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Market Trends

Mike Antich

Mike Antich

Former Editor and Associate Publisher

Automotive Fleet's former editor, Mike Antich, shared his 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.

Market Trendsby Mike AntichJanuary 28, 2011

NHTSA Proposes Speed Limiters on HD Trucks: Will Medium-Duties be Next?

The proposed rulemaking would amend the federal motor vehicle safety standards requiring OEMs to install speed limiters on trucks with a GVWR greater than 26,000 lbs. An electronic control module (ECM) would limit the maximum speed to no more than 68 mph. Many independent truckers, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), and the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) are opposed to the rulemaking.

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Market Trendsby Mike AntichJanuary 25, 2011

Fleet Applications Emerge for Mobile Communication Devices

Applications for mobile communication devices to perform fleet-related tasks will become increasingly prevalent in the near future. These emerging applications will help enhance driver productivity and communication.

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Market Trendsby Mike AntichJanuary 18, 2011

High-Mileage Used Fleet Vehicles Create Difficulties Financing 'C' and 'D' Paper Buyers

Fleet managers are manufacturers of used vehicles. Many of the buyers of used fleet vehicles are C and D paper buyers. One unintended consequence to companies extending the service lives of fleet vehicles is that it is more difficult for used-vehicle dealers to finance C and D paper buyers in the secondary funding market. The issue, from the perspective of the finance company, is the remaining life of higher-mileage vehicles.

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Market Trendsby Mike AntichDecember 28, 2010

First-Year Bonus Depreciation Increased to 100 Percent

The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4853) was signed into law by President Obama on Dec. 17, 2010. The legislation includes an extension of the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010's "bonus depreciation" allowance through the end of 2011, and increases that amount from 50 percent to100 percent. Here's what it means to fleets.

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Market Trendsby Mike AntichDecember 14, 2010

Legal Motion Seeks to Halt Public Release of CSA 2010 Data

Concern about vicarious liability lawsuits resulting from the public release of Comprehensive Safety Analysis (CSA) 2010 data prompted a legal motion to be filed on Nov. 29 with the U.S. Court of Appeals by three trucking associations, representing 3,000 privately owned fleets. The motion seeks a permanent injuction to the public release of CSA 2010 data with percentile ranking by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

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Market Trendsby Mike AntichNovember 9, 2010

The Weak Link in Corporate Sustainability is the Driver

Despite a slow economy, many companies (especially multi-nationals) remain fully committed to achieving self-imposed sustainability targets, which invariably include their fleet operations. However, many fleet programs place a greater focus on modifying the "asset" versus modifying driver behavior.

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