June 23, 2020

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Editor’s Analysis & Top Industry News

Combating Climate Change — One Fleet At a Time

As reported in today’s Washington Post, a new Pew Research Center survey revealed that “Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe the federal government should act more aggressively to combat climate change…” This includes significant majorities who would “require more fuel-efficient cars and tax corporations based on their emissions.”

Serendipitously, NAFA Fleet Management Association president Patty Earley today unveiled NAFA’s newest educational program: Sustainable Fleet Certificate & Summer Series. Earley says, “Pulitzer Prize Winner Thomas Friedman has cautioned that the pandemic is a warm-up for climate crisis.” Indeed it is. Once again, we applaud NAFA for its strong leadership in fleet education.

There is still time to register for Wednesday’s webinar: Fleet Business Strategies During the Pandemic and Recovery Afterward: What Practices Will Become Permanent? June 25, 2:00 to 3:30 PM EDT : Register here!

Stay Well & Drive Safety!

Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief


VIDEO: Remarketing Made Easy

FLD makes remarketing vehicles easier and quicker, and that includes paying you within a week – not 6 or 7 weeks down the road, like some of the competition does.

VIDEO: Vehicle Lifecycle Management


 Is It Time to Revise Your Fleet Lifecycle Management Policy?
 

There have been unprecedented changes in the way fleets do business in the wake of the pandemic, and that might mean it’s time to look at revising your Fleet Lifecycle Management Policy.


VIDEO: The Ergonomic Mobile Office

 What is an Ergonomic Mobile Office?
 

An ergonomic mobile office can be installed in almost any vehicle, and can result in higher productivity, less repetitive stress and fewer back injuries.


The Fleet Spot

Geotab Launches Public Works Solution for Government Fleets

Market-leading solution helps enable state and municipal government agencies to improve their fleet operations through superior integrations and improved visibility; Increases operational efficiencies for seasonal and ongoing maintenance vehicles

Toronto, ON – June 23, 2020 – Geotab, a global leader in IoT and connected transportation, today announced the North American launch of its Geotab Public Works solution. The all-in-one solution offers fleet managers full visibility into the operational data of all government vehicle types on one single platform and provides the toolsets to effectively remain compliant, reduce costs and maintain road safety.

“As many governments continue to look for ways to optimize their operations, Geotab Public Works is the type of robust, scalable, secure solution that provides real value by giving government fleet managers and local constituents unprecedented visibility to their public services,” said Jean Pilon-Bignell, Vice President of Business Development, Government and Smart Cities at Geotab.

READ MORE

coronavirus Webinar: Fleet Business Strategies During the Pandemic and Recovery Afterward: What Practices Will Become Permanent?

Hear insights and fresh ideas provided by a panel of award-winning fleet managers — including three previous #1 fleets — on a free webinar offered Thursday, June 25 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. EDT. This webinar will discuss solutions to the #1 issue facing fleets in 2020 (besides the disease) — the shortage of technicians during COVID-19 and beyond.

These best practices will be led by Robert Gordon, NAFA’s 2018 Fleet Excellence award winner for Outstanding Achievement in Public Fleet Management. The webinar will be interactive with your questions, comments and ideas. Experts in emerging technologies that are changing how the industry works will also be presenting.

CLICK HERE to REGISTER

Chevin Fleet Solutions Joins Global Fight Against COVID-19 with Charity Fundraiser #Chevin 500

Chevin targets a 500km run, in 50-days, to raise money for the International Federation of Red Cross’ (IFRC) emergency appeal.

#Chevin500 is a charity run to raise money in support of global efforts to fight coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Speaking on the charity fundraiser, Ashley Sowerby, Chevin’s Founder and Chief, said: “COVID-19 has affected the entire world, however, despite being confined to our homes, we can all make a difference to what’s going on outside. We can join the fight against coronavirus. We can join the fight, apart, but still together. And that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

READ MORE

Sustainable Fleet Certificate & Summer Series

Earning the Sustainable Fleet Certificate is the marker of a committed sustainable fleet professional who has demonstrated a wide range of knowledge essential to manage a sustainable fleet in today’s challenging environment.

NAFA has created a one-of-a-kind program to teach fleet professionals like you the latest, most authoritative practices and helping you turn ideas into action and succeed in your sustainability goals.

Passing the exam earns your Sustainable Fleet Management Certificate from NAFA, providing you in-demand knowledge and a respected credential.

Your skills will matter: sustainability is a topic an organization can’t afford to ignore—and transportation-related sustainability is a top priority.

Find Your Risky Drivers


By Trent Dressen, Director of Sales, SuperVision

It is the top priority of most businesses that rely on drivers, whether they employ professional drivers, a few salespeople, or a large crew of workers that drive as a function of their job.

Developing an ingrained safety culture and a comprehensive safety program delivers a positive impact on any company’s bottom line.

Comprehensive safety programs come in many shapes and sizes from self-reporting policies to keep the driver manager aware of any possible issues, point systems to identify when actions should be taken, to driver training programs to address high-risk behavior and keep safety top of mind. Fleets are constantly in search of ways to offset risk with new technologies and safety programs.

Before a true safety culture can be effective, driver and fleet managers must understand the level of risk an irresponsible driver poses to their organization. Entrusting a driver with a company vehicle or entrusting them to drive their own vehicle on company time, is a big risk. If the driver is not prepared to adhere to safety regulations, they are a risk that is not worth taking.

READ MORE

 

States with the Best Drivers


Insurify.com

A national study of driver records by Insurify, an online auto insurance broker, has found that no one region of the U.S. has better drivers than any other, but did identify the 10 states with the best average driver records.

The top five, in descending order, were Michigan, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada and Florida. Rounding out the top ten were West Virginia, Connecticut, Arizona, New Jersey and Texas.

The rankings were calculated based on five factors: the number of licensed drivers in each state, the total number of traffic fatalities per 100,000 motorists in 2018, and the percentages of licensed drivers with at least one of 20 different traffic violations in the past seven years, a speeding ticket, and an at-fault accident.

In total, the study found that 24 percent of all drivers have committed at least one moving violation, more than 12 percent have had an at-fault accident and nearly 12 percent have been cited for speeding. It also calculated that there were 11.2 traffic deaths per 100,000 U.S. motorists in 2018.

Read the article at Insurify.com.

 

Fleet Spectator


By Janis Christensen, Managing Director, Mercury Associates, Inc.

[Editor’s Note: Fuel card fraud is a constant and growing threat that costs fleets hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Below, Ms. Christensen, a long-time fleet industry veteran and an executive with one of the nation’s leading fleet consulting firms, lists the ways in which fleets can investigate cases of fuel card fraud, the ways drivers try get around fuel spending controls, and what fleet managers can do to combat the threat.]

How Fleets Investigate Fleet Card Abuse

While the driver is typically “the cardholder,” in some cases, other fleet and non-fleet personnel may control multiple cards and, thus, be the cardholder. Investigations for abuse of retail purchases or consumption, in the case of on-site fueling, are through use of control limits (data) and measures to enforce proper cardholder behavior.

READ MORE


Fleet Trends & Issues

Ford’s Redesigned F-150 Pickup Will Offer Greater Connectivity, Sleeper Seat

Reuters

Ford is not taking big risks with the exterior look of the new F-150 pickup given its sales dominance, instead focusing on improving the interior.

The new electrical architecture will allow Ford to provide over-the-air updates to key modules controlling the vehicle, replacing trips to the dealership. One prominent feature will be the lay-flat passenger seat like those seen in first-class cabins on some planes.

Ford has borrowed more than $20 billion to ride out the economic shock from the coronavirus pandemic. Profit from the new F-150 will be key to paying that money back.

Read the article at Reuters.

New Study Suggests Today’s SUVs Are More Lethal To Pedestrians Than Cars

IIHS

Though their designs have changed considerably over the past two decades, late-model SUVs still appear to be more likely to kill pedestrians than cars, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found.

In a crash with a traditional, block-front SUV, the grille strikes the pedestrian’s pelvis or chest split seconds after the bumper hits the lower extremities, transferring more energy to the pedestrian’s body. It’s possible that a more sloping profile could do less damage.

“Our findings provide more evidence that manufacturers need to make design changes to help combat the increase in pedestrian fatalities now that more of the vehicles on the road are SUVs,” says IIHS Senior Research Engineer Becky Mueller.

Read the article at IIHS.

Ford Launching Hands-Free Active Drive Assist System in 2021

The Detroit Bureau

Ford is getting ready to roll out its first long-range battery-electric vehicle later this year, and the new Mustang Mach-E also will become the automaker’s first model to get the new, hands-free Active Drive Assist technology.

Active Drive Assist will permit motorists to take their hands off the wheel for an extended period while driving on 100,000 miles of U.S. limited-access roadways that have been mapped using high-resolution technology.

“The stress of long highway drives remains a huge issue for drivers around the world,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s chief product development and purchasing officer. “By introducing driver-assist technologies like Active Drive Assist, Ford’s version of hands-free driving, we’re allowing our customers to feel more confident whenever they’re behind the wheel.”

Read the article at The Detroit Bureau.

Lyft Vows ‘100 Percent’ Of Its Vehicles Will Be Electric By 2030

The Verge

By working with automakers and rental car companies, as well as the millions of independent contractors who drive for Lyft every day, the ride-hailing company believes it can prevent “tens of millions of metric tons” of pollutants from entering the atmosphere.

The path to an all-electric fleet won’t be easy. The company will first focus on its Express Drive rental car program that allows those who don’t own a car to become Lyft drivers. Lyft says it will strive to make EVs available at the same or lower weekly rental price as comparable gasoline vehicles by 2023​ in at least 10 of their largest markets.

Lyft says will lobby for “aggressive zero-emission vehicle policies” like mandates, tax rebates, and charging infrastructure expansion. Through these efforts, Lyft hopes to reduce the cost of EVs, improve charging, and develop special promotions — thus making electric vehicles more attractive and affordable for drivers.

Read the article at The Verge.

Working from Home


Forbes

Maintaining remote working after the coronavirus lockdown in the U.K. could cut two airports’ worth of emissions and eliminate 11.3 billion miles of commutes, a British clean air campaign has found.

Researchers found that people’s experience of cleaner air and quieter streets has bolstered support for changing conventional ways of working.

According to the U.K. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, pollution in some British cities fell 60% during lockdown. Data from Breathe London, managed by the charity Environmental Defense Fund Europe, show levels of levels of nitrogen dioxide, which harms the lungs, fell 20-24% in central London.

Read the article at Forbes.

 

Post-Pandemic Fleet Management


By Steve Saltzgiver, Director – Mercury Associates Inc.

The year 2020 will undoubtedly be one of the most memorable years in all human history, with the economies of more than 180 countries being shut down for months as the world combats the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Ironically, COVID-19 emerged during one of the longest economic recoveries ever seen. When the pandemic hit, many fleets were busily engaged in replacing their vehicles and expanding their vehicle count to handle the economic boom. Then they suddenly found themselves going from full-employment to millions of people unemployed and vast numbers of equipment being moth-balled as the world’s economy plunged into recession.

READ MORE

 

Fleet Spectator


By Mark Boada, Executive Editor

Remember all the hype a few years ago about how incredibly close we were to having autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the road that would make us virtually incapable of crashing?

Some predicted the miracle would arrive fully fledged as early as this year, or 2021, maybe 2022. But it was going to be real and be a great advance in highway safety, starting us off onto the road of zero accidents (along, of course, with zero emissions and zero ownership).

Well, we’re halfway into 2020 and the vision remains, at best, in prototype testing, with assorted weaknesses, glitches, mishaps and bugs. So, instead of first-stage Utopia, now we’re in the valley of disappointment and lowered expectations, as OEMs and the self-driving technology community have admitted that fulfillment of the dream is far off into the future, if it ever gets here at all. By 2030? 2035? 2050? One or the other prognosticator has offered each one of these target dates.

READ MORE





Fleet Management Resources

 

AFLA
The Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association. Advancing corporate fleet worldwide.

eDriving
eDriving partners with its clients to engage with drivers and their managers to create a culture that supports lasting behavioral change to reduce collisions, injuries, license violations as well as a fleet’s total cost of ownership.

SuperVision
SuperVision is a fleet driver management solution for MVR & license monitoring, fleet management, fleet safety oversight and driver performance and retention.

The CEI Group Inc.
CEI is North America’s largest provider of fully integrated fleet accident management, driver safety and risk management services.

NAFA Fleet Management Association
NAFA is the association for the diverse vehicle fleet management profession regardless of organizational type, geographic location, or fleet composition.

WEX
WEX fuel cards and fleet management solutions give you powerful tools to reduce spending — for any business, any fleet, any size.

Driving Dynamics
Driving Dynamics was established to help corporate fleet drivers develop expert, safe driving skills using proven, advanced driving techniques.

PARS
PARS’ mission is to provide you with high-quality service at competitive prices for all of your transportation needs.

Wheels, Inc.
First in fleet for 80 years. Wheels helps you build tomorrow’s fleet today.




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