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SEARCHMENUSEARCHComplacency. It is defined as self-satisfaction, especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies. Is this you? Complacency is a real danger to fleet operations, especially well-run fleets.
Read More →The best managed fleets are those that adhere to a written fleet policy. A common problem is that the fleet manager communicates policy to the users’ managers, but the word doesn’t gets down to the individual drivers and operators. When dealing with driver-related problems, the last thing you want to do is create a new problem in the course of resolving one. The surest way to do so is to make an exception to your fleet’s vehicle and equipment usage policy.
Read More →Steep declines in tax revenues are resulting in budget cuts at all levels of government, which most likely will persist for the next 12 to 24 months. These budget shortfalls are particularly acute at general fund departments. Adjusting fleet budgets to cope with revenue shortfalls gives fleet managers an opportunity to demonstrate their leadership abilities.
Read More →When the price of fuel is low and budgets are flush, the issue of take-home vehicles slips under the public radar. However, today’s elevated fuel prices and stretched budgets are prompting the local media and elected officials to question unnecessary use of government vehicles. As a result, there have been a number of backlashes against take-home vehicles around the country.
Read More →During the past 20 years, I have had the privilege of knowing many great fleet managers. Over the years, I’ve noticed common traits characteristics among these public sector fleet managers. Based on my experience, here are the 14 common traits.
Read More →Last November, more than 700 mayors signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in Seattle, committing to reduce carbon emissions in their localities to 7-percent below 1990 levels by 2012. This goal is in line with the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty that seeks to limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Fleet operations around the U.S. have stepped up to the plate to help accomplish this goal.
Read More →Is it just me or are demographics of public sector fleet managers turning older? Not only are fleet managers older, so too, are most members of their staff. I visit many fleet operations and this observation is reinforced when I walk the floor of a maintenance facility or the corridors of the main fleet office.
Read More →The City of Coppell, Texas, gets the big picture about fleet safety. It’s not only a dollars-and-cents issue, but also a moral issue of keeping drivers – and the citizens with whom they interact – safe.
Read More →Summer and fall are busy times in the fleet industry. There are many fleet meetings and new-model introductions, which provides me with an opportunity to talk “fleet” with a wide variety of fleet managers. At these meetings, I am always impressed by the caliber of public sector fleet managers and the challenges they face.
Read More →A significant category of unnecessary fleet cost is equipment damage caused by user abuse or neglect. Abuse is by far the most expensive form of equipment failure. Fleet managers tell me there is no limit to the ways equipment can be abused.
Read More →Reducing the number of preventable accidents presents a huge opportunity to reduce fleet costs. The industry average cost to repair a fleet vehicle involved in an accident is $1,848. Nowadays, even the simplest fender bender costs $500 or more. When other accident costs are included, such as loss of use, liability, workers’ comp, and other indirect expenses, the total cost exceeds $10,000 per incident.
Read More →Whether technicians should be allowed to work on their personal vehicles after-hours is a controversial issue among public sector fleet managers. Some fleet operations allow it, while others are adamantly opposed. Here are the pro and con arguments.
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