By Ed Dubens, CEO/Founder, eDriving

While many businesses focus on organization-wide training and safety programs, there’s another tool that’s quickly gaining recognition for its ability to “drive” success: COACHING.

Coaching is the “glue” that helps support and sustain lasting behavior change when implemented as part of a holistic driver risk management program.

By providing personalized support and ongoing guidance, coaching can help managers and their drivers identify and address risky driving behaviors, improving safety and reducing the risk of collisions and injuries and their associated costs.

Managers should set a timetable that includes monthly standing discussions, annual overall performance review, and post-collision and license violation reviews.

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By Ed Pierce, FMW Brand Acceleration

Google’s Universal Analytics will be replaced by Google Analytics 4 (GA4) on July 1, 2023. As a result, fleet marketing professionals should familiarize themselves with the new platform as soon as possible.

GA4’s enhanced ability to view user data across all devices gives it a richer data set to build machine-learning models. These models allow marketers to predict the actions of their customers.

Tracking what a customer does today is the best prognosticator of the next action to be taken. as it paints a better picture of their next action than who they are. GA4 can help companies predict customer actions across channels.

The key differentiators of Google Analytics 4—user-centric reporting and built-in modeling—are powerful tools for marketers to understand their customers’ journey.

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Three Companies Bring 180+ Years of Collective Fleet Management Experience Under Singular Brand

Following the previously announced LeasePlan USA and Wheels Donlen merger under Athene, the company today announced that they will brand the combined organization as Wheels.

The new Wheels brand builds on the shared history of all three legacy organizations as leaders in fleet management and mobility, while leveraging the strong brand recognition of the Wheels name.

Each company has many contributions and history within the industry, always putting clients at the heart of everything they do.

CEO Shlomo Crandus said: “We’re thrilled to unify our three organizations into one cohesive business under the new Wheels brand. We approached the branding process with careful consideration, utilizing both internal and external resources to establish a clear vision for the new organization. Our primary focus is on providing exceptional mobility management services for our clients to ensure they are successful.”

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A Teletrac Navman survey of more than 1,800 global fleet operators has revealed that rising fuel costs (39%), disruption due to the impact of COVID-19 (32%), and supply chain pressure (31%), are the top challenges they currently face.

“The last 12 months have created new complexities for fleets, but fuel cost rises are the number one concern for operators globally,” says Alain Samaha, President & CEO of Teletrac Navman. “As the cost per gallon of fuel spiked throughout last year, many operators looked to overcome the rising costs with driver behavior programs and EV transition plans.”

With the look towards technology, nearly all (98%) respondents said they were using either a sourced or manufacturer-provided telematics solution across their fleet. While vehicle tracking (43%) was understandably the number one reason for utilizing telematics, managing driver performance (33%) was the next priority, followed by using it for proof of service/job completion (32%), and of course monitoring fuel usage (30%) in tough economic conditions.

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There is technically a charging network for electric cars in place in this country. But it’s a long way from being practical and a lot of it isn’t even useable.

Studies by JD Power and Deloitte confirm what many electric-vehicle drivers already know: The EV charging system in America is woefully inadequate, clunky, and just plain doesn’t work. Federal oversight could force the charging network in America to improve with some simple requirements that will make charging — and paying for it — more easily accessible to all.

via Autoweek

Electrify America is raising rates up to 5 cents for its per-kilowatt-hour and per-minute charging options—which vary based on location—starting on March 6.

EA first made the announcement earlier this month in an email sent out to customers. The company cited rising energy and operational costs as the reason for the increased rates. Electrify America says it’s the largest fast-charging network in the country, most recently claiming 800 total stations and 3500 DC fast-chargers.

via Car and Driver

Touchscreens inevitably leaves fingerprints at best, germs at worst. GM was awarded a patent for a self-cleaning touchscreen that’s also self-disinfecting.

This system does not rely on the germicidal 254-264-nm UV-C wavelength used to disinfect water supplies, hospitals, airplane interiors, etc. Instead, ultraviolet illumination from LEDs activates a photocatalytic coating applied to the touchscreen. That material is normally water repellant, but when activated by UV light (sufficient sunlight can trigger it), it becomes hydrophilic, meaning it absorbs moisture from the air. With the moisture, the catalyst effectively kills and removes any organic material on the surface.

via MotorTrend

Have the new automotive technologies that have improved safety and fuel economy over the years also made them more expensive? Some critics of auto regulations have long argued that they have—and that, as a result, consumers, don’t come out ahead.

But a new Consumer Reports analysis of car prices going back nearly two decades has found that’s not true. After adjusting for inflation, vehicle prices didn’t increase during the time period studied—model years 2003 through 2021—even as average fuel economy increased 30 percent and proven lifesaving safety technologies became common features.

via Consumer Reports

By Solera Fleet Solutions

The American Trucking Association estimates that the U.S. trucking industry is short 78,000 truck drivers, and the shortage could balloon to 160,000 by 2030.

The industry can avoid a more severe driver deficit by hiring about 1.2 million new truck drivers to replace drivers who are leaving the industry due to retirement or other reasons.

There hasn’t been a better time for you to explore the benefits Solera Fleet Solutions can provide for driver retention.

Solera Fleet Solutions applications like Omnitracs’ software can enhance driver experience and satisfaction. SuperVision Driver Performer provides managers with driver retention scorecards based on many key factors.

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By Ed Pierce, Contributing Editor

Drunk driving is one of the biggest dangers of the road. Over 30 people in the United States are killed every day in crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.

“When people drink, we exhale alcohol through the pores of our skin everywhere on our body, including our fingertips,” says Michael Watson, Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing for SOBRsafe. “Our potentially game-changing technology allows us to instantaneously determine whether or not a person has been drinking.”

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