We Believe in You!

I’m quite certain that most of us would agree that 2020 has been a nightmare on so many levels. So, when ARI’s latest quarterly column for FMW crossed my desk, I felt a surge of optimism as I read it. It is true, we have made some improvements in our work lives.

ARI says, “Now, the #1 thing you need to make the rest of 2020 tolerable and to plan for a better 2021 is optimism. Add in gratitude, followed by believing that what you do each day matters.” Read the article for guidance on how to position your fleet for a better 2021.

Driving Dynamics challenges us: Quiz: Do You Have a 360-Degree View of Driver Risks?: “See how in-tune you are with the issues and challenges your drivers face every day and the advanced performance techniques used to handle and avoid risky situations.” Take the quiz!

Drive safety, keep well and wear a mask!

Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief

What Fleets Can Do Now to Cut Post-Pandemic Costs

Because of COVID-19, many fleets are seeing operational expenses go down because they're racking up fewer miles, and fleet managers may have more time on their hands than usual.

But once the pandemic passes, that's all going to reverse, and fleets may be struggling again to find savings in the face of even tighter budgets.

That's why Verizon Connect, one of the world's biggest providers of telematics services, is urging fleet managers to take advantage of any new-found downtime to take a closer look for any operational inefficiencies their telematics systems data can reveal.

"According to Kevin Aries, Leader, Product Success, Verizon Connect, 'Now is the ideal time for fleet owners to constructively take stock of existing processes and establish new procedures to help strengthen the business to emerge stronger in the post-COVID-19 world. Especially for companies that are existing Verizon Connect customers, but aren't as close to the product as they want to be or want more training to create different reports.'"

Ford Employees Spark Debate On Whether The Company Should Continue Producing Police Vehicles

NBC Newa

Ford is embroiled in an internal dispute over whether to continue producing vehicles for U.S. law enforcement in light of the broader national debate over police brutality. As many as 100 Ford employees have raised the question in letters to senior executives.

Were Ford to pull out of the specialized market it could have significant ramifications, as the Detroit automaker currently produces about two-thirds of the vehicles used by U.S. law enforcement agencies.

While some Ford employees have been pressing for the automaker to abandon the police vehicle market, others are proposing alternatives, calling on the company to sell vehicles only to law enforcement agencies that have undergone reforms.

Read the article at NBC News.

Leading OEMs Present New Model Year Updates at NTEA’s Virtual Truck Product Conference

This virtual, multi-day conference will be held Tuesday, Sept. 22 through Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020.

Attendees can gain insights on upcoming changes to new model work trucks and upfitter integration implications from chassis OEMs. Presenters will share product upgrades and launches, positions on technical issues and key body builder information.

“Since the late 1960s, stakeholders in the work truck industry have attended Truck Product Conference to learn about upcoming commercial vehicles and engage OEM representatives on upfitting-related issues,” said Steve Carey, NTEA president & CEO.