| Video News & Views
PEOPLE & IDEAS TO WATCH | You Need to Think Globally | | There's more information out there on companies and consumers than ever before - and that is going to change the auto industry in a big way. |
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October 27, 2011
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| Fleet Trends & Issues |
Opportunities & Successful Fleet Management |
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NAFA To Hold Future Conferences During The Business Week Starting In 2013 The people spoke and NAFA listened. Three out of four NAFA Members who regularly attend the Association’s annual Institute & Expo (I&E) said they would prefer to have the I&E begin on a Tuesday and end on a Friday as opposed to the current setup of beginning on a Saturday and ending on a Tuesday. These overwhelming results, which came from a survey of the Membership conducted in July, have led NAFA Fleet Management Association to change the date of the 2013 I&E in Atlantic City. The announcement was made official during the October Board of Governors meeting in New Orleans. NAFA’s 2013 Institute & Expo will now be held April 23-26 in Atlantic City with the Expo taking place on Wednesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 25. The new dates have been confirmed with the Atlantic City Convention Center and the on-site hotels. Attendees weren’t the only ones interested in the switch. A survey of 252 exhibitors found that 62.3 percent of I&E exhibitors would prefer the conference to be held from Tuesday to Friday as well. “NAFA is always looking for the Institute & Expo to provide the best value and experience for fleet professionals,” said NAFA’s Executive Director, Phillip E. Russo, CAE. “The I&E is created by fleet managers for fleet managers. Our mission is simply to present the best conference we can. Based on the results of our survey, both attendees and our exhibitors will be better served with the program running within the week. We thank everyone for their participation in the survey.” Future I&E locations and dates are currently in the planning stage. The 2012 I&E, which will follow the Saturday through Tuesday model, will be held April 21-24 in St. Louis, MO.
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| Focus On... |
Current Fleet Topics
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Tips for Winterizing Your Car and Prepping it for Storage As the temperatures drop and the leaves pile up on the ground, it’s not too early to prepare your car for the winter months, advises Edmunds.com. In fact, Edmunds says that there are ten simple steps that all drivers can take to safeguard their cars against the hazards that come along with winter conditions. “No one wants to work on a car in cold, sloppy conditions, so now is a great time to start winterizing your car,” said Phil Reed, senior consumer advice editor at Edmunds.com. “Taking on these preventative measures will significantly reduce your chances of experiencing the nightmare scenario of having to wait for a tow truck in a heavy snowstorm.” Here are some ways to help keep your car – and your family – safe on the winter roads: Read more
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| Association News & Views |
Activities, Events & Success Stories |
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NAFA Opens Submissions For 2012 Goill Awards The last few years have forced fleet managers to do more with less. Fleet managers have had to deal with layoffs and reduced budgets, while simultaneously incorporating sustainability plans. NAFA Fleet Management Association believes these challenges have led to some of the most creative ideas in the industry’s history. For nearly twenty years, NAFA has been saluting such ideas with its prestigious Larry Goill Memorial Quality Fleet Management Idea Award. Due to the intense competition expected this year, the call for submissions is starting months earlier than usual. Sponsored by NAFA and Bell Canada, the Larry Goill Memorial Quality Fleet Management Idea Award honors individuals whose creative ideas improve fleet management by increasing productivity or create bottom-line cost savings. The award, named in honor of the late NAFA Vice President for Canada, has been won by some of the brightest minds in fleet management since its debut in 1993. Read more Green Truck Summit to Offer Clean Vehicle Insights and Innovations Gain cutting-edge sustainable technology information and solutions at the Green Truck Summit, scheduled Monday, March 5 through Tuesday, March 6, 2012 in conjunction with The Work Truck Show 2012. The Summit, produced by the NTEA and CALSTART, is considered the industry's foremost educational program covering clean fuels initiatives for vocational trucks. This day-and-a-half conference offers intensive presentations and breakout sessions led by top industry experts and fleet managers. Topics include: - Trends in Work Truck Technologies and Fuels
- Gaseous Fuels: A Successful Alternative
- Work Truck Electrification: Leveraging the Ultimate Clean Fuel
- Watching the Bottom Line: Technologies for Increasing Fuel Efficiency and Eliminating Fuel Waste
Click here for Green Truck Summit Schedule of Events
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"The Europeans have been doing poorly for the last four or five years. The Europeans have a different sense of the market. In the U.S., cars are more like appliances and people expect to turn it on and everything should work. In Europe, cars are more an extension of your personality." -- David Champion, Senior Director of Consumer Reports' Automotive Test Center, on CR's newly-released quality study.
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Janice Sutton, Editor
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Don't miss our Fleet Spot interview with NAFA's President, Doug Weichman, our first since he took the helm from highly-talented Chris Amos last April at I&E in Charlotte. He not only juggles the demanding job as CEO of this non-profit corporation we all appreciate, but also excels at his 'day job' as Director of Fleet Management for Palm Beach County, Florida. What a guy!
Think about the time and effort that NAFA volunteers give to this dynamic fleet organization; we are so fortunate to have leadership like this. And I could not have found a more apt word than 'dynamic' to characterize what NAFA has been up to. It's impressive.
Note that NAFA has opened submissions for the prestigious 2012 Goill Awards. Read more about what it takes to win this award (and you would be in very good company indeed) in Association News & Views. Drive Safety, Janice
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Last Minute News
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ARI® to Host Telematics Session at the 2011 Asset Management Symposium & Professional Development Institute
ARI® announced that it will be leading a session entitled "Turning Fleet Telematics Data into Information" at the Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) Asset Management Symposium, November 1, 2011 in Nashville, Tenn. ARI’s Tony Candeloro, client information systems director, and Keith Steidle, business development manager, will discuss the benefits of telematics and data integration for complex fleets. Read more Wright Express Awarded National Joint Powers Alliance® Fleet Card Contract
Association members can now save on fleet management costs without an agency RFP. The benefit of NJPA membership enables municipalities to reduce fuel management costs, while avoiding a complex agency request for proposal (RFP) process. Read more
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| Places, Sites, and People for New Ideas
& Applications |
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Douglas Weichman
Palm Beach County, Florida
Director of Fleet Management
Meeting the Challenges
Doug took over the helm of NAFA Fleet Management Association this year - a formidable task in itself - and serves as Director of Fleet Management for Palm Beach County, Florida. Like most all public sector fleets, Doug's is feeling the economic downturn and he, like most all fleet managers - private or public - has been challenged to keep delivering great services while whittling away at costs.
- [Read More] |
Andy Douglas
Kenworth Truck Company
National Sales Manager
Green Fleet magazine has named Kenworth’s Andy Douglas as one of the magazine’s first-ever 40 Sustainability All-Stars. Douglas has led Kenworth’s “green truck initiatives” for the past five years. As Kenworth’s national sales manager for specialty markets, Douglas has traveled extensively throughout the country to work closely with officials from fleets, non-profit organizations, municipalities, ports and government agencies interested in purchasing fuel efficient and low emission trucks or helping to aid the advancement of green trucks into the marketplace.
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Bill Kwelty
ARI®
Senior Vice President and Quality Officer
ARI® announced that Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer Bill Kwelty has received the 2011 Nathan Asbell M.D. Humanitarian Award from the United Way of Camden County. The award is given annually to individuals who have helped advance the common good and have made Camden County a better place to work and live. As Chief Quality Officer, Kwelty is responsible for all customer and employee quality concerns, including oversight of ARI’s “Partners in Excellence” initiatives.
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| Managing Your Fleet Trends, Issues & Opportunities |
Japanese Brands Most Reliable According to Consumer Reports Survey
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Data collected by Consumer Reports' Annual Reliability Survey indicates Japanese automakers continue to produce the most reliable passenger vehicles on the market. Toyota's Scion took the top spot and was followed by Lexus, Acura, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Infiniti, Subaru and Nissan. Ratings of Average or Much Better than Average in predicted reliability were given to 96% of the Japanese models in the survey.
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Texas Tips Its Hat to Ford
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Ford received top honors at the recent Texas Truck Rodeo sponsored by the Texas Auto Writers Association. None of the Detroit-3 introduced a totally new truck this year. The auto writers named Ford's EcoBoost turbocharged engine the "Outstanding Feature of Texas."
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| Driver Safety Management Practices, Policy, & Training |
AAA Study: Drivers Still Text but Acknowledge it's Dangerous
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Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia now have anti-texting laws. Most drivers support those laws, but, despite increased awareness about the dangers of texting while driving, some still text and drive. AAA is pushing for all 50 states to adopt texting bans but says public education and enforcement are key in making them work.
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Dangers to Unrestrained Animals in Vehicles
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Eight states require owners to kennel or tether animals because of the severe danger sudden stops and potential collisions pose to pets. Sudden stops can result in an unrestrained animal being thrown through the windshield. At 35 mph, a 60-pound unrestrained dog can cause an impact of 2,700 pounds, slamming into a car seat, windshield or passenger.
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| Manufacturer Developments Design, Production, & Services |
GM to Offer 2013 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel
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GM announced its plan to offer a diesel Chevrolet Cruze model in 2013. Details on price, engine specifications, and fuel economy were not provided. The decision to mass-produce a Cruze diesel could further boost the U.S. diesel-car market that represents about one percent of total domestic vehicle sales.
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Fiat 500 Returns to Test Microcar Market
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After a long absence, the Fiat 500 has returned to test the American market for A-sized microcars, often referred to as City Cars. The question is whether American motorists are ready for this sized vehicle. Sales are not booming for the smallest cars but are better for the larger B-sized cars such as Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta.
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| Driving Green Initiatives, Actions, & Implementations |
States Cut Back on Tax Breaks for Hybrids
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As states look for relief from financial crunches, exemptions and credits aimed at putting car buyers in hybrids and high-mileage automobiles are becoming harder to find. Some states still offer incentives for pure electric and alternative-fuel vehicles, but tax exemptions and credits for fuel-efficient cars and hybrids have expired in others. J.D. Power reports hybrids account for about 2.5% of market share this year.
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Who's the Greenest of Them All?
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The 2012 Ford Focus Electric has been named as a finalist in the prestigious Green Car of the Year awards although it won't be offered for sale until December. Other finalists include the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas, 2012 Mitsubishi i, 2012 Toyota Prius v, and 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI. The award has become sought after as the automotive industry shifts to more environmentally-friendly powertrain technology.
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| The Intelligent Vehicle Telematics, Telecommunications, &
Technology |
Cadillac XTS to Feature New CUE Communication System
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GM will introduce its in-vehicle communication system, dubbed CUE for "Cadillac User Experience," next spring in the company's flagship car, the Cadillac XTS. The challenge is to ensure customers don't find the system too hard to use. Cadillac aims to offer complexity and sophistication for tech-savvy drivers and as little as a "simple user" wants.
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Safety Experts Urge More Research for Hands-Free Texting Technology
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Auto manufacturers say the new hands-free text-messaging systems will reduce the risk of driver distraction, but safety experts say more research is needed to determine the benefits of this technology. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood doesn't support any form of texting or telephone conversation while driving.
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| Fleet Vehicle Remarketing Marketing Strategies, Channels,
& Sales Data |
Compact Car Prices Down in October More than Expected
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Compact car prices were “incredibly bad” in the first two weeks of October, says NADA Used Car Guide’s Jonathan Banks, spurred by a large returning rental supply. The market has already seen between a 3% to 6% decline depending on the model year, Banks shared during a National Auto Auction Association webinar that also included NAAA’s Ira Silver and Frank Hackett.
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Ghosn: Carmakers Could See Record 2012 - Unless There's 'Lehman-style' Crisis
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Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault-Nissan, believes 2012 will be the second record sales year in a row for the global automotive industry - as long as the sovereign debt crisis doesn't spin out of control. "Unless there is economic armageddon and you see a Lehman-style crisis, a huge surprise, I can tell you that 2012 will be another record year for the car industry no matter what Europe does," Ghosn said.
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Fleet & Asset Management USA 2011
Hotel Melia'
Atlanta, GA
November 16-17, 2011
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LA Auto Show
Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles, CA
November 18-27, 2011
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Natural Gas Vehicle Infrastructure Conference & Exposition
Omni Houston Hotel
Houston, TX
January 24-25, 2012
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Green Truck Summit 2012
Indiana Convention Center
Indianapolis, IN
March 5-6, 2012
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The Work Truck Show 2012
Indiana Convention Center
Indianapolis, IN
March 6-8, 2012
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Stats and Smart Charts
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Years it Takes to Pay Off Hybrid Models Compared to ICEs
[Click to enlarge graphic]
 - Chart shows number of years it takes to pay off hybrid in contrast to comparable internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle
- It's taking so long even w/ today's closer price points mainly because traditional 4-cylinder engines get very good mileage
- Car that takes longest is 2012 Hyundai Sonata at 10 years – however, non-hybrid Sonata is most affordable car w/ best mileage in comparison
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