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.