Fleet Advantage released its Q2/16 Truck Lifecycle Data Index (TLDI) comparing all-in operating costs of early model Class 8 trucks to all-in operating costs of current model year replacements.

The TLDI showed that fleets realize higher cost savings by replacing older-model units with 2017 models, and reflected a 9% increase in operating cost savings over the prior quarter resulting in a slight uptick in diesel fuel costs.

Using data from Fleet Advantage’s ATLAAS (Advanced Truck Lifecycle Administrative Analytics Software), the TLDI helps industry professionals identify when their transportation equipment has reached the “tipping point” of economic obsolescence. Results from period ending Q2/16 indicate that fleet operators can realize an all-in cost savings of approximately $18,816 per truck in the first 12 months of operation when upgrading from a 2011 model-year truck to a 2017 model year, which increases the savings to over $700 more than the Q1/16 TLDI figures.

“It’s clear that upgrading to a new truck provides significant benefits for fleet managers looking to strengthen their bottom line, and that fleets utilizing a shorter vehicle lifecycle will secure a competitive advantage,” said Brian McMahon, data analyst at Fleet Advantage. “First-year savings are impressive and rise exponentially when multiplied across dozens of truck units.”