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2008: One of the Worst Years in Fleet History

December 30, 2008

I can’t recall a year as tumultuous as 2008. The year started with the Jan. 1 termination of the $1.8 billion merger between GE and PHH and ended with the near bankruptcy of GM and Chrysler. In between, we witnessed record fuel prices, then a spectacular freefall in fuel prices, a dismal used-vehicle market, unprecedented credit gridlock, the inability of some fleets to order new-vehicles, and fleet delivery disruptions due to a UAW strike and an epic Midwest flood that submerged rail lines.

Tags: 2008, bankruptcy, credit gridlock, high fuel prices, layoffs, Merger, UAW Strike, used-vehicle market

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Tuesday, December 30, 2008 9:12 AM | » Comments(0)

Fleets Scramble to Cope With Extended Plant Shutdowns

December 23, 2008

The dramatic decrease in sales has prompted automakers to make significant adjustments to production schedules. A number of fleets are affected by the unanticipated, longer-than-normal, plant shutdowns. These fleet managers expect order-and-delivery (OTD) times to increase in 2009 due to revised production schedules. These fleet managers say the extended plant shutdown schedules, for all intents and purposes, shortens the 2009 model-year, which early-order cut-off dates will only aggravate.

Tags: assembly plant, chrysler, Ford, GM, order-to-delivery, OTD, Plant Closure

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:46 AM | » Comments(0)

Forecast for 2009: A Litany of Uncertainty

December 16, 2008

On the eve of the 2009 calendar-year, fleet managers are bracing for a new year filled with uncertainty about the economy and the long-term viability of the Detroit Three. There is a long litany of uncertainties voiced by commercial fleet managers about what may unfold. Many fleet managers view the changes currently roiling the industry as "tectonic shifts" in how commercial fleets will be run in the future.

Tags: 2009, Detroit Three, downsizing, layoffs, tectonic shifts, uncertainties, viability

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Tuesday, December 16, 2008 10:08 AM | » Comments(0)

A Tough Time to Operate a Fleet

December 9, 2008

Twenty-five years ago, there was a utopian vision of what fleet management would be like in the 21st century. However, this new century has been far from utopian. Its reality is more like a maelstrom. In eight short years, fleet managers have been buffeted by one major crisis after another, most of them unprecedented and severe. The first decade of the 21st century is shaping up to be one of the most tumultuous in the history of fleet management.

Tags: automakers, crisis, dealers, fleet management, recession, U.S. Congress

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Tuesday, December 9, 2008 10:09 AM | » Comments(1)

Don’t Let the Auto Industry Become Collateral Damage to the Credit Crisis

December 1, 2008

GM, Ford, and Chrysler will testify Dec. 5 before the House Financial Services Committee in an effort to secure a $25 billion emergency bridge loan. It is imperative that this emergency funding be approved. Failure to do so will have negative repercussions to the fleet management industry. Here's why.

Tags: bailout, bankruptcy, Chapter 11, chrysler, Detroit 3, federal loan, Ford, GM

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Monday, December 1, 2008 10:44 AM | » Comments(6)

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AUTHOR BIO

Mike Antich

Editor & Associate Publisher

Mike Antich has been covering the fleet management and vehicle remarketing markets for more than 20 years. During this period, Mike has written or edited more than 4,600 articles on the subjects of fleet management, manufacturer fleet activities, the fleet leasing industry, and vehicle remarketing.

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