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The Internal Revenue Service responded favorably to a request from NAFA to provide relief to fleets in applying the vehicle valuation rules in 2020. According to the IRS, employers will be able to use the vehicle cents-per-mile valuation rule beginning March 13, 2020 instead of the lease valuation rule, notwithstanding IRS consistency rules that prevent switching valuation methods. NAFA sought relief from the IRS following the pandemic shutdown, when many companies suspended business operations or called for employees to work from home, drastically reducing the use of fleet vehicles for business purposes. READ MORE |
MSN Autonomy is constantly presented as the future of the automotive industry with cars that can truly be termed “self-driving” as the goal. The average consumer wants the current systems on their cars to work more predictably before we start giving up control. If you’re having trouble with your blind spot monitor working, for example, you’re going to be a lot less inclined to trust that every feature of your car will function smoothly without you behind the wheel. This year’s AAA study found that a majority of people (80 percent) want automakers to be focusing predominantly on improving current safety systems before anything else. Only 22 percent of people felt that automakers should even be focusing on autonomous systems. Read the article at MSN. |
CNN Business Amazon announced this month that it has begun to roll out cameras inside its delivery vehicles that monitor both the road, and its drivers. Road safety experts say Amazon’s driver monitoring should bring safety benefits for the company and everyone it shares roads with. At the same time, drivers are bracing themselves for what happens when cameras can scrutinize their every move, delivering feedback that could impact their livelihoods. Amazon spokesperson Deborah Bass told CNN Business that drivers could not lose their jobs for a single mistake, but declined to detail how Amazon recommends the partner companies that make its deliveries handle feedback, coaching and discipline. Amazon has said video footage from the cameras will only be sent to it in certain circumstances, including hard braking, hard acceleration and U-turns. Read the article at CNN Business. |
IIHS The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is recognizing 49 models for providing the highest level of safety — more than double the number that earned the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award last year. Another 41 vehicles earn TOP SAFETY PICK (without the plus), bringing the total number of 2021 award winners to 90, compared with 64 in February 2020. “With these awards, we want to make it easy for consumers to find vehicles that provide good protection in crashes, sufficient lighting and effective front crash protection,” IIHS President David Harkey says. “Manufacturers have stepped up to meet the challenge, and the list of great options has grown to an impressive size this year.” Of all manufacturers, Hyundai Motor Group, including the Hyundai, Kia and Genesis brands, has the most 2021 awards — 12 regular TOP SAFETY PICKs and five pluses. Volvo has the most TOP SAFETY PICK+ awards with nine. Read the article at IIHS. |
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Sensors and Cameras Everywhere |
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 CNBC Authorities in the southeast of England are working with a subsidiary of infrastructure giant Ferrovial to trial sensors that will monitor and analyze traffic, in another sign of how tech is being used as a tool to inform decisions about how the towns and cities we live in function. The sensors will be installed at a number of locations within the county, including the town center of Dover, a port and major transport and logistics hub which connects the U.K. to the European Union. There, the sensors will be used to “monitor pedestrian, cycle, car, motorcycle, HGV and bus movements in and around the town of Dover, including the impacts of Brexit on port-related traffic.” As well as ensuring the smooth flow of traffic, technology is also being used to ensure drivers are following the law and using their vehicles in a safe manner. Read the article at CNBC. |
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 By FMW Editorial Staff As companies look to rebound from the recent economic downturn, those with fleet operations are reassessing budgets, resizing fleets, uncovering hidden costs, and finding innovative ways to achieve operational efficiencies. Fleet vehicle transport and relocation services provide a unique opportunity to reduce costs and increase productivity. Success depends on a carefully- planned schedule of ancillary services as part of a move. These services might include one or more of the following: vehicle legalization, maintenance, de-identification, body repair, storage, and others. With a single-source, end-to-end solution, companies reduce vehicle downtime and keep drivers more productive. READ MORE |
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 By Adam Danielson, Director of Sales Safety is one of the fleet industry’s most critical issues as it seeks to reduce crashes and improve safety standards. The benefits of creating a robust fleet safety culture go far beyond reducing crashes, it can also improve the entire organization while mitigating risk.
Where do you begin?
Continuous MVR monitoring, combined with a fleet safety program and other behavioral monitoring tools, is the ideal solution for effectively monitoring drivers’ risk profiles, ensuring compliance and safety, reducing liability, and minimizing business losses for any industry that employs drivers. What to do with all that data?
When you add MVR monitoring, safety policies, training, vehicle anti-collision technologies, CSA scores, connected vehicles and telematics together, you create the beginnings of a very robust safety culture and A LOT of data. Too much data for the average fleet manager to manage and use effectively.How do you make the data actionable for your fleet? READ MORE |
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