To explore recent developments in the auto industry, we interviewed our Director of Fleet Management, Brad Forbush. Brad has 40 years of experience in the auto industry and 10 years of service at Caritas Vehicle Services.

The conditions of the automotive marketplace have changed dramatically since the beginning of the Covid pandemic and the global supply chain crisis.  In our interview, Brad recommends strategies that will help when you need to purchase a new vehicles despite certain challenges in today's market.

What is a carbon footprint?

Everything we do requires some output of energy. Every time you switch on a light, access the Internet, or, in the case of fleets, every time you or your driver start up a car -- you are using energy. When going about our daily lives constantly using energy, greenhouse gases are released.

The sum of your greenhouse gas output over the course of a year is your carbon footprint. It varies individual to individual, but everyone has one.

Here are several indisputable facts:

• The Earth rotates on an axis around the Sun
• Water is wet
• The globe is warming at an unprecendented rate, causing a myriad of issues from global ice caps melting to rampant wildfires in Australia and the U.S.

The statements above are scientific facts. According to Climate.gov, "... the combined land and ocean temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.14 degrees Fahrenheit (0.08 degrees Celsius) per decade since 1880; however, the average rate of increase since 1981 (0.18°C / 0.32°F) has been more than twice that rate."¹

Despite the allure of snow-days; the nostalgia in remembering school closures and entire afternoons dedicated to sledding, we know that—especially these days—our lives and responsibilities don’t just go away because of Old-Man Winter. And while the weather always seems to have an edge, there are many strategies and preparations that can help you curb the impact of the snow on your travels.

In times of crisis, ministry serves as a beacon of guidance, assistance and hope to those most in need. Caritas Vehicle Services’ sister organization, the non-profit CARITAS For Children, has worked tirelessly for over 20 years to help raise children in the poorest areas of the world out of abject poverty by providing them food, housing, clothes and, perhaps most importantly, access to education at all levels, from kindergarten to university. In fact, if you are a client of Caritas Vehicle Services, you have already provided indirect support to the CARITAS mission.

Now, there is another cause, forced into the forefront of minds everywhere by an oppressive Russian regime. That is the brothers and sisters of Ukraine who face a brutal military assault on their lives, their loved ones, their peace, their home, and their democracy. Now, for Ukraine, the cause is survival and freedom from tyranny. For CARITAS For Children, the new cause is solidarity and support.

More than 1,000 auto and motorcycle accidents caused by windshield glare occur every year according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Whether it’s caused by the sun or from oncoming traffic, glare is one of the most common issues drivers face, but the good news is that it can be easily avoided. Here are 3 easy steps you can take to reduce the eye squinting or straining caused by windshield glare:

God created us to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this life, so that we can be with Him in Eternity – and He created this beautiful home for us in which to do this! Everywhere we look in nature, we can see the beauty and perfection of God’s designs. As the Psalmist says, “The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). What a wonderful place to journey through as we make our way towards Heaven!

As I’m sure you’ve either read or heard about in the news, the entire U.S. business economy continues to be negatively impacted by major disruptions in our product supply chain, and the auto industry is being affected by a shortage of semi-conductor computer chips, which are used to operate each vehicle’s onboard computer system.

All of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation, each according to his or her own culture, experience, involvements and talents.

Pope Francis, Laudato Si', Paragraph 14

This statement by the Holy Father is certainly striking – an encouragement for every person on earth to use their unique and God-given tools to assist in caring for His creation. The growing problem of climate change may feel like an impossible task to the individual, but Pope Francis is confident that if we all do our part, real change can happen.

When that check engine light goes on in the car it immediately elicits a groan from the driver. In one instance, it was Sister Mary Kay’s car and she was the one groaning about her 2008 Toyota Camry. She was starting to lose her power steering, so she took her car into the small local shop where she’s had her car serviced for the past 10 years. The mechanic found a few other problems and presented a repair estimate of $1,357.  Sr. Mary Kay called her Community’s Vehicle Coordinator, Jerry, who suggested that Sr. Mary Kay obtain a second opinion from a different shop, so she took her car to a local Goodyear shop, which is a large national auto service provider. Goodyear’s estimate was $2,550 for a list of repairs that included everything the local shop found plus several other high cost items.  Now Sr. Mary Kay was confused and unsure of what she should do, so she made another call to Jerry.