Borgman Ford Commercial client Summit Landscape Management was recently featured at BusinessFleet.com for their change-over to leasing. Newer vehicles, write-offs, and hassle-free maintenance made the move a smart business plan.

If your company would like to look into the benefits of commercial leasing and fleet management services, contact the Borgman Ford Commercial team today!
Call Scott Gibbons at (616) 706-3205, or Tod Tobin at (616) 710-2209

Here’s an excerpt from the article originally published on BusinessFleet.com by Amy Winter-Hercher:

After running his company for 18 years, Bill Vander Velde has made a change in how he obtains all of his vehicles. He has decided to give leasing a try.

“The deal is that I’m trying to turn them over quicker,” says Vander Velde, owner of Summit Landscape Management. “If I can turn them over in five years, I can keep my fleet looking nicer.”

According to Vander Velde, he has a history of buying fleet vehicles and running them for at least 15 years; this leads to older vehicles that are more likely to break down.

In 1998, Vander Velde started his company with two vehicles used for mowing, fertilizing, and landscape construction. As time went on, he added irrigation services in 2003 and tree service in 2005. Today, the fleet has expanded to 53 vehicles to cover the different business categories.

Leasing Benefits

Currently, Vander Velde is leasing F-250 and F-350 trucks through Ford Motor Credit Company’s TRACLease program. Through the open-end lease, the deal is to keep the vehicles for five years or about 75,000 miles. At the end of five years, he has the option to buy/sell or trade in the vehicles.

“It helps to know when I can turn them over rather than keeping them running for 15 years,” he says.

When determining the worth of leasing over buying, Vander Velde based his decision on the following items:

• Uptime ratio: With a truck that is five years old or younger, there is significantly less downtime for repairs. “With the increase in uptime, we are more productive, which in turn keeps the customers happy.”
• Looks: The vehicles will look better compared to keeping them for 15 years. “My old vehicles look really rough at the end of their life.
• Morale: Driving a newer vehicle versus an older vehicle helps keep the employees happy and improves morale.

You can read the full article by visiting BusinessFleet.com. Credit for above photo to Summit Landscape Management.

Whether you’re just getting started or a well-established business, Borgman Ford Commercial is here to help. Contact Us and we’ll craft a fleet solution that fits the needs of your business, your employees, and your budget. To check out our full Ford Commercial Inventory, Click Here!