| Video News & Views
PEOPLE & IDEAS TO WATCH | The Genesis of ‘Accident Management’ | Wayne Smolda, President and Founder of CEI, takes a look backwards at the company’s legacy of innovation, and a look ahead at the company's determination to keep their edge in this marketplace.
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January 26, 2012
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| Fleet Trends & Issues |
Opportunities & Successful Fleet Management |
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Automotive Digest Editor Interviewed on Green Car Shopping Trends What are some of the electric and hybrid car shopping trends being seen in the automotive industry lately? Automotive Digest’s green editor, Jon LeSage, was interviewed on the topic for an Internet radio show recently. Josh Tickell, best known for his Sundance film festival award winning film, “Fuel,” and for driving the Veggie Van cross country to promote biofuels, interviewed LeSage on his recently launched Internet radio show – where, in the age of new media, you can listen on his website on the day of broadcast and through other channels whenever you choose to, including downloading a Podcast. LeSage talked about the low sales figures in the brand new, burgeoning market, and what it will take for consumers and fleets to ramp up the numbers. To listen to the Podcast, go to iTunes and search for Tickell Talks, and then download “Tickell Talks Show #3 – Where are All of the Electric Cars?” If you’ve never done a Podcast, you can download the iTunes free software and access this free interview, and many other audio files.
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| Focus On... |
Current Fleet Topics
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A Case Study
Vauxhall Motors Fleet Safety Initiatives Vauxhall Motors, a British manufacturer owned by General Motors (GM), produces a range of quality motor cars and commercial vehicles and has an extensive sales and marketing operation driven by regional field based personnel and a wide approved retailer network. The Company has 500+ dedicated business drivers who work in a range of sectors from fleet to retail, corporate to B2B, customer care to aftersales activities. The Vauxhall Safe Driving Team has worked closely with key stakeholders including its Managing Director, Fleet Insurer, Trades Unions and Board Directors to develop a robust and best practice model for managing and monitoring road safety related risk. It is aimed at reducing the collision rate of the fleet, reducing the risk of harm, meeting all relevant legislation, meeting its corporate social responsibility and reducing the direct cost associated with motor collisions. Read more Case study courtesy of Dr Will Murray, Research Director, Interactive Driving Systems®
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| Association News & Views |
Activities, Events & Success Stories |
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Looking for Clean Fleet Solutions? For the third year, CALSTART and National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) are partnering to produce the Green Truck Summit to be held in conjunction with the Work Truck Show , the largest work truck event in North America. The Green Truck Summit offers the industry's foremost information exchange on clean fuels initiatives and insights on "greening" commercial trucks. This cutting-edge event, scheduled for March 5-6 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN is the leading educational forum on clean technology solutions for commercial vehicles. The two-day event will feature educational sessions, keynote presentations, and the Green Truck Ride and Drive. In addition, be sure to visit the CALSTART Clean Technologies and Fuels Pavilion, the central location for clean technologies with over twenty-five clean technologies and fuel exhibits and vehicle displays at the Work Truck Show. Register today for your complimentary trade show badge and an opportunity to attend one concurrent session for free - courtesy of CALSTART in booth 5261
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"We engineered the Volt to show the world the great vehicles we make at General Motors. Although we loaded the Volt with state of the art safety features, we did not engineer the Volt to be a political punching bag. Sadly that is what it's become." Dan Akerson, General Motors Chairman and CEO
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Janice Sutton, Editor
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We were pleased to see Bob Eckert in the news this week; he has recently joined LeasePlan USA's sales team. One of the best things about being in the industry for a good while is the number of wonderful people who have crossed our paths over the years. And Bob is most definitely one of those people; we have had the pleasure of working with him and wish him great success. You can read more about his appointment in The Fleet Spot. Also featured in The Fleet Spot this week is Ruth Alfson, CAFM, talking about her fleet at Serco Group and her role with NAFA . When you read Ruth's bio you'll get a sense of the extraordinary work she has done with NAFA. No wonder it's such a dynamic organization! Drive Safety, Janice
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Last Minute News
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Fed Sees Rates Staying Near Zero Through Late 2014
The Federal Reserve said on Wednesday that it intended to hold short-term interest rates near zero “at least through late 2014,” extending its most basic and longest-running response to the financial crisis by at least another 18 months. Read more Congressional Trial by Fire For Volt
General Motors CEO Dan Akerson faced a trial by fire today – quite literally – when he was grilled about a series of fires that occurred following federal crash tests of the maker’s Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid. Read more
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| Places, Sites, and People for New Ideas
& Applications |
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Ruth Alfson, CAFM
Serco Group, Inc.
Fleet Manager
Helping NAFA Educate Everyone!
In addition to managing a complex fleet, Ruth is a tireless worker and advocate for NAFA. She says, "NAFA helps to educate everyone, regardless of industry segment, age, or educational background." She is very modest, but could be speaking of herself when she says, "I have never met a more dedicated group of individuals who try to help others in the fleet field."
- [Read More] |
Robert Eckert
LeasePlan USA
Regional Sales Vice President, National Accounts
LeasePlan USA has appointed 30-year industry veteran, Robert Eckert, to the position of regional sales vice president, national accounts. Eckert began his sales' career with Hertz Corporation's Car and Truck Leasing Division. Over the years, his career progressed to several executive level sales positions of increasing responsibility at different finance and leasing organizations. Most recently, Eckert spent nine years as an area vice president sales and regional sales manager with Wright Express.
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Ed Peper
General Motors
General Manager, Fleet and Commercial Operations
General Motors has appointed Ed Peper to the position of General Manager, Fleet and Commercial Operations. He was formerly the general sales manager for the Cadillac brand. Ed Peper joined the company's Cadillac division in 1984, and has held many different field sales and marketing management positions with General Motors.
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| Managing Your Fleet Trends, Issues & Opportunities |
Technology Helps Trucking Industry ID Safety Rating Issues
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Trucking industry fleet managers are finding a number of areas and products to help them identify problems before they adversely affect their company's safety rating. Many fleets find their existing technology vendors can provide CSA modules or add-ons that can help monitor problem areas such as speeding and hours-of-service violations. The key is to be proactive.
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Debate Continues Over Advantages of EV vs. CNG Vehicles
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Debate is expected to continue over the advantages of CNG-fueled versus electric vehicles. Analysts say the popularity of both types of vehicles will increase over the next ten years. Pluses on the side of EVs include efficiency, availability/cost of charging stations, and fuel costs. Long range and no charge time involved make CNG-fueled vehicles attractive.
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| Driver Safety Management Practices, Policy, & Training |
Report Urges NHTSA to Increase Expertise in Vehicle Electronics
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A National Academy of Sciences branch is asking the NHTSA to add technical help and refine its investigative techniques. It recommended that the federal agency form an advisory panel of specialists who can assist in regulatory reviews and specific vehicle investigations. The group said the NHTSA should have a better understanding of the more complex hardware and computer software being installed by automakers.
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Saving Lives With 'Lane-Keeping Technology'
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Automakers are continuing to develop "lane-keeping technology" although the NHTSA wants additional research and evaluation before recommending it to the public. The technology is suited for certain road conditions; the angle of the sun, curves in the road or weather conditions can affect the system's ability to activate properly.
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| Manufacturer Developments Design, Production, & Services |
NHTSA Closes Volt Battery Fire Probe
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closed its investigation into potential problems with the hybrid Chevrolet Volt's battery pack by saying it does not believe that Chevy Volts or other electric vehicles pose a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles. The issue has become political, especially among Republicans, as critics question the NHTSA's failure to report the first Volt fire for five months.
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Many Unresolved Issues Relating to Autonomous Vehicles
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Tests show computerized systems to replace human drivers are now largely workable and could greatly limit human error, which causes most of the 33,000 deaths and 1.2 million injuries that now occur each year on U.S. roads. Legal liability, privacy, law enforcement, and insurance regulation issues have yet to be addressed and may pose more problems than the technological challenges.
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| Driving Green Initiatives, Actions, & Implementations |
Increase in Natural Gas Exports Could Result in Higher U.S. Prices
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There is growing interest in natural gas as an alternative fuel for certain types of trucking due to its attractive price compared to diesel. Some companies are seeking permits to ship liquefied natural gas to other countries, and a U.S. Department of Energy study says continuing increases in natural gas exports could cause U.S. prices to rise by between 36% and 54% by 2018.
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Fleets Test 2013 Honda Fit EV
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The City of Torrance, CA, will test drive a 2013 Honda Fit EV as a participant in the Honda Electric Vehicle Demonstration Program. Honda and the city will study local government fleet usage of an electrified vehicle. Google, Inc. and Stanford University will also test the Honda Fit EV. All participants will provide Honda with real-world feedback on the vehicle.
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| The Intelligent Vehicle Telematics, Telecommunications, &
Technology |
Ford Reduces Wind Noise on New Escape With Acoustic Mirror
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Ford is using an elliptical acoustic mirror to measure wind noise in its all-new Ford Escape. The mirror is like a satellite dish with a microphone placed a short distance from the Escape to collect sound and identifies "hot spots" where noise penetrates the vehicle's interior. Drivers can listen to music or conversation rather than external noises.
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Supreme Court Says Police GPS Tracker Infringed on 4th Amendment Rights
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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that police violated the Constitution by placing a GPS tracking device on a suspect's car without a valid warrant and monitoring its movements for 28 days. The defendant's attorney said the decision was "a signal event in Fourth Amendment history." The majority of justices said the problem was placement of the GPS on private property, constituting a "search."
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| Fleet Vehicle Remarketing Marketing Strategies, Channels,
& Sales Data |
Continuing Strength in New Vehicle Sales
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New vehicle sales are looking strong in January and don’t seem to be reversing the strong close to 2011, according a JD Power and LMC Automotive report. At 681,000 units sold, it’s a 6% increase from January 2011. With a SAAR of 10.9M units, it's lower than December 2011 but well above January 2011.
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KBB: Used Car Values Could Jump 3-5% in 1st Quarter
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Kelley Blue Book is advising consumers to buy that used car sooner rather than later as used car values are forecast to rise 3 to 5 percent in the first quarter and into the second quarter. According to KBB, non-luxury cars and crossovers increased between $50 and $100 in the past week alone, and they will likely continue to rise in the weeks and months ahead.
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NAFA Fleet Management Seminar
Embassy Suites Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ
February 1-2, 2012
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NAFA Advanced Fleet Management Seminar
Embassy Suites Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ
February 3-5, 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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RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibition
The Expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, PA
April 15-18, 2012
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Stats and Smart Charts
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Compact Car Cost of Ownership
[Click to enlarge graphic]
 - Vincentric report show Nissan brand takes first place for lowest cost to own of compact sedans, which include the Versa and Sentra
- Toyota’s compact sedan is represented by Corolla which, on average, has 2nd lowest cost of ownership in segment
- There appears to be trend, as demonstrated at Detroit Auto Show, of high-tech and innovative features being made available in compact segment
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