By John Wolford, CEI associate director of network services and loss recovery

The number of days it takes to repair a vehicle depends on the extent of its damage. What fleets should find unacceptable, however, are needless delays in repairs that wind up costing hundreds of dollars extra or more in rental bills.

They may be small by comparison, but rental costs are a factor in collision repair costs that still matter, and are often bigger than they need to be. In fact, following a few simple systematic practices, some large fleets could save $10,000 a year or more on rental expenses.

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When it comes to leasing company vehicles or reimbursing your employees, there are several variables to consider before making the decision. The option you choose will have an effect on your company’s finances, human resources and image.

Register today to join LeasePlan’s leasing expert, Brian Barber, on Tuesday, August 18, at 2:30 pm EST, as he shares key differences between the options. Knowing all the facts will help you make the right decision for your fleet.

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USA TODAY

Getting the best car insurance rates isn’t as simple as keeping your record clean, according to a recent report that says what you pay may have more to do with how well you pay your bills than how well you drive.

After analyzing more than 2 billion price quotes from more than 700 companies nationwide, Consumer Reports concluded that premiums are based more on the companies’ own interpretation of your credit score than accident rates or even drunken driving. For example, single drivers in Florida with a clean record and poor credit paid $1,552 more on average than similar drivers with great credit who had been convicted of driving drunk.

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AutoBlog

People begging for change are often ignored by California drivers as part of the scenery. But not paying attention to the less fortunate or the road got expensive this month, when cops went undercover as panhandlers to catch distracted drivers.

On July 15 four plainclothes police officers in San Bernardino, CA, stood on highway off-ramps and street corners holding cardboard signs. The signs didn’t ask for donations or tell a sad tale, they let drivers know they were cops looking for distracted driving. The signs read “I am NOT homeless. SB Police looking for seatbelt/cellphone violations.”

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The New York Times

Whether it is fuel savings, safer commutes or freed-up time behind the wheel, motorists have many reasons to embrace self-driving cars. But another group is just as eager to see these vehicles on the road: politicians.

Lawmakers from California, Texas and Virginia are wooing the autonomous-car industry, along with the jobs and tax revenue that come with it. They are financing research centers, building fake suburbs for testing the cars and, perhaps most important, going light on regulation, all in an effort to attract a rapidly growing industry.

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The Detroit Bureau

Broader use of lightweight materials, such as aluminum, and ever more efficient new engines top the list of strategies the auto industry is using to meet 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy or CAFE standard of 54.5 mpg, according the annual Wards Auto survey of engineers from both automakers and major suppliers.

The study, sponsored by DuPont Automotive, also shows that carmakers and suppliers are taking a hard look at a variety of technologies as the mid-term review deadline looms. Interest in diesel engines, fuel cell and even bio-fuels all increased in this year’s survey.

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The Detroit Bureau

Sales of plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles have stumbled in recent months, and industry analysts put much of the blame on low gasoline prices, but other factors may be at work, a new study showing residuals, or trade-in prices, for battery-cars have been falling rapidly.

EV proponents have long used two separate arguments to promote the technology. They emphasize its environmental benefits. But they also focus on the potential cost savings by turning to relatively cheap electricity, rather than gasoline, to move the metal down the road.

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By Brian Matuszewski, Manager – Global Strategic Consulting, Sustainable Strategies, ARI

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” Alan Lakein

Sustainability is a priority to many businesses and organizations these days, with good reason.

Companies are feeling increasing pressure from customers, governments and the general public to enact more sustainable practices. They are also becoming increasingly aware of and interested in their overall environmental footprint. This is driving companies to consider how they can make sustainable changes to their operations. Fleets quickly come under the microscope when this happens because they are such a visible source of greenhouse gases.

Advancements in vehicle technology, communications systems and management programs provide fleet managers with more opportunities than ever before to make improvements, allowing them to optimize fleet performance, reduce emissions, and improve their bottom line. With all that is available, however, a fleet manager can quickly become overwhelmed.

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By Ed Pierce, Principal, ITA Fleet Communications

More and more fleet providers seem to face a ‘David versus Goliath’ situation when it comes to competing for the hearts and minds of fleet decision-makers.

The fleet news headlines shout that the big are getting bigger and even threatening to swallow more. The other big fleet kahunas are looking to catch the wave of unhappy fleets who feel like Jonah in the whale.

With all this happening, the smaller, vertically-specific service providers seemingly don’t stand a chance. But, among the fleet service providers I serve, being the underdog is an advantage. They are confident competitors with focused expertise that ensures the best value for their customers. So, they are more than happy to be underestimated. Especially from a marketing perspective, digital technologies are leveling the playing field, too.

READ MORE for some ideas smaller companies can take to compete effectively with the big boys with their big marketing spends.

CNNMoney

Gas prices are down, and they are about to fall even further — perhaps to less than $2 a gallon.

“There will be thousands, even tens of thousands of stations below $2 by the time we’re into football season,” said Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst for the Oil Price Information Service, which tracks retail prices for AAA.

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