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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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Market Trends•by Mike Antich•February 17, 2009

NHTSA Crash Standards to Change in 2011-MY

NHTSA's testing and safety criteria for front- and side-impact crashes and rollover resistance have not been substantially revised since the agency started crash testing new models 30 years ago. Recognizing that nine out of 10 vehicles routinely score either four or five stars, NHTSA wants to increase the standards for front- and side-impacts, along with more stringent rollover testing. NHTSA is poised to implement a revised five-star safety rating program starting with 2011 model-year vehicles.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•February 9, 2009

Fleet Car Maintenance Costs Increase 5% in 2008-CY

Overall fleet car maintenance costs rose 5 percent for the 2008-calendar year compared to 2007, primarily due to increased prices for replacement tires and higher labor rates. Partially mitigating these increases were flat PM expenses and increased vehicle quality, resulting in fewer warranty claims and vehicle recalls. These findings are based on a survey of actual maintenance expenses of 70,374 passenger cars conducted by GE Capital Solutions Fleet Services.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•February 2, 2009

EPA Names Idle-Reduction Systems Eligible for Federal Excise Tax Exemptions

Last year, the U.S. Congress granted an exemption from the 12-percent federal excise tax for truck idle reduction systems. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a list of approved idle reduction systems eligible for the federal excise tax exemption. The exemption applies to sales and installation of these systems since Oct. 4, 2008.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•January 26, 2009

Odometer Rollbacks Increase 57 Percent from 2004-2008

Digital odometer fraud is growing at an alarming rate, according to new research from Carfax. The research data reveals the number of vehicles with rolled-back odometers has increased 57 percent nationwide over the past four years. According to NHTSA, more than 450,000 cases of odometer rollbacks are reported annually. However, the total number of odometer tampering incidents (including those not caught) is estimated to be substantially higher.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•January 20, 2009

Trucks are Earning Assets: How to Make Them More Productive

Fleet managers need to view work trucks as earning assets. To maximize truck productivity, it is necessary to optimize specifications, operating procedures, and replacement strategies. When spec’ing vehicles, past history is important, but one outcome to using last model-year specs is repeating past inefficiencies. Fleet managers need to adopt a “clean sheet” approach to how they manage their truck fleets.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•January 13, 2009

How Long Will the Slump in Used-Vehicle Values Last?

We are currently in the midst of the worst used-vehicle market in the past 25 years. Year-over-year prices declined every month in 2008; however, wholesale prices did improve the first 10 days of January. Despite this, many fleets now find that the depreciation rates established 24-36 months ago are insufficient for today's resale market. In many cases, resale values of fleet vehicles are significantly below the remaining book value. Here's a forecast for what lies ahead in the wholesale market.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•January 6, 2009

Predictions for Fleet in 2009

When looking ahead to the next 12 months, I foresee reduced operating costs for fleets offset by increased depreciation expense caused by anemic resale values and decreased incentive monies. Here’s why I believe this will be the case, along with other predictions for 2009.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•December 30, 2008

2008: One of the Worst Years in Fleet History

I can’t recall a year as tumultuous as 2008. The year started with the Jan. 1 termination of the $1.8 billion merger between GE and PHH and ended with the near bankruptcy of GM and Chrysler. In between, we witnessed record fuel prices, then a spectacular freefall in fuel prices, a dismal used-vehicle market, unprecedented credit gridlock, the inability of some fleets to order new-vehicles, and fleet delivery disruptions due to a UAW strike and an epic Midwest flood that submerged rail lines.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•December 23, 2008

Fleets Scramble to Cope With Extended Plant Shutdowns

The dramatic decrease in sales has prompted automakers to make significant adjustments to production schedules. A number of fleets are affected by the unanticipated, longer-than-normal, plant shutdowns. These fleet managers expect order-and-delivery (OTD) times to increase in 2009 due to revised production schedules. These fleet managers say the extended plant shutdown schedules, for all intents and purposes, shortens the 2009 model-year, which early-order cut-off dates will only aggravate.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•December 16, 2008

Forecast for 2009: A Litany of Uncertainty

On the eve of the 2009 calendar-year, fleet managers are bracing for a new year filled with uncertainty about the economy and the long-term viability of the Detroit Three. There is a long litany of uncertainties voiced by commercial fleet managers about what may unfold. Many fleet managers view the changes currently roiling the industry as "tectonic shifts" in how commercial fleets will be run in the future.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•December 9, 2008

A Tough Time to Operate a Fleet

Twenty-five years ago, there was a utopian vision of what fleet management would be like in the 21st century. However, this new century has been far from utopian. Its reality is more like a maelstrom. In eight short years, fleet managers have been buffeted by one major crisis after another, most of them unprecedented and severe. The first decade of the 21st century is shaping up to be one of the most tumultuous in the history of fleet management.

Market Trends•by Mike Antich•December 1, 2008

Don’t Let the Auto Industry Become Collateral Damage to the Credit Crisis

GM, Ford, and Chrysler will testify Dec. 5 before the House Financial Services Committee in an effort to secure a $25 billion emergency bridge loan. It is imperative that this emergency funding be approved. Failure to do so will have negative repercussions to the fleet management industry. Here's why.

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