With more auto manufacturers producing cost-efficient electric-vehicles and a growing national investment in the EV industry, the addition of EV's into one's fleet is becoming an enticing opportunity.The question is becoming less, "Should I go electric?" and more "When and how do I incorporate electric vehicles into my fleet?" 

Automobiles are vital assets that inevitably depreciate over time. Our latest brief serves as a guide to help you determine the optimal point to replace any vehicle in your fleet. Knowing the replacement process will allow your organization to grow & prosper rather than suffer economic losses. Click on the link below to learn more!

The most important job of the Fleet Managers at Fleet 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 Fleet 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?  To answer this question, we would like to share the following list of  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 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. 

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 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.

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.