By Tod Trousdell, Fleet Marketing Consultant and Partner/RobertsTrousdell Communications

How do upfitters actually decide which products they’re going to develop each year? And, what goes into the design and manufacturing process that makes one upfitter different from another?

Looking for a little clarity on the subject, as I walked the floor at this year’s NAFA I & E, I decided to ask some of the industry’s top providers how they develop products for customer upfits.

At Ranger Design, product design is, perhaps, the most important function of the company, according to Peter Young, EVP of Business Development.

For the team at JP Poindexter-owned Masterack, determining which products to produce “revolves around the customer,” according to Wayne Steele, VP of Engineering.

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By Tod Trousdell, Fleet Marketing Consultant and partner, RobertsTrousdell Marketing and Communications

After several challenging years caused by the pandemic and a perception that it was a largely a government fleet-focused event, the NAFA I & E came roaring back with a 2024 edition that had fleet professionals buzzing.

Held on April 22-24, this year’s I & E saw over 2,100 attendees pack the San Antonio Convention Center for three spirited days of networking, learning, and exploring new products with their fleet peers.

The event also featured packed sessions, keynote speakers, an immersive Ride & Drive, and an interactive innovation zone where exhibiting companies displayed new products and services.

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Geotab Inc., a global leader in connected transportation solutions, released its 2024 predictions.  In an increasingly cost driven and challenging economy, Geotab’s top predictions address how organizations are looking for ways to lower cost, improve performance and adapt to changing demands.

“Looking ahead into 2024, we foresee data and AI predictability as critical to staying ahead of the curve,” said Sabina Martin, AVP of Product Management. “AI driven insights powered by strong foundational data will help guide organizations through economic challenges, propel sustainability initiatives and ensure adaptability in an ever-changing world.”

Geotab also supports the transition to low-carbon transportation, working towards environmental, social and ethical goals. You can download the Geotab Sustainability and Impact Report by clicking here.

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Amazon is deploying 50 battery-electric heavy-duty trucks in California, which it claims is the largest such fleet in the country. The company says the new trucks represent an important step in its mission to eliminate pollution from its global operations — even as its carbon emissions have spiked in recent years.

Amazon says the heavy-duty trucks are produced by Volvo VNR, a division of the Swedish automaker that makes Class 8 tractor trailers.

The trucks will be integrated into first-mile operations, in which goods are moved from container ships at the ports to fulfillment centers, as well as middle-mile operations, in which packages are transported from fulfillment centers to delivery centers. From there, the packages will be loaded into Amazon’s last-mile fleet, a portion of which are electric delivery vans produced by Rivian.

via The Verge

Vice President Kamala Harris has announced $100 million in federal grants for automotive suppliers as the White House looks to accelerate the car industry’s transition toward electric vehicles.

The money will be allocated to small and medium-sized automotive suppliers through two government initiatives, both managed by the Department of Energy. Half will be distributed by the Automotive Conversion Grant program, which aims to help companies upgrade existing ICE-focused factories to support electric vehicle manufacturing.

The remaining $50 million will help companies improve “energy and material efficiency, cybersecurity, or productivity, or reduce the greenhouse gas emissions” at their facilities.

via The White House

Despite freshly inked deals with national brands like Chevron and General Motors, novel EV fast charging solution FreeWire has announced plans to close its Newark, California corporate headquarters and lay off virtually “all” of the company’s 113 on-site employees.

FreeWire is able to place DC fast charging solutions without the need for expensive utility buildouts by using batteries to store energy until it’s needed. The batteries can be effectively “trickle charged” with a standard 110 or 220 AC connection, then “dump” that charge quickly – enabling a 200 kW DCFC experience for EV drivers at a fraction of the cost of conventional DC infrastructure.

via Electrek

A month after hearing a presentation from Enterprise Fleet Management, the Harrison County Commissioners Court agreed to let the firm manage the county’s vehicles in hopes of building a better fleet and saving money.

Enterprise Fleet Management previously projected an annual savings of about $13,000.

“We had planned to purchase 10 vehicles this year,” Harrison County Judge Chad Sims said. Now, “with Enterprise, we’ll be able to lease 30 vehicles for about the same budgeted expense.”

via Longview News-Journal

Motus, an industry leader in vehicle reimbursement and risk mitigation solutions, announced the launch of Motus Protect to help companies identify and address potential liability from employees driving their own cars to do their jobs.

Phong Nguyen, CEO of Motus, commented, “In our current environment, the importance of risk management solutions like Motus Protect cannot be overstated. Employers are unfortunately one catastrophic event away from significant financial losses and damage to their corporate reputation.”

Protect includes Auto Insurance Monitoring, Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Monitoring and Driver Training, which collectively provide the essential tools for due diligence and risk management.

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By Ed Pierce, Fleet Management Weekly’s Brand Acceleration

Marketing pain points are the issues and challenges that hinder your company’s marketing efforts. They restrict your brand’s ability to connect with its audience, generate leads, and drive growth.

When your business understands what pain points it’s facing, you can tailor strategies more effectively and create solutions that propel your business endeavors forward.

Conquering marketing pain points requires both strategic and proactive action.

By prioritizing clear objectives, leveraging cost-effective alternatives, and fostering consistency in brand reputation, your business can overcome the obstacles and reach effective solutions with a competitive edge.

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By Greg Buckland, Chief Digital Officer, Wheels

Our goal at Wheels is to enable success for our clients, while my job is to do this by creating a truly digital business experience for them.

The opportunities for leveraging AI to solve real-world challenges are boundless.

The insights gained from our AI initiatives offer a blueprint for enhancing renewal processes and tackling other complex challenges within the fleet industry.

Innovation and Customer Success are at the heart of everything we do, and our AI journey embodies these two core values. AI is transforming many industries – including fleet.

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