NOT ALL GLOOM AND DOOM
While the current supply chain challenges are undoubtedly challenging, they also present some unique opportunities for fleets. Now is a great time to better level-set internal expectations, further conversations about vehicle lifecycles and correlation between eco-driving and safe driving, expand typical supplier selections and options, and even look at current and future shortcycle opportunities to offset higher acquisition costs.

It’s not all gloom & doom.

Jonathan Kamanns
Associate Director, Fleet & Driver Safety, Boehringer Ingelheim
Ridgefield, Conn.

UNIQUE TIME IN OUR INDUSTRY
As pointed out in the Market Trends blog entitled “Supply Constraints Prompt Fleets to Implement Vehicle Preservation Strategies,” it’s a unique time in our industry but there are a variety of ways professional fleet managers can cope. 

James Anderson
Regional Sales Manager, Enterprise Fleet Management
Detroit, Mich.

OPTIMIZATION STRATEGIES
I read the Market Trends blog entitled “Supply Constraints Prompt Fleets to Implement Vehicle Preservation Strategies” and want to provide some additional feedback. In addition to vehicle preservation strategies, it’s the perfect time to craft vehicle use optimization strategies. Even if you can’t get new vehicles and equipment on your timeline, you still need to provide those assets to fulfill your mission. 

Could those vehicles already be in your fleet? With so many job functions being performed   virtually and staff not at the office like they used to be, many vehicles are now underutilized. How many rusted rotors and dead batteries have you seen? It’s a great time to explore providing vehicles on demand through a wide range of easy to implement and use vehicle sharing technologies. If for no other purpose, a shared fleet can provide a vehicle while you wait on your delayed vehicle deliveries in the case that a vehicle could not be preserved (totaled, safety risk) and is no longer available. 

Ed Smith
President & CEO, Agile Fleet
Chantilly, Va.

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING
Inflation and supply chain challenges are the gift that just keeps giving as evidenced by the 2021 Automotive Fleet operating cost survey. I’m honored to work in the fleet industry and witness first-hand how creative fleet professionals deal with these extreme issues. Protecting and extending the life of tires is important not only because they are the “third largest spend in fleet,” but also because of the “pent-up demand for a variety of raw materials, such as natural rubber,” it’s safe to assume inventory is going down while prices are going up. 

Steven Wayne Saltzgiver
Director of Strategic Innovation, RTA Fleet Software
Phoenix, Ariz.

A CHALLENGING YEAR IN FLEET
Thank you for all your hard work in a very challenging fleet year. I always appreciate your input and I look forward to a better 2022 in the fleet business. 

Rick Sauter
VP – Operations, Allstate Leasing
Towson, Md.

LIVING IN A VUCA WORLD
I watched the State of the Fleet Industry video on the Wheels-Donlen merger, and what came to mind is that we’re living in a VUCA environment – Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity.

Author Wished to be Anonymous

VUCA has become a managerial acronym short for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. It was first used in 1987 by the U.S. Army War College to describe the new multipolar political reality created by the collapse of communism. -- Editor

LOVE THE CRYSTAL BALL
I read the article in the December 2021 issue written by Mike Antich entitled “15 Predictions that will Impact Fleet in CY-22.” I love it when Mike gets his crystal ball out! 

Erik Nelson
Director of Sales, Fleet Mobility Solutions, Sortimo North America
Norcross, Ga.

REPLACEMENT STRATEGIES
I watched the State of the Fleet Industry video entitled “Impact of Fleet Pent-Up Demand on 2023-MY Ordering” for the week of Dec. 13, 2021, and it provides great information regarding
replacement strategies for your fleet vehicles.

Jon Toups
President & Chief Operating Officer, Masterack
Decatur, Ga.

A LOOK FORWARD TO 2022
Check out a great article in the December 2021 issue by Mike Antich entitled, “15 Predictions that will Impact Fleet in CY-2022.” It gives a good glimpse on what to look forward to in 2022.

Keith McLaughlin
Publisher, Canadian Automotive Fleet
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

PENDULUM SWINGS
I’d like to make an additional comment to the Market Trends blog entitled “Supply Constraints Prompt Fleets to Implement Vehicle Preservation Strategies.” Some manufacturers are treating fleets better than others in these difficult circumstances. It will be very interesting to see what happens when the pendulum swings back as we all know it eventually will. Great article Mike, thank you.

Grant Chitty
Account Manager, LeasePlan Canada
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

EXCELLENT INFORMATION
The Market Trends blog entitled “Supply Constraints Prompt Fleets to Implement Vehicle Preservation Strategies,” provided excellent information and was a great topic! Definitely, the innovation and tenacity of municipal and private fleets will prevail to provide prudent change to the industry! 

Paul Condran (Retired)
Fleet Services-Facilities Manager, City of Culver City
Culver City, Calif.

MAXIMIZING FLEET EFFICIENCY
The Market Trends blog entitled “Supply Constraints Prompt Fleets to Implement Vehicle Preservation Strategies,” was a good read. Fleet managers are looking for ways to maximize the efficiency of their fleets in these challenging times.

Doug Reimer
Account Executive, Foss National Leasing
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTION
I shared with my LinkedIn network the State of the Fleet Industry video on how “Outside Forces are Disrupting the Fleet Market,” which is a great update on today’s situation. The bottom line is that supply chain management is directly affecting the automotive industry after not even fully recovering from the microchip shortage.

Kevin Kibilds
LATAM Fleet Procurement & Operation Strategy, MSD Merck
Mexico City, Mexico

15 PREDICTIONS FOR CY-2022
Reading the article on “15 Predictions for CY-2022” prior to the turn of the year was a great way to know in front of 2022. The author, Mike Antich, touched all points of the market in his article “15 Predictions that will Impact Fleet in CY-2022.”

Sebastian Krzysztofik
Business Relationship Effectiveness Director, PKO Leasing
Warsaw, Poland

YEAR OF TRANSFORMATION
I read Mike Antich’s 15 predictions for 2022 and it will be a year of transformation and adaption for fleet operations. Are you prepared?

Brian Collister
District Sales Manager, ARI Canada
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

AWESOME WORK
I want to let you know that Mike Antich does awesome work on his State of the Fleet Industry video recaps.

Christel Fannin-Cline
Sr. Vertical Solutions Consultant, LexisNexis Risk Solutions (Connected Vehicles)
Chicago, Ill.