By Hasnain Jetha, Senior Procurement Manager, Wheels Donlen

We’ve gone from COVID, to supply chain shortages, to rising inflation and on to the lingering effects of all of them.

It feels like too long and due to many contributing reasons, it has been too long. Sometimes it’s difficult to muster up the necessary patience needed to do our jobs in this industry, yet “patience” should be the mantra of our age.

We live in an interconnected global economy that is emerging from some complicated times and it is the impact of many elements that has brought us here. None of these things happened in a vacuum, which makes any solution that much more complex.

So, lets address some of the questions we are all asking.

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By Kevin Dennehy, Editor, Location Business News

Fleet companies are in a quandary about adding more environmentally friendly technology.

While many believe that it is a good thing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, others believe that the cost is too high, particularly with higher fuel prices and associated costs.

One company believes that technology can play a crucial role in helping fleets to mitigate the impact of higher fuel costs. In fact, Trimble Transportation says the average carrier runs 15 percent of their miles empty—without a load—and eight percent of their miles out of route.

“Implementing technology can help fleets eliminate some of this waste and help accelerate a faster return on their investment. For example, if a 1,000-truck fleet were to make a one percentage point improvement in empty miles, they could reduce miles driven by one million, save $2 million in gross margin and eliminating three million pounds of CO2,” said Chris Orban, Trimble Transportation vice president and business area manager of supply chain insights.

Another company, fleet telematics giant Geotab, prioritizes proving ROI with data-driven tools to show companies what makes sense for each individualized sustainability journey, said Charlotte Argue, Geotab’s senior manager for sustainable mobility.

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At Supervision, driver safety is our top priority. Everything we do centers around it.

However, 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 isn’t prepared to adhere to safety regulations, they are a risk that is not worth taking. But, how do you identify drivers who pose a risk?

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Governor Gavin Newsom of California signed into effect a law that will impose strict penalties on people who illegally buy and sell catalytic converters.

The anti-pollution devices are a frequent target for saw-and-grab thieves, with more than 18,026 reported stolen in California alone in 2021.

The new legislation attaches a $1000 fine to a first conviction and $2000 for a second. The buyers will also have to keep and show records of where they’re getting catalytic converters.

via Car and Driver

Hertz and bp announced today the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development of a national network of EV charging stations powered by bp pulse, bp’s global electrification and charging solution brand.

The MOU sets the foundation for Hertz and bp to drive the future of mobility and accelerate EV consumer adoption.

Hertz has a national footprint of locations across North America suitable for bp pulse to build and manage a network of fast-charging hubs to serve Hertz customers, including taxi and ride sharing drivers, as well as the general public.

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Many parts of the U.S. saw record rainfall and damaging flooding. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is warning consumers that vehicles flooded by these storms may soon be appearing for sale around the nation.

NICB works with its member insurance companies, law enforcement, and auto auction companies to identify the vehicles that have had an insurance claim filed. Most of the damaged vehicles are sold to parts companies who will dismantle them and re-sell usable parts that were not damaged by the flooding.

It’s important for consumers to know some criminals will attempt to sell these flood-damaged vehicles to unsuspecting buyers. Before you purchase a pre-owned vehicle, be sure to run the vehicle identification number (VIN) through NICB VINCheck.

via NICB

The Propane Education & Research Council is encouraging propane autogas fleet operators to take advantage of the Alternative Fuel Tax Credit, which was recently passed by the U.S. Congress as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, 2022.

Propane autogas fleet operators who apply for the tax credit will be able to claim a credit for every gasoline gallon equivalent of propane autogas purchased, or about 37 cents per gallon. The bill not only extends the credits through Dec. 31, 2024, but fleet owners can also apply for credits retroactively for any fuel purchases made in 2022. Tax exempt entities that use propane autogas from an on-site fueling station for a vehicle fleet also qualify for the incentive.

“Thousands of fleets across the country rely on propane autogas every day for environmental sustainability, and these credits provide another opportunity for fleets to ensure they’re also realizing financial sustainability,” said Steve Whaley, director of autogas business development at PERC. “Even without the credits, propane autogas provides the lowest total cost-of-ownership. As an abundant and available energy source, propane autogas can make a difference in communities around the nation today.”

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By Janice Sutton

When Chuck Parker passed away last Wednesday, September 21^st, a piece of my heart broke.

Chuck was a pioneer in the fleet industry, holding key positions in companies such as Rollins, Avis, National, Lemans (now Fiserv Lending Solutions), US Fleet Leasing, and Bobit Business Media,.

He founded the industry’s first digital media company, Automotive Information Network (AIN), with nine industry segmented e-newsletters including Automotive Digest and Dealer Digest Daily. Fleet Management Weekly was one of those nine.

Chuck was an ideas man. Veteran fleet consultant Janis Christensen said, “Chuck was THE innovator in automotive electronic news – he saw where the industry was going before others did.”

Long before I met him, he was a U.S. Marine Corps pilot, flying A4 jets. He put himself through UCLA — earning a bachelors degree in political science — by working as a bartender on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles.

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What’s the biggest problem facing fleet? Will EVs change the face of our industry? How long have you been around this industry anyway?

By Richard Mallek, Director of Business Development at FLD

There are a lot of questions swirling around fleet these days.

Today’s fleets are facing the types of challenges one could hardly have imagined just a decade ago.

That got us to thinking at FLD. How are fleet professionals feeling after these raucous few years?

And where do they think our industry stands in the wake of these once in a lifetime challenges? Even more important, where do these same professionals think we’re headed in both the near and long term future?

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An investigation into a California crash that killed nine – including seven children – has led the National Transportation Safety Board to call for alcohol impairment detection systems to be included in all new vehicles, according to new recommendations released Tuesday.

Technology could’ve prevented this heartbreaking crash — just as it can prevent the tens of thousands of fatalities from impaired-driving and speeding-related crashes we see in the U.S. annually,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. “We need to implement the technologies we have right here, right now to save lives.”​

Driving under the influence of alcohol remains a leading cause of injury-involved highway crashes. Since 2000, more than 230,000 people have lost their lives in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers according to NHTSA. As a result of the investigation, the NTSB is recommending measures leveraging new in-vehicle technologies that can limit or prohibit impaired drivers from operating their vehicles as well as technologies to prevent speeding.

via NTSB