French Army Buying Fleet of Ford Pickups
In what might be construed as a blow to Gallic pride, the French Army will soon be patrolling La Belle France, the land of Renaults and Peugeots, in Ford Ranger pickups.
The army is buying 1,000 of the Ford trucks as part of a “crash program” to begin replacing its fleet of off-road vehicles, said Pierre Bayle, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry. The army’s Peugeot P4 jeeps went into service in 1983 and are becoming obsolete, he said.
Two other vehicles were considered, Mr. Bayle said: PSA Peugeot Citroën’s Berlingo, and the Dacia Duster, made by Renault. But Ford got the nod for the first replacement order because of its large payload capacity, he said. The truck can carry five adults and a ton of cargo, more than the French vehicles.
“It’s not a question of America versus France,” Mr. Bayle said, as not one of the three vehicles in question was made in either country. The Ranger is made in South Africa, the Duster in Romania and the Berlingo in Spain.
TÜV SÜD Auto Service Acquires TCOPlus and FleetVision
Pictured: Patrick Fruth (CEO, TÜV SÜD Auto Service), Hans Damen (Managing Director, TCOPlus), Rainer Laber (CEO, FleetLogistics Group), Bart Vanham (Managing Director, TCOPlus), Jürgen Immer (CFO, TÜV SÜD Auto Service)
TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH has acquired 100% of the shares of TCOPlus and its sister company, FleetVision, global market-leaders in consolidated fleet reporting, TCO forecast solutions and international fleet consulting, based in Belgium.
The two companies are now 100% affiliates of TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH and operate within the company’s Fleet Business Unit alongside Fleet Logistics, TÜV SÜD’s European market-leading fleet management provider.
Donlen Names Top Auction Award Winners
Donlen, announced recipients of our annual Top Auction Awards. Each year, Donlen recognizes top automobile auction partners that work closely with Donlen to bring high levels of service toDonlen’s remarketing program.
The 2014 award winners include the following:
- Auction of the Year: Carolina Auto Auction
- Central/Northeast Region: Manheim Milwaukee
- South/Southeast Region: Orlando Longwood Auto Auction
- West Region: Adesa Golden Gate
- Best Days to Condition Report: ABC Bowling Green
- Best Days to Sell: Adesa Colorado Springs
- Best Expense Control: Brashers Portland Auto Auction
- Best Retention Dollars: Carolina Auto Auction
Donlen Named Finalist in Two Categories in the 2015 American Business Awards
Donlen was recently named a finalist in the Most Innovative Company of the Year - Up to 2,500 Employees category as well as the Stevie Award for mobile apps in the Business/Government category in The 2015 American Business Awards, and will ultimately be a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie® Award winner in the program.
“We are thrilled to be considered as a candidate for the Most Innovative Company of the Year. Everyone at Donlen has one goal, and that is to empower our customers to do more so they can focus on their core business,” said Brian Wright, Senior Vice President of Products and Services. “Our emphasis on developing quality technology solutions allows our customers to have better insight into their operations and potential cost savings. Our mobile apps allow our customers to manage their fleets from anywhere and these apps have been recognized for their effectiveness and ease of use. We are honored to be a Stevie Award Finalist.”
AFLA Announces Two Speakers for 2015
AFLA is excited to announce the selection of Greg Lindsay and Kim Lear as speakers for the 2015 AFLA Annual Conference to be held September 14-16 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee.
With a theme of "The Future is Now: Transformational Ideas Shaping Our Industry," the conference will feature innovative presentations on hot topics related to the fleet industry. Register now to secure your spot at the premiere fleet conference of the year!
