Ed Bobit's Publisher's Page

At a recent Chicago Auto Show press conference, GM's chairman, Richard C. Gerstenberg, recalled a famous quote by another distinguished great of GM, Boss Kettering, who said: "Those who spend too much time studying history find themselves backing into the future."

We at Automotive Fleet have been living with the history of the car fleet market during the past decade and continue our efforts to provide the voice and leadership within the market for a fair and better business atmosphere among our readers for the future. It may well be worth recording our "philosophy" toward which these efforts continue to be expended for our readers. We are dedicated and resolved to support the following:

A national uniform title law.

The passage of an equitable and effective national no-fault insurance law.

Legislation insuring a national motor vehicle inspection law that would not be politically inspired or operated, and providing a simple low-cost measure to insure safe vehicles.

A workable national odometer law that would influence the used car sale primarily on the vehicle's condition rather than its mileage.

Reasonable safety, restraint and emissions legislation that truly reflects the will and need of the driver-users.

A national "right turn permitted after stop and traffic is clear" law as is now operative in the West.

Now a few comments on these position statements to aid in your understanding of them.

Cox's Butler Auto Auction helmsman, Lou Fazio, has devoted a great deal of personal time toward a national uniform title law. He reports that good progress has been made and is optimistic about its future. He will enlist anyone's support in Washington.

CATRALA totally, but especially Bill McPike and Avis' John Murphy, have arduously studied and reported to their membership...and the industry... the pitfalls of quasi no-fault bills and legislation, as well as the benefits of developing an ideal and equitable national (or state by state) plan that would insure good insurance. We need unified support to condition legislatures for the need and wisdom of an "ideal" law rather than the weak laws in effect or introduced in various states that reflect the influence of the Trial Lawyers Assn. lobbyists.

If we are to be truly conscious of safety, and willing to do something about it, we do need an effective low-cost MVI (Motor Vehicle Inspection) law. We surely do not need or want duplicates of some current state operations that are cumbersome and/or politically designed, and cost the owner an excess in time and monies.

Similarly, we need realism and sanity in our current rush to install safety, restraint and emissions legislation. The objectives are laudable, but the cost element requires some consideration when the laws do not reflect the owners' wants, i.e. less than 5% of drivers are using shoulder harnesses.

The "right-turn" law is simply one of my own desires, and I cannot understand why all states do not employ it. Driving in the West is more pleasurable because of it; it saves time, augments the flow of traffic and just makes perfect sense.

The present odometer laws in effect are causing monetary havoc in our industry. With important heavily populated fleet car states like California and New York enforcing the no-no on "clock" tampering and the resultant effect on high mileage cars at resale time (both Iowa and Nevada have joined the "Club"), we are faced with a deleterious loss that is significant in dollar recovery. It is making criminals out of those that still insist in risking the speedometer "repair," and putting a whole new batch of wholesalers into business who transport the cars over the state line, adjust the reading, and bring the same cars back into the original state. No reputable firm is going to touch it, but the temptation will remain until a national law is instituted.

If and when that happens we are likely to see a stabilization in the used car values and we may also see leases written a little differently; i.e. a base plus x-dollars for mileage in increments. The call and need is now for all states to be enforcing a law that will take the condition of the car into consideration of value as well as the mileage.

These are some of the points in our platform. If you agree, disagree or have some to add, I'd like to hear from you.