Roughly 145 of TA's 152 truckstops offer preventive maintenance services and light warranty repair work for Freightliner-brand trucks as part of a deal TA made with Freightliner in 1999.
TA CFO Jim George said revenue from its shops increased 10.3% in the fourth quarter of 2002 and 7.9% for the year. That more than offset non-fuel business revenue declines of 4.6% in the fourth quarter and 3.6% for the year, along with a 1% decline in fuel revenue in 2002.
"Fleets are finding that it is cheaper to get preventive maintenance work done on the road rather than deadhead a truck back into their own shop to do it," George commented.