| Video News & Views
PEOPLE & IDEAS TO WATCH | Some Big Opportunities to Reduce Costs | | Paul Lauria, president of fleet management consulting company Mercury Associates, on some areas fleets should consider when they're looking to reduce costs. Read the full article in The Fleet Spot! |
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| February 02, 2012 | | | |  | 
| Fleet Trends & Issues | Opportunities & Successful Fleet Management |  |  Truck Fleets Missing Opportunities to Cut Accident Costs, CEI’s Luann Dunkerley Tells Executives The trucking industry may be missing opportunities to reduce the cost of accidents by millions of dollars. That’s the message Luann Dunkerley, CEI’s manager of business development for truck fleet services, told a gathering of private truck fleet executives in Jacksonville, Florida last week. Ms. Dunkerley made the remarks at a meeting of the National Private Truck Council Institute’s safety committee on Friday, January 20. A veteran of the trucking industry, including a career of more than 20 years at Ryder System, Inc, Ms. Dunkerley was named to the Institute’s board of governors last year. Ms. Dunkerley said that even among the most advanced truck fleets, a significant percentage of collision repair expenses aren’t traced to documented accidents. “A number of fleets don’t track incidents for small damages, but they can add up to a big number,” she said, citing the example of one major fleet that doesn’t track damages below $325. According to figures released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration , in 2009 property damage-only collisions cost commercial vehicle operators $5 billion, or about $15,000 per accident. “You can’t manage what you don’t measure,” she said. Read more | |  |
 | | NAFA I & E Planning Guide 2012 | |  FLEET SAFETY BENCHMARKING Organizations have a duty of care to ensure that employees, contractors and sub-contractors driving for work purposes are not endangering themselves or other road users. This website helps you to manage their road risks, enabling you to carry out a quick, free of charge, Gap Analysis Review of your fleet safety policies, procedures and processes and, anonymously benchmark your results with other organizations. Click here to benchmark your fleet! | | | |
Where to Go and What to See |
Can't Miss Booth Seminars, Events, and More | | | | | Janice Sutton, Editor
 |  We write this from Phoenix where we are interviewing faculty from NAFA's Fleet Management Seminars. We will feature those interviews in the run up to NAFA I&E. If you haven't already registered for this premier fleet event - April 21-24 - and can do so by February 29th, you'll save a cool $50! And speaking of NAFA, we are happy to feature former NAFA president Gayle Pratt in The Fleet Spot this week. Gayle is Director of Global Fleet at Ecolab and by virtue of a recent merger, manages over 5,000 vehicles worldwide. You will not want to miss her interview. We traveled in Europe over the holidays and had the great pleasure of spending an afternoon with Julian Bailey-Watts, co-founder of Fleet Support Group UK , recently acquired by ARI . To our delight, Julian took the time to take us through the entire operation - and what an operation it is! We will feature his interview in next week's Fleet Management Weekly. Drive Safety, Janice | | | | Last Minute News
| | NAFA Announces Endorsement of Utilimarc Fleet Benchmarking Products It's said that knowledge is power, but for fleet professionals knowledge means dollars and cents as well. Fleet managers seek quality benchmarking data to compare how their fleet stacks up to the competition and to find new ways to provide cost-savings to their organization. NAFA Fleet Management Association is proud to announce its endorsement of Utilimarc® fleet benchmarking products, products that offer fleet managers the data they need. Read more | | | |  | | Places, Sites, and People for New Ideas
& Applications | | | |
 | |  |  | Gayle Pratt
Ecolab Inc.
Director, Global Fleet
A Journey of Sustainability
By virtue of a recent merger, Ecolab has doubled in size, to an $11 billion company, and their global fleet has grown by more than 5,000 vehicles. In the midst of all this expansion, Ecolab celebrates its US fleet sustainability accomplishments. And they are impressive!- [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.
|  | Lenny Pusdesris
PHH Arval
Vice President, Truck Engineering
PHH Arval announced that Lenny Pusdesris has been named to the new position of Vice President, Truck Engineering, effective immediately. In this role, he will focus on developing and leading a truck engineering team, and will report to Tom Keilty, senior vice president and chief operating officer.“We are excited to have Lenny on board,” said Keilty. “He has more than 20 years of experience in the vehicle upfit market.”
|  | | | | |  | | Managing Your Fleet Trends, Issues & Opportunities | AT&T Continues 'Green' Strategy with CNG-Powered Chevy Express Vans
 | | In its largest-ever order of CNG vehicles, GM will deliver 1,200 Chevrolet Express compressed natural gas cargo vans to AT&T service centers nationwide. The vans will provide and maintain communications, high-speed Internet and television services for AT&T customers. The U.S. EPA says CNG-powered vans can produce approximately 25 percent fewer carbon dioxide emissions than similar gasoline and diesel-powered vans. | | | Choosing the Toughest 2012 Pickup Trucks
| | Using a variety of sources and criteria, Forbes searched through data on 2012 pickup trucks to determine which are the year's toughest. Models making the list include the Honda Ridgeline, consistently rated high for reliability and durability, Toyota Tundra with its payload, towing capacity, and interior space, and Ford F-150 with the strongest frame and wider choice of engines. | | |  | | Driver Safety Management Practices, Policy, & Training | Federal Agencies Say Stability Control Systems Save Lives
| | The National Transportation Safety Board recommended that the FMCSA mandate retrofitting Roll Stability Control (RSC) systems on all in-use tank trailers with a GVW over 10,000 pounds and electronic stability control systems on all commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds, including those with hydraulic brakes. The NHTSA says adding stability-control systems could save 66 lives annually. A 2010 NHTSA study called "Safety Benefits of Stability Control Systems For Tractor-Semitrailers" can be viewed at www.trb.org. | | | New Federal, State Distracted Driving Laws for Commercial Drivers, Businesses
| | The U.S. Department of Transportation's final rule issued last year prohibits interstate truck and bus drivers from using hand-held cell phones while operating their vehicles. Drivers and commercial businesses violating the rule face stiff penalties. Some states have enacted even more stringent bans. State rules are available at http://www.distraction.gov/content/get-the-facts/state-laws.html. | | |  |
| Manufacturer Developments Design, Production, & Services | Ford Plans to Triple EcoBoost Engine Production in 2012
| | Ford announced plans to introduce EcoBoost engines in its redesigned 2013 Escape, Fusion, Focus, and Interceptor (used by law-enforcement agencies,) tripling the production capacity of EcoBoost-equipped vehicles to more than 383,000 vehicles in 2012. Already popular on some Ford models, the 3.5 liter V6 EcoBoost accounts for 42% of the engine mix on the F-150. Last year Ford built 127,883 vehicles with an EcoBoost engine in North America. | | | Dim Future for Diesels in U.S.
| | Diesel engines account for half of all new-vehicle sales in Europe where diesel fuel prices are lower than gasoline. Manufacturers plan to offer more diesel models in the U.S., but the outlook is dim for widespread acceptance of diesels in this country due to higher fuel, federal fuel tax, and engine costs as well as vehicle purchase price. | | |  |
| Driving Green Initiatives, Actions, & Implementations | Latest CARB Mandate To Push Plug-in Count by 2025
| | Millions more “clean cars” could be on the road by 2025 after a California Air Resources Board ruling that will tighten already strict emissions rules for California drivers, requiring 1 of every 7 vehicles sold in California would have to be a plug-in hybrid, extended-range or pure battery EV. Some argue cost will cut sales, but CARB says it can be done for less than $2,000 per vehicle. | | | Natural Gas Could be a Win-Win Situation
| | President Obama says he is committed to making natural gas a positive alternative to gasoline and diesel fuel to power the nation's long-haul trucking fleet. Subsidies and tax breaks would hasten the creation of a network of natural gas filling stations. Energy companies have reduced natural gas drilling to remove excess supply from the market, but converting the U.S. trucking fleet would benefit many companies if natural gas prices recovered. | | |  |
| The Intelligent Vehicle Telematics, Telecommunications, &
Technology | Do-it-Yourself Fix-it Kits May Replace Spare Tire
| | Buyers have looked for that spare tire in the trunk for a long time, but AAA warns that, due to new fuel economy efficiency standards on the horizon, vehicles of the future may eliminate the spare tire and put in its place an emergency sealant and inflator kit while the other four tires on the vehicle will be able to run a reasonable distance without air. | | | NHTSA Completes Study on Collision Avoidance Systems
| | The NHTSA has completed pilot studies and will decide next year whether to issue new regulations that govern vehicle-to-vehicle communication technology in its pursuit to reduce traffic fatalities. A spokesman for the agency said connected vehicle technology can reduce up to 80% of crash scenarios. IIHS president Adrian Lund said it will take decades for the majority of vehicles on the road to have the technologies. | | |  |
| Fleet Vehicle Remarketing Marketing Strategies, Channels,
& Sales Data | Ford and Chrysler Up, GM Down as January Comes to an End
| | GM reports all four GM brands sold fewer vehicles in January. Buick sales fell 23.1 percent, Cadillac sales fell 29.1 percent, GMC sales fell 9.7 percent, and Chevrolet saw sales dip 1.2 percent. Ford saw a 7.9 percent dip in Lincoln sales, but sales overall climbed 7 percent over January, 2010. As reported, Chrysler saw huge gains and Toyota is pleased by large gains on home territory. | | | Manheim Acquiring DSC to Enhance Financing for Independent Dealers
| | Manheim has agreed to purchase Dealer Services Corp. (DSC), a used vehicle floor plan company for independent dealers. The deal is part of Manheim’s strategy to play a leading role in providing inventory financing to independent dealers and enhance products provided through Manheim Financial Services. | | |  | | | | | | | 
|  | Green Truck Summit 2012
Indiana Convention Center
Indianapolis, IN
March 5-6, 2012 | | | The Work Truck Show 2012
Indiana Convention Center
Indianapolis, IN
March 6-8, 2012 | | | RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibition
The Expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, PA
April 15-18, 2012 | | | NAFA 2012 Institute & Expo
America's Center
St. Louis, MO
April 21-24, 2012 | | | The National Vehicle Leasing Association 2012 Annual Conference
Renaissance Worthington Hotel
Fort Worth, TX
April 23-25, 2012 | | Stats and Smart Charts
| Diesel Prices vs. Gasoline Prices
[Click to enlarge graphic]
 - Aside from heavy-duty pickups and small numbers of sales from primarily German-brand vehicles, diesel engines remain an aside in US auto sales
- Diesels have substantial advantages over gasoline engines on fuel efficiency, but so far has not been enough
- Pump price of diesel higher than gasoline -- higher even than premium gas – biggest challenge diesel engine vehicles face in US market
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