Posts Tagged ‘fleet’
Free Fleet Safety Web Seminars Coming Later this Month
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
Brought to you by Automotive Fleet and the other subsidiary sites of fleet-central.com , these free safety seminars are now open for registration. The topics covered will be at-fault accidents, driver distraction, and brake safety. A description of each individual course appears below. Fleet managers only need to sign up once to receive all three seminars!
Fleet Safety Webinar Series
Click here to sign up for the webinar series
SAFETY SESSIONS PART I
Prevent and Predict At-Fault Crashes
September 22, 2009 11:00AM PDT / 2:00PM EDT
Sponsor: Driver’s Alert
As a fleet manager or safety director, you know 95% of your drivers practice safe driving and that the other 5 percent are at high risk to cause your next at-fault crash. Find out how many of your drivers are in the bottom 5% and how to prevent the at-fault crash from ever happening.
SAFETY SESSIONS PART II
Distracted Driving: Dangers and Defenses
October 13, 2009 11:00AM PDT / 2:00PM EDT
Sponsor: DriverCare Risk & Safety Services by CEI
Distracted driving is a serious and growing problem for fleets and the public at large. Gain valuable knowledge about the sources of distracted driving, its impact on crashes, fatalities and fleet finances, and a range of proactive responses. This webinar will be a practical discussion between a subject matter expert from the National Safety Council and two leading fleet managers from the commercial and public sectors, who will share their real-world experiences and insights in dealing with the problem. Topics will include the science of distracted driving, programs to raise drivers’ awareness, legislative initiatives, and emerging technologies.
SAFETY SESSIONS PART III
Are You Helping to Keep Your Drivers Safe? How Good Are Your Brakes?
November 10, 2009 11:00AM PDT / 2:00PM EDT
Sponsor: Midas
Learn how brake systems work, how they have changed, and how they affect and are affected by other vehicle safety systems. Gain knowledge on how to identify potential issues which could eventually lead to extensive and expensive repairs. Understand how utilizing M.A.P. (Motorist Assurance Program) can help fleet managers make better informed decisions on whether or not to keep the vehicle in service based on known upcoming service needs.
Photo courtesy of aNantaB under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: Automotive Fleet, Driver's Alert, DriverCare Risk & Safety Services by CEI, fleet, fleet managers, Fleet Safety Webinar Series, fleet-central.com, M.A.P, Midas, Motorist Assurance Program, National Safety Council
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Crown Victoria Turns in its Badge
Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
Ford Motor Co. recently met with the heads of several of the nation’s largest police fleets in Dearborn, MI to talk about the future of police vehicles.
The Crown Victoria, an invaluable asset to police fleets for years, is being discontinued. Ford has not sold the Crown Vic to consumers since 2007, but will continue to produce the cars as fleet vehicles until 2011. Although the Crown Victoria is on its way out, Ford is committed to remaining an integral part of America’s police force.
Ford’s major offer to the nation’s police fleets has been the new Taurus sedan. While it may seem like an excellent opportunity for an upgrade, the Taurus and other newer cars lack some of the features that made the Crown Victoria so effective. The Crown Vic was a body-on-frame car, which made it extremely tough and easy to repair in the event of a collision. It has a column shifter, which frees up the center console area for guns and electronic equipment. It also boasts enough rear space for a spacious trunk while still accommodating two suspects in the back seat.
In addition to these major features, most aftermarket police equipment is built specifically to fit inside a Crown Victoria. When some fleets attempted to switch their fleets over to Chevrolet Impalas, they found that their communications equipment would not fit in the vehicles. The Crown Victoria also has rear-wheel drive, which allows for greater handling and more even weight distribution.
With these features missing from many of its current models, Ford has yet to decide on what vehicle will be chosen to replace the Crown Victoria when it finally retires.
“We’ve got some big decisions to make, and we’re making them,” said Jim Farley, head of global sales, marketing and service for Ford. “We have no intention of walking away from our share of that market.”
Other companies are anxious to take over Ford’s contract with police fleets; other big automakers are eyeing the prize, but the Canadian Auto Workers and some small start-ups are also looking to provide law enforcement agencies with the perfect police cruiser. Ford however, is determined to stay in the game, and not just for the money: Ford Americas President Mark Fields says “Every municipality has police, so you have Ford product everywhere across the country. It reinforces that Ford is part of the community.”
Photo courtesy of banspy under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: American police force, Chevrolet, Chevrolet Impala, Crown Victoria, fleet, fleet vehicles, Ford, Ford Motor Co, Impala, Taurus
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Ford Transit Connect Popular with Small Businesses
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
Early sales of Ford’s new specialty fleet vehicle, the Transit Connect, indicate that small business owners are already big fans. The initial shipments of the Transit Connect have been quickly snapped up at dealerships nationwide.
Ford reported that on a national basis, an average Transit Connect sells within 8 days of arriving on a dealer’s lot; significantly faster than the current turnover rate for most vehicles.
The Transit Connect is a unique vehicle that combines the cargo capacities of a full-size pickup truck with the profile of a van and the fuel economy of a medium-sized car: 22 city/25 highway miles per gallon. It boasts a low enough clearance to clear any bridge or parking deck, and fits into a normal sized city parking space. These features combined with its affordable price make the Transit Connect an enticing alternative to more traditional vehicles for small business use.
Ford commercial truck director Len Decula thinks the popularity of the Transit Connect means something more: “We see rising optimism among small business owners and strong demand for arriving Transit Connect vehicles among this group as reflections of an encouraging economic uptick.”
Photo courtesy of crazytales562 under the Creative Commons License .
Tags: fleet, fleet vehicle, Ford, fuel economy, Transit Connect
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Eliminating the Blind Spot
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
A vehicle’s blind spot is one of a drivers greatest liabilities. Every year, more than 826,000 vehicles are involved in accidents caused by a blind spot. While these accidents are very rarely fatal, they have a high incident of injury and can cause major property damage. For the small fleet owner, this effect can be devastating in lost time, repair, and medical costs.
Much research and development has gone into creating systems that eliminate the dangers that blind spots pose. Ford has introduced an option on newer models known as the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), which uses radar to scan an area beside the car for any objects between the bumper and the side-view mirror. If an object is present, a small light on the mirror illuminates to alert the driver to the presence of something in their blind spot.
Several new Ford and Chevrolet models are also equipped with a small extra mirror integrated into the side-view mirror called the BlindZoneMirror. Each mirror is tailored to the specific model of vehicle it is attached to and has won a 2009 Automotive News PACE award, which honors “superior innovation and technological advancement.”
While technological solutions are helpful, it is still important that drivers are aware of how to monitor their blind spot. George Platzer, the inventor of the BlindZoneMirror, has also developed a manual system that allows a driver to eliminate the blind spot completely: First, the driver leans his head against the driver’s side window and adjusts the mirror so that the side of the vehicle is just barely visible. Then he leans to the center of the vehicle (between the front seats) and does the same with the passenger-side mirror.
Once the mirrors have been properly adjusted, a vehicle approaching from behind should appear in the side-view mirror before disappearing from the rear view. Then it should appear in the driver’s peripheral vision before leaving the side-view mirror.
Ford chief safety engineer Steve Kozak wholeheartedly approves of the method: “If we could train everyone in the United States to do it that way, then I think we would probably be a lot better and we wouldn’t need a system like [BLIS],” he said.
Make sure your drivers understand the importance of checking their blind spot.
Photo courtesy of nimish gogri under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: 2009 Automotive News PACE award, blind spot, Blind Spot Information System, BlindZoneMirror, BLIS, Chevrolet, fleet, Fleet Owner, Ford, side-view mirror, small fleet owner
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2009 Fleet Hall of Fame Inductees
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
Nine fleet professionals were chosen this year for induction into the Fleet Hall of Fame. These individuals have been selected for their dedication and contribution to the industry, and will be honored in a ceremony on September 10th at the 2009 AFLA conference in Phoenix, AZ:
- Bob Betagole, Mike Albert Leasing
- John Blessing, formerly of McCullagh Leasing
- Ed Bobit, Bobit Business Media
- Stan Chason, formerly of GELCO
- Dennis LaLiberty, formerly of Wheels Inc
- Duane Peterson, formerly of PHH
- Jim Rallo, formerly of PHH
- Helen Smorgans, formerly of Johnson & Johnson
- Pat Starr, formerly of Consolidated Services Corp
For the list of 2008 inductees, click here.
The 2009 AFLA Conference, “Managing the Matrix of Change”, will take place at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Sept. 9-11. Attendance is expected to exceed last year’s event with over 300 registrants already signed up.
The deadline to register for the AFLA conference is next week. Visit www.aflaonline.com to sign up.
Tags: 2009 ALFA Conference, ALFA, Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, fleet, Fleet Hall of Fame
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Papa John’s Founder Reunites with Lost Camaro
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009
In 1983, John Schnatter sold his gold-and-black 1971 Chevrolet Camaro to keep his family’s business afloat. Now, 26 years later, the pizza mogul has been reunited with his long-lost car.
Schnatter sold the Z28 Camaro for $2,800 to save his father’s tavern in Jeffersonville, Indiana. He used what little was left over to start his own business, which would eventually become the internationally successful Papa John’s Pizza. Years later, Schnatter found himself still missing his old car and began an arduous search for the missing auto. He created a website dedicated to his search, made promotional appearances to promote the cause, and eventually offered a reward of $250,000 to whoever found the car.
The search finally paid off. The original buyers of the car saw Schnatter on television during a pre-game interview for the NFL talking about his determination to recover the Camaro and tracked it down through the auto blog Jalopnik, which contacted Papa John’s about the situation. The car had ended up 165 miles from Papa John’s headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky in the town of Flatwooods after changing hands only twice since the original sale.
The owner, Jeffrey Robinson, delivered the Camaro to Schnatter this week, earning the $250,000 bounty. Schnatter is also giving $25,000 to the original buyers for their help in finding the car.
In honor of the find, Papa John’s is offering a free pizza this Wednesday to all Camaro owners. So if your fleet is made up of Camaros, treat your employees to lunch.
Photo courtesy of Zuiun under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: Chevrolet Camaro, fleet, John Schnatter, NFL, Papa John's, Papa John's Pizza
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Top Safety Pick- 2010 Ford Taurus
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
The 2010 Ford Taurus has earned the top spot as the latest “Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Several Ford vehicles have been named as previous picks this year, including the Focus, Fusion, and F-150 pickup.
In order to qualify as a Top Safety Pick, vehicles must earn high ratings in three separate tests administered by the Institute. In addition, winners must now also offer electronic stability control, which comes standard on the 2010 Taurus.
Institute President Adrian Lund was quoted as saying that “recognizing vehicles at the head of the class for safety helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices without having to sort through multiple test results.”
The Institute states that the criteria required to win the coveted spot are so demanding because the award is intended to drive the development of new safety technologies.
How does your fleet rank in terms of safety?
Photo courtesy of resedabear under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: 2010 Ford Taurus, F-150, fleet, fleet safety, Focus, Ford, Fusion, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, safety technologies, Taurus, Top Safety Pick
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Higher Speed Limits Lead to More Fatalities on Highways
Friday, July 31st, 2009
In 1973, the United States government passed a law restricting the speed limit on all American roads to a maximum of 55 miles per hour. As soon as the law was enacted, road fatalities began a steady decline that continued until 1987, when the law was changed to raise the speed limit to 65 in select states. In 1995, the law was repealed completely and states were allowed to set the speed limit on their highways as they saw fit. Currently, speed limits in the United States climb as high as 80 miles per hour.
According to research published in the American Journal of Public Health, traffic accidents and their impact on human life have increased dramatically since the repeal of the 55 miles per hour maximum speed limit. Their study found that between 1995 and 2005, about 12,500 more fatalities occurred in traffic accidents than would have been expected with the old speed limit. Car volume density, population density, variations in fleet sizes, the types of vehicles on the road, vehicle age, and driver habits were all considered when preparing the final data for this study.
While it may come as no great surprise that driving faster leads to more accidents, the most astonishing thing about higher speed limits is that drivers continue to exceed them every day. In order to keep your fleet and the drivers with whom they share the road safe, it is essential to inform your drivers about good speed practices. Vehicle monitoring systems are available to keep track of the speed of every vehicle in your fleet. Talking to your drivers about safe speed practices will not only keep your fleet running smoothly, but will save lives in the process. Not to mention that lower speed saves a lot of money on fuel. For more information on driving safety, click here.
Photo courtesy of NathanFromDeVryEET under the Creative Commons License.
Tags: American Journal of Public Health, fleet, speed limit, traffic accidents, US Government, vehicle monitoring systems
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Son comes home from college with biodiesel idea for family business
Friday, June 26th, 2009
Spencer Gordon went away to college and came back with an idea that would transform the Gordon family business, according to the AJC.com.
John Gordon, 56, Spencer’s father, was running his own business, Gordon Document Products, when he learned about biodiesel from his son.
At first the Gordon’s powered their small fleet of five office machine business trucks on biodiesel, with the idea to make them a greener company. Then, the fuel for their business grew into another business altogether, and they’re now producing biofuel 24 hours a day.
But they also stay busy collecting the waste oils needed to produce their product. A story on Mother Nature Network reported that the Gordons routinely travel to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport (food courts) to pick up loads of fry grease; and Popeyes kicks in at least 40 gallons of waste oil every two days.
Now in its second year, Perfect Circle Renewable Energy is expected to produce 50,000 gallons of biodiesel for Atlanta-area commercial fleets in 2009, including Gordon Document Products. Next year, the goal is 225,000 gallons.
The AJC article stated that the federal government currently offers a $1 per gallon tax credit to companies that use biodiesel, and there are 176 American biodiesel producers in the U.S.
Tags: AJC.com, biodiesel, fleet, Gordon Document Products, Hartsfield-Jackson, Mother Nature Network, Perfect Circle Renewable Energy, Popeyes
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Lost Art of C-B Lingo: U-W
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
We took a little a little time off from our CB dictionary so we could gas up for the final stretch home, but we’re back and ready to help our fellow fleet managers wrap up the last few letters of the alphabet in the CB lingo language lesson. So put the pedal to the metal as we barrel through the letters U-V-W:
U
U.C.B.T.A. – United CB Truckers Association
Ungowa Bwana – O.K.
Uncle Charlie – FCC
Use the Jake – Slow down
V
Valve -Tube
V.F.O. – Variable Frequency Oscillator
VOX – Voice operated relay. Allows the operator to transmit with the sound of his voice, rather than using a microphone push-to-talk switch.
W
Walking in here blowing smoke – Clear signal.
Wall-to-wall bears – Police are everywhere.
Warden – The wife, the FCC
Watch the pavement – Drive safely
Watch your donkey – Police are coming up behind you.
Water hole – Truck stop
Wear your bumper out – Following too close.
What’s your twenty? – What is your location?
Wilco Roger – affirmative.
Wind Jammer – A long winded CB’er
Work Twenty – Place of employment.
Check back with us next week when we reach our destination with the letters X-Y-Z, or you can get a dictionary full of terms from the book, Woody’s World of CB.
10-4 from Hotlanta
Tags: CB radio, FCC, fleet, fleet manager, Woody's World of CB
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