Strength for the Journey
Our nation has experienced many peaceful demonstrations this year, but as Driving Dynamics' CEO and president Art Liggio points out in Journey Management: Preparing Drivers to Safely Travel During Times of Civil Unrest, about five percent of them have turned violent. Liggio's guide is timely; we can expect more demonstrations in this fraught election year.
We note in the Orlando Sentinel that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed a law that includes a rule that would shield drivers from liability “for injury and death caused if fleeing for safety from a mob.” So, theoretically, drivers could mow down protestors and face no legal consequences. We'll have to keep an eye on Florida.
A bright spot we can point to in this difficult year is the success of NAFA's 2020 Virtual I&E. This week, FMW executive editor Mark Boada writes about the conclusions of the leadership panel in The State of Fleet in the Time of COVID-19.
Finally, the FMW team congratulates Donlen president Tom Callahan on his well-deserved election into the AFLA Fleet Hall of Fame, and Bryan Flansburg, CAFM, for being honored by NAFA with its Distinguished Service Award!
Strength for the Journey!
Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief
Wildfires And Weather Extremes: It’s Not Coincidence, It’s Climate Change
While extreme weather is a part of the natural cycle, the recent uptick in the ferocity and frequency of these extremes, scientists say, is evidence of an acceleration of climate impacts, some of which were underestimated by climate computer models.
But many scientists believe that there is more at play contributing to this extreme weather than simply the direct effects of warming and drying. One of those mechanisms is the indirect impacts of global warming on the most influential weather-maker on day-to-day conditions: the jet stream.
"While the extent of the ongoing fire siege is beyond what most have seen in the West, the alignment of ingredients for such fire seasons is becoming more favorable as a result of climate change and land-use practices," Dr. John Abatzoglou, climate professor at the University of California Merced said. "We should expect, adapt, and prepare for similar years moving forward."
Read the article at CBS News.
Tom Johnson Receives NAFA’s Honorary Lifetime Membership Award
By Janice Sutton
Tom Johnson is the recipient of NAFA's prestigious Honorary Lifetime Membership Award, presented at NAFA 2020 Virtual Institute & Expo.
Tom founded the 100 Best Fleets program which recognizes and rewards peak-performing fleet operations in the Americas. Tom told FMW in a brief interview today, "I have been associated with NAFA since 1979 and this is an honor of a lifetime."
In bestowing the award, NAFA president Patti Earley, CAFM, said, "It is my great pleasure to present NAFA’s Honorary Lifetime Membership Award for 2020 to Tom Johnson, someone who has been an evangelist for the best of fleet, promoting pride in and for our industry, amplifying the good work we do to the larger community and to our supervisors.
White Paper: Automating Your Fleet Management Processes
September 2020
New White Paper: Getting Started Guide to Vehicle Sharing
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- Where to start when planning your motor pool
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City of Fort Collins Wins 2020 Top Green Fleet Award
September 2020
More than 50 other fleets cited, ranked; innovations seen
By Mark Boada, Executive Editor
The City of Fort Collins, Colorado won first place last week in the 2020 Green Fleet Award for leading efforts to reduce greenhouse gas and noxious emissions by adopting the use of electric vehicles and alternative fuels, including ethanol, biodiesel, hydrogen fuel cells, and natural gas, and other fuel-saving practices.
Fort Collins’ was among the more than 50 government and commercial fleets from all around North America recognized in the contest’s 13th year. It was the sixth consecutive year that the city was included in the winners’ list. In previous years it had ranked as high as third, and placed 16th in 2015 and 2016.
The runner-up this year was Denver International Airport. Rounding out the list of the top five winners were, in descending order, Dublin, Ohio, Riverside, California, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The contest is run by Tom Johnson, founder of the 100 Best Fleets award program. The full list of this year’s Green Fleet Award winners is posted on that program’s website.
