A Canadian upfitter that’s been aggressively pushing into the US fleet space, Ranger Design is a family-owned business focused on helping fleets successfully transition to electric vehicles.

In an effort to better respond to the exploding EV market, Ranger Design is expanding, opening new facilities in Seattle, WA, on the West coast and Charleston, SC, on the East coast.

“It’s an exciting time for both our industry and our company,” said Peter Young, EVP of Business Development at Ranger Design. “We know that in order for fleets to successfully transition to EVs, they can’t rely on the old ways of doing things, which means Ranger’s focus on innovation is something they can rely on as they face the challenges of EV adoption.”

READ MORE

Dealers and lenders remain stable in capitalizing on new and used vehicle demand, but they face threats in their back-office operations by keeping their workflows in a paper-based environment rather than a digital one.

The longer dealers and lenders remain in a paper-based operational workflow environment, the more inefficiencies and compliance risks they face.

We now need to continue to shift focus to digitization as a solution for the risk and liability we have in the transaction around use of paper and management of original documents.

READ MORE

By Tanner Lee, Kingbee

Fleet managers, brace for impact!

UAW is on strike, and everyone in the industry is buggin’ out.

A prolonged strike could throw a wrench into ordering cycles, and fleets will once again need to get creative so they can replace aging units.

To stay ahead of the headache, fleet managers have no choice but to stay proactive with their vehicle acquisitions instead of reacting to the latest strike shutdowns.

When orders are delayed or canceled, Kingbee has upfitted vans immediately available to ship to your location.

READ MORE

A device called Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS), placed inside a vehicle’s steering column, can passively measure a driver’s blood alcohol level through a person’s breath. If an impaired person is detected in the driver’s seat, the vehicle won’t start.

Connecticut’s DOT will test the system for 12 months. The program is being paid for by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and The Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety.

State Department of Transportation spokesperson Josh Morgan said the devices will be placed in six state vehicles to test the reliability of the system.

-via NHPR

Brian Morrison was in for a surprise when his daily commute turned into a nightmare. His MG ZS electric vehicle (EV) malfunctioned, locking him in his car while it raced down the road. His brakes would not respond to his touch, and the car refused to slow down.

His quick wit led him to call the police, who cleared the road as his car continued on. The only solution left to try was a controlled collision. They used the back of a moving van to gradually halt the runaway EV, telling Morrison to crash into the back of the van. They were successful. Technology failed this time, but good physics finally stopped the EV.

via Wealth of Geeks

The IRS has just released new guidelines to enable dealers to take the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit from the buyers and apply it directly to the purchase of new and used electric vehicles.

When the EV tax credit reform was announced last year, it included a provision to introduce a new “point of sale” option after a year into the program – starting January 1, 2024. What the IRS calls a “transfer” is the ability of a new EV buyer to give the tax credit to the dealer that is selling the electric vehicle to them. In exchange, the dealer can give the equivalent “in cash or in the form of a partial payment or down payment.”

via Electrek

You can think of a branded title as one that has been “stamped” with a notification that something has happened to the car. Reading the Carfax report doesn’t always reveal the story behind the used car branded title, nor does it explain what each brand actually means.

Branded titles often come from insurance companies’ willingness to pay for repairs after a serious crash. If the damage is severe enough, the insurer will declare a total loss. You might also see vehicles with salvage or rebuilt titles, which are also considered brands. Flood damage, hail damage, and other scenarios could lead to title brands.

via Autoblog

Jared Pridmore and his wife, Amanda are the proud owners of Precision Auto Glass in Conway, Arkansas. Their Safe Fleet story begins when they bought a new van for their growing company.

Just a few weeks after installing a Heavy-Duty Steel Partition from American Van, a Safe Fleet brand, Jared’s investment and his wife’s intuition would be put to the test.

Jared and a co-worker were inside his van idling in a road construction zone when a drunk driver crashed into the back of their vehicle at a speed between 80 to 90 miles per hour.

READ MORE

Within the highly-competitive fleet industry landscape, creating and sustaining an effective sales funnel is paramount for growth and survival.

Sales and marketing work hand-in-hand and, when combined together, can significantly boost lead generation and nurture conversion rates.

Through understanding customer objectives and offering customized solutions tailored specifically for them, businesses can earn trust of their target markets – ultimately becoming their go-to provider.

Here is how marketing can support sales and effectively build quality prospect lists while closing more deals!

READ MORE

Fleet Management Weekly sat down for an exclusive interview with Belgium-based Sofico’s CEO Gémar Hompes to talk about what the move into the U.S. market means for Sofico customers.

“The opening of a new office in Dallas, Texas allows us to closely align with our customers in the U.S. market. Indeed, Sofico has always strongly adhered to the philosophy of ‘following the customer’; we want to be where our customers are,” said Hompes.

Further, he said, “The high-level configurability of Miles Enterprise, our signature platform, allows customers to take matters in their own hands and respond in an agile and autonomous way to any specific market requirement.”

READ MORE