guys go crazy, but if they’re going to spend 10-12 hours a day in a truck, I want them to be comfortable.” He listens to driver requests and solicits input when truck-shopping. He also gives drivers input into placement of hose carriers, storage and body design.
“I was primarily a Mack loyalist in the early 2000s,” Gay says, “but I switched to Kenworth because my guys love them. I don’t spend all day in a truck anymore, so it’s not that close to me. But if a guy likes what he’s driving, he’ll take some pride, keep his wheels polished and take care of my investment. When customers see a nice, clean piece of equipment roll in the driveway, it’s impressive, and there’s value in that perception.”
SMART SHOPPING, TRUCK CARE
Gay counts on the Pumper & Cleaner Environmental Expo Inter-national to help him make big equipment buying decisions. “The show is definitely a must as far as seeing what’s out there, and what other people are doing,” he says. Gay knows which truck components he needs, but has a clipboard in his office where anyone is free to write down things they want investigated on the Expo floor. “I need a written list, because I get down there and it’s like Disneyland — I don’t know what to look at first.”
Since Gay places a high value on productivity, vehicle maintenance takes a front seat in his operation. “We try to keep the trucks new enough, through trade or sale, so we don’t have to do most of the major work. When we do have major jobs, we take them to the dealer. We experience about one major breakdown a year, and that’s when we start thinking about selling. The older trucks don’t get run much. They’re around more for sentimental value.”
A-1 has its own mechanic to take care of preventive maintenance, oil changes, everything up to a major engine rebuild. “I wanted to get sizable enough so I didn’t have to do all that myself,” says Gay. “That was one of the largest motivators on growth decisions. It’s made my life good. I don’t have to be here at 9 p.m. anymore, putting vanes in a pump so we can do our work the next morning.” He hired the mechanic when the fleet reached 6-7 trucks.
IN THE YARD
In addition to trucks, Gay maintains sizable portable sanitation and roll-off container inventories.
A-1’s portables inventory consists of 550 units, made up of 100 PolyJohn Enterprises PJ3 standard restrooms; 400 Satellite Industries Inc. Tufway standard units; 30 Satellite Freedom 2 ADA-compliant units; and 20 PolyJohn Signature flushable restrooms with sinks. Gay used to assemble most units himself, but with such a large volume, he now has them delivered already assembled.
A-1 currently fields roughly 100 Wastequip Accurate roll-off containers. About 60 of them are 30-yard models, with the remainder split out pretty evenly between 10-, 15-, 20- and 40-yard sizes.
FORWARD THINKING
With a strong grasp on his equipment needs, Gay has kept his fleet updated without over-extending A-1. He expects his company to remain healthy through current challenging economic times, and emerge stronger than ever when the recession eases. He’s clearly bullish on the liquid waste industry continuing to provide a vital and profitable service.
“History shows we’ll have ups and downs,’’ he says. “Contractors who’ve stuck to sound business practices will find themselves less stressed and turning around more quickly. I believe in the future of this industry.”
