MONARCH BEACH, CA – Wheels, Inc., a leader in the automotive fleet management and services industry, was included on the 2012 InformationWeek 500 list of the nation’s most innovative users of business technology. This is the 12th consecutive year Wheels has ranked in the top 500.

“Wheels’ ongoing commitment to business innovation is why we continually rank among the top technology companies in the nation,” Steve Loos, Wheels CIO and Vice President of Information Technology. “We’re continually enhancing our online tools and other technology to give our clients and drivers easy access to everything they need to ensure that their fleets are well-run.”

Wheels’ inclusion on this year’s InformationWeek 500 list was based primarily on the company’s new ChangeDriver program. ChangeDriver is an integrated behavior management tool that Wheels clients can use to ensure that their fleet drivers are operating their vehicles in a safe, productive and cost-efficient manner. The program essentially provides a living, online “arena” in which drivers within a company’s fleet compete against each other to see who can be the most responsible driver.

“Through a ground-breaking framework that continuously motivates drivers with positive reinforcement in a competitive setting, ChangeDriver turns the concept of driver behavior management into an engaging challenge that is more meaningful to its participants,” Loos said. “This solution goes beyond the traditional behavior management methods (e.g. mandating an HR policy) by leveraging the emerging ‘gamification’ concepts of behavioral economics.”

By providing quantified metrics and “Responsibility Ratings,” ChangeDriver gives drivers a clear view on how much money they are saving their companies by making safe and economic choices on the road. Drivers can measure their performance relative to other drivers in a live, interactive setting, giving them a tangible picture of what they need to do to improve future performance and achieve a higher rank.

“The InformationWeek 500 has recognized the most innovative users of business technology for 24 years, and this year’s innovations were particularly impressive,” said InformationWeek Editor In Chief Rob Preston. “What the editors looked for are unconventional approaches—new technologies, new models, new ways of grabbing business opportunities and solving complex business problems with IT.”

InformationWeek identifies and honors the nation's most innovative users of information technology with its annual 500 listing, and also tracks the technology, strategies, investments and administrative practices of America’s best-known companies. The InformationWeek 500 is unique among corporate rankings in that it spotlights the power of innovation in information technology, rather than simply identifying the biggest IT spenders. Additional details on the InformationWeek 500 can be found online at www.informationweek.com/iw500/.

This year’s honorees were revealed Tuesday night at a gala awards ceremony at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, CA.