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Michelin Supports Rating Tires for Fuel Efficiency

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Michelin North America Inc. has filed comments with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that support a proposed program to provide customers with information about the fuel efficiency of tires.  The program is currently in the rulemaking phase.
If the proposed program were to be implemented, a system of rankings for consumer tire fuel efficiency would be created “that will clearly communicate to consumers at the point of sale the fuel efficiency of individual tires via an objective rating system,” say MNA officials.
“Michelin further supports setting maximum rolling resistance standards for all passenger tires sold in the U.S. to guarantee minimum levels of tire fuel efficiency performance and spur further progress in tire performance.”
“Tires account for up to 20% of fuel consumption for passenger vehicles. Allowing consumers to understand this fact and compare fuel economy performance among tire brands at the point of purchase is an important step in improving the overall fuel efficiency of vehicles, reducing fuel costs to consumers and lessening the impact of road transportation on the environment.”

michelin manMichelin North America Inc. has filed comments with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that support a proposed program to provide customers with information about the fuel efficiency of tires.  The program is currently in the rulemaking phase.

If the proposed program were to be implemented, a system of rankings for consumer tire fuel efficiency would be created “that will clearly communicate to consumers at the point of sale the fuel efficiency of individual tires via an objective rating system,” say MNA officials.

“Michelin further supports setting maximum rolling resistance standards for all passenger tires sold in the U.S. to guarantee minimum levels of tire fuel efficiency performance and spur further progress in tire performance.”

“Tires account for up to 20% of fuel consumption for passenger vehicles. Allowing consumers to understand this fact and compare fuel economy performance among tire brands at the point of purchase is an important step in improving the overall fuel efficiency of vehicles, reducing fuel costs to consumers and lessening the impact of road transportation on the environment.”

Photo courtesy of The Dana Files under the Creative Commons License.

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GM’s Vision for the Future

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

The newly-resurrected General Motors recently announced its plans for new vehicles to debut between now and 2011.  Ten Chevrolet models, another ten Buick and GMC models, and five new Cadillacs will make their way onto the market in the next two years.  This announcement comes only months after GM declared bankruptcy and transferred ownership primarily to the United States government.
The most talked-about vehicle in the new GM lineup is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in electric hybrid.  Recent tests estimate the city fuel economy of the volt at 230 miles per gallon.  The Volt is capable of traveling up to 40 miles on one charge of its battery and can extend its range to over 300 miles with its hybrid gasoline engine.  The Volt is likely to be marketed as a commuter vehicle, as studies from the US Department of Transportation show that 80 percent of Americans commute fewer than 40 miles a day. With the Volt’s fuel efficiency, vehicle owners could commute to and from work purely on electricity.
The rest of GM’s branches also have big plans: Cadillac is planning to release a new luxury sport sedan as well as the CTS Sport Wagon and SRX crossover, both of which offer lower emissions and greater fuel economy than previous models.  Buick also plans to release a new luxury vehicle with the LaCrosse as well as a compact SUV with a fuel economy of over 30 miles per gallon, to be followed later by a hybrid version.  GMC will also release a more efficient crossover SUV.
GM’s plan also involves a new approach in its relationship with customers.  A combination of online communication and face-to-face meetings with customer will better inform GM of customer satisfaction and concerns. An addition to the FastLane blog, “The Lab” is a microsite that will allow customers to have input on future designs and qualify for later studies.
With more fuel-efficient vehicles entering the market, FleetCards USA reminds you that we have a fuel plan to suit your needs whatever they may be.  For more information on customizing your plan, click here.

voltThe newly-resurrected General Motors recently announced its plans for new vehicles to debut between now and 2011.  Ten Chevrolet models, another ten Buick and GMC models, and five new Cadillacs will make their way onto the market in the next two years.  This announcement comes only months after GM declared bankruptcy and transferred ownership primarily to the United States government.

The most talked-about vehicle in the new GM lineup is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in electric hybrid.  Recent tests estimate the city fuel economy of the volt at 230 miles per gallon.  The Volt is capable of traveling up to 40 miles on one charge of its battery and can extend its range to over 300 miles with its hybrid gasoline engine.  The Volt is likely to be marketed as a commuter vehicle, as studies from the US Department of Transportation show that 80 percent of Americans commute fewer than 40 miles a day. With the Volt’s fuel efficiency, vehicle owners could commute to and from work purely on electricity.

The rest of GM’s branches also have big plans: Cadillac is planning to release a new luxury sport sedan as well as the CTS Sport Wagon and SRX crossover, both of which offer lower emissions and greater fuel economy than previous models.  Buick also plans to release a new luxury vehicle with the LaCrosse as well as a compact SUV with a fuel economy of over 30 miles per gallon, to be followed later by a hybrid version.  GMC will also release a more efficient crossover SUV.

GM’s plan also involves a new approach in its relationship with customers.  A combination of online communication and face-to-face meetings with customer will better inform GM of customer satisfaction and concerns. An addition to the FastLane blog, “The Lab” is a microsite that will allow customers to have input on future designs and qualify for later studies.

With more fuel-efficient vehicles entering the market, FleetCards USA reminds you that we have a fuel plan to suit your needs whatever they may be.  For more information on customizing your plan, click here.

Photo courtesy of dsix under the Creative Commons License.

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Fleets Adopting Social Networking

Monday, August 17th, 2009

It seems like you can’t go anywhere without hearing the phrase “social networking” these days. The use of sites like Facebook and Twitter for keeping people up to date on everything from their friends’ sandwich preferences to big business announcements has skyrocketed since their inception, with no end in sight.  Not surprisingly, fleet owners have begun using social networking sites to improve their business.
In a recent poll, fleet managers who use social networking sites made their preferences known. 41 percent use the business contact-oriented LinkedIn, with Facebook the second most popular site at 32 percent.  12 percent of those surveyed also use Twitter for fleet purposes.
Social networking allows people with similar interests and ideas to form an online community where information is shared immediately and effectively.  The increasing popularity of these sites make them very effective tools for keeping customers and employees up to date on company information.
Does your fleet tweet? Check out Fleet Cards USA’s Twitter feed by clicking here.

fbookIt seems like you can’t go anywhere without hearing the phrase “social networking” these days. The use of sites like Facebook and Twitter for keeping people up to date on everything from their friends’ sandwich preferences to big business announcements has skyrocketed since their inception, with no end in sight.  Not surprisingly, fleet owners have begun using social networking sites to improve their business.

In a recent poll, fleet managers who use social networking sites made their preferences known. 41 percent use the business contact-oriented LinkedIn, with Facebook the second most popular site at 32 percent.  12 percent of those surveyed also use Twitter for fleet purposes.

Social networking allows people with similar interests and ideas to form an online community where information is shared immediately and effectively.  The increasing popularity of these sites make them very effective tools for keeping customers and employees up to date on company information.

Does your fleet tweet? Check out the FleetCards USA Twitter feed by clicking here.

Photo courtesy of benstein under the Creative Commons License.

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5 Ways to Save on Fuel

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Tips from fleet operators like you
BusinessFleet collected some tips of the trade from fleet operators who’ve figured out ways to save (that maybe you haven’t).
Ship it to save a trip
“We are moving toward a system in which we drop ship medical supplies to the patient’s home. Shipping costs are outweighed by alleviating the cost of having the clinician come into the office to pick up supplies,” said Larry Leahy, vice president of Foundation Management Services, a home care and hospice services provider in the Southwest.
Weigh Your Delivery
Gem Plumbing of Lincoln, R.I. weighs every delivery, says Larry Gemma, co-owner.  Each truck used to haul 1,139 plumbing parts. The company removed 300 pounds of unneeded parts from each truck, and now the miles per gallon on each truck improved from 7.1 to 7.35.
Find the Cheapest Gas
The article reminds us that fuel prices can and will vary as much as 20¢ per gallon within a couple miles. So before you set out, find the cheapest gas on your route by visiting GasBuddy.com.
Email Fuel-Saving Tips to Drivers
Shelly Lofgren, a fleet manager for Honeywell International, signs off her emails with fuel-savings tips like maintaining proper tire inflation, maintaining posted highway speeds and no unnecessary idling.
Get a Fleet Fuel Card
A fuel management program not only controls fuel costs, but operating costs as well. It’s a good way to prevent unauthorized driver purchases, by regulating when, where and how it can be used. There are lots of programs out there. Be sure you find the card that fits your fleet.

coinsTips from fleet operators like you

BusinessFleet collected some tips of the trade from fleet operators who’ve figured out ways to save (that maybe you haven’t).

Ship it to save a trip

“We are moving toward a system in which we drop ship medical supplies to the patient’s home. Shipping costs are outweighed by alleviating the cost of having the clinician come into the office to pick up supplies,” said Larry Leahy, vice president of Foundation Management Services, a home care and hospice services provider in the Southwest.

Weigh Your Delivery

Gem Plumbing of Lincoln, R.I. weighs every delivery, says Larry Gemma, co-owner.  Each truck used to haul 1,139 plumbing parts. The company removed 300 pounds of unneeded parts from each truck, and now the miles per gallon on each truck improved from 7.1 to 7.35.

Find the Cheapest Gas

The article reminds us that fuel prices can and will vary as much as 20¢ per gallon within a couple miles. So before you set out, find the cheapest gas on your route by visiting GasBuddy.com.

Email Fuel-Saving Tips to Drivers

Shelly Lofgren, a fleet manager for Honeywell International, signs off her emails with fuel-savings tips like maintaining proper tire inflation, maintaining posted highway speeds and no unnecessary idling.

Get a Fleet Fuel Card

A fuel management program not only controls fuel costs, but operating costs as well. It’s a good way to prevent unauthorized driver purchases, by regulating when, where and how it can be used. There are lots of programs out there. Be sure you find the card that fits your fleet.

Photo courtesy of Hey Paul under the Creative Commons License.

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Car Owners Looking for Longevity in Recession

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

The harsh economic climate has hit the auto industry hard with sales drastically down, and it seems that consumers aren’t helping.
A recent study conducted by AutoPacific found that 72 percent of the general public plans not to buy a new car in the next year, and 59 percent of new car buyers intended to keep their car for at least four years.  Last year, that number was 45 percent.
So what does this mean for the commercial fleet?  A fleet owner may want to jump at the chance to haggle with desperate automotive sellers for a good price on new fleet vehicles.  But unless keeping up with new vehicle trends is of great importance to your fleet, the most affordable way to keep your fleet in top condition is to follow a strict maintenance routine.  Regular maintenance can double the useful life of your vehicles and keep them from suffering costly breakdowns and spending time in repair shops.  Even something as simple as making sure tire pressure or oil and coolant levels are correct can extend the life of your vehicles.  The less money you spend replacing your fleet vehicles prematurely, the more money you will have to invest in your business.
With credit becoming harder to come by every day, weathering the economic storm with your current vehicles is a smart choice.  However, if you do wish to replace some of your fleet, you can make it more economically viable by investing in more fuel efficient cars: lighter models, vehicles with smaller engine sizes, and hybrids. This will save you money over time in fuel costs and even help the environment!
Whether you decide to keep your current vehicles or replace them, remember that the most important thing is for your fleet to remain efficient and on the road, doing their job and making you money.  For more information on keeping your fleet as efficient as possible, check out FleetCards USA’s tips for improving fuel efficiency.

engineThe harsh economic climate has hit the auto industry hard with sales drastically down, and it seems that consumers aren’t helping.

A recent study conducted by AutoPacific found that 72 percent of the general public plans not to buy a new car in the next year, and 59 percent of new car buyers intended to keep their car for at least four years.  Last year, that number was 45 percent.

So what does this mean for the commercial fleet?  A fleet owner may want to jump at the chance to haggle with desperate automotive sellers for a good price on new fleet vehicles.  But unless keeping up with new vehicle trends is of great importance to your fleet, the most affordable way to keep your fleet in top condition is to follow a strict maintenance routine.  Regular maintenance can double the useful life of your vehicles and keep them from suffering costly breakdowns and spending time in repair shops.  Even something as simple as making sure tire pressure or oil and coolant levels are correct can extend the life of your vehicles.  The less money you spend replacing your fleet vehicles prematurely, the more money you will have to invest in your business.

With credit becoming harder to come by every day, weathering the economic storm with your current vehicles is a smart choice.  However, if you do wish to replace some of your fleet, you can make it more economically viable by investing in more fuel efficient cars: lighter models, vehicles with smaller engine sizes, and hybrids. This will save you money over time in fuel costs and even help the environment!

Whether you decide to keep your current vehicles or replace them, remember that the most important thing is for your fleet to remain efficient and on the road, doing their job and making you money.  For more information on keeping your fleet as efficient as possible, check out FleetCards USA’s tips for improving fuel efficiency.

Photo courtesy of Beth and Christian under the Creative Commons License

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