commercial fleet industry Archives

June 12, 2023June 12, 2023

Addressing These THREE Risks May Help Maintain the Life of Your Fleet!

Risk management is key to getting the most out of your fleet. Let’s explore three risks that affect the performance of your fleet.

Theft.
It’s quite possible to put significant time and money into protecting your cargo and overlooking the potential greatest loss to your business…the vehicle itself! Auto theft remains a tremendous problem in the United States. An analysis of data from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) shows almost two vehicles being stolen every minute in 2022.It’s critical to ensure that vital auto parts are protected as well. From 2019 to 2021 catalytic converter theft jumped over 1,200 percent!Research and invest in the best safeguards to protect your fleet.
Distracted driving.
Distracted driving accounts for over 3,000 deaths on the road each year! Driving can be impaired by alcohol, drugs, sleep aids, lack of sleep, texting, or anything else that diverts the driver’s attention from the road.Do you see signs of aggression when any of your drivers are behind the wheel? Be careful to vet your drivers thoroughly and implement an ongoing training program. Addressing these issues through appropriate monitoring and training will save not only your property, but the lives of those entrusted with it.

Improper vehicle maintenance.
The safety of your drivers is largely dependent on the safety of your fleet vehicles. Every breakdown affects the bottom line. Improper vehicle maintenance can result in accidents and may result in fines and lawsuits. Invest in fleet management programs to keep track of maintenance needs and reporting requirements.

Technology is one of the best tools available to mitigate risks to your fleet. Technology has transformed fleet management. Strengthen your overall business operations with fleet management programs and services designed to keep your fleet compliant and on the road.

August 29, 2022

Innovative Ways to Muddle Through a Vehicle Shortage

Vehicles are in very short supply and fleet managers nationwide are agreeing on one thing: work with what you’ve got for as long as you can! Experts are suggesting it’s time for fleet managers to get very creative, because this shortage is anticipated to potentially stick around through 2024.

In 2021, there were between 1.5 million and 5 million fewer vehicles produced than the industry anticipated. Steady increase in inflation and continued supply chain issues hit the industry very hard, and fleet managers now must consider a completely new mentality in the way they do business. Advisors in the industry are suggesting the following:

If there’s any way to do it, cut back on your fleet now and save.
This seems counterintuitive to #1, but before you downsize, make certain that you will never need the vehicle in the future. The climate is not expected to improve for some time. If it will not cause sure and immediate savings, hang on.
As you are deciding fleet needs, transition to electric vehicles more quickly. EV’s are holding up very well in the industry, and they’re here to stay. Investing in diesel will be a quick economic loss from this point on.
Preventive maintenance has never been more essential as fleet managers are needing to extend the life of their vehicles. The cost of parts has increased considerably, so stay ahead of those repairs by caring meticulously for your cars and trucks!
Think outside the box. Meeting the needs of your customers comes first and foremost. Suggest alternate vehicles if your typical fleet is in short supply, consider the benefits of buying used vehicles, and some managers are even buying new and using the parts to service their entire existent fleet!

The vehicle shortage has brought obvious challenges to this industry. But ABS Tag & Title’s Out of Stock Vehicle Locating Services can still be a great way to source new or used vehicles when you find yourself in need. Working together we can make the most of these challenges.

August 1, 2022July 21, 2022

Preparing Your Fleet for Summer Heat

Prepare your fleet vehicles for the heat of summer.

You would never think of running five miles in 100-degree heat without taking a water bottle and extra precautions to fight the summer temps. Your fleet is no different!

From top to bottom, front to back, it needs extra care to beat the heat.

In order to prevent overheating, it’s essential that all fluids are topped off before you start off on these long driving days. Radiator, antifreeze, transmission, brakes, even windshield wiper fluid will need special attention in order to keep your fleet healthy in this heat. As you’re driving, keep an eye on the water temperature or coolant temperature gauge. If it goes above a safe temp, you’re at risk of engine failure and need to get off the road immediately.

Summer heat is brutal to the life of batteries. They run excessively to maintain HVAC systems and other hot weather accessories, causing an increase in corrosion. Unfortunately, this quick aging may not be noticed until the cooler months arrive and your fleet doesn’t start up. Steven Keuss of Associated Equipment Corp says that for every 10 degree increase in temperature, the battery’s life is reduced by 50%.

Tires are especially at risk in hot weather, as there is always a risk of a tire blowing up or even catching on fire. Switch out your winter tires and check summer ones closely and regularly, making sure that they maintain proper tread and wear evenly. The pressure in your tires will increase with the temperature, and it’s recommended that you check them every two hours or 100 miles to maintain safety on the road.

Manually check your engine belts by pressing on them to make sure they are tight. If not, the water pump and fan will not run properly and result in overheating. Visually check for signs of wear and replace at the first sign of aging.

If your engine does overheat, immediately pull over, set your vehicle or rig in neutral and set the brakes, but do NOT shut down your engine. Keep the engine revved to 1500 RPMs to allow the fan to cool your engine. This will take at least 15 minutes, so be patient! Never open the radiator cap or any other pressurized system, as steam can cause severe burns. Once your engine has cooled, head to the service station.

Extra time and care of your fleet now will help to limit these service stops and get you back on the road quickly. We at ABS Tag & Title wish you a safe and healthy summer!

June 20, 2022May 26, 2022

Two Safety Trends that May Save Your Fleet AND the Lives of Your Drivers

Safety Trends for Fleets & Fleet Drivers

Despite decreased numbers of vehicles on the roads due to lingering effects of a global pandemic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that traffic deaths were up in 2021! A staggering 42,915 people died in motor vehicle crashes last year. Commercial fleet management companies are taking these statistics very seriously, and several of the fleet safety trends in 2022 reflect that effort.

Dash Cams

There are many factors that contribute to the number of traffic deaths, but most boil down to one fact; drivers are distracted. Talking on the telephone, talking to passengers, watching videos, eating and drinking, even drinking alcohol while driving! Installing dash cams in the cabs and additional cameras outside the rig or automobile is one way to beat the collision odds. These are proving to be an inexpensive way to monitor drivers’ behaviors, encouraging their safety and the safety of others on the road.

Not only is the installation of cameras essential, but the regular review of them is becoming a regular part of drivers’ training. It is quite common for a driver to review a day’s footage and be astonished how distracted he/she is during a drive! Awareness is the first step to change, and cameras are widely becoming accepted as an industry standard.

While the safety of drivers is of utmost importance, fleets also can take a serious hit when out on the road. Although cargo theft declined slightly in 2021, the loss still amounted to over $57 million dollars! Fifty-five percent of those thefts involved heavy commercial motor vehicles, so special note should be taken if your fleet helps in this transport.

Security Systems

No company can afford the losses of theft. Management companies are finding that the investment of excellent tracking devices and services brings peace of mind and quick recovery, should a theft occur. GPS tracking services allow tracking in real time and notify managers via text or email whenever a truck starts to move. If movement is suspicious, an effective GPS security program can even alert authorities immediately.

In addition to careful tracking, commercial fleets are now incorporating a starter disable function. This technology enables the fleet manager to temporarily disable the starter in a rig and re-enable it when it’s time to move again! With no more fear of theft while sitting at a rest stop or temporarily storing a vehicle, managers can have more control over burglars and ensure that their fleets keep moving on schedule.

March 7, 2022

Choosing the Service that’s BEST for Locating your Out of Stock Vehicle

Choosing the services that's best for your out of stock vehicle locating needs.

Let someone else handle this time-consuming task for you.

You know down to the square inch exactly what you need in a cargo transport vehicle, only to find that the rig or vehicle you need isn’t in stock anywhere close to your location! The right vehicle locating service will be able to find it for you and deliver it to you when you need!

Here are some essentials that will save you considerable time in locating process:

Their inventory: When investigating vehicle location services, first make sure yours has a network of dealerships that is large enough to get you exactly what you want. Your first question when researching should be whether the company works within certain states or has a network of dealerships nationwide.

Your needs: When discussing your vehicle needs with a locating service provider, have a list of the specific criteria that the vehicle must fulfill, and don’t budge from that list. It is the service provider’s job to meet the needs of your company; not the other way around! If they can’t find what you need, move on to the one that can.

The Negotiation: No one likes to haggle on prices, so don’t! When you’re needing an out-of-stock vehicle, let the locator do the dirty work for you. An effective service will not only find what you need but negotiate price for you! This saves your company endless time and money as you acquire your fleet and get it on the road.

The Team: You should consider your out-of-stock vehicle service a part of your commercial team. This means you need to be able trust its representatives for quick turnaround, and clear and dependable communication. Inquire with the service whether you will have a specific representative assigned to your fleet and how accessible that person will be.

Having an effective vehicle locating service in place before you have a specific need will ensure that your rigs will be where they need to be at the time they need to be. And we all know that on-time shipments are the key to success in this business!

ABS will not only locate out-of-stock vehicles for your company; it will transport those vehicles for you and provide tag and title services as well. Trust our representatives to meet all the needs of your commercial fleet. (ABS Tag & Title Out of Stock Vehicle Locating)

February 4, 2022February 4, 2022

Make Sure You’re Legal on the Road!

Two necessary documents every driver MUST have with them at all times.

Many people don’t know that a vehicle registration is NOT the same as the title. Here are the basics to understanding the two separate documents you need before you can legally drive your vehicle:

Car Title

The title is a legal document that declares you (or the company / individual you owe) is the legal owner of a vehicle. Once a title is obtained, it is valid in every state, despite the owner’s residence.

To receive a title of a vehicle, an owner must have:

Bill of sale
Proof of insurance
Proof of residency (most DMV offices require two verified bills or official mail
Current odometer reading of vehicle

Registration

The registration is a legal document that states you have paid essential taxes and are in the state’s cataloguing system. Each state has individual requirements for this registration, and a vehicle owner must have one that is valid in his state of residence in order to legally operate the vehicle.

Once a vehicle’s title is obtained, a registration is necessary as well. Although states differ on the requirements for this document, each requires the following:

Title
Current insurance (minimum; higher in some states)
Tax or registration fees
Vehicle inspection report

Over half of the United States requires emission testing. Emissions, as well as many other safety inspections, vary considerably from state to state. You can find a list of your state’s requirements through the Department of Motor Vehicles, or the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

The process of obtaining a title and registration for your vehicle is sometimes complicated and always time-consuming. Entrusting that process to ABS ensures a smooth and carefree transition to getting your entire fleet on the road efficiently and legally!

January 4, 2022

What is a Toll Management System?

And why would you need one?

For companies with fleets, the need to manage the cost liability of unpaid tolls and violations, as well as increase their fleet driver’s mobility, toll management services may be something to investigate.

There are 6,200+ miles of U.S. tollways, 50+ toll authorities requiring individual account management, and toll coverage and toll device confusion. All of this can impact fleets due to overspending with little visibility of real costs.

Toll management acts kind of like a fuel card. It consolidates all toll spend under one account and there are no prefunding requirements. Fleet owners gain detailed visibility into all tolling activity, while administrative duties are reduced significantly.

When looking for a toll management program, here are some key elements to look for:

Account and payment consolidation
Fine and penalty avoidance
Eliminates payment by mail / web
Transponder device fulfillment direct to drivers
Vehicle Level Reporting
Customer Service with Dispute Resolution

Considerations

Fleet management companies that operate in multiple tolling regions should consider a managed toll system. Why? When you consider your current toll volume, the number of admin hours spent managing tolls, the number of toll accounts, and the operation area of your fleet vehicles, the benefits to the bottom line can be considerable. Even though all-electronic toll roads and cashless lanes have enabled speed and convenience, there is still a lack of interoperability among toll authorities. The result is a complicated and arduous task for fleet companies.

Value Add

Toll management can offer fleet companies real value too. A comprehensive program can provide:

New source of revenue from existing fleet customers
Valuable program to attract new fleet customers
No capital expenditures required
Aligns with current selling practice

For the fleet customer and driver the value includes:

Consolidation of toll accounts into one centralized, national program
Reduction of toll violation risk for covered vehicles
Elimination of ballooning costs of late payment penalties
Ability to track toll activity and proactively manage toll spend
Increase mobility by enabling drivers to use cashless toll lanes and all-electronic toll roads

If you’re looking for comprehensive toll management services, ABS Tag & Title provides ABS Shield Toll Management services that meet your fleet’s needs with tailor made solutions. Learn more.

November 9, 2021November 9, 2021

Complete Fleet Compliance Management

ABS has three divisions to meet all your tag & title needs.

Fleet Management

No business can afford to ever take a loss. Sloppy management of your fleet titles, registration, and licenses can cost your company hefty financial penalties and serious delays. It’s essential for you to rely on your Tag & Title company to handle every detail flawlessly. Our team of Fleet Compliance Managers is committed to your success.

Dealership Management

Obtaining titles and registrations can significantly slow down the purchase of a new vehicle. Repo titles and lien perfections are OUR business, so they don’t need to be a business manager’s nightmare. We have a Dealership Division devoted specifically to YOU, so that our contacts and our expertise will be a quick solution to your business needs.

Leasing Management

Tags and titles, registration and liens, renewals and state transfers can cause unnecessary delays, and you need to get your fleet on the road. Obtaining and maintaining is our specialty. Our Leasing Division team is committed to providing clear communication and is always accessible to you with helpful resources and contacts.

Need a title transfer, correction, name change, fuel and trip permits? Selling a rig and need the lien and title in your hands in the next 24 hours? Rest assured, your documents are safe, and your fleet is covered.
Have a small fleet and need a more efficient office with fewer administrative bodies? Have a large fleet and need more efficient technical tools to manage it? Rest assured, your rigs will be compliant, and your fleet is covered.

Covering all 50 states and 1400 jurisdictions, you can leave the details to us. Rest assured…with ABS, your fleet, your dealership, and your leasing needs are covered.

October 8, 2021October 8, 2021

ABS Motor Carrier Services

ABS Simplifies Your Business

Why do you need ABS motor carrier services? We simplify the administrative functions of fleet management allows owners, managers, and operators to run their businesses more efficiently…and efficiency ultimately means profit.

As a fleet manager, you know you need to:

Monitor IRP maintenance, additions, renewals, and changes
Complete IFTA quarterly reports
Track special state reporting
Manage driver qualifications
Account for oversize/overweight annuals and trips
Complete nationwide registration and titling
Store those titles
Manage tolls and citations

OR, you can utilize the expertise and infrastructure of ABS Tag & Title to streamline that administrative work with our intellectual capital and technical tools.

Regardless of the size of your commercial fleet, we use our resources to manage your assets effectively. Click here to learn more!

April 30, 2021April 30, 2021

New Fleet Management Details to Consider

New administration means new fleet management details.

A New Administration in Washington Means a Change for the Fleet Industry

With a new Administration in the White House, cutting-edge trucking regulations are on the horizon. To have an efficient fleet management service can mean the difference between the life and death of your trucking company. Some things to consider:

United States Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, indicates he wants “net-zero” emissions from your fleet by 2040.

Put on hold since 2017, 18-wheeler speed limits are once again back on the discussion table in Washington.

The FMCSA is currently reviewing vision-impaired truck driving exemptions. Having set March 15 as a comment deadline, it will soon reveal whether a change will be made. If the new legislation passes, affected drivers will no longer be restricted to in-state hauls.
Many expect that the new Administration will mandate an increase in the current $750,000 requirement of insurance liability. This move could mean a drastic dent on earnings and cost the industry millions.

These potential changes to trucking regulation are just a few concerns that will need to be addressed within your fleet, and they don’t touch on the ever-changing regulations that vary from state to state! It is more essential than ever before that a trucking company has dependable and professional fleet management to handle every detail personally and expertly. The result will ensure maximum profit within this industry.

The average highway driver has no idea what you have to consider to keep your fleet of trucks driving safely and legally across our nation. What is a simple (albeit sometimes annoying) wait in line to obtain a vehicle license and title can be a virtual nightmare for those in the trucking industry! Plus, if your truck isn’t where it should be when it should be, you’re out of business! We at ABS understand that your fleet needs to keep rolling and assure you that you can leave every single one of the details to us!

With a complete line of fleet management solutions, we oversee all the details from vehicle title and registration, renewals, duplicate titles, out of stock vehicle locating and so much more. We pride ourselves on fast turn-around times, our expertise and our accurate & reliable processes. Request a free quote to get started with us today so you can unburden yourself with the administrative work and focus on running your business!