Editor’s Note: When other companies were targeting and touting a younger average age of fleet in 2006 and 2007, Stephenson’s Rental Services, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, started a program of aging its fleet. Today, the company continues its efforts, as explained by Willie Swisher, Stephenson’s CEO.

RM: In this economy, are you aging your fleet?

Willie Swisher: We continue to age our fleet towards an average age of 60 months. We believe with proper maintenance of mechanical and aesthetics, we will maintain high customer satisfaction.

RM: What do you have to watch out for when aging your fleet?

Swisher: Hours of usage and type of usage. Do a detailed annual or semi-annual overall inspection. We have established an internal inspection process to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction.

RM: How do you determine when to turn over equipment?

Swisher: Each category of equipment has its own target age, so compaction is different than aerial. We use internal maintenance history and resale values to set target turn over of fleet.

RM: How do you better maintain equipment?

Swisher: We have an annual shutdown period for certain pieces of equipment to go through an entire refurbishment process. Instead of touching each piece numerous times, we do a planned shutdown scattered throughout the year that mirrors our human resource capacity schedule.