Improving the Productivity and Safety of Mobile Professionals

By John Norris, President of AmeriFleet Transportation

As we contemplate improving both the productivity and safety of mobile professionals, there’s a dichotomy that’s becoming apparent. Look at the work truck environment and it’s obvious that over the years there’s been tremendous attention paid to the interiors of those vehicles to make the users more efficient, more effective and to keep them safe from flying debris in the event of an accident.

If, however, you look at white collar vehicles, which in today’s environment have become as much a work environment for white collar professional as the work truck is for service professionals, the white collar vehicle is now the office, the warehouse, the conference room and storage facility. Yet the same level of attention hasn’t been paid to making white collar professionals efficient in their mobile work space as has been for service vehicles.

Add to that the safety, or lack of safety that becomes evident in a crash when you have unsecured items in a vehicle. Therefore, with AmeriFleet’s focus on improving the productivity and safety of mobile professionals, we asked ourselves, "why not apply some of the same concepts and ideas from the work truck world to white collar executive fleet vehicles?" Read more

Drive Safely Work Week   October 3-7, 2011

Focus 360°... Getting There Safely is Everyone's Business

The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety has partnered with the U.S. Department of Transportation to offer a free comprehensive toolkit to help companies address distracted driving and improve the driving safety of employees, employee family members and the members of the community in which the organization operates.

Employee traffic crashes, both on and off the job, cost employers an estimated $60 billion annually, according to the most recent government study.

The 2011 Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW) tool kit was developed by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) with support from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Focus360°...Getting there safely is everyone’s business.” The DSWW materials are designed to support employer efforts to initiate or sustain a corporate mobile device policy and to increase awareness on behaviors that contribute to distracted driving-related incidents. The campaign’s materials go beyond what can be done as drivers to reduce distracted driving and also consider the roles and responsibilities of being a safe passenger, pedestrian and cyclist.

"I applaud NETS for making this valuable resource available to companies and organizations across the country. Employers have the potential to reach up to one-half of the nation's population, and their support in our fight to stop distracted driving is crucial," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. "When employers adopt policies against texting and cell phone use while driving, our roads become safer for everyone.”

In 2010, nearly 5000 organizations participated in Drive Safely Work Week, reaching more than 20 million employees.

The free tool kit provides easy-to-use Web-based resources to support targeted activities for each day of the campaign week. In addition, the materials encourage employers to position their organization as a corporate role model within the communities in which they operate. “Employers are stepping up and initiating workplace mobile device policies to help prevent distracted driving-relating incidents,” said Bill Windsor, NETS Chairman and Associate Vice President of Nationwide Insurance. “The Drive Safely Work Week campaign is not only an opportunity to reinforce and sustain existing policies, but to also affect employee family and community members with activities and messages designed to merge workplace safety culture with personal safety culture.”

NAFA’s Canadian Advanced Fleet Management Seminar Comes To Toronto

The timing couldn’t be better for NAFA’s Canadian Advanced Fleet Management Seminar (AFMS) which will take place in Toronto September 21-23. Held at the Doubletree by Hilton Airport hotel, the AFMS is an intense, upper-level course designed for veteran fleet managers – those with 5 or more years of experience in the field. The seminar will take place a day after the 2011 Canadian Fleet Conference concludes at the same hotel, allowing attendees to continue their fleet education with some of the brightest minds in the industry.

NAFA’s Canadian AFMS features Canadian-specific content and addresses all of the major disciplines of fleet management for both public service and corporate fleet managers. Taught by some of NAFA’s most experienced and knowledgeable fleet experts, the seminar focuses on Business Management, Professional Development, Asset Management, Financial Management, Fleet Information Management, Risk Management, Vehicle Fuel Management, and Maintenance Management.

“The seminar was designed to cover the tougher concepts in the CAFM curriculum in an environment offering interactive discussion with subject matter experts and practical exercises in two disciplines to let attendees gain simulated experience to ensure mastery,” said Mario Gionet, NAFA’s Vice President for Canada.

Attendees currently enrolled in the CAFM or CAFS program will be able to take their certification tests upon the conclusion of the seminar on Saturday, September 24.

The cost for the AFMS is $1070 for NAFA Members and $1570 for non-Members. Registration includes three days of seminars from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and includes a continental breakfast and lunch for each day as well as an AFMS reception on the first day.

This will be the only AFMS held in Canada this year. With fleet professionals from throughout Canada expected to meet in Toronto for the Canadian Fleet Conference, spots for the AFMS are filling up quickly.

Click here for more information or to register online.