Custom Spec’d Vocational Trucks from PacLease Help Outdoor Living Supply’s Bottom Line
March 23, 2026
Accurately projecting transportation costs is critical for fleets whose delivery expenses directly impact customer pricing. For Outdoor Living Supply, understanding the true cost of delivery isn’t just a financial exercise – it’s essential to running an efficient, scalable operation.
That focus on cost predictability and uptime is what led Outdoor Living Supply to full-service leasing. A national company with 51 locations and 156 trucks, Outdoor Living Supply has committed to transitioning its fleet to PacLease as vehicles come due for replacement.
“Our stores, located throughout the U.S., stay busy with deliveries—about 80% of our shipments go directly to end users,” said Charles Ballard, national director of transportation for Outdoor Living Supply. “We have to know our cost of delivery, and leasing allows us to do that. Just as important, we want to be as productive and efficient as possible, and we’re achieving that with PacLease.”
According to Ballard, the company’s dump trucks and end-dump trailers typically haul gravel, rock, mulch, sand, and other raw materials, while its flatbeds move natural stone and concrete pavers. Other deliveries typically help restock distribution yards.
Ballard, who has been in transportation since 1994, has a keen understanding of equipment and financing. He built his own small fleet before leasing on with a building materials company, eventually joining that company as its transportation manager in 2013. In 2021, the company launched Outdoor Living Supply, putting Ballard in charge of transportation. He has overseen rapid expansion through acquisition.
“We run mostly Class 8 trucks with a few Class 7s,” said Ballard. “Since we’ve grown by acquisition, we’ve inherited a mixed bag of trucks – most in ownership with others on a full-service lease.”
The challenge, Ballard said, was that the “mixed bag” of equipment came with its own set of complications. “The leased trucks we’ve inherited weren’t built for the job. They’re not a great fit.”
That all began to change in 2023 when Ballard visited the company’s Bedrock Landscape Supply store in Las Vegas (each location acquired maintains its original name). “I met with the local PacLease franchise, and they told me they could build us custom trucks – including dump trucks,” Ballard recalled. “It’s something that I didn’t think existed. By doing this, we’d have the best of both worlds – leasing and custom-built trucks that would perform perfectly for our operation. And they’d be Kenworths – what I’ve always considered the best trucks on the market.”
After spec’ing and placing into service one Kenworth T880 dump truck and three T880s to haul 4-axle end dumps, Ballard was ecstatic with the performance of the trucks and the service PacLease provided. The lease even had a provision for a substitute day cab with a PTO if a truck ever had a problem. “PacLease worked that truck into their rental fleet so we would have access to it should a truck ever have downtime,” said Ballard. “It’s critical that our trucks are always on the job making deliveries – the lease with PacLease assured us of that.”
With success evident, Ballard had a template from which to build. “We began finding other locations where we could replace trucks with PacLease units,” he said. “We’re up to 25 trucks now – a mix between Kenworth T880 dumps and flatbeds, plus T480 dumps trucks in five locations. Our goal is to have 100% of our fleet with PacLease as we pull trucks out of service.”
Spec’ing is vital to Ballard’s operation. He works with a PacLease national account manager on all of Outdoor Living’s PacLease vehicles, plus he taps into the local PacLease franchise’s expertise and connection with body upfitters. “States can vary in weight and overall length regulations – and have different terrain – so we spec each truck for the job and the region it’s in,” said Ballard. “PacLease will build anything my mind can imagine and lease it to us.”
For its day cabs and flatbeds (3-5 axles) in the northeast section of the country, the company often runs Kenworth T880s with the PACCAR MX-13 engine rated at 510 horsepower with 1,850 ft.-lb. of torque. They’re matched with the PACCAR TX-12 automated transmission. It’s a combination that saves up to 400 pounds over other drivetrains. Ballard also specs a short hood on the T880, which allows a sharper turning radius and improved visibility.
In Las Vegas and other markets, the company’s Kenworth T880 18-yard dump trucks can haul up to 25 tons of payload.
When it comes to maintenance, Ballard said PacLease lets them know when service is required (based on telematics data) and gets their trucks back on the road quickly after service is completed. “Often the service shop is open on weekends, so PMs can be performed when the truck is off duty anyway,” he said. “With any business nowadays, uptime is critical. It’s no different for us.”
Running Kenworth equipment has also been a bonus for Outdoor Living Supply when it comes to image and driver satisfaction. “There’s a night-and-day difference in quality between a Kenworth and other makes,” said Ballard. “A PACCAR a truck with 600,000 miles on it still feels solid. Others will shake apart. We’ve seen that firsthand with the trucks we’ve inherited.”
Today, Ballard said he couldn’t be more pleased with how the relationship with PacLease has gone. “We’ve had four other leasing companies provide vehicles to us through acquisition, but PacLease has towered above all of them. The quality of the trucks, the ability to custom spec our vehicles, and then there is the customer service. That’s been so far above the norm that it’s not even funny. It’s why all our future trucks will carry the PacLease badge.”