By Andy Bennett, CEO, Driivz

While electrifying fleets requires overcoming obstacles, doing so provides fleet operators with unique chances to innovate and increase control.

With the right tools in place, fleet electrification strengthens operational efficiency and reduces costs while simultaneously lowering carbon emissions and creating new revenue streams.

Adopting smart energy management tools alongside the ongoing development of charging infrastructure is essential for accelerating fleet electrification and meeting net-zero goals.

By leaning into these opportunities, fleet operators can find advantages in the competitive landscape while paving the way for a more sustainable future.

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

This week’s fleet professional profile features Dario Ramos, Fleet Maintenance Manager for GCC, a ready-mix concrete company headquartered in El Paso, Texas.

Dario provides insight into his management style, as well as the challenges fleet managers face today. He also allows us a brief look into life away from the fleet.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the fleet industry?
Right now, maintenance and the cost challenges around it. Obviously, the more maintenance we can do internally the better, but the price of maintenance – especially when we have to outsource – is a major issue and something I think will continue to be a growing issue going forward.

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Greater Than, a global provider of risk intelligence into road safety and climate impact, and Waylens, a provider of AI video telematics technology, have partnered to integrate predictive driver crash probability insights with video recordings to help fleets improve their safety programs.

The partnership will provide fleets with a new level of understanding about driver risk, through a combined platform comprising Greater Than’s driver risk intelligence and Waylens’ video analytics to proactively manage fleet driver safety.

“We’re so impressed with Waylens’ dedication to advancing fleet safety through innovative video technology solutions,” said Johanna Forseke, Chief Business Officer and Deputy CEO at Greater Than. “Through this new partnership, Waylens’ customers can see a more comprehensive overview of driver risk based on entire trips and use this new intelligence to elevate their management of driver safety.”

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The U.S. Transportation Department said Monday it will require rear seat reminder systems to boost seat belt use starting in late 2027 in all new cars and trucks in an bid to reduce traffic crash deaths and injuries that have been rising in recent years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said its final rule will also upgrade and expand current warnings for the driver and others in the front seats. The final regulation comes more than a decade after Congress in 2012 directed the agency to consider mandating the systems for rear passengers. NHTSA estimates the new rule will eventually prevent more than 500 injuries and save about 50 lives yearly.

via Reuters

Chinese EVs are gaining traction worldwide, and Ford isn’t waiting for a battle on the home front to have an answer. Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, vows that the next EV that comes out of Dearborn will be a “game-changing” new mid-size electric pickup truck.

Farley claims that Ford will “match the cost structure of any Chinese manufacturer building in Mexico in the future.”

The new mid-size electric truck is anticipated to compete directly with trucks like the BYD Shark, which is available for pre-orders in global markets. Cost-saving methods include in-house battery assembly and relying on a flexible platform shared across models.

via Autoblog

The US Supreme Court today rejected a bid by Ohio and other states to stop California from implementing its own clean air rules, a legal right that California has had since the 60s which Donald Trump has repeatedly tried and failed to remove.

Ever since the 1960s, California has been able to set its own clean air rules, as long as they are at least as strict as federal clean air rules. California was granted this waiver in the Clean Air Act as recognition of its unique air quality challenges.

The challenge was brought by Ohio and 16 other republican-led states who sought to end the California’s long-supported state’s right to protect its residents from dirty air. The Courts ruled that the law should stand.

via Electrek

The Trump transition team wants the incoming administration to drop a car-crash reporting requirement opposed by Elon Musk’s Tesla, according to a document seen by Reuters, a move that could cripple the government’s ability to investigate and regulate the safety of vehicles with automated-driving systems.

Musk, the world’s richest person, spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars helping Trump get elected president in November. Removing the crash-disclosure provision would particularly benefit Tesla, which has reported most of the crashes – more than 1,500 – to federal safety regulators under the program. Tesla has been targeted in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigations, including three stemming from the data.

via Reuters

Launching its new humanitarian Jump Start Initiative, Fleetio has awarded a free subscription for its fleet optimization software to Shake-A-Leg Miami, a non-profit dedicated to providing watersports opportunities and activities for people with disabilities, veterans and their families.

Aligned with the spirit of Giving Tuesday, the new annual Jump Start Initiative invites Fleetio customers to nominate deserving non-profit organizations within their communities to win a free subscription of Fleetio’s comprehensive solution.

“Fleetio’s technology is designed to solve real operational challenges, and for Shake-A-Leg Miami, it means freeing up their limited resources to focus on their mission over menial tasks,” said Jon Meachin, CEO of Fleetio. “As an organization, we’re committed to making a positive difference…”

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This past year we have had the pleasure of watching The Hourglass Foundation (THF) become a tiny spark in our automotive and fleet communities, including at NAFA I&E, and AFLA’s 2024 Charity of the Year.

Their mission is to empower underserved and diversely underrepresented students through scholarship opportunities that support educational pursuits in automotive tech and other skilled trades like construction, electrical, HVAC and similar.

Over the course of the last 11 months, THF has raised more than $30,000 because of hard work, fundraising efforts, and the incredible generosity of so many of you.

“I am so thankful for The Hourglass Foundation and their generous donors. The support of the foundation has been both put to good use and this investment in my future is not only generous but encouraging.” – Claire Uhler, York, Nebraska, recipient of a 2024 “Women in Auto Tech” Scholarship

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By Eva Mitic, Marketing Manager, Dometic Mobile Power Solutions

By integrating solar panels into liftgate systems to charge the batteries, fleet managers can simultaneously address multiple operational pain points.

Various mid-sized and large companies have seen the drastic change in efficiency using solar solutions from companies like Go Power!.

Solar technology offers a resilient, adaptable solution as fuel prices fluctuate and environmental regulations become more stringent. It’s not just a technological upgrade—it’s a strategic investment in operational efficiency.

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