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94% of Fleet Managers Don’t Know the Whereabouts of Their Fleet Vehicles

October 28, 2008

Do you know the location of your fleet vehicles during work hours? The most likely answer is no. In fact, nine out of 10 fleet managers have no idea where their fleet vehicles are at any given time. This assertion is based on a recent study that revealed 94 percent of those who operate corporate vehicles are completely unaware of their fleet’s location during work hours. However, this may soon change as a result of growth in the deployment of mobile resource management (MRM) systems.

Tags: fleet vehicles, mobile resource management, MRM, vehicle location

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:13 AM | » Comments(1)

Vehicle Quality is Up, But So is Cost per Repair

October 24, 2008

Vehicle quality has improved dramatically with fleets experiencing a decline in the frequency of vehicle repairs. However, the average cost of repairs has been increasing. The forecast is for the cost of fleet maintenance to increase again in 2009. There are five factors exerting upward pressure on cost per repair.

Tags: cost per repair, maintenance, vehicle quality, vehicle repairs

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Friday, October 24, 2008 10:23 AM | » Comments(0)

Fleet Operating Costs Increase Again in 2008

October 21, 2008

Although gas prices started to decline in August, the year-to-date cost of fuel in 2008 has increased 30 percent compared to last year. The price for replacement tires rose 5-10 percent in 2008 due to higher oil prices and the shift by manufacturers to larger diameter tires. Also, fleet maintenance and repair costs increased across the board in 2008. The cost for non-warranty maintenance services was up 5 percent for fleets.

Tags: ARI, fleet operating costs, fuel availability, GE Capital Solutions Fleet Services , maintenance costs, PHH Arval, Wheels Inc.

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Tuesday, October 21, 2008 8:32 AM | » Comments(0)

Replacement Tires: A Growing Fleet Expense

October 14, 2008

Replacement tires are the third-largest expense category for fleets. In the past three years, this expense category has grown as a result of multiple price increases from all major tire OEMs. In 2008, year-to-date tire replacement costs have increased 4-10 percent. This follows a 3-4 percent price increase in 2007 and an 8-10 percent price increase in 2006. The consensus is replacement tire prices will increase again in 2009.

Tags: fleet expense, price hikes, replacement tires, tire prices

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Tuesday, October 14, 2008 7:49 AM | » Comments(2)

Fuel Continues to be the No. 1 Threat to Fleet

October 10, 2008

The number one threat to fleets continues to be the price of fuel, despite the fact that fuel prices have been declining due to the global economic slowdown. Year-to-date, the cost of fuel has increased 30 percent in 2008 compared to 2007. The Energy Information Administration is projecting fuel to average $3.82 per gallon in calendar-year 2009. Fuel is the potential game changer of the fleet industry. Consider two recent examples as harbingers of things to come.

Tags: fuel, fuel prices, Hurricanes, hyperconnectivity, telework, videoconferencing

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Friday, October 10, 2008 9:06 AM | » Comments(0)

Federal Reserve Invokes Emergency Powers to Support the Commercial Paper Market

October 7, 2008

Today, Oct. 7, the Federal Reserve Board announced that it is invoking emergency powers to create a special fund to support the U.S. commercial paper market. The announcement by the Federal Reserve allows corporations to bypass the current credit gridlock gripping the nation’s economy. This has an impact on the fleet market since one source of financing for large fleets is the commercial paper market.

Tags: commercial paper market, Federal Reserve Board

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Tuesday, October 7, 2008 9:10 AM | » Comments(0)

Anti-Idling Programs: A Quick Way to Reduce Fuel Spend

October 3, 2008

Reducing unnecessary idling is the simplest and easiest way for a fleet to reduce fuel costs. Besides wasting fuel, excess idling also causes unnecessary emissions, noise pollution, and needless engine wear-and-tear. The amount of unnecessary idling varies by fleet, but some fleets have recorded idling as much as 35 percent of the time.

Tags: fuel costs, fuel spend, Idling, unnecessary idling

Author: Mike Antich | Posted @ Friday, October 3, 2008 12:30 PM | » Comments(2)

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AUTHOR BIO

Mike Antich

Editor & Associate Publisher

Mike Antich has been covering the fleet management and vehicle remarketing markets for more than 20 years. During this period, Mike has written or edited more than 4,600 articles on the subjects of fleet management, manufacturer fleet activities, the fleet leasing industry, and vehicle remarketing.

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