Tag: fleet managers

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Three Fleet Management Challenges

Three Fleet Management Challenges

 

The fleet manager’s job is integral to the profitability of any company. The job is complex, multi-faceted and requires a seamless set of processes and tools to manage the fleet efficiently and safely. Effective use of technology and strategic partnerships with fleet management vendors is integral to the success of any fleet management program.

Every step of the fleet management process presents a unique set of issues – from purchasing to compliance. Once a vehicle is purchased, many challenges await the fleet manager. Here are three:

FUEL COSTS:  Managing fuel costs is essential to maintaining profitability. Most fleets allocate about 35% of their ongoing operating costs to fuel. Increased gas prices have forced drivers and fleet managers to work toward finding the lowest rates and most economical driving options. These options include various purchasing protocols (i.e., purchasing wholesale, using fuel cards, etc.) and developing driving routes that efficiently utilize every drop of fuel.

SAFETY:  Even under the most excellent supervised training, accidents do happen. The fleet manager must have a safety program in place that encompasses many factors from training to maintaining accurate driver files. This not only helps with safety, it ensures that a company meets the next challenge of compliance.

COMPLIANCE:  Compliance is key. Non-compliant assets cannot be on the road. Lost time equals lost profits. The challenges keep growing as local, state, and federal authorities enact legislation and impose additional requirements to keep the company’s assets compliant. This is where strategic partnerships with fleet management vendors can help. They focus on keeping track of all the changes while the fleet manager focuses on the day-to-day operation of the fleet.

Fuel costs, safety, and compliance cover just a fraction of the challenges a fleet manager faces every day. Explore how the ABS Fleet Division can help. Contact us today.

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YES or NO to EVs?

Now’s the time to make a HUGE fleet decision!

It is anticipated that by the year 2040, Electric Vehicles (EVs) will comprise over half of new car sales. Some of the unique challenges this brings are being aggressively addressed, with a targeted effort to drastically increase the number of charging stations nationwide (click here for details). In addition, car manufactures are frantically developing more EV models to meet the predicted need. So now’s the time….fleet managers must make a final call on whether or not they will be making the transition.

With the heavy strain of extreme miles that your fleet carries, it may seem obvious that EVs are the way to go:  batteries last over 100,000 miles, moving parts are simplified, and electricity is one third the cost of gas. But there are some other details to consider:

EVs aren’t good for the long haul; at least not currently. However, if your fleet is used for last-mile deliveries, reduced maintenance and the price of electricity should be strong motivators.  Experts predict that if you make the transition to electric now, you will see immediate increases in your bottom line.

If you do pursue the switch to EVs, be sure all your drivers are equipped with an app to help find the closest charging stations while on the road. Infrastructure continues to be the greatest complaint of EV drivers, so these apps eliminate some of the frustration. PlugShare and ChargeHub are a couple of popular ones!

In this day of extreme technological advancement in vehicles, companies such as EverCharge  are rising up to meet the EV management needs of fleet managers and improve the capacity of charging stations. This company also performs site assessment and develops a smooth transition plan that is specific to the needs of each customer.

If the EV world still seems a little too much like the world of the Jetson’s, you’re not alone. This technology is fast and furious, but it’s a world that affects absolutely every one of us. Whether or not you will transition to Electric Vehicles is the question that every fleet needs to assess. If yours needs to be overhauled, make it a priority and start one vehicle at a time. Experts all agree that this world is here to stay.

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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.

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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:

  1. Account and payment consolidation
  2. Fine and penalty avoidance
  3. Eliminates payment by mail / web
  4. Transponder device fulfillment direct to drivers
  5. Vehicle Level Reporting
  6. 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.

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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. 

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ABS Motor Carrier Services

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!

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Rest Easy with ABS Secure Title Storage

Check one item off your to-do list: safe storage of your company’s titles

As fleet managers, we’ve all been there; the case of the lost file. Lost and/or ruined titles need to be replaced and that’s a situation you don’t want happening over and over. Hopefully your business hasn’t dealt with a flood or fire, but if you have, you know first-hand how stressful it is to have to build from ground zero. At ABS Tag and Title, we see this time and time again.

Far too often our customers are in need of replacing titles that have been lost or ruined. To alleviate this recurring problem, we provide safe title storage services in our securely constructed facility. When you are ready to sell the vehicle and need your title, we can have it to you in 24 hours. That fast turnaround time is what we pride ourselves on and how we provide superior services to fleet managers across the USA.

What makes our storage facility secure:

  • Halon Protected Title Room: According to fireprotection.org, Halon is a liquefied, compressed gas that stops the spread of fire by chemically disrupting combustion. It adds an extra layer of fire protection to titles and tags – breaking the chain reaction and protecting them from any damage.
  • Limited Secure Access: Not just anyone can have access to our facility, only approved and cleared staff will be able to get in and out to retrieve information for our clients! We always have the facility under security.
  • Fire Resistant Safes: Your documents, titles and tags will be locked away safely in our secure, fire-resistant safes until you need them.
  • 24/7 Access to ABS Customer Portal: Need some quick information? Can’t remember the last 4-digits of the tag? View your titles, tags and documents immediately by using your customer portal online! You’ll have access to your portal anytime you need it.
  • 24-Hour Turnaround Guarantee: Team members are dedicated to ensuring you receive a title within 24 hours of any request, so your business keeps moving without delay and without hassle.

Our #1 priority is to fully remove the burden from fleet managers and operators and save you valuable time and numerous headaches. We want you to focus on running your business, keeping your fleets on the road, and the money coming in. 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. Request a quote here to get started with us and learn how we can partner with you.

Learn more about of complete line of fleet and title registration services here.