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Automotive Fleet Magazine

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Oct 20-22, 2026 | MD

Driving Notes

Knowing about a vehicle is one thing; driving it is quite another. Getting behind the wheel gives yo...

Multiple Authors

6 contributors

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FleetTakes

FleetTakes is exactly that — a take on what fleets need to know when it comes to the latest in autom...

Chris Brown

Associate Publisher

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Insight Lane

Insight Lane delivers Colin Sutherland’s perspective from the intersection of leadership and innovat...

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Market Trends

Automotive Fleet's former editor, Mike Antich, shared his opinions and ideas on the overall commerci...

Multiple Authors

2 contributors

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Remarketing Streams

Remarketing Streams reports on the flow of used vehicles moving through the consignor-auction-dealer...

Martin Romjue

Managing Editor

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In Memoriam: Coach's Insights•by Steve Kibler•October 5, 2012

MotorWeek Feeds Our Love Affair with Automobiles

While attending the Green Fleet Conference in Chicago on 10/3/2012, I had the privilege of hearing Mr. John Davis give the keynote address (the creator, producer and host for the weekly TV show MotorWeek). Mr. Davis spoke on electric vehicle (BEV) technology and hybrid vehicle (HEV) technology and ultra low emission vehicles (ULEV). John is a dynamic speaker and literally erupts with enthusiasm about cars.

In Memoriam: Coach's Insights•by Ed Bobit•October 5, 2012

Newly Appointed Fleet Managers Have Challenges and Opportunities

My August AF editorial on the perplexing plight of “newbies” caused a stir in the industry. The varied responses present a positive outlook for help.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•October 4, 2012

Fleet Policy Compliance Crucial to Cost Control

Does your corporate culture encourage compliance with fleet policy? It should, because fleet policy is a crucial component of a company’s overall cost-control strategy. In my discussions with fleet management companies over the years, they tell me that the best managed fleets tend to be those that adhere to a written fleet policy. All too often, however, managers attempt to control fleet costs on the backend. The best time to control cost is before it occurs.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•October 4, 2012

Legitimate Concerns About Green Fleet Initiatives

Should the innovators of today, the market leaders of the next generation, create mobility based upon antiquated fuel? The long-term answer is no, but until then, we can’t hide our heads in the sand. There continue to be legitimate fleet concerns about going green. We can’t hope to truly “green” corporate America’s fleets (beyond simply being public relations statements) until these issues are resolved.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•October 4, 2012

Running Trucks Till the 'Wheels Fall Off' is Expensive and Counter-Productive

The cliché in fleet management is that trucks are kept in service until the wheels "fall off." In many cases, this isn’t too far from the truth. Typically, the more expensive the asset, the longer it will be kept in service, especially units upfitted with expensive auxiliary equipment. However, as study after study shows, extended truck replacement cycles often have the unintended consequence of resulting in greater long-term expenses and degradation in worker productivity.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•October 4, 2012

Policy Versus Guideline: The Trend Toward Flexible Replacement Cycles

Nearly all fleet-related expenses, both fixed and operating, are influenced by when a vehicle is taken out of service. A growing number of fleets are shifting to more flexible vehicle replacement cycles. Some fleets no longer call their replacement cycle a policy and instead call it a “guideline.” They want to reserve the right on determining when to take a vehicle out of service based on prevailing market conditions rather than predetermined mileage and months in service.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•September 20, 2012

Increased Upfit Volume & OEM Quality Holds Create Backlogs at Upfitters

Upfitters are feeling the pressure from the increase in the number of upfitted vehicles requiring a ship-thru, which is overwhelming some installers and body builders. Also, many upfitter-related OTD issues are the result of OEM quality holds. Oftentimes, upfitted units are held at the body company due to limited storage space at the assembly plants caused by quality hold backlogs. This prevents the release of upfitted units into OEM traffic for final delivery via ship-thru/freight re-entry.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•September 6, 2012

The Melding of Driver Safety and Fleet Sustainability Initiatives

There are many similarities between eco-driving techniques and safe-driving techniques. In fact, there’s a direct correlation between safe driving and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It’s been proven: the safer the driver, the lower the GHG emissions.

In Memoriam: Coach's Insights•by Ed Bobit•September 5, 2012

The Industry Needs Your 20/20 Vision for the Future

Will you be Chicken Little (“The sky is falling, the sky is falling”) or the clarion to management so you can prepare for the revolutionary change ahead?

In Memoriam: Coach's Insights•by Steve Kibler•September 4, 2012

The Real “Movers & Shakers” of the Fleet Management

In the last 10-years or so of my career, I’ve paid close attention to those private sector fleet managers whom I assumed had no previous technical background in the automotive or diesel industry.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•August 27, 2012

Game-Changing Fleet Megatrends

Within the context of fleet management, the concept of megatrends is used to identify economic and technological forces that can potentially alter our present-day industry in game-changing ways. Among the current megatrends that can potentially alter fleet as we know it are a higher interest rate environment, a higher taxation environment, leap-frogging technology, changing fleet demographics, and higher acquisition costs.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•August 15, 2012

Drivers are the Weak Link in License Plate Disposition

Although fleet management requires a strategic perspective, the reality is that it is a detail-oriented profession. The job requires paying attention to a multitude of details crucial to ensuring a well-run fleet. But, as the saying goes, the devil is in the details. A case in point is license plate disposition.

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