The disappearance of small cargo vans like the Ford Transit Connect, Ram ProMaster City, or Mercedes-Benz Metris has led many fleet companies to face yet another challenge: explore alternative options to meet their needs.

“We’re starting to see a trend where more traditional passenger vehicles, not really considered commercial vehicles until now, are having to fit the void left by the small cargo vans.” says Michael Diaz, Director of Fleet Upfit Solutions for Ranger Design.

As EV technology advances, fleets are considering electric cargo vans as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative, providing both environmental benefits and operational savings in the long run.

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Learn how ITDS, a small trucking company, scaled significantly and maintained outstanding customer service without adding additional people. Sylectus TMS can automate operations and streamline processes throughout your fleet.

By implementing a TMS, ITDS was able to gain:

-Automated operations and streamlined processes across dispatch, payroll, and billing
-Real-time notifications for trip management and event updates
-Easy, systematic invoicing for faster payments

Download the case study to learn more about how a cloud-based TMS can help propel your fleet.

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Car IQ works with fleet companies to allow their cars to pay for things like car washes and gas—without a credit card and without the driver doing anything other than driving the car and pumping the gas.

Car IQ enables a vehicle to connect directly with a merchant for a transaction. Car IQ uses a unique combination of several different technologies to create a frictionless payment experience.

There are no limits to what a payment system for cars can do. When the vehicle is allowed to pay for things like repairs, parking, and tolls, it frees up the time of drivers and fleet managers, while also reducing fraud.

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Recent studies illustrate how challenging it can be for car shoppers to calculate fuel costs now that they have the option of gas-electric hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric cars in nearly every market segment.

The ‘gas is cheaper’ study by Anderson Economic Group (AEG) compared the cost of fueling with gasoline, electricity through a home charger, or electricity through more expensive public chargers for several vehicle categories.

via Kelley Blue Book

During the Labor Day holiday period, we typically see an increase in drunk-driving deaths — and that’s why you’ll likely see more law enforcement on the roads. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, which runs from August 16-September 4, aims to educate people about the dangers and consequences of driving drunk. 

It’s illegal everywhere to drive drunk. A DUI can set you back, on average, $10,000, and there could be a crash — people could get hurt or killed. In 2021, two-thirds of drunk-driving crashes involved a driver who had a Blood Alcohol Concentration, or BAC, of .15 g/dL or higher. A BAC of .08 or higher is considered drunk driving in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, except in Utah where the BAC limit is .05.

via NHTSA

To say that the automotive industry is changing rapidly would be an understatement — with the switch to EVs gathering pace and a slew of models set to launch in the next few years, almost every part of the industry is having to adapt to the new normal.

With this unprecedented level of change, a number of groundbreaking automotive technologies have emerged, some of which have the potential to make a big difference in everyday driving. Some of these technologies could help solve the biggest issues currently facing manufacturers, like convincing buyers that EVs are worth the switch or cleaning up the environmental footprint of their combustion-powered cars.

via SlashGear

Canoo Technologies announced that it is launching its new Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle (LDV) 190, which expands the company’s line-up into the Class 2 electric cargo van segment.

“This newest vehicle offers even greater space and flexibility for fleet owners with the same unique technologically advanced performance of our original LDV 130,” says Tony Aquila, Chairman and CEO, Canoo. “As we build out our family of vehicles over time, we expect to continue to bring forward models and options that improve safety, reliability, performance and are zero emission.”

via PR Newswire

By Doug Jacobson, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University

These days, cars are computer centers on wheels.

Today’s vehicles can contain over 100 computers and millions of lines of software code. These computers are all networked together and can operate all aspects of your vehicle.

It’s not surprising, then, that car theft has also become high-tech.

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By FMW Staff

Reviver has brought a totally new idea to market: a digital license plate named the RPlate. Reviver’s RPlates are legal to drive nationwide, but the company is currently working to expand availability state-by-state throughout the US.

The digital license plate technology has created some surprising benefits for fleets by streamlining registration and offering an all-in-one platform to manage and monitor vehicles.

This week we got to speak with Neville Boston, founder and CSO for the company Reviver.

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By FMW Staff

Greater Than is utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to uncover valuable climate impact insights and strengthen sustainability in fleet management.

By converting GPS data into Crash Probability and Climate Impact Scores, Greater Than is uncovering new data-driven insights that are transforming driver risk management.

For companies that provide driver safety solutions to fleets, the new layers of knowledge are providing new business opportunities in safety and sustainability management.

FMW had the opportunity to interview Jim Noble, Global Director of Insurance and Head of the Americas, at Greater Than to find out more about how the company is helping its customers to enhance their fleet management offerings.

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