Snap Shop: Premier Truck Group Dallas

“[They usually] go with crossflow. We went with downdrafts because your air is evenly controlled over the truck to deliver a superb finish to the customer,” he says. “With downdraft, we can control an even bake cycle so that our metal temp can hit 150 degrees and maintain that temperature.”  

The facility design is optimized for technician productivity, with the goal of processing 200 units per month. Equipment and supplies are consolidated at the center of the facility to ensure all technicians must walk a similar distance to get the equipment they need, as increased walking distance lowers productivity. The setup also allows technicians to perform scans anywhere in the shop. 

“We can do it anywhere,” he says. “We'll pre-scan and get everything up front and then we at least know where the situation where that truck is.”

The facility is in a prime location to centrally service the DFW area. Premier Truck Group, a group of Freightliner dealerships owned by Penske Automotive Group, has built a shop with 46 bays because it intends to cover a large service area. Spoto says they can tow in a truck from over 1,000 miles away. When trucks enter the facility, digital printouts/scans will give the customer the information they need about the repair. For example, the printout can show three-axle alignment with damaged areas highlighted. Premier uses digital printout technology in nine of its 11 collision repair facilities across the country to ensure the best, safest repair possible. 

“When I came on board with Premier, I said one thing we're going to do is provide accuracy to the customer at the same time for liability reasons,” Spoto says. “Let's face it; we're talking about 33,000 pounds [for a road tractor] here. If there ever was a reoccurring accident on the same vehicle and the truck did not respond like factory [new], who are you going to come back on? They point right at me. So, what do I need to do? I need to have the best equipment to give you the best diagnosis of what's wrong with your truck.”

The size of the facility enables it to store more parts than a typical repair facility; the parts storage area is about 15,000 square feet. Spoto emphasizes how critical this will be to shorten cycle times and get the trucks back on the road faster. 

“We’re going to have square footage not just to park a truck, but to be able to have that truck in that bay and do a good disassembly,” he says. “We can go, ‘We have 100 percent of the parts in stock; begin that repair.’ I don’t have to go to the dealership to look for the parts. Those parts are going to be there right with us, housed there. That’s what’s going to be cool.” 

The facility uses the Hunter HawkEye XL HD Alignment System, Bee Line’s OM8000 3D Optical Frame Assessment System and Frame Correction Systems, GFS Large Equipment downdraft pressurized paint booth, Pro Spot 3-phase Smart Double Pulse MIG Welder, 3M Clean Sanding System, Dent Fix Alu-Spot Deluxe Aluminum Dent Repair System, equipment for calibrating Detroit Assurance ADAS, and the KECO Glue Pull Repair System. 

As the facility prepares to open in 2026, Spoto hopes current industry trends will turn around. In 2025, trucks had less collision damage because fleets weren’t purchasing as many new trucks and were driving fewer miles. As the tariffs situation stabilizes in 2026, Spoto hopes that it will lead to the fleet industry increasing the number of trucks on the road. 

He predicts the shift to occur late in the second quarter as shippers’ uncertainty over tariffs begins to relax.  

“It's an unknown, right? A lot of that freight that these fleets hauled is not being hauled anymore. So, what happens? Those trucks don't get moved, they get parked…Then you talk to the insurance industry…they say their business is down 20%, fewer claims. So that plays a factor, too.” 

Spoto says the reason they made this investment is that, even in the worst economic times, there is one thing they have in mind: providing the best service to the customer. He feels they’ve assembled the best facility, tools, and technicians to deliver that goal, something the staff prides itself on. 

“We’re going to have an unbelievable amount of throughput because we’re going to have a high amount of parts inventory that we’re going to be able to stock substantially, and we’re going to have good square footage within the bay. With that, we can get a vehicle in, do a full disassembly of the vehicle, order the required parts, and put that vehicle back within a reasonable length of time. We’re talking like six days of repair. I can’t see any reason that we shouldn’t be able to do any type of collision repairs in a reasonable length of time.”