By Judie Nuskey, Director of Operations, ADTS
Multiple branches of the Federal Government attended the 2024 FedFleet Conference & Expo. Attendees were also able to visit the 2024 Washington, D.C. Auto Show, all within one venue – The Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Registration for the Federal Fleet Professionals confab included access to over 35 training sessions, a computer lab, and the hugely popular pre-conference Federal Fleet Boot Camp.
Conference sessions included fleet electrification, data reporting, EVSE planning, supply chain, best practices in fleet management, as well as vehicle safety and recalls.
Fleet managers reviewed policies, procedures, and mandates, and took to the exhibit floor to continue the conversation on challenges within the fleet industry.
There’s nothing shameful about renting. Renting complements your current funding strategy, and can be used alongside leasing and purchasing to add flexibility to your fleet.
Maybe you need vans for 4 months but not the entire year. With Kingbee, you can adjust the size and composition of your fleet without being locked into long-term leases or ownership.
American automakers increasingly view Chinese electric cars as an existential threat, despite the fact that Chinese-branded cars aren't even for sale in the U.S. yet. Detroit has seen this before with Japanese and Korean rivals, which filled a need for affordable, efficient cars - and consumers eventually embraced them.
Chinese cars have long been poorly made. But thanks largely to government support — plus access to cheaper batteries and labor - the country now makes attractive, affordable models, like the sub-$11,000 Seagull EV from BYD, the world's top seller of EVs and plug-in hybrids.
Chinese cars are already being exported to Mexico, and BYD, Chery and at least one other Chinese carmaker are scouting plants there, the Financial Times reported - meaning Mexico could become a backdoor for selling Chinese cars in the U.S.
We were delighted to sit down with our long-time friend Heidi DiAngelo, Strategic Business Development Director at Ridecell, to learn how the company’s mobile technology helps fleets lower costs while improving efficiency and sustainability. “Self-acting fleet control is entirely new to the fleet industry, but it’s not new to the surrounding world,” says DiAngelo. “We’ve been using automation around us for long periods. What’s fresh about this is that it’s bringing automation that we use daily.”
Steve Bender is a star! Past president of AFLA and Fleet Street Remarketing chief, Bender stars in the History Channel series Lost U-Boats of WWII – Tuesday, February 27, 10 PM EDT. We’ll hear more from Steve in next week’s newsletter!
Congratulations to NAFA's 2024 Board of Directors! “As we dive into the heart of our bylaws and strategic plan this year, it's clear that we're charting a course towards a stronger, more cohesive NAFA,” said Mike Camnetar, CAFM, NAFA Board President.
Drive Safety!
Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief
There’s been some negative news around EVs in the consumer market, but these concerns are not reflected in the commercial market. This is because businesses have a better understanding of TCO and range, and their fleets operate on predictable routes and don’t rely on public charging.