WIFM’s Mentorship Program Gives Back to Women in the Fleet Industry
This fleet expert is very proud of the mentorship program that Women in Fleet Management has rolled out, in no small part because it offers her a great chance to give back to the industry.
Wielding Rocks and Knives, Arizonans Attack Self-Driving Cars
There have been nearly two dozen attacks on driverless vehicles over the past two years in Chandler, a city near Phoenix where Waymo started testing its vans in 2017.
In ways large and small, the city has had an early look at public misgivings over the rise of artificial intelligence, with city officials hearing complaints about everything from safety to possible job losses. Some people have pelted Waymo vans with rocks. Others have repeatedly tried to run the vehicles off the road. One woman screamed at one of the vans, telling it to get out of her suburban neighborhood. A man pulled up alongside a Waymo vehicle and threatened the employee riding inside with a piece of PVC pipe.
Read the article at The New York Times.
Top Auto Industry Stories Of 2018: From A Jailed CEO To The End Of The World As We Know It
There were no catastrophes in the auto industry in 2018, but there was plenty of intrigue and change.
Here are the top five stories of the year.
1. The Fall Of Carlos Ghosn
2. The Survival of Elon Musk
3. GM Layoffs
4. Trade War and Tariffs
5. The End Of The World As We Know It
Read the article at Forbes.
The Auto Industry Said Goodbye to a Lot of Cars in 2018
In 2018, the U.S. automotive industry began to say goodbye to one of its longest-enduring products: the car. Both Ford Motor Co. and General Motors said they were going to nearly eliminate their production of sedans and coupes to concentrate on the much-more profitable production of sport utility vehicles and trucks.
"Given declining consumer demand and product profitability, the company will not invest in next generations of traditional Ford sedans for North America. Over the next few years, the Ford car portfolio in North America will transition to two vehicles — the best-selling Mustang and the all-new Focus Active crossover coming out next year," Ford said in an April earnings report.
Read the article at New York Business Journal.
Cornerstones of Fleet
The NAFA Foundation is inviting members of the fleet community to consider donating to its Cornerstones of Fleet Campaign. Full disclosure: I am a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. I am so excited about the work the Foundation is doing to advance the fleet profession.
Ed Dubens, CEO & Founder of eDriving, opens Making ‘Safety’ Part of Your DNA in 2019 with this provocative question: “What would you do if a customer phoned you from their cell phone when driving?”
The FMW team wishes our readers a very happy 2019. We like this a lot: "Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Janice Sutton
Editor in Chief
