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CNN Undeterred by the coronavirus pandemic that has brought most of the US economy to a halt, truck stops remain open, offering truckers a place to eat, rest and refuel on their way to delivering critical supplies to a nation that’s hunkering down to slow the spread of COVID-19. The US Department of Transportation says truck stops now qualify as an essential business, meaning they are viewed as too vital to shut down. The federal government eased restrictions on the number of hours drivers transporting critical supplies, such as medical equipment, food, hand sanitizer, soap and disinfectants, are allowed to work. Keeping truck stops open is especially important as a growing number of truckers work longer hours. Read the article at CNN. |
The New York Times A number of manufacturers are racing to roll out electric trucks as early as next year, as pilot projects are already taking place, fleets are eager to buy and orders are pouring in. Medium-duty and box trucks are leading the way, followed by semis used for regional hauling and then long-haul big rigs. “’We want them quicker than the manufacturers can produce them,’ said NFI’s president, Ike Brown. NFI, a freight hauler based in New Jersey. “Mr. Brown’s company makes regional deliveries using a fleet of 4,500 mostly diesel trucks. With a defined daily route of about 250 miles, and trucks that return to the same place every night to recharge, electric trucks ‘just make sense,’ Mr. Brown said. “On average, it costs about $1.38 per mile to operate a diesel truck, according to the trucking information website TruckInfo.net; $70,000 of the $180,000 annual operating cost is fuel, and $15,000 goes toward maintenance. Tesla, by comparison, estimates its electric Semi will cost $1.26 per mile.” Read the article at The New York Times |
SF Gate With millions of Americans now on lockdown, home-delivery orders have soared, and the companies have become among the few power sources keeping the lights on in the darkening U.S. economy. Many workers in the logistics and delivery industry get at most a handful of paid sick days a year. That can push them to work through coughs and fevers. Now, with so many people and businesses relying on a functioning delivery system, the pressure to go in has only intensified, workers said. At XPO, which handles shipping for companies like Disney, Nike and Verizon and has a large fleet of trucks that haul goods nationwide, warehouse workers and truck drivers do not get any paid sick days. The company, which has faced intense criticism from employees about dangerous work conditions in its warehouses, offers to “lend” workers up to 100 hours of time off, but employees have to repay that time. Read the article at SF Gate. |
International Fleet World SureCam has introduced a new dashcam rental model that allows businesses to bundle hardware and software into one monthly payment to remove the ‘prohibitive’ initial outlay for hardware. Introduced in North America as well as the UK, it’s particularly aimed at small- and medium-sized businesses with fleets and intended to help them access the cost-saving advantages of video monitoring. Under the scheme, fleets pay a monthly fee to remotely access event-triggered fleet video in near-real time. In addition to video, SureCam’s online platform provides fleet risk reporting, vehicle location tracking, and history trip reporting, including the option of live monitoring services. Read the article at International Fleet World. |
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The Time for EVs? Or Hybrids? |
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 A reflection on four key European markets By Alain Duez, International Senior Consultant, fleetcompetence Group
Today more than ever, every fleet market is being challenged due to the powertrain technology evolution, C02 emissions, taxation and the need for flexible mobility solutions. In this article, Swiss headquartered international consultancy firm fleetcompetence Group provides some insights from partners in four key markets: France, Italy, The Netherlands and Germany. READ MORE |
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 What’s your recipe for fleet success? Your business has fleet management and technology solutions in place to help achieve organizational goals. These objectives likely include budget, productivity, profits, customer satisfaction, and so forth. But do you know which ingredients were used to whip up your company’s current fleet approach? Hopefully the recipe for your fleet’s success was customized to complement your company’s appetite in terms of configuration and priorities. An ingredient check may be in order to ensure your structure is geared for optimal performance. Does your fleet have the fundamental systems and policies in place to operate at a best practices level? Is your business effectively managing the processes to execute on those systems and policies? If you suspect the answer is “no”, it’s time to peek behind the kitchen door. You might see what looks like a mess at first glance, but you’ll know exactly how things have been cooked up—including which stakeholders are stirring the pot and what’s been left on the floor unconsidered. The common phrase, “how the sausage gets made” applies perfectly to this process. While your stakeholders are more concerned with the final fleet dinner plate rather than how you prepared it, what happens in the kitchen can make or break their entire experience. READ MORE |
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Less Traffic, Fewer Accidents |
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 CityLab As the coronavirus pandemic tightens its grip around the world, city streets have transformed overnight – roads from Beirut to London to Atlanta have become arteries without blood. With offices, schools, businesses and public institutions closing their doors, and households buttoning up under “shelter in place” orders, public transit systems are seeing ridership tank as millions of commuters follow work-from-home orders or choose options that involve less social contact. But as the transportation leaders fight to keep networks and businesses intact in the teeth of this pandemic, the world is getting a striking glimpse, in certain ways, of the things that sustainability advocates have been imagining for years. Air and water pollution is clearing. It remains to be seen how many of the 1.35 million lives lost every year in car crashes around the world might be saved by coronavirus-related shutdowns. Read the article at CityLab. |
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