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.  

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]."

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.

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 Fleet 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.

Last week, we wrote about the different types of electric vehicles on the market, from plug-in hybrids to fully-electric vehicles which run on electrical power that is transferred to your car via an external source. But what are these external sources of power? In this article, we will review how electric-vehicle charging functionally works, the 3 basic charging levels available today, and the degree of their accessibility to drivers on the road & at home.

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. 

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 #1 concern of Fleet Services is the safety of our clients. We strive to educate on the topic with our blog series, Driver Safety Tips, as well as providing convenient ways to contact our fleet professionals to answer any questions or concerns a driver may have. If a car does break down on the road, we provide 24/7/365 emergency roadside assistance. However, mechanical failures and environmental conditions are NOT the primary cause of car accidents. With smartphone technology constantly buzzing in every driver's pocket and tempting people with the concept of instant gratification, Fleet has recognized a need for advocates that teach & influence drivers to avoid distractions while behind the wheel. 

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. 

Every ship needs a captain. Ideally, the one chosen to be captain is the individual with the most experience and cleanest track record. For example, at the helm of Fleet Services is our fearless leader, Mr. Chris Hoar. He wouldn't make a great pirate, but as President & Owner of our organization, he has carved out a niche where we succeed. 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. 

Henry Ford, a most recognizable name that I remember from the final exam of my high school U.S. History class. The question was, inevitably, "Who invented the assembly line?" My instructor, a particularly clever individual who liked to play the role of trickster on occasion, had provided four possible answers. One of the names was Henry Ford, but it was not the correct answer.

Popular culture often associates Ford with the "invention" of the assembly line. In reality, the concept of breaking up large jobs up into smaller pieces to increase efficiency was invented by Ransom E Olds. Another titan of the auto industry, Old's Oldsmobile Curved Dash was the first mass-produced vehicle in American history, selling around 5,000 units in 1904 alone. However, mass production in the realm of vehicle production had not nearly reached its full potential until Henry Ford tried his hand at the assembly line method. Ford's results were extraordinary, and altered the course of American history forever. 

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?

Semi-truck drivers have one of the hardest jobs in the country. Barreling down the freeways of America with trailers up to 70-feet long that weigh up to 80,000 pounds (40 tons), they have to contend with extra blind spots, a 55-foot turning radius, and it takes 40% longer to stop an 18-wheeler than the average passenger car.

The drivers of these big rigs are required to go through rigorous training, along with strict licensing and background-check procedures. However, collision rates between smaller vehicles and large semi-trucks are high in America.

One reason for the number of accidents is due to the large number of semi's on the road. At any given time, there are around 2 million semi's in operation throughout the fifty states. In the most congested corridors of our nation's highways, every fourth vehicle is a truck, and driving with them is a two-way street (literally and metaphorically). To trust in the responsibility of the semi's driver is important, as is knowing what you can do to stay safe around them. 

Fleet managers have a notorious affinity for hats. At Fleet 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.

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. 

Before 1995, the dangers and logistics of driving a vehicle rested on the shoulders of those who gripped the wheel. We were largely on our own, spare some kids in the back pleading, "Are we there yet?", someone in the passenger seat trying to micro-manage your driving, and a sun-faded Atlas that was probably out-of-date.

A good teacher can explain complex topics in ways that are clear and concise. And, as anyone who has managed a fleet knows, keeping track of all the tedious details that come along with vehicle ownership can be a daunting task. This is why the industry experts at LeasePlan have prepared a useful infographic that exhibits the basic tenets of fleet management in an organized and comprehensible format. Follow the link for highly advantageous tips, interesting facts and vital insider information!

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 organization, there are a few more details to consider, and Fleet Services would like to smooth the decision-making process by asking a few questions of our own...

Fleet Services is proud to introduce our newest blog series, "The Fleet Service Experts"! This series will profile the hard-working, dedicated individuals that keep our wheels spinning, providing insight into the background and expertise that make us professionals in the industry of fleet management. 

For our first entry, we are pleased to introduce Brad Forbush, Director of Fleet Management at Fleet Services.

To help kick-off 2019, Fleet Services is pleased to introduce a new series of articles called, “Pocket Protectors." This series will highlight the many ways we help clients to reduce the overall cost of operating their vehicle fleets. Our first article covers one of the key metrics for determining the actual cost to operate each vehicle in a fleet, which is referred to as a vehicle's  total  life-cycle cost. 

The following is an excerpt from earthday.org website:

Each year, Earth Day—April 22—marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.

The height of counterculture in the United States, 1970 brought the death of Jimi Hendrix, the last Beatles album, and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” War raged in Vietnam and students nationwide overwhelmingly opposed it.

At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Industry belched out smoke and sludge with little fear of legal consequences or bad press. Air pollution was commonly accepted as the smell of prosperity. “Environment” was a word that appeared more often in spelling bees than on the evening news.

Although mainstream America largely remained oblivious to environmental concerns, the stage had been set for change by the publication of Rachel Carson’s New York Times bestseller Silent Spring in 1962.  The book represented a watershed moment, selling more than 500,000 copies in 24 countries, and beginning to raise public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and links between pollution and public health.

Earth Day 1970 gave voice to that emerging consciousness, channeling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns on the front page.

Are you aware that driving in cold, winter weather conditions can significantly reduce your vehicle's fuel economy by as much as 30%?  Who knew? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, cold air has a chilly effect on a vehicle's mpg, which can drive up the cost of operating a fleet during the winter months. The good news is these costs can be contained by following a few simple tips. To learn why your fuel economy is lower in the winter, and what drivers can do to improve fuel economy in cold weather, read the U.S. Dep't if Energy's tips here.

Have you started working on a Strategic Plan for managing your fleet in 2016?  To assist you in this effort, our team of Fleet Specialists is providing a road map of the core elements for your Strategic Fleet Plan. Today, we're covering the first of seven elements that are essential to a solid Fleet Plan:

VOLUME FLEET DISCOUNTS

Auto manufacturers have different fleet incentives and VIP programs with pricing tiers that are based on the volume of vehicles to be purchased in the coming model year. Here are the basic steps to include in your plan that will ensure you'll receive the maximum fleet discounts:

If you happen to be a Michigan State fan, then you know "Go Green" is part of the school's battle cry, but for most folks, Go Green  has become a familiar reference to the effort made my an individual or an organization to minimize our society's pollution and carbon footprint. Initially, “going green” sounds like a herculean effort requiring significant changes to one's lifestyle, however this isn't always the case. Being planet-friendly can come from simple changes such as recycling and using natural light instead of electricity. For car owners, going green is becoming much easier. Car companies are developing planet-friendly technology that minimizes pollution caused by gas-powered vehicles. Knowing where to find up-to-date and accurate information about carbon vehicle emissions isn't easy. No worries, because we’ve found a great website that gives you access to a database of vehicles that are scored on a range from “greenest” to “meanest”.

That which you focus on generally improves, so let's test your focus:

Raise your hand if you know how your vehicle lifecycle cost is trending?

Keep your hand up if you know how many of your vehicles are past their Optimum Replacement Cycle?

Okay, last question . . . how many of you are actually doing what your father told you, Never pay retail!

Any hands still up? That's what I thought, but that's okay because we know people who only focus on their clients vehicles, and I'd like to share the Top Three Reasons to consider outsourcing fleet management to a professional . . .

What happens on that summer road trip after you run out of things to do? First, consider our 5 tips for enjoying your summer road trip, then consider what will happen when you get sleepy, because at some point you will get drowsy. The National Sleep Foundation notes, "1 out of 10 drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel in the last year." Keep reading to learn more about how to stay safe on the road this summer.

Here at Fleet Services driver safety is our number one priority, and we know it’s your top priority too. So, it’s important for your company to create a safe driving program for your fleet. A safe driving program protects your employees as well as avoids any additional costs. Continue reading for our tips and links to help optimize your fleet safety program.

Summer is our chance to go on vacation and visit friends, family, and various travel destinations. Vacations come with travel and sometimes the best way to travel is by driving, so keeping those drives interesting is important. Here are a few tips that can help make your road trip more enjoyable . . .

Fleet Management is our core business, and we serve companies that must use vehicles to manage day-to-day operations, but they don't want to absorb the high cost of staffing and operating an in-house Fleet Department. The decision to outsource typically occurs for one or all of the following reasons . . .

Automotive Fleet reported that General Electric recently annouced plans to sell its Fleet Management business unit by 2018 in a move to shed its non-core businesses. This continues a recent flurry of buy-sell activity among the top four Fleet Management companies in the U.S. Click on the link below to read the full story . . .

 Vehicle technology is constantly evolving.  Alternative fuel sources, such as hybrid, diesel/ bio diesel, as well as electric powered, are becoming more cost effective for today's everyday commuter and for fleets of varying sizes.  These advances allow for reduced environmental impact.

How many miles will your fleet vehicles have by September 2015?

We are rapidly approaching the auto industry's season of "Build-Out" when auto manufacturers will stop taking orders for 2015 model year vehicles, so they can complete orders by sometime in July and start building the 2016 models. Our clients generally replace vehicles based on mileage parameters, so this is a good time to determine which vehicles you want to replace before July, and which can wait until sometime in September or October when the 2016 models start hitting the ground.

Take a look at the schedule of cut-off dates . . .

There is nothing like auto show season, when dealers roll out their best wares to oohs and ahs from the car-buying public. Many attend to get a better look at cars they are thinking about buying in the near future, others come to see exotic automobiles that they would otherwise never get to see up close, and some come just to enjoy a day out with their family around some of the greatest machines man has ever built. Regardless of why you go, there is something special about an auto show.

These days when you're considering a new vehicle to add to your fleet, you're more than likely to have the option of selecting a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for a particular model.

Auto manufacturers are increasingly offering CVTs on their vehicles because of the increased fuel economy such a transmission can offer.

What 's the difference between a conventional automatic transmission and a CVT?

A typical automatic transmission works using a combination of small gears and larger gears that either hold or spin to obtain certain gear ratios to effect forward or backward movement; typically four forward gears and one reverse.

One type of CVT being increasingly implemented by auto manufacturers uses a belt-driven, two pulley system. The belt rides in between two cone shaped pulleys. The "gear" that the transmission is in depends on the where the belt is riding on the grade of the cone. It allows for infinite "gears" because of the infinite places the belt can ride on the cone of the pulley. Brilliantly simple and complicated so here's where you can learn more if you would like.

What's most important to know about CVTs? 

A train hauling ethanol crashed and derailed on a steep bank alongside the Missisippi River in Eastern Iowa on Wednesday, 02-04-15. An unknown amount of ethanol has reached the river which is part of the Upper Mississippi National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. Ethanol, a biofuel derived from corn, poses a threat to fish and mussles according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Read the full story here.

 "I recognize the surface of the earth is warmer and that an increase in greenhouse gases caused by humans is contributing to the problem." President George W. Bush made that statement in July of 2007, quoted in an article in the Financial Times. During his presidency he urged a climate change policy embracing new clean energy technologies.

Certainly scientists are in agreement that global warming is real. Politicians acknowledge this truth but disagree on the methods for bringing about a reduction in carbon emissions.

Behavioral studies show that people buy a hybrid vehicle because they want to help preserve the environment, or they want to be perceived as caring about the environment.

Should you buy a hybrid vehicle? Will driving a hybrid vehicle make a difference?

2015 Toyota Prius 

When should you outsource your vehicle management?

 Whether you have a fleet of 10 or 100 vehicles, proper fleet management will reduce your organization’s operating costs and save a significant amount of time for your administrative team. So, when does it make sense to consider partnering with a professional fleet management firm? The following questions will help you determine whether or not you should consider outsourcing your fleet management.

Improve your fleet management performance . . .

We recently asked top performing Fleet Managers from around the country to identify one aspect of their job that drives the greatest overall improvement in their fleet operations.  The #1 response – Measurement!

Reports of car thefts have been plummeting.  In New York City, car theft has dropped 96% from 147,000 reported incidents in 1990, to just 7400 in 2013.  In D.C. car thefts have declined by 50% in the last 8 years alone.  Similar patterns can be seen across the country.  But what caused this sudden decline? 

Green Fleet Best Practices

 One of the most important aspects of vehicle management going forward is ensuring that we minimize our destructive environmental impact as much as possible. Environmental management for fleets typically focuses on greenhouse gases, air pollution, and MPG; and it includes the following:

In continuing with our series on the benefits of leasing a fleet, we wanted to outline three additional reasons why leasing your fleet can yield significant gains above and beyond purchasing.  Here are the reasons below: 

One of the overall goals of good fleet management is to reduce your fleet's operating costs. The best strategy to reduce your costs is to select vehicles with high re-sale value, good fuel economy, and low maintenance expenses...vehicles with a low total lifecycle cost.  A good fleet manager will evaluate all of the factors that impact purchasing, maintaining, and remarketing a vehicle, and present you with an analysis of which vehicles you can place in your fleet to lower the overall operating cost.  

Photo By Emilio Labrador: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode

Proper vehicle or fleet management is one of the biggest challenges facing any growing business. Purchasing and managing a vehicle is a huge responsibility in your personal life, why let it fall by the wayside for your business?

Today, our staff went on a guided tour of the Manheim Milwaukee Auto Auction located near Racine, WI to get a better look at where vehicles go when a company decides to replace them.

Recently, when asked whether we would see self-driving cars by 2020, the President of GM, Dan Ammann, responded without hesitation “I’d be quite surprised if it didn’t happen by then.”

5 Tips for Selecting a Fleet Management Company 

You have the idea that you might need a fleet manager to aid with your vehicle management strategies...but where do you start?  To help, we have provided five tips for selecting a fleet management company:

Options for those considering the best ways to manage their fleets of cars. 

It's time to face it... A company with an unmanaged fleet is throwing money away on a daily basis.  The efficiencies lost, incentives not utilized, maintenance costs, replacement and disposal considerations, time costs...etc, they all add up.  To run the lean business that this economy demands, something needs to be done.  That's why we have taken the time to analyze three different options available to companies in choosing what to do with their fleets.