GE opens 8 acre trailer re-sale center in Fontana to help truckers cope with higher operating costs

FONTANA, CALIFORNIA - April 29, 2008 - Freight movement from Pacific ports to inland distribution centers requires thousands of "mobile warehouse" over-the-road trailers, and a new GE re-sale center opening here helps truckers obtain pre-owned trailers at reasonable prices.

"Truckers are struggling as they face higher fuel prices and increased costs from regulatory compliance," explained Joe Artuso, CEO of GE's Trailer Fleet Services business. "This new trailer sales showroom provides affordable alternatives to help truckers meet customer commitments, keep freight moving, and improve profitability in these tough economic times for the transportation industry."

The new GE Trailer Sales Showroom is located on eight acres at 15521 Slover Avenue in Fontana, near Elm, and just off the Cherry Street South exit of Interstate 10. More than 300 late model over-the-road trailers are in inventory on the lot itself, with thousands more available in the region and at other lots nationally. The off-site inventory is easily searchable at GE's website, www.trailerservices.com.

In most cases, late-model used trailers -- in good to excellent condition -- can be obtained from GE for less than half the cost of a comparable new trailer, and still provide reliable service with modest ongoing maintenance cost. In comparison, new trailers can run from $20,000 for a dry van to $50,000 for a refrigerated model. 

To celebrate the Grand Opening of its new Fontana location, GE is donating a late-model 53-foot trailer to the American Red Cross of Orange County, for use in staging disaster response supplies in the region. 

Stanley V. Perdue, OC Chapter CEO and Regional Executive Officer, said the donated trailer will enhance the ability of the Red Cross to quickly move emergency supplies when required. 

"When disasters strike, time is of the essence to address the human needs that arise," Perdue said. "GE has been a strong financial supporter of our efforts on the national level, and this very practical donation will enhance our ability to respond to catastrophic disasters in Orange County and throughout the Southern California region." 

Also helping GE celebrate its Fontana showroom opening is the American Trucking Associations (ATA). The national trade group for the trucking industry operates an educational highway safety program called "Share the Road." It will be conducting safety demonstrations locally, including private highway "ride-alongs" for reporters to view safe merging and stopping distances from the truck driver's perspective, and learn up close and personal some of the differences between how cars and large trucks operate on the highways. GE has provided a free leased trailer for the ATA to use for this traveling exhibit for the past three years. 

GE is the largest re-seller of trailers in North America, selling more than 25,000 used trailers annually in the course of operating its 50 year-old North American trailer leasing business. These older trailers include units taken in trade from customers and from the routine "refreshing" of its own fleet of 130,000 assets. GE's Trailer Fleet Services operates 90 full-service branches across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The new Trailer Sales Showroom in Fontana is its seventh site in California, and the second GE site in Fontana. 

For more information, visit www.trailerservices.com, or call 1-800-333-2030.

About Trailer Fleet Services from GE

GE's Trailer Fleet Services business is based in Wayne, Pa., and is a single-source provider for all aspects of trailer fleet management. Now celebrating its 50th year, it has been a recognized leader in over-the-road total fleet management solutions, which today includes everything from leasing, renting, financial services, insurance, maintenance, remarketing and asset tracking. GE's Trailer Fleet Services business has 130,000 over-the-road trailer assets, and operates a North American network of 90 branch locations, staffed by a sales and operations team of 900 employees. A unit of GE Capital Solutions, its website is www.trailerservices.com.

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GE Media Contact:

Patrick Brennan, 484-254-0127; patrick.brennan@ge.com

About the American trucking Associations' Share the Road program:

Share the Road is a highway safety outreach program of the American Trucking Associations that educates all drivers about sharing the roads safely with large trucks. An elite team of professional truck drivers with millions of accident-free miles deliver life-saving messages to millions of motorists annually. The safety program is sponsored by Mack Trucks, Inc. and Michelin North America, Inc. www.atastr.org.

ATA Share the Road Media Contact:

Eric Reller, 703-838-1896; ereller@trucking.org

About the American Red Cross of Orange County

The American Red Cross commemorated 90 years of chapter service in Orange County in 2007, and more than 125 years of service in America. The American Red Cross of Orange County is a unique, community-based network focused on helping people prepare for and respond to emergencies. The chapter provides disaster and client services, health & safety services, service to the Armed Forces, international humanitarian services and volunteer, youth, and community outreach services, and is a partner with the American Red Cross Blood Services Southern California Region. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. To learn more about the Orange County Red Cross, visit www.oc-redcross.org or call 714/481-5300.

Orange County Red Cross Media Contact:

Shelly Parsons, 714-481-5376; sparsons@oc-redcross.org

Daphne Hart, 714-481-5375; dhart@oc-redcross.org