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fleets Archives - ABS Tag and Title

Tag: fleets

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Women are Making their Mark in Fleet Management

Women In Fleet Management (WIFM) gets much of the credit for the achievements of women in the fleet management industry.  Through the development resources it offers and networking and mentoring opportunities, WIFM members have seen a world of change in the last two or three decades.   Sue Miller remembers her first days in fleet management this way: “It was definitely the good old boys club.  A lot of cigars, martini lunches, and that type of thing.”  Miller went on to direct a 3,500-vehicle fleet for McDonald’s and currently serves as senior fleet account manager of a telematics company, Geotab.  She served as one of the founders of WIFM, whose mission is “To provide a resource for women fleet leaders that encourages personal and career fulfillment through mentoring, fleet expertise sharing, fleet and business community involvement and networking.” (Explore WIFM and the many resources it provides here.)

WIFM will be one of the many representatives in this year’s WBENC Conference (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council), scheduled for March 20-23, 2023, in Nashville, TN.  This conference offers a premier opportunity for women to network with other business owners, receive tools and resources to develop as business-owners, and pitch their businesses to professional and government representatives.  (To find out more about the WBENC and to register for the conference, click here.)

The fight for equality of opportunities and pay among women entrepreneurs is not over.  Bernadette Milito, co-chair of this year’s WBENC Conference, puts it very directly, “The answers are simple.  It’s the work that’s hard.”  Milito sees the conference as a unique opportunity to connect business owners and corporate executives.  She is also dedicated to sharing her vast expertise in all aspects of the hard work it has taken for her to become CEO of CSS Building Services.

For decades women have been fighting for equal job opportunities, and it looks like that incredibly hard work is paying off.  The WBENC Conference will be an exciting celebration of the achievements of women business owners while providing resources for continued success for years to come!

The WBENC conference will be held March 20-23, 2023, at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville.  Onsite registration will remain available throughout the conference.

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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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Protect Your Vehicle’s Catalytic Converter

The rise in catalytic converter theft.

 

Between 2019-2020 The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported a 325 percent increase in theft of Catalytic Converters, and numbers have continued to climb.  Because of the metals it contains, this valuable part is one thieves covet, and every car and truck is a target.

If your fleet consists of big rigs, they are also vulnerable and a uniquely hot commodity in this ring of theft.

It is the size of a truck’s catalytic converter that makes it appealing to thieves. And unfortunately, because trucks are raised off the ground, they are unusually susceptible. In just a minute or two, a thief can slip under quickly and remove the bolts that hold the part in place.  The driver never realizes it happened until he hears the painful roar of the engine and is alerted by the “check engine” light.

Because a catalytic converter is valuable, easy to steal, and hard to trace, protective steps need to be taken to guard you from becoming the next victim:

  • Install an anti-theft device. Use a heavy-duty cable or weld the part to the base of your truck with durable steel. Or consider one of the many protective devices available at local auto parts stores (CatStrap and CatClamp are two with excellent reviews). These will slow down a thief tremendously, and time is something no thief can afford.
  • Set an alarm and motion-detection lights. If your vehicle is typically parked for long periods of time, consider installing a camera on your vehicle. Thieves often target parking lots where multiple trucks and/or vehicles are stored, so lighting and alarms are a MUST in these situations. The padlocked gate is simply no match for how well-organized this crime has become.
  • Engrave your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on your catalytic converter, just in case theft ever occurs; the part will be easier to trace and possibly recover. At the very least, authorities will perhaps get an advantage on these criminals and help save fleets substantial losses.

A small investment today may give you the critical peace of mind you need. Protect your fleet and fight the theft that is affecting the critical profits in our industry.