June 30, 2020

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Editor’s Analysis & Top Industry News

A Winning Start!

Imagine: you start a great new job to lead a fleet management services firm on Friday, March 13, 2020. All over the world that day many countries are confirming their first cases of the novel coronavirus, the Louvre Museum in Paris closes, Delta Airlines stops flying to Europe, and a national emergency is declared from the White House. Three days later you begin shutting down the company’s corporate location, home of an award-winning call center. And you do it successfully!

This once-in-a-lifetime story belongs to Terry Winslow: The COVID-19 Pandemic Greeted the President at The CEI Group. How He and His New Company Coped.

We mourn the loss of Milton Reid, former president of NAFA and highly-respected member of our fleet community. Milton passed away on June 24 in Gainesville, Georgia. Our hearts go out to his family and friends.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief

“America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” ~ President Harry S. Truman


VIDEO: The 4 Value Tiers of Data

Geotab speaks of the importance of the 4 Value Tiers of Data: Fleet Productivity, Data-Enabled Insights, Public Good and New Mobility.

VIDEO: AFLA Today


 Elizabeth Schlicht Takes the Helm at AFLA
 

Like many of you in the corporate fleet world, FMW has enjoyed working with Elizabeth Schlicht in her past 6 years at AFLA, and we are quite pleased to see her move into the role of Executive Director.


VIDEO: The Ergonomic Mobile Office

 Request for Zoom Video Interviews
 

We’re ramping up FMW’s video interviews via Zoom given the times, and are looking to speak with a variety industry experts (and we know that many of you are reading!).

Please feel free to suggest yourself, or someone you know. Any and all timely industry topics will be considered, and we look forward to speaking with you!

Email Ted Roberts to learn more: [email protected].


The Fleet Spot

Fourth of July Safety: Travel Tips for Drivers & Families

Usually, at this time of year, AAA would be predicting a record-breaking number of travelers over the Independence Day holiday

This year, traffic volumes are expected to be much lower, due to the coronavirus pandemic. While shutdown restrictions may be easing, many people are still avoiding all but essential travel. However, there are still plenty of reasons to be cautious if you are planning to get on the road.

Whatever your travel plans, here are eDriving’s road safety tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe over the Independence Day holiday:

READ MORE

Steve DiPiero Named a Regional Sales Manager at Merchants Fleet

Merchants Fleet has hired Steve DiPiero as a Regional Sales Manager as part of the West Region, based in Chicago.

“Steve is known as a subject matter expert in the field and has a superior track record of working with clients to deliver the best fleet results possible,” said Jeff Thomas, Regional Vice President of the West Region at Merchants Fleet. “We are thrilled to have him to join the Merchants team when many businesses are seeking fleet expertise as they adapt their operations to changing market conditions.”

Recently DiPiero was Director of Mobility & Business Development at Donlen, where he created and grew their mobility department, developed products, and managed client relationships.

READ MORE

Roto and Motus Partner to Streamline Vehicle Purchases

On-Demand Car Leasing App Now Allows Motus Users to Finance and Lease New Vehicles; Receive Contactless Delivery from Dealerships Across the U.S.

NEW YORK, June 30, 2020 – Rodo, an on-demand platform transforming the car leasing and buying experience, is today announcing a partnership with Motus, the definitive leader in reimbursement solutions for businesses with mobile-enabled workers. The deal will simplify car buying and financing through the Rodo app for the hundreds of thousands of business drivers that already rely on Motus for vehicle reimbursement.

“By partnering with Rodo, we’re bringing extended benefits to our drivers, who can now more easily find the car that suits their needs, obtain the best price available and quickly get behind the wheel,” said Todd Gebski, Chief Strategy Officer for Motus.

READ MORE

AFLA NextGen 2020 Virtual Corporate Fleet Conference

Join AFLA for the NextGen 2020 Virtual Corporate Fleet Conference this October 5-7 for an engaging and exciting virtual conference experience.

This year’s conference will include interactive educational sessions, dynamic keynote speakers, roundtable sessions and exciting networking opportunities geared toward enhancing and forging new connections within the corporate fleet industry.

More information will be announced on speakers, sessions and session timing in the coming weeks. Watch your email, and visit afla.org for more information!

Registration Now Open

New Leadership at The CEI Group


I learned more in the first few days than most leaders learn in the first few weeks or months. Specifically, I saw the high quality and dedication of CEI leaders, managers and employees while under tremendously intense circumstances.

By Janice Sutton, Editor in Chief

Editor’s Note: Terry Winslow was installed as president of CEI, which provides fleet collision management and safety services, just in time to be faced with the deepest health and economic crises to grip the U.S. and the world in many decades.

In this edited recent interview, the long-term veteran of the automotive industry and former president of store operations and customer experience for the Icahn Automotive Group, talks about how he and his new company have adapted and managed to keep customer service levels high.

READ MORE

 

Remarketing Today


Giving Customers an Offer in Hours. Paying them in a day. Leaving Them Free To Move On.

By Bill Bishop, Senior Vice President, FLD

Earlier this year, many of us who follow the wholesale used truck market were cautiously optimistic that 2020 would finally be the breakout year the industry has been looking for. In fact, I said as much – with a caveat for Covid – in FLD’s first quarter White Metal Market Report, a comprehensive market update we send to clients.

My how quickly things have changed.

In a few short months, the world has turned upside down, and companies everywhere are scrambling to survive in a challenging new world.

READ MORE

 

Fleet Spectator


You’ll Need to Apply a Very Sharp Pencil to Find Out

By Mark Boada, Executive Editor

There have been some voices raised lately that say it’s already cheaper for people to swap out their fossil-fuel vehicles for 100 percent electric vehicles, also known as Battery Electric Vehicles or BEVs.

A couple of those voices could be heard just last week. Fleet Management Weekly curated an article from NGTNews.com about a brand-new U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) study that said consumers can save as much as $14,500 on fuel costs by driving an electric vehicle for – and here the emphasis is mine – 15 years.

Now don’t get me wrong — that’s a nice chunk of change, but it’s less than $1,000 a year, which is still nice. But how relevant is that to fleets that typically hold a vehicle for only three or four years, especially when BEVs cost more than gasoline and diesel-fueled vehicles and federal incentives on some OEMs are running out?

READ MORE


Fleet Trends & Issues

2021 Ford F-150: It’s Got Screen Presence

MotorTrend

The 2021 Ford F-150 promises to outperform its competition when it comes to max towing, payload, and horsepower and now has given its best-selling model a more inviting interior with company’s latest Sync 4 infotainment system.

The fancy Ford unit comes standard with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, which was previously optional. A new fully digital instrument cluster gives the F-150 a much more modern look.

Buyers can upgrade to a 12.0-inch screen which features a landscape design. Its split-screen functionality lets you control navigation on the left of the screen and music on the right, for example, and displays key information such as speed, gear selection, and even off-roading data.

Read the article at MotorTrend.

California Makes Zero-Emission Trucks And Vans Mandatory by 2045

The Verge

California’s Air Resources Board (CARB) has passed a new rule that says all commercial trucks and vans sold in the state in 2045 must be zero-emission, in a bid to move the industry away from the dirty and harmful diesel engines that currently power most of these vehicles.

It’s a bold move that should help curb one of the worst-polluting sectors of the transportation industry. Despite only making up 7 percent of vehicles on the road in California, diesel trucks account for 70 percent of the state’s smog-causing pollution and 80 percent of diesel soot emitted, according to CARB.

California’s new rule could have much broader consequences, too, thanks to its role as a standard bearer for clean air regulations. To date, 14 other states have adopted its progressive ZEV program for passenger vehicles and seven more states and the District of Columbia may adopt the new zero-emission trucking rule.

Read the article at The Verge.

Crash Statistics Show No Added Risk For Convertibles

IIHS

Convertibles may not look as safe as other vehicles when they’re cruising down the highway with the top down, but crash statistics tell a different story, a new IIHS study shows.

Crash rates and driver death rates were lower for convertibles than for nonconvertible versions of the same cars. However, the differences in driver death rates weren’t statistically significant.

“Based on this study, convertibles don’t appear to pose a particular safety risk,” Eric Teoh, IIHS director of statistical services said. “If you’re shopping for a convertible, you should consider crash test ratings and safety features, just as you would if you were shopping for any other car.”

Read the article at IIHS.

Start-Up Company Building Road That Charges Electric Vehicles Wirelessly While They Drive

Business Insider

Israeli startup Electreon Wireless is developing a solution to electric vehicle owner’s range anxiety, creating roads that can charge as they drive.

Electreon markets its system primarily to governments, cities, and fleet operators, with a proposal to increase efficiency by lowering battery size, cost, and weight. Electric coils installed under roads can transmit energy to electric vehicles on them, charging them as they go.

The company intentionally chose to start working first on public transportation, like shuttles between train stations and airports. Electreon chose this point of entry because of the large population served by urban public transportation, and its role as a large polluter. Eventually, it hopes to expand to ridesharing, trains, and autonomous vehicles.

Read the article at Business Insider.

A Big Turnaround for Dodge


The Detroit Bureau

Dodge is the first domestic brand to rank first in the 34-year-history of the the 2020 J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey.

Kia, tied with a score of 136 problems per 100, has been the highest-ranked mainstream brand for six consecutive years. Genesis, which was the top-ranked brand overall in 2019 fell to third this time – but remained the top-ranked luxury brand. Tesla lands last, confirming EV maker’s ongoing quality headaches.

The real issue with current models is with technologies that, Dave Sargent, Power’s vice president of automotive quality explained in a statement, “are difficult to use, hard to understand or don’t work the way owners want.” The 2020 study found infotainment systems alone were responsible for a quarter of owner complaints, especially when it came to things like voice recognition, touchscreen operation and Bluetooth connectivity;

Read the article at The Detroit Bureau.

 

An Ingrained Safety Culture


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

 

Autonomous Vehicles


Forbes

The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly provided a lens into how the loss of vehicle related revenue wreaks havoc on the budgets of towns, cities and states.

No matter how much of an improvement autonomous vehicles may bring, there will be economic consequences that in turn will have political implications – elected officials will need at act quickly and in a way that least impacts the everyday driver and the public at large.

Autonomous vehicles are programmed to obey traffic laws and comply with regulations of operating on the roadways. The loss of millions of dollars of vehicle infraction violations, drivers license, meter and garage parking fees that many cities use to plug the holes in their budgets, could be eliminated.

Read the article at Forbes.





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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