Attendees of a recent RCRI Annual Conference gather to hear the keynote address.

The Resource Center for Religious Institutes (RCRI) held their 2024 RCRI Annual Conference at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida from Oct. 1 – Oct. 4. Caritas Vehicle Services has participated in the RCRI Conference for many years, and was honored to be invited to host a workshop at this year’s convening.

The conference is known for being a highly informative and collaborative event. Each year, representatives from RCRI member organizations are given the opportunity to network with peers, develop new partnerships, and learn about a variety of resources from service providers and RCRI partners like Caritas.

If you watched the 2024 Paris Olympics from somewhere within the U.S. this summer, you may have noticed a brand-new, recurring commercial advertising the latest in Chevrolet’s lineup of electric vehicles (EV’s), the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV.

An eco-friendly reimagining of the fourth-generation Chevrolet Equinox, this new EV has finally hit the market, after reports from as far back as 2023 anticipated its release to be sometime in “mid-2024.”

Now the long-awaited vehicle has officially landed for sale across the country. And it’s not only “green,” i.e. good for the planet; its base model is nearly as affordable as an average sedan, such as the Toyota Corolla, and it has a practical interior that sets it apart from other crossover SUV’s.

Each fresh-off-the-line model boasts a level of comfort to assuage those who are used to full-sized vehicles. Perhaps most importantly, every model comes readily equipped with an impressive array of cutting-edge safety features.

NASA reported on August 14 that July 2023 was the hottest month globally in their records. The report is yet another reminder of the international climate emergency that looms over all of our human activities.

On the heels of this report, among others, have been calls for individuals to keep track of and work to reduce or offset their carbon footprint. While individual consumers are not wholly responsible for the climate crisis, everyone does have a carbon footprint.

Battery-powered electric cars, otherwise known as electric vehicles or EV’s, are becoming ever more common on U.S. roads and highways. According to J.D. Power, sales of EV’s rose from 3.2% [of the auto market] in 2021 to 5.8% in 2022, a two-thirds increase that is only expected to continue as more vehicle body types and public charging stations become available.  

According to a recent Caritas Vehicle Services survey, one of the current challenges in managing transportation for Religious Communities is not having the budget needed to replace all of their old, high-mileage vehicles. This is a growing problem that requires a creative financial solution. The following Case Study highlights how one Community devised a workable solution for "renewing" their vehicle fleet.

At Caritas Vehicle Services, Our Mission is To Serve. We take special care in providing the transportation needs for your community so you have more time to focus on your community's unique mission.

The following is the story of one of our esteemed clients and their congregation’s 100 years of good stewardship and selfless service to their community in Merrill, Wisconsin.

--

Eight years ago, Pope Francis released his second encyclical with the aim of uniting the Catholic world towards a common purpose. His literary proclamation, published by the Vatican in 2015, is titled: Laudato Si’: One Care for Our Common Home. It approaches environmental issues with a keen eye and a kind heart, deftly calling everyone to their roles as stewards of the Earth. And recommending that we assume our role together.

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.

Auto manufacturers are making great strides in ensuring the safety and peace-of-mind of all drivers on the road by implementing a new generation of smart-tech safety features in all 2021 vehicles. In the past, many driver safety features were only available on high-priced models and luxury vehicles, but today, most vehicles are equipped with advanced safety technology that wasn't even available just five years ago. With all of the new developments and improvements in vehicle safety technology, it is important to be aware of what these safety features are and how they work to keep drivers safe.  

How you can improve your gas mileage, save money, and help protect the environment, all at the same time... 

 An article from the website sheknows.com lists 10 great tips on how to achieve all three, in addition to making your daily driving experience a whole lot easier on you and the vehicle you drive.

General Motors recently announced a new and updated plan to eliminate carbon emissions from their vehicles and factories. GM's goal and promise is to reach carbon neutrality--meaning ZERO carbon emissions from their vehicles AND their assembly process--by 2040. GM also committed to the rollout of new, zero-emission light duty vehicles by 2035. 

What does it really mean to be one with creation? In such a difficult time as that which the world has experienced this past year, we often hear calls to be “at one” with our fellow men, to celebrate the things that unite and bring us together. The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph have a long history of promoting unity, from their origin in France to their eventual settlement in the United States in the 1800s, including New Orleans, Louisiana. The sisters have been here ever since. Their mission (derived from John 17:21: “That all may be one as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; I pray that they may be one in Us”) focuses on union with God and everyone they encounter, especially by working in “ministries that respond to spiritual, social and physical needs.” (csjoseph.org/our-mission)

   PARATRANSIT VAN 

As the average age of drivers who live in Religious Communties continues to rise, the need to provide transportation that can accommodate wheelchairs and scooters also increases. While some look toward public transportation or a car service, many Communities are looking at a more cost effective approach for transporting members who are no longer driving.

This was the conundrum facing one of our CARITAS clients, a community of Women Religious who wondered if there was a more practical way to take their Sisters to doctor appointments, shopping, or just to see the holiday lights.  While car pooling in a normal minivan might work for some, the Sisters who must use wheelchairs are often not able to enjoy these outings. So, here's what we did . . . 

What can the driver of a vehicle do to reduce the environmental impact of their daily commute? Cars with gas-powered engines, which is still most cars on the road today, emit harmful greenhouse gases (GHG’s) into Earth's atmosphere via their tailpipes. According to a leading organization on climate change, the Union of Concerned Scientists, "...collectively, cars and trucks account for nearly one-fifth of all US emissions, emitting around 24 pounds of carbon dioxide and other global-warming gases for every gallon of gas [consumed]."

As a driver, it is important that you learn the optimum tire pressure for your vehicle and fill your tires to the factory recommended pressure level. Doing so will improve handling on the road, prevent blow-outs, allow for smoother rides and lengthen the life of your tires.

With the COVID-19 pandemic persisting across the United States, Americans are facing more adversity on long road trips than ever before. Regrettably, the safest “route” for anyone to take right now is the one that keeps us closest to home. But Americans are individuals with family, responsibilities and careers, and such commitments have helped many people stay motivated during these difficult times. Furthermore, many travelers took to the highway in Summer 2020 to find a much-needed respite with nature, largely because of the lengthy quarantine. Whatever the reason, road travel is sometimes very simply unavoidable.

We all have places to be, and we can't afford to let darkness stop us. Whether it's a commute from work to home during the winter when night-time falls earlier, or a trip to visit family when you want to avoid traffic, driving at night is sometimes unavoidable. It is also inherently more dangerous.

At this time of the year, it is important to pay closer attention to the people and things that fill our lives with joy and meaning. One of Caritas Vehicle Services’ esteemed clients, a bakery company from Racine, Wisconsin called Racine Danish Kringles (RDK), lives the spirit of the season not only with their delicious pastry, but also with their generous giving to several charitable organizations. This is their story.

The number of electric vehicles (EV's) on the road is continuing to rise from about 1 million at the end of 2018 to a projected 18.7 million by 2030. Concurrently, fleet management organizations are promoting the incorporation of EV's into their clients' fleets more than ever before. So what should you know about vehicles that run on electricity? 

As we prepare for the winter season, it is important to make certain that our vehicles are in good condition. Have the oil changed, refill the window-washing fluid, re-stock your first-aid kit, make sure there are jumper cables in the trunk, and, if you live in an area where it regularly reaches 45 degrees Fahrenheit or below...consider investing in winter tires!

Vehicles are recalled by auto manufacturers for various reasons, usually pertaining to the safety of the driver. When you receive a recall notice for your vehicle, it is recommended that you drive to the nearest dealership, or have your vehicle towed there if it is unsafe to drive. The dealership is then responsible for repair of the vehicle as well as any previous repairs that are related to the recalled part (if you smartly kept your receipts from previous repairs).

When operating a fleet of vehicles, the safety of your drivers is paramount to the success of your business. From company morale to return-on-investment to your public image, everything will be effected by the way you implement your safety strategy. So, we found a helpful whitepaper on Automotive-Fleet.com that has excellent advice on developing an all-encompassing safety "culture" at your organization. 

We live in a highly subjective world. Indeed, one might say the entire human experience is an emotional and subjective one. But facts are not. People may use facts incorrectly, or even come up with false data in order to prove a point, but real facts do not pretend to be anything that they're not. They don't even exist for humans to use or interpret; in essence, they simply exist to hold the universe together. 

As the cold of the winter thaws, so do our vehicle and its structural components. The Spring is the perfect time to provide your automobile with a little tender love and care so it may achieve peak performance before hitting the highway.

Caritas Vehicle Services and our partners at LeasePlan USA have come up with a standard Springtime Maintenance Checklist.

We are living in a century of farewells to many reliable, traditional methods of living. The U.S. Postal Service is slowly becoming defunct as e-mail, text messaging and social media take its place with unsurpassed speed & convenience. Cinemas are suffering because of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime (Blockbuster & friends are already long-gone). In a more relevant occurrence, the American "sedan" is losing popularity and U.S. automakers are abandoning its production. Coming to take its place? Well, we'll get to that. 

Vehicles are particularly delicate instruments of investment that, when owned by a business, should be properly tracked and managed in order to receive the greatest return possible. Thankfully, there are many experts on the topic of vehicle management solutions. One such seasoned veteran of the fleet world is our industry partner, Leaseplan. Their website contains an extensive database of blog articles & resources that are designed to help you maneuver the logistical intricacies of vehicle ownership and fleet management. 

The National Safety Council, or NSC, is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to reducing the number of workplace & on-the-road accidents that happen in the U.S. each year. According to the NSC's mission statement, they accomplish this through, "...leadership, research, education and advocacy." Caritas has found that the NSC has the most extensive knowledge base when it comes to driver safety.

In our last article about The History Of The Automobile, we told the story of how a young Henry Ford left his home on a Michigan farm to become a professional engineer and inventor, tinkering with gasoline-propelled vehicles and various methods of production until his ambitions were realized. His dream was to create an automobile that was durable, easy to maintain, and affordable to the average, working-class American. He is quoted as saying that he wanted to, "...build a car for the great multitude...so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one." A noble vision on Ford's part. However, the production of such an invention would require a significant amount of old-school trial and error. 

Ford conceived a series of automobiles, beginning with the Model A and ending in 1908 with the twentieth model intended for production. Ford named it the Model T, after the twentieth letter in the alphabet. Despite the lack of creativity in its naming process, Ford's newest invention would alter the course of American history by contributing to the growth of a strong middle class, driving an influx of immigrants and rural peoples to cities, influencing American culture, and revolutionizing industrial mass production. 

Our world of instant gratification and hand-held technology makes it so that distractions are completely inevitable. Every web-page you visit has targeted advertising, every app on your phone tries to send you notifications more often than anyone needs them, and social media has transformed into something of a feigned competition to update all of your friends on everything from momentous events like the birth of your child to unnecessary minutiae, such as the photogenic tacos you ordered. In fact, you're likely bouncing back and forth between web browser tabs as we speak. Meanwhile, I forgot why I was writing this article in the first place because the Chess app on my phone informed me that it's my move.  

If you're considering outsourcing the management of your vehicle fleet to a professional firm like Caritas Vehicle Services, it is important to consider the potential economic benefits of making such a decision. And, who would be more qualified to elaborate on these benefits than one of our respected clients? These are individuals who who have a clear understanding of their Community's financial position both before and after they partnered with Caritas.

"My minivan sold for how much?" My client asked, flashing a look of delight, surprise and slight disbelief. We politely reassured her that, yes, her para-transit minivan was sold at the previous week's Manheim Auto Auction for twice the sale price we anticipated. The minivan was originally acquired for $40,000, and the Mannheim Auction's "Condition Report" came back with some minor maintenance issues. This put our expectations at somewhere between $6,000 and $8,000. At the end of the day, Caritas received an e-mail from Manheim stating that the proposed highest bid was $14,600. Our client gladly accepted the offer. 

The most important job of the Fleet Managers at Caritas Vehicle Services is to ensure the safety of  drivers. And although every manufacturer in the automotive industry now offers advanced safety features in their newer models, cars are still hi-tech machines that do occasionally experience mechanical failures. Fortunately, our Fleet Management program is supported through our affiliation with Network Inc., and everyone who drives a vehicle acquired through Caritas is enrolled in our Emergency Roadside Service (ERS) program, which works the same way as AAA.  So, what should you do you if your vehicle has a mechanical breakdown while you're driving on the highway?  Here are Seven Steps To Follow When Your Car Breaks Down On The Highway

Every ship needs a captain. Ideally, the one chosen to be captain is the individual with the most experience and know-how. For example, at the helm of Caritas Vehicle Services is our fearless leader, Mr. Chris Hoar. As President & Owner of our organization, he has carved out a niche where we succeed and, more importantly, strives to interweave his Catholic faith with some of our business practices. In this Q&A, you will learn about Mr. Hoar's background and how he has succeeded in steering a small, Midwestern-based enterprise through the swells of keeping up with competition & the times. 

Whether your community has 30, 100 or 500 vehicles, how in the world do you track all the dollars spent to keep each vehicle properly maintained over its lifetime? When a driver takes their vehicle to a shop and is presented with a $1,000 estimate that includes a long list of items, how can the driver possibly know for certain if everything on the list is really necessary? Or, how can you find out which vehicles in your fleet cost the least to maintain and which ones cost the most?

The process of acquiring new vehicles can sometimes make you feel like the victim of high-way robbery (pun intended). Luckily, there are manufacturers who actually strive to help cut costs in many ways, especially if you operate a fleet. Many car companies offer volume incentives and VIP programs, which greatly reduce not only the acquisition cost but also the life-cycle cost of every vehicle in your fleet. 

Fleet managers have a notorious affinity for hats. At Caritas Vehicle Services, our vehicle management specialists are constantly switching one hat out for another--the logistics expert "fedora", the industry insider "bowler cap", the asset manager "baseball cap", the business analyst "flat-brim", the driver safety guru "ten-gallon cowboy hat", the drivers' lifeline "beanie" & maintenance authority "pork pie hat". Needless to say, to manage this significant variety of head gear demands a plethora of experience and professional grace.

There is nothing more embarrassing than failing to parallel park on a crowded street in the summer, when pedestrians stop to laugh and point while other drivers scorn you for taking up the road. Fear not, for those days are nearly behind us! Groundbreaking developments in car sensor technology has allowed manufacturers to offer Automatic Parallel Parking as a feature in a handful of newer model vehicles. However, like any other computerized mechanism, it will only work if you know how to use it. 

Fuel cost is one of the most cumbersome economic burdens that fleet managers face. Fluctuating prices, inefficient vehicle models and certain driving habits can all contribute to what becomes a hypothetical black hole of funds. To help alleviate some worry and allow for a more measurable method of fuel consumption, we have found an online Fuel Cost Calculator which measures the fuel cost of a trip by asking for the trip distance, fuel efficiency of your model vehicle, and gas/fuel price. 

Author Robert Swan wrote, "The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it." When Swan's words were written, the world was a much different place. More specifically, people still had library cards. Modernity, however, has brought us access to all of the information in the known world at the touch of a button. And while many ignored Al Gore's pleas throughout his film, "An Inconvenient Truth", it continues to become more difficult to remain oblivious about the state of our environmental climate. 

There is a reason that the core statement of Caritas Vehicle Services is "Our mission is to serve". We chose these words because we strive to the best of our ability to provide the same care to our clients that they provide to their local & global communities. We revere the Sisters to whom we provide vehicle management solutions, learning from their devotion to God and His creation just as we hope they are able learn from our automotive expertise. With pride in this reciprocal relationship, we know that our efforts as fleet management specialists help alleviate the administrative burden of vehicle management and allow our clients to remain focused on their own ministry and mission. 

Do you remember that uneasy feeling and awkward sense of confusion the first time you encountered a roundabout? You were driving down a perfectly straight road that suddenly collided with a massive, paved circle, painted with white lines and dotted with bright, yellow yield signs. Enclosed in the center of the circle is an island of grass and some shrubbery. For some, it was like driving for the first time. Roundabouts can be quite tricky to navigate, but once you know the rules of the road, follow the signage, and gain some experience, you'll discover that roundabouts will actually help you make it safely to your destination in less time and with a lower chance of a collision.

I-Robot came out in 2004 and introduced its audiences to a dark vision of our future where cars drive themselves, robots are utilized by humans for nearly everything, and Lake Michigan has dried up. Luckily, we're nowhere near the latter two circumstances, but the first was already being realized when the film came out.

We must begin by stating that this is NOT an article with tips on how to do donuts in the snow. It is, in fact, quite the opposite. At Caritas Vehicle Services, we strive to maintain a perfect record when it comes to driver safety. Such is the reason for many of our practices, including the toll-free 1-800 number that drivers can call at any time to speak with an ASE-certified technician. We also make sure our clients are insured and that regular maintenance checks are performed on each vehicle in a fleet. 

Making informed decisions often requires one to ask the right questions. If you are reading this, you are likely already asking yourself this important question: Would it make sense to outsource the management of my fleet?

Here’s the short answer: Enlisting a professional fleet management organization that has an advanced analytical toolkit, close relationships with each auto manufacturer and years of experience can reduce costs in a great many areas, while also allowing your organization to focus on your own core business. However, before deciding whether partnering with a professional fleet manager is the right move for your Community, there are a few more details to consider, and Caritas would like to smooth the decision-making process by asking a few questions of our own...

The year is now 2019, and we live in an era of innovative technology that is generally designed to make our lives easier. The electric car, for example, can save a consumer hundreds of dollars a year on gas and maintenance. It is important to consider that EV’s are best used as short-range vehicles, but for someone with a short commute and casual trips around town, they can be ideal.