Budget Car and Truck Rental Finds Kenworth Trucks in High Demand Among Customers

NANAIMO, British Columbia. – When customers rent trucks from Budget Car and Truck Rental in British Columbia, one of the first questions often asked is: “Do you have any Kenworths available?”

“Kenworth trucks have been very popular, particularly among our repeat commercial customers,” said Greg Willmon, director of fleet operations for Budget Car and Truck Rental. The Budget franchise, which is operated by Devon Transport Ltd., was started by current owner Barrie Rogers in 1967 at a single location in Nanaimo. The franchise now has 33 locations in British Columbia and offers 44 Kenworth trucks, including 15 Class 5 Kenworth T170s and 15 Class 7 Kenworth T370s, to cover the 18 communities it serves on Vancouver Island and the mainland.


“Among many of our commercial customers, Kenworth has a strong reputation for making real trucks because of their quality and durability,” Willmon said. “Kenworth also includes features that offer drivers better driveability and more comfort.”

Budget’s new Kenworth T170s and T370s are well-equipped to handle the myriad of driving conditions on Vancouver Island and the rest of British Columbia, including snow and ice and steep hills and grades. All of Budget’s Kenworth trucks are equipped with hydraulic brakes, so they don’t require a CDL to drive. The Kenworth T370s feature 220-hp PACCAR PX-6 engines with 520 ft-lb of torque powered through 5-speed Allison automatic transmissions. The Kenworth T170s provide the highest horsepower to weight ratio in the industry with 200-hp PACCAR PX-6 engines offering 520 ft-lb of torque also powered through 5-speed Allison automatic transmissions.

“We’re pleased that Kenworth and its local dealer, Inland Kenworth, provided these quality trucks at a competitive price,” Willmon added. “We expect our Kenworth trucks will offer us the best resale value with their strong reputation in the resale market.”


According to Willmon, while other Budget franchises rely more heavily on car rentals for a majority of their income, Budget Car and Truck Rental in British Columbia has developed a strong niche in providing trucks for commercial customers.

“Most products here on Vancouver Island are moved by truck and ferry, so we have a lot of commercial customers that haul their own freight and supplies in from the mainland,” Willmon said.

The Kenworth trucks are also in high demand toward the end of the month when residential customers rent them to move furniture or other household items.

“While there are many chassis choices out there to offer rental customers, we’ve always tried to pick reliable trucks, like Kenworths. In the rental business, you can’t afford to have trucks that spend a lot of time in the shop or are down for any reason,” Willmon added. “It can be very disruptive to the customer if the truck breaks down or isn’t available because it’s still at the shop.”

When a truck is unavailable, especially at month end when people typically move, Budget can lose $100 to $120 per day in revenue, or up to $2,000 if the truck is reserved for a week and must travel a long distance, according to Willmon.

“We’re very pleased with the customer service that Kenworth’s extensive dealer network provides us to keep our Kenworth trucks running in top condition,” Willmon said. “Inland Kenworth works closely with all our locations to schedule routine preventive maintenance for the trucks, which helps minimize the impact on our business and customers.”