Haulage company testimonial on the benefits of using Mobil Delvac
Mobil Delvac helps trucking fleet save a half-million dollars
Survival in the fiercely competitive trucking industry takes a resolute spirit and the willingness to try new things. Barry Lesmeister has both.
As the owner of Lesmeister Transportation in Bismarck, North Dakota, Lesmeister says his competitive drive motivated him to switch to Mobil Delvac engine oil about 10 years ago.
In his 40 years of hauling products for the beverage and general commodities industries across the northern United States, Lesmeister has made plenty of decisions – and judging from his success today, most of them have been smart. “But honestly,” he says, “one of the best decisions I have ever made, hands down, was upgrading our entire fleet to Mobil Delvac 1 synthetic oils.”
Making the synthetic switch
With more than 50 fleet trucks braving the long, brutal winters in North Dakota, Lesmeister had already witnessed the protection and performance qualities of Mobil Delvac heavy-duty oil before his most recent switch.
“Years ago, we switched to Mobil™ synthetic products in our differentials, gearboxes and transmissions in order to get added protection for our trucks,” he says. “We were amazed at how well the synthetics performed, and right away we knew the next obvious step was to start running synthetic in the engine compartments across the fleet. Also, we had been using Mobil Delvac™ 1300 Super conventional oils in our trucks for quite some time and had great results.”Soon, Lesmeister was meeting with his longtime Mobil distributor, Farstad Oil, to discuss the benefits of switching the fleet to Mobil Delvac 1 ESP 5W-40 engine oil.
"We see our customers have a lot of success with the synthetics up here in North Dakota, so for us and Barry, this was a no-brainer,” says Kirby Mueller, lube oil general manager at Farstad Oil. “We worked closely with Barry and his team to review the performance and economic benefits he would see from upgrading the entire fleet to running synthetics in the engine compartments.”
Within just a few weeks, Lesmeister had made the transition to a fully synthetic fleet.
“I had thought about it for a while. But I had it in my head that the process would take longer or be more complex than it really was. I think I’ve slept better every night since then, knowing that my trucks and my drivers were out on the road protected by Mobil Delvac 1.”
The savings from synthetic oil is just the beginning
One of the most obvious benefits of switching to Mobil Delvac synthetics is the extended oil drain interval, which helps reduce Lesmeister’s oil consumption and service downtime – and costs.
“In terms of total cost savings over the past 10 years, I estimate we have easily saved more than half a million dollars,” says Lesmeister.
Mary Lesmeister, Barry’s wife and company treasurer, elaborates: “We aren’t buying as much oil as we previously were because of the extended oil drains. At the same time, we are getting rid of a lot less waste oil. Plus, we are achieving increased fuel economy savings, which obviously impacts our bottom line.”
The other obvious benefit, according to Lesmeister, is the performance and protection the fleet gets during cold starts.
“Since Barry switched our fleet over to the synthetic Mobil Delvac 1, my job has been a lot easier,” says Bob Morris, Lesmeister’s shop foreman and lead mechanic for more than 20 years. “Our trucks always start in the morning, whether they are here in our lot plugged into heaters, or at truck stops totally exposed to the elements.”
“I’ve been driving for Barry for more than 22 years, and our trucks have never run better since we switched to Mobil Delvac 1 engine oils,” says Brian Rowley, a driver for Lesmeister Transportation. “The last thing I want to have happen is for my truck not to start on a cold morning at a truck stop,” he says, laughing.
As a small business owner, Lesmeister notes another benefit that is hard to put a price tag on: peace of mind.
“You are always going to have challenges as a business owner,” he says. “But knowing that our trucks and our drivers are well protected with Mobil Delvac 1 synthetic oils, that’s something that gives me a lot of confidence and peace of mind.”
For Barry and his wife, the belief in synthetic oils extends beyond their trucking business.
“We won’t run anything but Mobil 1™ synthetic oil in our own personal cars,” says Mary.
“I am no doubt a big believer in the value of synthetic oils like Mobil Delvac 1,” Lesmeister says. “It was 10 years ago when we made this decision, and it continues to pay off for us every day.”
This Proof of Performance is based on the experience of a single customer. Actual results can vary depending upon the type of equipment used and its maintenance, operating conditions and environment, and any prior lubricant used.
For more information on Mobil Delvac Lubricants, please contact Burke Lubricants, your local Mobil industrial lubricants distributor on +353 (404) 20333,sales@oil.ie or visit www.oil.ie
