Automotive Fleet

Fleet FAQ

Fleet FAQ? Fuel Management

Q. What should fleet-focused businesses and agencies be doing for hurricane preparedness as we get into peak season?

A. There are many things, beyond the obvious, such as developing a written preparedness plan and training your employees to implement it so you protect your vehicles and equipment and identify which employees play essential roles during a disaster. One is to review insurance policies. Are you in an evacuation area? Does your insurance include wind/storm coverage? Is the facility in a flood prone area? Is the flood insurance adequate? You also may want to look at an Emergency Fuel plan. You pay a pre-set monthly fee and sign a contract that assures you will have access to a set amount of fuel, delivered right to your fleet, even if the civilian distribution network is idle. For firefighters, first responders, utility companies and other mission-critical fleets, Emergency Fuel means 100% uptime and at least a little peace of mind. The downside is paying for something you may not need. WEX offers an Emergency Fuel program utilizing Gulf-area partners who have been through the tough stuff with flooding and chaos. They know how to get fuel to our customers come hell or high water. For drivers: Check with your dispatcher to verify operational status before hitting the road. If you are operational, strategize routes less affected by river rise, sewer overflows, low-lying areas and other flood risks. Use a premium GPS tracking solution like WEX Telematics to help optimize routing and avoid chokepoints, in any weather. If you are driving in heavy rain, safely exit the road, stay in the vehicle and turn on the emergency flashers. Never drive into flooded areas; if flood waters rise around your car, abandon the vehicle and move to higher ground. Contact your local emergency management agency for information before you drive. In a damaged area, avoid contact with electrical equipment, cords, metal and water. After the event, prepare for price shocks that averaged 10 to 30 cents per gallon during Harvey, for at least a week. The WEX Connect mobile app can help you and your drivers locate which gas stations are still in operation in your area, and which have the best pricing based on real-time fueling data.

Expert Bio

Answered by : Bernie Kanavagh from WEX

Senior Vice President and General Manager

A 27-year fleet professional, Bernie Kavanagh currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Large Fleet at WEX Inc. He joined the company in 1996 and his career has been a steady progression of increased sales and marketing responsibility. Kavanagh serves on industry related boards and is a frequent speaker at payment industry conferences focusing on fuel trends and technology in the payment space. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of New Jersey and is an active member of NAFA, AFLA, NCSFA and AALA. Prior to joining WEX, Kavanagh held a number of roles with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Enterprise Fleet Management.

A 27-year fleet professional, Bernie Kavanagh currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Large Fleet at WEX Inc. He joined the company in 1996 and his career has been a steady progression of increased sales and marketing responsibility. Kavanagh serves on industry related boards and is a frequent speaker at payment industry conferences focusing on fuel trends and technology in the payment space. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the College of New Jersey and is an active member of NAFA, AFLA, NCSFA and AALA. Prior to joining WEX, Kavanagh held a number of roles with Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Enterprise Fleet Management.

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Fleet FAQ? Fuel Management, Questions?

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