THE CAR AND TRUCK FLEET AND LEASING MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE
Our long-time editor and fleet expert, Mike Antich, offers opinions and ideas on the overall commercial fleet industry and draws interesting comments from fleet managers and other industry professionals from across the country. Mike was inducted in the Fleet Hall of Fame in 2010.
Vocational vehicles are in the business of delivering goods and providing services. They are earning assets and to maximize their productivity, you need to minimize unscheduled downtime or offset downtime for routine PMs by doing the work during non-revenue-producing hours.
The commercial fleet market wants EVs as evidenced by the increased number of national fleets that are adding low- or zero-emission equipment requirements into RFPs.
The Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA) is launching its first-ever fleet conference in Canada. Known as the AFLA Canada Fleet Summit, it will be held on Feb. 12-13, 2020, at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel in Mississauga, Ontario.
Unscheduled vehicle downtime is not only a maintenance issue, it is also an accident-avoidance issue since, on average, 20% of a fleet’s vehicles annually incur downtime due to accidents.
For the past several model years, order-to-delivery times for high-volume work trucks and vans have increased due to strong demand. Vocational trucks are vulnerable to OTD delays because fleet orders are usually concentrated among a handful of models.
While personal use averages 16%, outside market dynamics can cause personal use mileage to increase. For instance, when fuel prices increase, there is typically a spike in employees using fleet vehicles for personal use since the company pays for gasoline.
A great fleet manager constantly conceptualizes new initiatives, is creative in problem-solving, motivates staff and suppliers to excel, and is willing to experiment by implementing new technology-based fleet solutions.
Although most commercial fleets self-insure or have large deductible programs for their fleet to cover vehicle damage, most carry commercial general liability insurance for bodily injury or property damage caused by their company vehicle or employee.
Over the years, work trucks have evolved into mobile offices equipped with a variety of in-cab devices, however, these devices and equipment take space, creating an increasingly cramped cab, restricting the body movement of a driver, which can potentially lead to ergonomic injuries.
Successful fleet managers know how to promote themselves without being perceived as self-promoters. They use their self-promotion skills so others in the company know what they do and how well it is done.
