NAFA Urges Long-Term Fix to Highway Trust Fund Issue

NAFA Members’ fleets are major users of the American highway system. They face congestion, poor road conditions, closed bridges, and other obstacles that have a direct impact on their efficiency and their employers’ bottom lines.

Congress finally passed a Highway Bill, just before the summer recess and just in time to keep the Highway Trust Fund from going bankrupt. However, the squabbling House and Senate agreed only to kick the can down the road by means of budgetary trickery. In the end, the Senate accepted a short-term fix from the House that will keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent only until next spring.

PHH Arval’s Mike Quimby: ‘Driving Your Business Forward’

What does it mean when PHH Arval talks about solutions that drive your business forward?

Within PHH Arval, the “driving your business forward” is about the customer. That is what we’re focused on. When I think of the industry and what is most important, it is two things. One is data and information and how you aggregate that data to capture it for the customer and what you do with it. Two is our strategic consulting, which is taking all of the information and making suggestive recommendations on how to move forward. The customer can fully outsource to us and we will assist them in driving their business forward.

Fleet Logistics Launches New Driver App

Fleet Logistics, Europe’s largest independent fleet management provider, is launching a free driver app to provide fleet drivers with access to all their vehicle details, mileage data, support services and other key information.

The ‘Fleet Logistics Mobility Control App’ is now available for all users of Windows smart phones on Fleet Logistics’ fleet of around 130,000 vehicles across Europe. They are soon to be joined by users of all Android and Apple smart phones.

A Call to Action (For Fleet Providers): ‘Earning’ a Great Reputation Through Promotion and Education

Before leaving last month’s topic of “earned” media (marketing communications your company pays to deliver in media that reach your prospects and customers), here are a few considerations that I promised to address in greater detail: First, let’s talk about form and style of promotional messages by specific media tactics beyond advertising, which I spoke about last month.

Ed Pierce, It’s The Arts Marketing

As I did last month, I am borrowing concepts from some of our industry's best salespeople, but establishing an effective relationship with a prospect or customer -- especially in a B2B market -- is adaptive. A great salesperson can shift easily from one type of sales approach to another based on the environment (exhibit floor, customer’s office, home office visit) and on-the-spot customer feedback.

Likewise, effective marketing communications must adapt to the situation. Last month, I noted that an effective ad provides a snapshot of product value in terms that are important to the fleet manager. But an ad can only promise value, it cannot provide enough substantiation to close a sale (again, in B2B markets). Direct marketing and trade shows also constrain the message.

Answer the Questions that Fleet Managers Want to Know

IIHS Crash Testing Of Small Cars Reveals New “Top Safety Pick” Models

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has completed its latest round of crash tests, examining 12 small vehicles that typically sell in low volumes. Only one of the tested models earned the highest rating of "Top Safety Pick+" due to its crash-test performance and available collision-warning system, while five additional models received a "Top Safety Pick" rating. The remaining six small cars did not qualify for recommendation by the IIHS.

According to the IIHS, the 2014 Chevrolet Volt receives a "Top Safety Pick+" rating. It joins the2014 Honda Civic Sedan, 2014 Mazda 3, 2014 Toyota Prius, 2015 Volkswagen Golf 4-door, and2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI 4-door as the only small cars to receive this rating.

READ MORE to find out about other "Top Safety Pick" vehicles