TED and Toyota produced this short (1:40 minute) video - The Distracted Mind about distracted driving
It serves as an important reminder that you're:
· 4 times more likely to get into an accident when talking on the phone
· 23 times more likely to get into an accident when texting
· Not really multi-tasking when you think that you are. You’re just rapidly switching between single tasks
You can view the video at: http://ed.ted.com/on/Lj5N4g31
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Equipment Lease Finance Industry Confidence Decreases Slightly At Year-end
Washington, DC, December 18, 2013 -- The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (the Foundation) releases the December 2013 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI) today. Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $827 billion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in the equipment finance market is 55.8, a decrease from the November index of 56.9, reflecting industry concerns over uncertainty regarding capital expenditures (capex) and competitive market pressures in 2014, among other issues.
When asked about the outlook for the future, MCI survey respondent Anthony Cracchiolo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vendor Services, U.S. Bank Equipment Finance, said, “The overall environment continues to be driven by uncertainty. The equipment finance industry is stable with low single digit growth. The industry is well positioned to address increasing demand when the economy improves evidenced by a higher GDP growth rate. There are no indicators currently that suggest stronger growth in the near term."
December 2013 Survey Results:
The overall MCI-EFI is 55.8, a decrease from the November index of 56.9.
• When asked to assess their business conditions over the next four months, 12% of executives responding said they believe business conditions will improve over the next four months, down from 17.2% in November. 78.8% of respondents believe business conditions will remain the same over the next four months, down from 79.3% in November. 9% believe business conditions will worsen, up from 3.4% who believed so the previous month.
• 15.2% of survey respondents believe demand for leases and loans to fund capex will increase over the next four months, up from 13.8% in November. 78.8% believe demand will “remain the same” during the same four-month time period, up from 75.9% the previous month. 9% believe demand will decline, down from 10.3% who believed so in November.
• 24% of executives expect more access to capital to fund equipment acquisitions over the next four months, unchanged from November. 75.8% of survey respondents indicate they expect the “same” access to capital to fund business, up from 72.4% in November. No one expects “less” access to capital, down from 3.4% who expected less access in November.
• When asked, 27.3% of the executives reported they expect to hire more employees over the next four months, unchanged from November. 60.6% expect no change in headcount over the next four months, down from 65.5% last month. 12% expect fewer employees, up from 6.9% who expected fewer employees in November.
• 6% of the leadership evaluates the current U.S. economy as “excellent,” unchanged from last month. 85% of the leadership evaluates the current U.S. economy as “fair,” up from 76% last month. 9% rate it as “poor,” down from 17% in November.
• 24.2% of the of survey respondents believe that U.S. economic conditions will get “better” over the next six months, an increase from 17.2% who believed so in November. 66.7% of survey respondents indicate they believe the U.S. economy will “stay the same” over the next six months, a decrease from 72.4% in November. 9% believe economic conditions in the U.S. will worsen over the next six months, a decrease from 10.3% last month.
• In December, 30.3% of respondents indicate they believe their company will increase spending on business development activities during the next six months, a decrease from 34.5% in November. 66.7% believe there will be “no change” in business development spending, an increase from 65.5% last month. 3% believe there will be a decrease in spending, an increase from no one who believed so last month.
December 2013 MCI Survey Comments from Industry Executive Leadership:
Depending on the market segment they represent, executives have differing points of view on the current and future outlook for the industry.
Independent, Small Ticket
“The industry appears to be holding its own with new originations just slightly ahead of 2012 numbers. Lack of clarity on the tax side as well as the continuing saga of Dodd-Frank make our world a bit uncertain. New worries about the pullback of government stimulus make 2014 projections a bit tricky.” Valerie Hayes Jester, President, Brandywine Capital Associates, Inc
Bank, Small Ticket
“There remains in the general market an imbalance between capex and capital liquidity. While this is good for our industry in the short run, competitive pressures are driving spreads and credit standards lower in the long run. This will present a challenge on those leasing companies that are ill-equipped to manage risk through the next downturn.” Paul Menzel, President & CEO, Financial Pacific Leasing, LLC
Bank, Middle Ticket
“I anticipate 2014 new business volume levels to be slightly better than 2013. My rationale is very simple: in 2013 most industries took a very cautious approach to capital equipment investment for both replacement and expansionary purposes. In 2014 many industries will be forced to acquire new equipment to replace equipment which has exceeded its useful life. It will simply be less expensive to acquire new equipment than to maintain existing equipment.” Thomas Jaschik, President, BB&T Equipment Finance
Why an MCI-EFI?
Confidence in the U.S. economy and the capital markets is a critical driver to the equipment finance industry. Throughout history, when confidence increases, consumers and businesses are more apt to acquire more consumer goods, equipment and durables, and invest at prevailing prices. When confidence decreases, spending and risk-taking tend to fall. Investors are said to be confident when the news about the future is good and stock prices are rising.
Who participates in the MCI-EFI?
The respondents are comprised of a wide cross section of industry executives, including large-ticket, middle-market and small-ticket banks, independents and captive equipment finance companies. The MCI-EFI uses the same pool of 50 organization leaders to respond monthly to ensure the survey’s integrity. Since the same organizations provide the data from month to month, the results constitute a consistent barometer of the industry's confidence.
How is the MCI-EFI designed?
The survey consists of seven questions and an area for comments, asking the respondents’ opinions about the following:
1. Current business conditions
2. Expected product demand over the next four months
3. Access to capital over the next four months
4. Future employment conditions
5. Evaluation of the current U.S. economy
6. U.S. economic conditions over the next six months
7. Business development spending expectations
8. Open-ended question for comment
How may I access the MCI-EFI?
Survey results are posted on the Foundation website, http://www.leasefoundation.org/IndRsrcs/MCI/, included in the Foundation Forecast newsletter and included in press releases. Survey respondent demographics and additional information about the MCI are also available at the link above.
When asked about the outlook for the future, MCI survey respondent Anthony Cracchiolo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vendor Services, U.S. Bank Equipment Finance, said, “The overall environment continues to be driven by uncertainty. The equipment finance industry is stable with low single digit growth. The industry is well positioned to address increasing demand when the economy improves evidenced by a higher GDP growth rate. There are no indicators currently that suggest stronger growth in the near term."
December 2013 Survey Results:
The overall MCI-EFI is 55.8, a decrease from the November index of 56.9.
• When asked to assess their business conditions over the next four months, 12% of executives responding said they believe business conditions will improve over the next four months, down from 17.2% in November. 78.8% of respondents believe business conditions will remain the same over the next four months, down from 79.3% in November. 9% believe business conditions will worsen, up from 3.4% who believed so the previous month.
• 15.2% of survey respondents believe demand for leases and loans to fund capex will increase over the next four months, up from 13.8% in November. 78.8% believe demand will “remain the same” during the same four-month time period, up from 75.9% the previous month. 9% believe demand will decline, down from 10.3% who believed so in November.
• 24% of executives expect more access to capital to fund equipment acquisitions over the next four months, unchanged from November. 75.8% of survey respondents indicate they expect the “same” access to capital to fund business, up from 72.4% in November. No one expects “less” access to capital, down from 3.4% who expected less access in November.
• When asked, 27.3% of the executives reported they expect to hire more employees over the next four months, unchanged from November. 60.6% expect no change in headcount over the next four months, down from 65.5% last month. 12% expect fewer employees, up from 6.9% who expected fewer employees in November.
• 6% of the leadership evaluates the current U.S. economy as “excellent,” unchanged from last month. 85% of the leadership evaluates the current U.S. economy as “fair,” up from 76% last month. 9% rate it as “poor,” down from 17% in November.
• 24.2% of the of survey respondents believe that U.S. economic conditions will get “better” over the next six months, an increase from 17.2% who believed so in November. 66.7% of survey respondents indicate they believe the U.S. economy will “stay the same” over the next six months, a decrease from 72.4% in November. 9% believe economic conditions in the U.S. will worsen over the next six months, a decrease from 10.3% last month.
• In December, 30.3% of respondents indicate they believe their company will increase spending on business development activities during the next six months, a decrease from 34.5% in November. 66.7% believe there will be “no change” in business development spending, an increase from 65.5% last month. 3% believe there will be a decrease in spending, an increase from no one who believed so last month.
December 2013 MCI Survey Comments from Industry Executive Leadership:
Depending on the market segment they represent, executives have differing points of view on the current and future outlook for the industry.
Independent, Small Ticket
“The industry appears to be holding its own with new originations just slightly ahead of 2012 numbers. Lack of clarity on the tax side as well as the continuing saga of Dodd-Frank make our world a bit uncertain. New worries about the pullback of government stimulus make 2014 projections a bit tricky.” Valerie Hayes Jester, President, Brandywine Capital Associates, Inc
Bank, Small Ticket
“There remains in the general market an imbalance between capex and capital liquidity. While this is good for our industry in the short run, competitive pressures are driving spreads and credit standards lower in the long run. This will present a challenge on those leasing companies that are ill-equipped to manage risk through the next downturn.” Paul Menzel, President & CEO, Financial Pacific Leasing, LLC
Bank, Middle Ticket
“I anticipate 2014 new business volume levels to be slightly better than 2013. My rationale is very simple: in 2013 most industries took a very cautious approach to capital equipment investment for both replacement and expansionary purposes. In 2014 many industries will be forced to acquire new equipment to replace equipment which has exceeded its useful life. It will simply be less expensive to acquire new equipment than to maintain existing equipment.” Thomas Jaschik, President, BB&T Equipment Finance
Why an MCI-EFI?
Confidence in the U.S. economy and the capital markets is a critical driver to the equipment finance industry. Throughout history, when confidence increases, consumers and businesses are more apt to acquire more consumer goods, equipment and durables, and invest at prevailing prices. When confidence decreases, spending and risk-taking tend to fall. Investors are said to be confident when the news about the future is good and stock prices are rising.
Who participates in the MCI-EFI?
The respondents are comprised of a wide cross section of industry executives, including large-ticket, middle-market and small-ticket banks, independents and captive equipment finance companies. The MCI-EFI uses the same pool of 50 organization leaders to respond monthly to ensure the survey’s integrity. Since the same organizations provide the data from month to month, the results constitute a consistent barometer of the industry's confidence.
How is the MCI-EFI designed?
The survey consists of seven questions and an area for comments, asking the respondents’ opinions about the following:
1. Current business conditions
2. Expected product demand over the next four months
3. Access to capital over the next four months
4. Future employment conditions
5. Evaluation of the current U.S. economy
6. U.S. economic conditions over the next six months
7. Business development spending expectations
8. Open-ended question for comment
How may I access the MCI-EFI?
Survey results are posted on the Foundation website, http://www.leasefoundation.org/IndRsrcs/MCI/, included in the Foundation Forecast newsletter and included in press releases. Survey respondent demographics and additional information about the MCI are also available at the link above.
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
ampCNG TO BUILD PUBLIC-ACCESS CNG STATION IN LAFAYETTE, INDIANA
CHICAGO, Dec. 16, 2013 -- ampCNG (formally known as AMP Americas), the leader in
transitioning commercial truck fleets from diesel to compressed natural gas
(CNG), today announced that it has signed a deal with Venture Logistics to build
CNG fueling infrastructure at an existing gasoline station in Lafayette, Ind.
The public station will serve the Subaru of Indiana Automotive plant as the
anchor tenant, and will provide as much as 2.5 million Diesel Gallon
Equivalents of CNG each year to heavy-duty truck fleets operating primarily on
I-65.
“This initiative will reduce costs and carbon
emissions for Subaru and Venture Logistics while increasing public health,
driver safety and U.S. energy independence,” said Jeff Whitcomb, EVP and
director of sales for ampCNG. “It also opens the I-65 corridor to other fleets
waiting for more opportunities to fuel with CNG.”
Under the agreement, ampTrillium, the joint venture
between ampCNG and Trillium CNG™, a business unit of
Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE: TEG), will invest more than $2.4 million to
upgrade the existing Super Pantry Travel Center located at 6533 State Rd. 38 E
in Lafayette, IN. The ultra fast-fill CNG station will have 2 dual hose dispensers,
4 lanes, 4 hoses, and is expected to be fully operational by the end of March,
2014. Venture Logistics will provide Subaru of Indiana Automotive with a new
fleet of 42, 2014 Freightliner and Kenworth Class-8 trucks powered by the
Cummins-Westport ISX-12 G engine.
“The switch to CNG for the trucking
fleet that serves our area transportation is aligned with SIA’s award-winning
environmental stewardship efforts and should also generate the green dividend
of cost savings for our logistics operations,” said Tom Easterday, EVP of
Subaru of Indiana Automotive. “We greatly appreciate the cooperation between
Venture Logistics and ampTrillium in making this possible.”
Subaru of Indiana Automotive’s long-term CNG hauling
contract with Venture Logistics and ampTrillium is one of the first of its kind
for a U.S. automaker. The deal structured by ampCNG features beneficial
contract terms for the Venture Logistics fleet with an estimated fuel savings
of nearly fifty percent per Diesel Gallon Equivalent (DGE).
“We support Venture Logistics and Subaru of Indiana’s
commitment to compressed natural gas as a transportation fuel while reducing
their dependence on foreign oil and lowering carbon emissions,” said Mary
Boettcher, president, Trillium CNG.
ABOUT ampCNG
ampCNG (formerly known as AMP Americas) is a Chicago-based energy
company focused on displacing liquid fuels with CNG. ampCNG builds and owns CNG
fueling stations for long-haul truck fleets and finances leases for CNG trucks.
ampCNG operates the largest U.S. renewable natural-gas plant that produces fuel
from cow manure and is a member of the Department of Energy's National Clean
Fleets Partnership tasked to reduce the nation's dependency on imported oil.
For more information, call (312) 300-6700 or visit www.ampCNG.com.
ABOUT TRILLIUM CNG
Trillium CNG is a leading provider of
CNG to fleets and also offers complete facility design, construction, operation
and maintenance services. Our focus is on fueling heavy-duty fleets that
require high-performance solutions. For more information, visit www.TrilliumCNG.com.
ABOUT VENTURE LOGISTICS
Venture Logistics is a full service
trucking and logistics company providing transportation, warehousing and
distribution services to customers from their Indianapolis, IN headquarters as
well as through their terminals in Lafayette, IN Chicago, IL Spartanburg, SC,
Nashville, TN and Laredo, TX to customers across North America. Independently owned and ISO Certified Venture
Logistics maintains a fleet of over 450 trucks and 1,200 trailers as well as
over 500,000 sf of warehouse and distribution space at their various terminals.
ABOUT SUBARU OF INDIANA
AUTOMOTIVE
Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc. (SIA), a subsidiary
of Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd., is the home of North American Subaru
production. Models built at the Lafayette, Indiana p lant include the Subaru
Legacy, Outback and Tribeca. SIA also produces the Toyota Camry under contract
with Toyota. SIA employs over 3,600 Associates, and every Associate is
committed to quality, safety and environmental stewardship. An industry
leader in environmental stewardship, SIA was the first auto assembly plant in
America to achieve zero landfill status, and SIA’s entire 832-acre site has
been designated a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife
Federation. SIA’s community outreach programs include providing
charitable contributions and corporate sponsorships, hosting charitable events
on-site, donating vehicles and vehicle parts to educational institutions and
encouraging Associate volunteerism, which supports hundreds of non-profit
organizations and schools throughout Indiana annually. SIA was the
recipient of the 2012 Governor’s Award for Corporate Service. For more
information, visit www.subaru-sia.com.
Chevron Announces November 2013 Inductees to the Delo Sponsored Million Mile Club
SAN RAMON, CALIF., December 17, 2013 – Chevron Products Company, a Chevron U.S.A. Inc. division, maker of the Delo® brand of technologically advanced engine oils, lubricants and coolants, today announced the eight drivers inducted to the Chevron Delo sponsored Red Eye Radio (formerly Midnight Trucking Radio) Million Mile Club in November 2013.
Established in 1992, the Chevron Delo sponsored program is one of the most prestigious honors in the trucking industry. The Red Eye Radio Million Mile Club honors truck drivers in the U.S. and Canada with one million miles of accident-free driving.
As a new inductee to the club, each driver receives a personalized Million Mile Club jacket provided by Chevron Delo, a Million Mile Club membership card and a gift from the other participating sponsors.
“Chevron is committed to the health and safety of its employees and contractors worldwide – safety is a key part of our company’s DNA. With such a strong focus on safety, we eagerly support other safety efforts in the communities and industries where we operate. Sponsoring the Million Mile Club is an example of our ongoing commitment to safety and our desire to recognize and promote accomplishments in this area,” commented Jim Gambill, North America Commercial and Industrial Brands Manager, Chevron Products Company.
Million Mile Club November 2013 Inductees:
· Bobby L. Wright, USA Truck, Inc, Van Buren, AR
· Anthony Cornett, Cordell Transportation, Dayton, OH
· Thornton Dixon, West Side Transport, Cedar Rapids, IA
· Robert Montag, Jr., PRIME inc., Springfield, MO
· Bruce Baldwin, Mercer Transportation Co., Louisville, KY
· Scott Swalek, Jackson Transportation, Jackson, OH
· Elmon Dyar, Swift Transportation, Oakland, CA
· Tom Wolf, Transport America, Eagan, MN
Chevron congratulates these drivers for their outstanding accomplishments and commitment to safety.
Apply Online
Drivers can apply online for the Million Mile Club at: www.ChevronDelo.com/promotions
Red Eye Radio
Red Eye Radio is a nationally broadcast radio show targeting the American Truck Driver.
Award-winning hosts Eric Harley and Gary McNamara engage their millions of listeners and callers with the major issues of the day including current events, legislation, popular culture, family issues, trucking news and information, detailed national weather forecasts, safety tips and interviews with trucking industry leaders.
For more information go to www.RedEyeRadio.com
Follow the Delo Brand
The Delo brand can be followed on various social media channels, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter (@ChevronDelo) and Flickr.
Chevron’s Delo Product Family:
Chevron’s Delo product family includes engine oils, premium lubricants and extended life coolants that provide premium performance and bottom-line value for diesel powered vehicles.
All Delo products are covered under the Delo Warranty Plus program, which provides bumper-to-bumper protection against lubricant and coolant related failures as described in the Delo Warranty.
More information on Delo products can be found at: www.ChevronDelo.com
About Chevron Products Company
Chevron Products Company is a division of an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) headquartered in San Ramon, CA.
A full line of lubrication and coolant products are marketed through this organization under the Chevron, Texaco and Caltex brand names. Select brands include Havoline®, Delo® and Havoline Xpress Lube®. Chevron Intellectual Property, LLC owns patented technology in advanced lubricants products, new generation base oil technology and coolants.
For more information go to: www.ChevronLubricants.com
Established in 1992, the Chevron Delo sponsored program is one of the most prestigious honors in the trucking industry. The Red Eye Radio Million Mile Club honors truck drivers in the U.S. and Canada with one million miles of accident-free driving.
As a new inductee to the club, each driver receives a personalized Million Mile Club jacket provided by Chevron Delo, a Million Mile Club membership card and a gift from the other participating sponsors.
“Chevron is committed to the health and safety of its employees and contractors worldwide – safety is a key part of our company’s DNA. With such a strong focus on safety, we eagerly support other safety efforts in the communities and industries where we operate. Sponsoring the Million Mile Club is an example of our ongoing commitment to safety and our desire to recognize and promote accomplishments in this area,” commented Jim Gambill, North America Commercial and Industrial Brands Manager, Chevron Products Company.
Million Mile Club November 2013 Inductees:
· Bobby L. Wright, USA Truck, Inc, Van Buren, AR
· Anthony Cornett, Cordell Transportation, Dayton, OH
· Thornton Dixon, West Side Transport, Cedar Rapids, IA
· Robert Montag, Jr., PRIME inc., Springfield, MO
· Bruce Baldwin, Mercer Transportation Co., Louisville, KY
· Scott Swalek, Jackson Transportation, Jackson, OH
· Elmon Dyar, Swift Transportation, Oakland, CA
· Tom Wolf, Transport America, Eagan, MN
Chevron congratulates these drivers for their outstanding accomplishments and commitment to safety.
Apply Online
Drivers can apply online for the Million Mile Club at: www.ChevronDelo.com/promotions
Red Eye Radio
Red Eye Radio is a nationally broadcast radio show targeting the American Truck Driver.
Award-winning hosts Eric Harley and Gary McNamara engage their millions of listeners and callers with the major issues of the day including current events, legislation, popular culture, family issues, trucking news and information, detailed national weather forecasts, safety tips and interviews with trucking industry leaders.
For more information go to www.RedEyeRadio.com
Follow the Delo Brand
The Delo brand can be followed on various social media channels, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter (@ChevronDelo) and Flickr.
Chevron’s Delo Product Family:
Chevron’s Delo product family includes engine oils, premium lubricants and extended life coolants that provide premium performance and bottom-line value for diesel powered vehicles.
All Delo products are covered under the Delo Warranty Plus program, which provides bumper-to-bumper protection against lubricant and coolant related failures as described in the Delo Warranty.
More information on Delo products can be found at: www.ChevronDelo.com
About Chevron Products Company
Chevron Products Company is a division of an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) headquartered in San Ramon, CA.
A full line of lubrication and coolant products are marketed through this organization under the Chevron, Texaco and Caltex brand names. Select brands include Havoline®, Delo® and Havoline Xpress Lube®. Chevron Intellectual Property, LLC owns patented technology in advanced lubricants products, new generation base oil technology and coolants.
For more information go to: www.ChevronLubricants.com
Davis Instruments Announces CarChip Connect® — Real-time GPS telematics for Small Businesses and Fleet Managers
HAYWARD, CA— Davis Instruments announces CarChip Connect, its real-time GPS telematics device for small business and fleet managers. Designed to the highest engineering standards, CarChip Connect provides intelligent telematics and powerful web analytics to help small businesses and fleet managers improve driver safety and their bottom lines.
“The use of the CarChip devices has helped us decrease our insurance costs by over $1 million, lowered the number of accidents, improved driver performance and safety, and improved maintenance efficiency,” said Rita Guitron, Business Services Manager at First Alarm. “As a leader in the security business, we feel these devices have enhanced the safety of our employees and the quality of service we provide to our customers.”
Equipped with an onboard accelerometer and backup battery, CarChip Connect is one of the few OBD II-based telematics devices that stores driving parameters and geofences on the device. The minicomputer design provides fleet managers more immediate safety and location data, real-time alerts and tamper notifications. It also stores trip data when a vehicle is out of coverage. CarChip Connect’s audible alarm gives drivers real-time feedback on their driving behavior, promoting safer driving.
CarChip Connect’s website offers valuable information to managers and drivers. Each company’s home page provides fleet managers a quick, yet comprehensive view of their fleets, featuring a map, alerts, emission readiness and fleet summary panes. Supported by Davis’ powerful web-based reporting, fleet data is combined into a single company score, providing color-coded at-a-glance information on how the fleet is performing. Drivers can view their individual scores and see how they are performing relative to the company as a whole. Additional reports hone in on driver safety, efficiency, location and vehicle maintenance. Reports can be customized for each fleet or location, focusing on specific areas of interest to a small business or fleet manager.
Safety — Small businesses and fleet managers can prevent accidents by identifying bad driving habits. Incorporating CarChip Connect into a vehicle safety program improves driver performance and decreases accident risk. Fewer accidents can lead to lower insurance premiums and lower repair costs. CarChip Connect’s audible alarm alerts drivers in real-time that they are speeding, hard braking, cornering or exceeding other company set parameters.
Savings — CarChip Connect’s web reports identify inefficiencies such as idle time and aggressive driving. Identifying and reducing idle time saves approximately one gallon of gas for each hour of idle time eliminated. Emissions reports and alerts encourage timely vehicle maintenance, reducing wear and tear on vehicles and keeping them on the road longer.
Simplicity — No tools needed. Easy to install and reallocate when vehicles rotate out of the fleet. CarChip Connect plugs into the OBD II port in about 20 seconds and starts transmitting data immediately.
About Davis Instruments
CarChip Connect is the latest vehicle tracking device developed by Davis Instruments. A leader in vehicle monitoring since 1995, Davis Instruments designs systems to meet the reporting and management needs for fleets of all sizes. Davis Instruments is also known for its innovative line of consumer electronics, including a complete line of wireless weather monitoring stations. Davis is located in Hayward, California, where its research and design, production, technical support, and customer support departments reside. For more information, call(800) 678-3669 or (510) 732- 9229. You can also find out more about CarChip Connect at www.carchipconnect.com and more about Davis Instruments at www.davisnet.com.
“The use of the CarChip devices has helped us decrease our insurance costs by over $1 million, lowered the number of accidents, improved driver performance and safety, and improved maintenance efficiency,” said Rita Guitron, Business Services Manager at First Alarm. “As a leader in the security business, we feel these devices have enhanced the safety of our employees and the quality of service we provide to our customers.”
Equipped with an onboard accelerometer and backup battery, CarChip Connect is one of the few OBD II-based telematics devices that stores driving parameters and geofences on the device. The minicomputer design provides fleet managers more immediate safety and location data, real-time alerts and tamper notifications. It also stores trip data when a vehicle is out of coverage. CarChip Connect’s audible alarm gives drivers real-time feedback on their driving behavior, promoting safer driving.
CarChip Connect’s website offers valuable information to managers and drivers. Each company’s home page provides fleet managers a quick, yet comprehensive view of their fleets, featuring a map, alerts, emission readiness and fleet summary panes. Supported by Davis’ powerful web-based reporting, fleet data is combined into a single company score, providing color-coded at-a-glance information on how the fleet is performing. Drivers can view their individual scores and see how they are performing relative to the company as a whole. Additional reports hone in on driver safety, efficiency, location and vehicle maintenance. Reports can be customized for each fleet or location, focusing on specific areas of interest to a small business or fleet manager.
Three Bottom-Line Benefits to Businesses
CarChip Connect offers three bottom-line benefits:Safety — Small businesses and fleet managers can prevent accidents by identifying bad driving habits. Incorporating CarChip Connect into a vehicle safety program improves driver performance and decreases accident risk. Fewer accidents can lead to lower insurance premiums and lower repair costs. CarChip Connect’s audible alarm alerts drivers in real-time that they are speeding, hard braking, cornering or exceeding other company set parameters.
Savings — CarChip Connect’s web reports identify inefficiencies such as idle time and aggressive driving. Identifying and reducing idle time saves approximately one gallon of gas for each hour of idle time eliminated. Emissions reports and alerts encourage timely vehicle maintenance, reducing wear and tear on vehicles and keeping them on the road longer.
Simplicity — No tools needed. Easy to install and reallocate when vehicles rotate out of the fleet. CarChip Connect plugs into the OBD II port in about 20 seconds and starts transmitting data immediately.
About Davis Instruments
CarChip Connect is the latest vehicle tracking device developed by Davis Instruments. A leader in vehicle monitoring since 1995, Davis Instruments designs systems to meet the reporting and management needs for fleets of all sizes. Davis Instruments is also known for its innovative line of consumer electronics, including a complete line of wireless weather monitoring stations. Davis is located in Hayward, California, where its research and design, production, technical support, and customer support departments reside. For more information, call(800) 678-3669 or (510) 732- 9229. You can also find out more about CarChip Connect at www.carchipconnect.com and more about Davis Instruments at www.davisnet.com.
EIGHTH ANNUAL BOCA RATON CONCOURS D’ ELEGANCE ANNOUNCES 2014 AUTOMOTIVE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
BOCA RATON, FL (December 11, 2013) – The eighth annual Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance presented by Mercedes-Benz and AutoNation will honor Mike Maroone, President and COO of AutoNation, as the recipient of the 2014 Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award and The Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Inc. featuring the Collier Collection as the recipient of the 2014 Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance Award of Excellence on February 22, 2014 at the black-tie optional Gala Dinner Auction & Show held at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Florida. The three-day series of events benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County.
Maroone is a second-generation auto dealer, who started out at his family's Ford dealership in upstate New York. In 1977, he became General Manager of the first Maroone dealership in South Florida. The Maroone Automotive Group would grow to nine dealerships before merging with AutoNation in 1997, now the largest automotive retailer in the country. Since 1999, Maroone has overseen the development and implementation of AutoNation’s operating structure, recent roll out of Coast to Coast branding campaign, common processes in sales and service and a digital initiative. Florida Atlantic University named Maroone "Entrepreneur of the Year,” and in 2007 he was inducted into the "Entrepreneur Hall of Fame" at Nova Southeastern University. In 2009, he was named by Automotive News as one of the "50 industry’s Visionary Dealers” of all time.
The Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Inc. is an educational organization that advances the scholarly study of automotive history in Naples, Florida. Numbering more than one million items, these distinctive and highly specialized research books, documents and images are collected by Mr. Miles C. Collier to record the history of the automobile and the individuals and organizations associated with it.
The Collier Collection is one of the world’s foremost automotive museums comprised of more than 100 automobiles manufactured between 1898 and 1995. The focus of the Collection is to preserve those machines defined by their social, technical, and aesthetic significance. Thus, the Collection’s holdings encompass some of the most extraordinary and relevant automobiles in this lofty class. The Collection’s direction has been to only hold the finest and, where possible, the most original examples of each selected model, which itself must meet rigid criteria about historic significance. Because of rarity and concomitant rapidly increasing value, the Collection has concentrated to date on masterpieces of technical and aesthetic importance, leaving the more accessible cars of social significance to be added when an exhibit calls for its example. The Collier Collection is in the vanguard of appreciating the importance of preserving automobiles in their original, untouched and patinated state, an important trend in artifact exhibits. With few deliberately considered exceptions, the automobiles in the Collection are fully operational. Every year, select examples are requested for presentation at important world-class events like the Boca Raton Concours and many others.
“We are excited to honor Mike Maroone with the 2014 Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award and The Revs Institute with the 2014 Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance Award of Excellence,” says Event Chair Jamie McDonnell, IV. “Maroone is a true pioneer in the automotive industry and The Revs Institute is at the forefront in the study of automotive history. We cannot think of more deserving recipients of these signature Boca Raton Concours awards.”
Founded by Rita and Rick Case of Rick Case Automotive Group and under the direction of Event Chair Jamie McDonnell, IV along with Honorary Chair Mike Jackson, the Boca Raton Concours is all to benefit a deserving cause, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. Friday kicks off the weekend of events with the duPont Registry Live Hangar Party at the Boca Raton Airport. The evening offers guests a chance to experience select gourmet tastings from more than 20 of South Florida’s finest restaurants and peruse a fine display of exotic cars, custom motorcycles, extravagant boats, private jets, vintage aircrafts, luxury motor coaches, premier vendors, and more.
Saturday features the black-tie optional Gala Dinner Auction & Show at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour and silent auction, followed by a gourmet seated dinner and live auction featuring some of the first-in-the-country all-new exotic cars, one-of-a-kind trips and experience packages, luxury jewelry, and more. In addition, featured artist Timothy Raines, an award-winning abstract automotive artist whose work is featured in the halls of the duPont Registry, will provide an original painting and commissioned piece for the auction. Guests will also enjoy the presentation of the Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award to Mike Maroone, President and COO of AutoNation, and the Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance Award of Excellence to The Revs Institute along with a stellar performance by renowned comedian and entertainer Wayne Brady. Previous performers have included Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, Dana Carvey, Dennis Miller, Howie Mandel and Jay Leno.
Sunday concludes the weekend of festivities with an Automobile & Motorcycle Exhibition that spans all eras on the newly-renovated and expanded show field at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Car and motorcycle fanatics from around the world will experience an automotive showcase like no other, featuring 200 of the finest collector cars and motorcycles from around the country. An expert panel of judges will select the finest vintage, antique, classic and exotic vehicles based on period, presentation and overall style.
Once the show kicks off, guests are invited to walk through a series of amazing vendor tents including the 2014 Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance tent which will offer commemorative Concours souvenirs, event programs, posters and pins from previous years and for the 2014 event. Guests can also enjoy a selection of gourmet food, wine and cocktails from more than 30 of South Florida’s finest restaurants at the Concours d’Gourmet Pavilions.
“The eighth annual Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance will be hosted February 21-23, 2014 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Florida,” said Brian Quail, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. “A full schedule of events can be viewed at www.bocaCDE.com. As the event evolves, the website will provide up-to-date information, so be sure to check back regularly.” All events are open to the public with tickets sold separately for the duPont Registry Live Hangar Party, Gala Dinner Show & Auction, and the Sunday Concours Automobile & Motorcycle Exhibition and Concours d’Gourmet Pavilion. To purchase tickets, please call (954) 537-1010 or visit www.bocaCDE.com.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County (BGCBC) is a non-profit 501(c) (3) private agency, dedicated to helping young people improve their lives by building self-esteem and developing values and skills during their critical period of growth. Serving more than 12,750 at-risk youth, ages 6-18 each year from its 12 Broward County-area clubs, their purpose is to inspire and enable children to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Chosen as the #1 youth agency in the country three years in a row by The Chronicle of Philanthropy and one of the best run non-profit agencies in a study by Fortune 500, BGCBC keeps 98 percent of all raised funds in Broward County. Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County is located at 877 NW 61st Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. For
Maroone is a second-generation auto dealer, who started out at his family's Ford dealership in upstate New York. In 1977, he became General Manager of the first Maroone dealership in South Florida. The Maroone Automotive Group would grow to nine dealerships before merging with AutoNation in 1997, now the largest automotive retailer in the country. Since 1999, Maroone has overseen the development and implementation of AutoNation’s operating structure, recent roll out of Coast to Coast branding campaign, common processes in sales and service and a digital initiative. Florida Atlantic University named Maroone "Entrepreneur of the Year,” and in 2007 he was inducted into the "Entrepreneur Hall of Fame" at Nova Southeastern University. In 2009, he was named by Automotive News as one of the "50 industry’s Visionary Dealers” of all time.
The Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Inc. is an educational organization that advances the scholarly study of automotive history in Naples, Florida. Numbering more than one million items, these distinctive and highly specialized research books, documents and images are collected by Mr. Miles C. Collier to record the history of the automobile and the individuals and organizations associated with it.
The Collier Collection is one of the world’s foremost automotive museums comprised of more than 100 automobiles manufactured between 1898 and 1995. The focus of the Collection is to preserve those machines defined by their social, technical, and aesthetic significance. Thus, the Collection’s holdings encompass some of the most extraordinary and relevant automobiles in this lofty class. The Collection’s direction has been to only hold the finest and, where possible, the most original examples of each selected model, which itself must meet rigid criteria about historic significance. Because of rarity and concomitant rapidly increasing value, the Collection has concentrated to date on masterpieces of technical and aesthetic importance, leaving the more accessible cars of social significance to be added when an exhibit calls for its example. The Collier Collection is in the vanguard of appreciating the importance of preserving automobiles in their original, untouched and patinated state, an important trend in artifact exhibits. With few deliberately considered exceptions, the automobiles in the Collection are fully operational. Every year, select examples are requested for presentation at important world-class events like the Boca Raton Concours and many others.
“We are excited to honor Mike Maroone with the 2014 Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award and The Revs Institute with the 2014 Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance Award of Excellence,” says Event Chair Jamie McDonnell, IV. “Maroone is a true pioneer in the automotive industry and The Revs Institute is at the forefront in the study of automotive history. We cannot think of more deserving recipients of these signature Boca Raton Concours awards.”
Founded by Rita and Rick Case of Rick Case Automotive Group and under the direction of Event Chair Jamie McDonnell, IV along with Honorary Chair Mike Jackson, the Boca Raton Concours is all to benefit a deserving cause, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. Friday kicks off the weekend of events with the duPont Registry Live Hangar Party at the Boca Raton Airport. The evening offers guests a chance to experience select gourmet tastings from more than 20 of South Florida’s finest restaurants and peruse a fine display of exotic cars, custom motorcycles, extravagant boats, private jets, vintage aircrafts, luxury motor coaches, premier vendors, and more.
Saturday features the black-tie optional Gala Dinner Auction & Show at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour and silent auction, followed by a gourmet seated dinner and live auction featuring some of the first-in-the-country all-new exotic cars, one-of-a-kind trips and experience packages, luxury jewelry, and more. In addition, featured artist Timothy Raines, an award-winning abstract automotive artist whose work is featured in the halls of the duPont Registry, will provide an original painting and commissioned piece for the auction. Guests will also enjoy the presentation of the Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award to Mike Maroone, President and COO of AutoNation, and the Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance Award of Excellence to The Revs Institute along with a stellar performance by renowned comedian and entertainer Wayne Brady. Previous performers have included Bill Cosby, Bob Newhart, Dana Carvey, Dennis Miller, Howie Mandel and Jay Leno.
Sunday concludes the weekend of festivities with an Automobile & Motorcycle Exhibition that spans all eras on the newly-renovated and expanded show field at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Car and motorcycle fanatics from around the world will experience an automotive showcase like no other, featuring 200 of the finest collector cars and motorcycles from around the country. An expert panel of judges will select the finest vintage, antique, classic and exotic vehicles based on period, presentation and overall style.
Once the show kicks off, guests are invited to walk through a series of amazing vendor tents including the 2014 Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance tent which will offer commemorative Concours souvenirs, event programs, posters and pins from previous years and for the 2014 event. Guests can also enjoy a selection of gourmet food, wine and cocktails from more than 30 of South Florida’s finest restaurants at the Concours d’Gourmet Pavilions.
“The eighth annual Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance will be hosted February 21-23, 2014 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Florida,” said Brian Quail, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. “A full schedule of events can be viewed at www.bocaCDE.com. As the event evolves, the website will provide up-to-date information, so be sure to check back regularly.” All events are open to the public with tickets sold separately for the duPont Registry Live Hangar Party, Gala Dinner Show & Auction, and the Sunday Concours Automobile & Motorcycle Exhibition and Concours d’Gourmet Pavilion. To purchase tickets, please call (954) 537-1010 or visit www.bocaCDE.com.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County (BGCBC) is a non-profit 501(c) (3) private agency, dedicated to helping young people improve their lives by building self-esteem and developing values and skills during their critical period of growth. Serving more than 12,750 at-risk youth, ages 6-18 each year from its 12 Broward County-area clubs, their purpose is to inspire and enable children to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Chosen as the #1 youth agency in the country three years in a row by The Chronicle of Philanthropy and one of the best run non-profit agencies in a study by Fortune 500, BGCBC keeps 98 percent of all raised funds in Broward County. Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County is located at 877 NW 61st Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. For
City of Springfield, Illinois Selects AssetWorks Fleet Management Software Solution
(Wayne, PA –– December 17, 2013) AssetWorks, a leading provider of fleet management software, automated fuel management systems, motor pool systems, and operational asset management systems announced today that the City of Springfield, Illinois has contracted to purchase AssetWorks flagship fleet management software application, FleetFocus.
Springfield, capitol of the State of Illinois and the second largest metropolitan area in the state, operates a fleet of 1,200 diverse vehicles and equipment. The city is in the process of consolidating vehicle maintenance and management operations that are currently distributed across four City departments: Public Works, Fire, Police, and City Water, Light & Power (CWLP). Centralizing fleet operations into a single maintenance facility is part of the city’s goal to increase efficiencies and reduce costs.
As part of the consolidation process, the city selected FleetFocus to replace three disparate management systems. The city identified several specific goals as criteria for their new fleet management software, including improving the distribution of information about the fleet to City administration; minimizing redundant effort; implementing a motor pool reservation system and providing information for an annual vehicle acquisition, maintenance and replacement process. In addition to implementing FleetFocus, the city is reengineering several business processes to support its growth and adopt industry best practices.
“The goal of consolidating multiple departments into a single maintenance operation is to streamline our operations and ultimately be more efficient,” states Mike Palazzolo, Fleet Manager for the City of Springfield. “By refining our processes and selecting AssetWorks as our technology partner, we believe we can improve the way we operate and maintain our fleet.”
AssetWorks provides fleet management software for more than 200 cities and counties in North America, including 35 of the 50 most populated cities.
About AssetWorks
AssetWorks is a leading supplier of fleet Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software, implementation services and Automated Fueling Systems in North America, with more than 550 software customers, including private fleet operators as well as City, County, State and Federal organizations that manage large fleets. AssetWorks solutions enable fleet organizations of all sizes to improve maintenance practices, streamline operations, and improve accountability for mission-critical transportation assets. For more information, please visit www.assetworks.com
Springfield, capitol of the State of Illinois and the second largest metropolitan area in the state, operates a fleet of 1,200 diverse vehicles and equipment. The city is in the process of consolidating vehicle maintenance and management operations that are currently distributed across four City departments: Public Works, Fire, Police, and City Water, Light & Power (CWLP). Centralizing fleet operations into a single maintenance facility is part of the city’s goal to increase efficiencies and reduce costs.
As part of the consolidation process, the city selected FleetFocus to replace three disparate management systems. The city identified several specific goals as criteria for their new fleet management software, including improving the distribution of information about the fleet to City administration; minimizing redundant effort; implementing a motor pool reservation system and providing information for an annual vehicle acquisition, maintenance and replacement process. In addition to implementing FleetFocus, the city is reengineering several business processes to support its growth and adopt industry best practices.
“The goal of consolidating multiple departments into a single maintenance operation is to streamline our operations and ultimately be more efficient,” states Mike Palazzolo, Fleet Manager for the City of Springfield. “By refining our processes and selecting AssetWorks as our technology partner, we believe we can improve the way we operate and maintain our fleet.”
AssetWorks provides fleet management software for more than 200 cities and counties in North America, including 35 of the 50 most populated cities.
About AssetWorks
AssetWorks is a leading supplier of fleet Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software, implementation services and Automated Fueling Systems in North America, with more than 550 software customers, including private fleet operators as well as City, County, State and Federal organizations that manage large fleets. AssetWorks solutions enable fleet organizations of all sizes to improve maintenance practices, streamline operations, and improve accountability for mission-critical transportation assets. For more information, please visit www.assetworks.com
MANHEIM ANNOUNCES NEW GENERAL MANAGER, AUCTION MANAGER
ATLANTA -- As part of its continuing focus on developing talent and improving its customer experience, Manheim has named Chad Ruffin as general manager for Manheim Southern California, and has promoted Donny Cohen to auction manager for Manheim Daytona Beach and Manheim Jacksonville.
“The hiring of Chad is a true testament to Manheim’s goal of putting leaders in place to drive business growth and expand our customer base,” said Rock Anderson, RVP, West Region Operations. “Our customers will benefit from his leadership, industry knowledge and insights.”
Ruffin has spent more than 16 years in the automotive wholesale industry. He began his role at Manheim Southern California, located in Fontana, on Dec. 10.
During his career Ruffin has worked for Manheim, HSBC, Arcadia/Citi Financial and others. Ruffin spent five years at Manheim earlier in his career in various roles, including dealer sales manager, Ford account manager, recon manager and assistant recon manager. He is a graduate of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif.
“It is always exciting to promote great talented employees like Donny,” said Mike McKinney, RVP, East Region Operations. “He is a dynamic leader who will use his expertise and experiences to deliver solutions that help our customers succeed.”
Cohen assumed his new role for the two locations earlier this month. He is responsible for the day-to-day management and oversight of both locations, and will be supported by managers and supervisors focused on specific functional areas.
Cohen has more than 21 years of automotive wholesale experience, including seven with Manheim. He was named assistant general manager at Manheim St. Pete in early 2012. Prior to that role, Cohen worked at Manheim Fort Myers.
About Manheim (www.manheim.com)
Manheim is the leading global provider of vehicle remarketing services, connecting buyers and sellers of used vehicles to the largest wholesale used-vehicle marketplace. The company helps dealer and commercial customers achieve results by providing physical and digital auction channels, data analysis, financing, transportation and mobile products and solutions.
Manheim pioneered in-lane vehicle auctions and has been an innovator in both digital and mobile auction platforms. Manheim registers nearly 8 million used vehicles annually, facilitating transactions representing more than $50 billion in value. Manheim’s research and consulting arm, Manheim Consulting, provides industry-leading market intelligence and publishes the widely recognized annual Used Car Market Report. The company offers dealer financing though NextGear Capital, Inc., and transportation services through Ready Auto Transport.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Manheim has more than 20,000 employees in 107 worldwide sites and generates annual revenues of more than $2.5 billion. A subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Manheim participates in “Go Green with Manheim,” the company’s sustainability program.
“The hiring of Chad is a true testament to Manheim’s goal of putting leaders in place to drive business growth and expand our customer base,” said Rock Anderson, RVP, West Region Operations. “Our customers will benefit from his leadership, industry knowledge and insights.”
Ruffin has spent more than 16 years in the automotive wholesale industry. He began his role at Manheim Southern California, located in Fontana, on Dec. 10.
During his career Ruffin has worked for Manheim, HSBC, Arcadia/Citi Financial and others. Ruffin spent five years at Manheim earlier in his career in various roles, including dealer sales manager, Ford account manager, recon manager and assistant recon manager. He is a graduate of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif.
“It is always exciting to promote great talented employees like Donny,” said Mike McKinney, RVP, East Region Operations. “He is a dynamic leader who will use his expertise and experiences to deliver solutions that help our customers succeed.”
Cohen assumed his new role for the two locations earlier this month. He is responsible for the day-to-day management and oversight of both locations, and will be supported by managers and supervisors focused on specific functional areas.
Cohen has more than 21 years of automotive wholesale experience, including seven with Manheim. He was named assistant general manager at Manheim St. Pete in early 2012. Prior to that role, Cohen worked at Manheim Fort Myers.
About Manheim (www.manheim.com)
Manheim is the leading global provider of vehicle remarketing services, connecting buyers and sellers of used vehicles to the largest wholesale used-vehicle marketplace. The company helps dealer and commercial customers achieve results by providing physical and digital auction channels, data analysis, financing, transportation and mobile products and solutions.
Manheim pioneered in-lane vehicle auctions and has been an innovator in both digital and mobile auction platforms. Manheim registers nearly 8 million used vehicles annually, facilitating transactions representing more than $50 billion in value. Manheim’s research and consulting arm, Manheim Consulting, provides industry-leading market intelligence and publishes the widely recognized annual Used Car Market Report. The company offers dealer financing though NextGear Capital, Inc., and transportation services through Ready Auto Transport.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Manheim has more than 20,000 employees in 107 worldwide sites and generates annual revenues of more than $2.5 billion. A subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Manheim participates in “Go Green with Manheim,” the company’s sustainability program.
WANTALEASE.COM LAUNCHES TO HELP DEALERS CONNECT WITH CAR LEASE SHOPPERS
CINCINNATI, OHIO (December 17, 2013) – A new online marketplace at www.WantALease.com has launched with the promise of helping car dealers connect and engage with car lease shoppers online. Dealers currently offer lease deals through a variety of platforms, but WantAlease.com is the first online marketplace to help them sell new leases to customers locally and in other parts of the U.S.
With WantALease.com, car shoppers throughout the country can find the best deals on new leases, including all major brands, makes and models for cars and trucks. The simple process connects car lease shoppers with dealers in their local region offering the best deals on a new lease. Consumers can also shop for deals in other parts of the country, empowering them to find the best deal that fits their needs.
WantALease.com was developed by Cincinnati, Ohio-based Joseph Automotive Group, which also operates the successful lease transfer marketplace, SwapAlease.com. The two marketplaces combine to offer consumers the most options ever in shopping for and managing their car lease experience. For dealers, WantAlease.com represents an opportunity to capture and convert new leads, as well as elevate their CSI by helping reduce the complexity and frustration involved in the lease shopping process.
“Car leasing popularity is at an all-time high, and it’s important to help consumers shop for the best deals possible on any car they want, wherever they may be,” said Richard Joseph, co-founder of WantALease.com and Swapalease.com. “Car shoppers want to compare leases prices online, in an environment that’s convenient for them, and WantALease.com is designed to connect them to the best lease deals in their market."
If consumers are interested in a lease they find on WantALease.com, they also have the option of escaping their current lease through the SwapAlease.com option, which matches them with a third-party individual interested in taking over the remaining portion of their lease contract.
Dealers interested in participating in the WantAlease.com marketplace by advertising new leases to attract customers can call 866-792-7669.
Additional features will be available to help dealers sell new leases via WantAlease.com:
About WantAlease.com:
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, WantAlease.com is the world’s first online automotive marketplace for new car leases. WantAlease.com allows consumers to shop for the best deal on a new lease in an online environment. Car shoppers can search for all major brands, makes and models of cars and trucks, and the online marketplace connects people with lease deals in their own region or in other parts of the country. For more information visit www.WantAlease.com.
With WantALease.com, car shoppers throughout the country can find the best deals on new leases, including all major brands, makes and models for cars and trucks. The simple process connects car lease shoppers with dealers in their local region offering the best deals on a new lease. Consumers can also shop for deals in other parts of the country, empowering them to find the best deal that fits their needs.
WantALease.com was developed by Cincinnati, Ohio-based Joseph Automotive Group, which also operates the successful lease transfer marketplace, SwapAlease.com. The two marketplaces combine to offer consumers the most options ever in shopping for and managing their car lease experience. For dealers, WantAlease.com represents an opportunity to capture and convert new leads, as well as elevate their CSI by helping reduce the complexity and frustration involved in the lease shopping process.
“Car leasing popularity is at an all-time high, and it’s important to help consumers shop for the best deals possible on any car they want, wherever they may be,” said Richard Joseph, co-founder of WantALease.com and Swapalease.com. “Car shoppers want to compare leases prices online, in an environment that’s convenient for them, and WantALease.com is designed to connect them to the best lease deals in their market."
If consumers are interested in a lease they find on WantALease.com, they also have the option of escaping their current lease through the SwapAlease.com option, which matches them with a third-party individual interested in taking over the remaining portion of their lease contract.
Dealers interested in participating in the WantAlease.com marketplace by advertising new leases to attract customers can call 866-792-7669.
Additional features will be available to help dealers sell new leases via WantAlease.com:
- Dealer dashboard for analytics and reporting
- Co-branded lease offers
- Program training
- SwapAlease.com integration
- Advanced lead-gen program
About WantAlease.com:
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, WantAlease.com is the world’s first online automotive marketplace for new car leases. WantAlease.com allows consumers to shop for the best deal on a new lease in an online environment. Car shoppers can search for all major brands, makes and models of cars and trucks, and the online marketplace connects people with lease deals in their own region or in other parts of the country. For more information visit www.WantAlease.com.
Old Dominion Relocates Salina Service Center
SALINA, Kan. (Dec. 16, 2013) – Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. today relocated its Salina Service Center to an expanded facility that will help the company meet increased demand in the region.
The new 18-door facility contains numerous technological upgrades, including a heated ramp and sidewalks. The service center employs 15 people.
In addition to its close proximity to interstates 70 and 135, Old Dominion benefits from Salina’s strong agricultural, construction and manufacturing industries.
“We are looking forward to serving our growing customer base in Salina from this new and improved facility,” said Kevin Randall, manager of the Salina Service Center. “With plenty of room for future growth, we will continue to deliver the premium service our customers have come to expect from Old Dominion through our upgraded service center.”
The Salina facility provides direct service to McPherson, Abilene, Concordia, Ellsworth, Clay Center and Osborne in Kansas, in addition to Fairbury, Nebraska.
The service center is located at 3775 Yost Drive and is one of six Old Dominion facilities in Kansas. The company has maintained a presence in Salina for nine years.
For more information about Old Dominion, visit www.odfl.com or call (800) 432-6335.
About Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODFL) is a leading, less-than-truckload (“LTL”), company providing regional, inter-regional and national LTL service. In addition to its core LTL services, the Company offers its customers a broad range of logistics services including ground and air expedited transportation, supply chain consulting, transportation management, truckload brokerage, container delivery and warehousing. In addition, Old Dominion offers a consumer product for household moving: OD Household Services. Through strategic partnerships, the Company also offers international freight forwarding services throughout the world. OD consistently has one of the lowest claims ratio and best time on-time records in the industry. For more than 79 years, Old Dominion has been helping the world keep promises.
In 2013, Old Dominion was recognized with the following acknowledgements for company leadership in the industry:
· Mastio & Company ranked Old Dominion as No. 1 National LTL carrier for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
· Forbes Magazine named Old Dominion as one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies.
· NASSTRAC honored the company as 2013 Carrier of the Year.
· CIO magazine recognized Old Dominion for IT Excellence with the CIO 100 Award for the fifth consecutive year.
· Inbound Logistics named the company to its 75 Green Supply Chain Partners (G75) List.
· For the fourth consecutive year, Logistics Management honored OD with the Quest for Quality Award.
· Fortune Magazine named OD as one of the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Companies.
· Inbound Logistics Magazine recognized OD as a 2013 Top 100 Trucker.
The new 18-door facility contains numerous technological upgrades, including a heated ramp and sidewalks. The service center employs 15 people.
In addition to its close proximity to interstates 70 and 135, Old Dominion benefits from Salina’s strong agricultural, construction and manufacturing industries.
“We are looking forward to serving our growing customer base in Salina from this new and improved facility,” said Kevin Randall, manager of the Salina Service Center. “With plenty of room for future growth, we will continue to deliver the premium service our customers have come to expect from Old Dominion through our upgraded service center.”
The Salina facility provides direct service to McPherson, Abilene, Concordia, Ellsworth, Clay Center and Osborne in Kansas, in addition to Fairbury, Nebraska.
The service center is located at 3775 Yost Drive and is one of six Old Dominion facilities in Kansas. The company has maintained a presence in Salina for nine years.
For more information about Old Dominion, visit www.odfl.com or call (800) 432-6335.
About Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODFL) is a leading, less-than-truckload (“LTL”), company providing regional, inter-regional and national LTL service. In addition to its core LTL services, the Company offers its customers a broad range of logistics services including ground and air expedited transportation, supply chain consulting, transportation management, truckload brokerage, container delivery and warehousing. In addition, Old Dominion offers a consumer product for household moving: OD Household Services. Through strategic partnerships, the Company also offers international freight forwarding services throughout the world. OD consistently has one of the lowest claims ratio and best time on-time records in the industry. For more than 79 years, Old Dominion has been helping the world keep promises.
In 2013, Old Dominion was recognized with the following acknowledgements for company leadership in the industry:
· Mastio & Company ranked Old Dominion as No. 1 National LTL carrier for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
· Forbes Magazine named Old Dominion as one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies.
· NASSTRAC honored the company as 2013 Carrier of the Year.
· CIO magazine recognized Old Dominion for IT Excellence with the CIO 100 Award for the fifth consecutive year.
· Inbound Logistics named the company to its 75 Green Supply Chain Partners (G75) List.
· For the fourth consecutive year, Logistics Management honored OD with the Quest for Quality Award.
· Fortune Magazine named OD as one of the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Companies.
· Inbound Logistics Magazine recognized OD as a 2013 Top 100 Trucker.
Monday, December 16, 2013
ARI Names Two New Senior Vice Presidents
MT. LAUREL, NJ (December 16, 2013): ARI®, a leading global fleet services provider specializing in complex car and truck fleets, is pleased to announce two new executive appointments: Mark Bryan has been named Senior Vice President, European Operations and Tim McHugh has been named Senior Vice President, North American Supply Chain.
Bryan – who was serving as ARI’s Vice President of Global Operations just prior to this new position – will now be responsible for all of ARI’s European businesses, including operations in the UK, Germany, Belgium, France and Spain. He has also served as Vice President of European Integration and Acting Managing Director of ARI Fleet UK, where he played a critical role in the integration of that organization into the ARI family of companies. He has consistently made a positive impact since joining the company in 2007, helping to streamline processes, improve procedures and develop efficiencies whenever possible. A 20-year fleet industry veteran, Bryan's previous work experience includes serving as Vice President and General Manager of Miller Truck Leasing Company and other sales and management positions with Rollins Leasing Corp. He holds a BS in Business Administration from Rowan University.
McHugh – who was serving as ARI’s Vice President of Supply Chain and Compliance just prior to this appointment – will now be responsible for overseeing vehicle acquisition, remarketing and compliance services for all of North America. A 24-year employee of ARI, he has demonstrated leadership, expertise and vision through all of the different positions he has held in a variety of departments, including Licensing & Compliance, Vehicle Remarketing and Fleet Administration. As Vice President of Client Relations, a role he held before moving into his role as Vice President of Supply Chain and Compliance, he helped guide the company’s client retention efforts, which had a major impact on the organization’s long-term strategic plan. He holds a BS in Management from Saint Joseph’s University.
About ARI®
ARI, part of the Holman Automotive Group, is a global vehicle fleet management organization that drives the best results for each of its clients’ unique and complex needs by employing the industry’s best fleet professionals, processes, and technology. A workforce numbering more than 2,500 collaborates across offices located throughout North America, Europe, the UK, and Hong Kong to manage more than 1,000,000 fleet vehicles in North America, the UK and Europe, and combined with its strategic partners more than two million fleet vehicles globally. A leader in its industry, ARI has been recognized as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE magazine. ARI is headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Learn more at www.arifleet.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
Bryan – who was serving as ARI’s Vice President of Global Operations just prior to this new position – will now be responsible for all of ARI’s European businesses, including operations in the UK, Germany, Belgium, France and Spain. He has also served as Vice President of European Integration and Acting Managing Director of ARI Fleet UK, where he played a critical role in the integration of that organization into the ARI family of companies. He has consistently made a positive impact since joining the company in 2007, helping to streamline processes, improve procedures and develop efficiencies whenever possible. A 20-year fleet industry veteran, Bryan's previous work experience includes serving as Vice President and General Manager of Miller Truck Leasing Company and other sales and management positions with Rollins Leasing Corp. He holds a BS in Business Administration from Rowan University.
McHugh – who was serving as ARI’s Vice President of Supply Chain and Compliance just prior to this appointment – will now be responsible for overseeing vehicle acquisition, remarketing and compliance services for all of North America. A 24-year employee of ARI, he has demonstrated leadership, expertise and vision through all of the different positions he has held in a variety of departments, including Licensing & Compliance, Vehicle Remarketing and Fleet Administration. As Vice President of Client Relations, a role he held before moving into his role as Vice President of Supply Chain and Compliance, he helped guide the company’s client retention efforts, which had a major impact on the organization’s long-term strategic plan. He holds a BS in Management from Saint Joseph’s University.
About ARI®
ARI, part of the Holman Automotive Group, is a global vehicle fleet management organization that drives the best results for each of its clients’ unique and complex needs by employing the industry’s best fleet professionals, processes, and technology. A workforce numbering more than 2,500 collaborates across offices located throughout North America, Europe, the UK, and Hong Kong to manage more than 1,000,000 fleet vehicles in North America, the UK and Europe, and combined with its strategic partners more than two million fleet vehicles globally. A leader in its industry, ARI has been recognized as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE magazine. ARI is headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. Learn more at www.arifleet.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
PassTime Announces New Fleet Division
LITTLETON,
CO – December 12, 2013 - PassTime, an industry pioneer and leader in telematics
and Automated Collection Technology solutions, announced today that it has launched
a fleet division and has selected Geotab’s fleet management technology as the major
foundation of its solution portfolio.
The new fleet division, PassTime Fleet
Finance and Telematics, complements PassTime’s superior quality, reliability
and customer support model that has made the company an industry leader in the automotive
GPS tracking industry for more than twenty years.
The division will be led by Peter
Fowler, who, previous to joining PassTime, had successfully launched what
turned into the market leading US M2M business of Siemens. In addition, PassTime has brought on Harald
Fritz who was formerly at Web-Tech Wireless, where during their growth years he
played a vital role as SVP of sales and marketing.
“PassTime has historically been
focused on providing GPS tracking and Automated Collection Technology solutions
to the automotive lending industry. With
our expertise in providing technology to the automotive finance industry,
reliability and customer service, expanding in to the fleet space is a natural
progression for the company. We brought
the right people in place, partnered with an industry leader Geotab, and this
is the perfect opportunity to provide a new offering to the fleet industry,”
said Stan Schwarz, founder and CEO of PassTime.
PassTime Fleet Finance and Telematics
has selected Geotab, Inc., a leading solutions provider for over ten
years. Geotab provides the world’s most
sophisticated GPS fleet management solutions that help organizations develop
company-wide management policies to improve driver behavior, enhance driver
safety, and on-road productivity. Geotab
was recently named in Connected World’s prestigious 2013 and 2014 CW100 list
and sits among the top 100 machine-to-machine (M2M) companies.
“We reviewed the fleet telematics
market in great detail and determined Geotab has the best of breed plug and play
hardware, unparalleled vehicle data capture and Fleet Management system. With PassTime’s twenty-year experience,
delivering reliable GPS tracking products and unmatched live customer care
throughout the US, Canada and UK, matched with Geotab’s superior fleet
solutions; it is a perfect fit,” said Peter Fowler, president of PassTime Fleet
Finance and Telematics.
PassTime Fleet will offer
comprehensive hardware and software solutions designed for any size fleet. From fleet and vehicle tracking, to driver
safety, productivity and performance, PassTime Fleet has the tools needed to
help customers manage their assets while saving time and money. PassTime Fleet’s affordable solutions allow
companies of all sizes to manage its fleet with sophisticated tools while
quickly achieving a return on investment.
With unmatched data storage and key metrics, customers can leverage
customized reporting features for advanced business analysis and insight. While the solution is powerful, PassTime
Fleet Finance and Telematics’ solution is user friendly and customizable.
The PassTime Fleet Finance and
Telematics solution is available now. To learn more about PassTime Fleet Finance
and Telematics or to order call 866-901-9701 or email FleetSales@passtimeusa.com.
About PassTime
Headquartered
in Littleton, Colorado, PassTime was founded in 1992; the PassTime Suite of
Products is designed to improve customer payment performance and reduce default
and repossession risks. In 1997, PassTime created its first Automated
Collections Technology product. Over the
next several years, a Suite of Products evolved that offer GPS tracking, wireless,
and Automated Collections products and services designed to meet the needs of a
highly diverse industry of car dealers and special finance companies. PassTime
solutions facilitate higher rates of return on financing based upon improved
customer payment performance. PassTime
prides itself on a 24/7 Customer Care Support Center for partners, lenders,
dealerships, and end-user customers.
Over the past decade, PassTime has sustained industry leadership with
its innovative products and services.
From Oil Patch to Over-The-Road, B&R Eckel's Succeeds with Diverse Fleet of Kenworth Trucks
First in Canada To Take Delivery of New Kenworth T680 52-inch Sleeper
BONNYVILLE, Alberta, Dec. 12, 2013 – “Walter” is its name, and it’s a behemoth of a truck. A 1978 Kenworth 953 – a six-wheel drive conventional capable of hauling loads in excess of 160,000 pounds. It’s a truck with more than 2 million miles under the hood; a truck that still moves oil rigs over the most treacherous off-road terrain the folks at B&R Eckel's Transport can throw its way.
“And it symbolizes why we run Kenworths,” said Darren Smith, fleet manager for the Bonnyville, Alberta-based trucking company. “Kenworths are tough. They’re durable, and at the end of their cycle with us, they can command a high resale value in excess of 20 percent more than a comparably spec’d truck.”
Arguably one of the most diverse trucking businesses in Canada, B&R Eckel's is a privately held company that was founded in 1965 by Victor Ringuette, who still heads the company nearly 50 years later. Today, 55 percent of its loads are destined for oil fields, while 45 percent are general freight. It operates 360 Class 6-8 tractors and has more than 1,100 pieces of additional equipment – including lowboys, flat decks, reefers and dry vans, and specialized oilfield hauling equipment.
Kenworth Vocational Trucks
For the oil patch, mostly in Alberta and Saskatchewan, the company utilizes a mix of big and ultra-big tractors. The majority is Kenworth equipment including the C500. Many of the C500s are configured with 40,000-lb tandem steer axles. Others feature tri-drive axles, powered by 550 hp engines, driven through 18-speed transmissions.
“The C500 is our staple heavy rig mover, and it joins Walter in moving the biggest loads,” said Smith. “They’re flatbed units with dual winches to haul aboard the oil rig drilling platforms. To support those trucks we run a lot of Kenworth T800s and use them as picker trucks, or as winch tractors.
“Going forward, we’ve seen the new Kenworth T880s, and we’re fired up about putting those into our operation as well,” said Smith. “It has the same bloodline as the T800, so we know it’s a tough truck that can be spec’d the way we want it. The comfort of that truck is really something. The reaction from our first driver of that rig was, ‘wow, this is like driving a big car. It doesn’t feel like a truck at all.’ ”
Kenworth Over-The-Road Trucks
For the over-the-road fleet, Smith said the company has possible plans to standardize with the new Kenworth T680, which have been in operation as day cabs for the company in regional operations.
The Kenworth T680 day cab is already proving itself in regional operations. “In initial comments from our frontline operators we are extremely happy with the new model,” Smith said. “The T680 day cab is equipped with a PACCAR MX-13 engine, rated at 500 horsepower, and our drivers are saying the engine pulls well – and has better overall power as compared to some of the other engines we run.”
B&R Eckel's was also the first in Canada to take delivery of the new Kenworth T680 52-inch sleeper. “We’re using that model for longer haul runs and anticipate it may become our flagship truck,” said Smith. “But, the proof will be in the pudding – we capture all the data in life cycle costs from maintenance to fuel economy to resale value. But we visualize that this truck could be our truck of choice. Everyone builds a good truck, but that being said, Kenworth seems to fit the bill for us in every way. The visibility, the comfort, the quietness of the truck is unmatched.”
For its over–the-road fleet, B&R Eckel's has a trade cycle of 4.5 to 5.0 years, or 700,000 to 750,000 kilometers. “One of the biggest keys in measuring life cycle costs of equipment is resale value,” said Smith. “And what we’ve seen with Kenworth, and what I’ve always known being involved in the industry for over 27 years, is that Kenworth commands a premium. We often get in excess of a 20 percent premium on the Kenworth equipment we sell over any other brand.”
Kenworth Medium Duty Trucks
For local deliveries, Smith said the company utilizes Kenworth T370s. “These are equipped with van bodies and are used for pickup and delivery,” he said. “They’re working beautifully.”
Committed to Service
According to Smith, B&R Eckel's is putting more equipment to work. “In the past three years, we’ve grown 20 percent and expect that trend to continue,” he said. “Like most trucking companies, we’ve had our share of hard times, but we’re growing again and much of it has to do with our company’s mantra that Victor and our employees live by: ‘Committed to Service.’ It’s something we truly believe in and we live and breathe that every day. It’s from the top all the way down and one reason I feel that our drivers and other employees stay with us. We have many drivers that have been with us for 20-plus years.”
Smith said B&R Eckel's not only delivers quality service, but looks for it as well. “We certainly do, and we’ve been very pleased with the dealer support we’ve been given through Edmonton Kenworth and Kenworth Lloydminster. We feel they’re second to none, and they help us keep our wheels turning.”
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best(R) heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company.
BONNYVILLE, Alberta, Dec. 12, 2013 – “Walter” is its name, and it’s a behemoth of a truck. A 1978 Kenworth 953 – a six-wheel drive conventional capable of hauling loads in excess of 160,000 pounds. It’s a truck with more than 2 million miles under the hood; a truck that still moves oil rigs over the most treacherous off-road terrain the folks at B&R Eckel's Transport can throw its way.
“And it symbolizes why we run Kenworths,” said Darren Smith, fleet manager for the Bonnyville, Alberta-based trucking company. “Kenworths are tough. They’re durable, and at the end of their cycle with us, they can command a high resale value in excess of 20 percent more than a comparably spec’d truck.”
Arguably one of the most diverse trucking businesses in Canada, B&R Eckel's is a privately held company that was founded in 1965 by Victor Ringuette, who still heads the company nearly 50 years later. Today, 55 percent of its loads are destined for oil fields, while 45 percent are general freight. It operates 360 Class 6-8 tractors and has more than 1,100 pieces of additional equipment – including lowboys, flat decks, reefers and dry vans, and specialized oilfield hauling equipment.
Kenworth Vocational Trucks
For the oil patch, mostly in Alberta and Saskatchewan, the company utilizes a mix of big and ultra-big tractors. The majority is Kenworth equipment including the C500. Many of the C500s are configured with 40,000-lb tandem steer axles. Others feature tri-drive axles, powered by 550 hp engines, driven through 18-speed transmissions.
“The C500 is our staple heavy rig mover, and it joins Walter in moving the biggest loads,” said Smith. “They’re flatbed units with dual winches to haul aboard the oil rig drilling platforms. To support those trucks we run a lot of Kenworth T800s and use them as picker trucks, or as winch tractors.
“Going forward, we’ve seen the new Kenworth T880s, and we’re fired up about putting those into our operation as well,” said Smith. “It has the same bloodline as the T800, so we know it’s a tough truck that can be spec’d the way we want it. The comfort of that truck is really something. The reaction from our first driver of that rig was, ‘wow, this is like driving a big car. It doesn’t feel like a truck at all.’ ”
Kenworth Over-The-Road Trucks
For the over-the-road fleet, Smith said the company has possible plans to standardize with the new Kenworth T680, which have been in operation as day cabs for the company in regional operations.
The Kenworth T680 day cab is already proving itself in regional operations. “In initial comments from our frontline operators we are extremely happy with the new model,” Smith said. “The T680 day cab is equipped with a PACCAR MX-13 engine, rated at 500 horsepower, and our drivers are saying the engine pulls well – and has better overall power as compared to some of the other engines we run.”
B&R Eckel's was also the first in Canada to take delivery of the new Kenworth T680 52-inch sleeper. “We’re using that model for longer haul runs and anticipate it may become our flagship truck,” said Smith. “But, the proof will be in the pudding – we capture all the data in life cycle costs from maintenance to fuel economy to resale value. But we visualize that this truck could be our truck of choice. Everyone builds a good truck, but that being said, Kenworth seems to fit the bill for us in every way. The visibility, the comfort, the quietness of the truck is unmatched.”
For its over–the-road fleet, B&R Eckel's has a trade cycle of 4.5 to 5.0 years, or 700,000 to 750,000 kilometers. “One of the biggest keys in measuring life cycle costs of equipment is resale value,” said Smith. “And what we’ve seen with Kenworth, and what I’ve always known being involved in the industry for over 27 years, is that Kenworth commands a premium. We often get in excess of a 20 percent premium on the Kenworth equipment we sell over any other brand.”
Kenworth Medium Duty Trucks
For local deliveries, Smith said the company utilizes Kenworth T370s. “These are equipped with van bodies and are used for pickup and delivery,” he said. “They’re working beautifully.”
Committed to Service
According to Smith, B&R Eckel's is putting more equipment to work. “In the past three years, we’ve grown 20 percent and expect that trend to continue,” he said. “Like most trucking companies, we’ve had our share of hard times, but we’re growing again and much of it has to do with our company’s mantra that Victor and our employees live by: ‘Committed to Service.’ It’s something we truly believe in and we live and breathe that every day. It’s from the top all the way down and one reason I feel that our drivers and other employees stay with us. We have many drivers that have been with us for 20-plus years.”
Smith said B&R Eckel's not only delivers quality service, but looks for it as well. “We certainly do, and we’ve been very pleased with the dealer support we’ve been given through Edmonton Kenworth and Kenworth Lloydminster. We feel they’re second to none, and they help us keep our wheels turning.”
Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best(R) heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth is a PACCAR company.
MASAE Honors NAFA Fleet Management Association For Charitable Efforts
(PRINCETON, NJ – DECEMBER 12, 2013) – During
the holiday season, we’re often reminded “it’s better to give than to receive”
-- a mantra that NAFA Fleet Management Association has long believed in. In recent years, the Association has pitched
in with Habitat for Humanity projects in the cities where NAFA’s annual
conference has taken place, held an annual charity silent auction in the name of
Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and raised thousands to help with
Hurricane Sandy recovery. On December
11, NAFA was recognized by the Mid-Atlantic Society of Association Executives
(MASAE) for the Association’s ongoing commitment to its community and the needs
of others.
“NAFA considers this to be one of the
highest honors it has ever earned,” said NAFA’s Executive Director Phillip E.
Russo, CAE.
NAFA’s involvement with Habitat for
Humanity began in 2009 when the Association’s annual conference was held in New
Orleans. The City was still recovering
from Hurricane Katrina and the need for new housing was paramount. NAFA teamed up with Habitat for Humanity and
LeasePlan USA (whose President and CEO Mike Pitcher hailed from New Orleans) and
began what became an annual pre-conference ritual. In the years that have followed, NAFA and
LeasePlan have taken part in Habitat for Humanity projects in Detroit, MI;
Charlotte, NC, St. Louis, MO; and Atlantic City, NJ. In addition, monetary contributions from NAFA,
combined with matching donations, have added up to more than $25,000 presented
to Habitat for Humanity during the last five years.
In addition to the Habitat for Habitat
projects, NAFA’s annual conference also found a way to tie charitable work in
with the exhibitors on the Expo Floor.
A silent auction allowed exhibitors to gain extra traffic to their booth
by providing gifts and prizes sold to the highest bidder. All proceeds from the auctioned items went to
Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Since 2010, NAFA’s donations to St.
Jude’s have exceeded $20,000.
Closer to home, when Russo watched the
images of Hurricane Sandy on the news, he knew the Association had to
help. NAFA’s headquarters are not only
located in New Jersey (one of the states that was badly hit by the storm) but,
as luck would have it, Atlantic City, NJ was the site for the annual conference
in 2013. Between NAFA’s own
contributions, those from NAFA chapters, and those from industry partners, over
$8,000 was raised for the recovery efforts.
"No one at NAFA went into these
activities with the idea of getting recognition for doing this work,” said
Russo. “We have so much to be thankful for and we consider it an honor – and a
duty – to share our gifts with others."
About NAFA Fleet Management Association
NAFA is the world’s premier non-profit
association for professionals who manage fleets of sedans, public safety
vehicles, trucks, and buses of all types and sizes, and a wide range of
military and off-road equipment for organizations across the globe. NAFA is the
association for the diverse vehicle fleet management profession regardless of
organizational type, geographic location or fleet composition. NAFA’s Full and
Associate Members are responsible for the specification, acquisition,
maintenance and repair, fueling, risk management, and remarketing of more than
3.5 million vehicles including in excess of 1.1 million trucks of which 350
thousand are medium- and heavy-duty trucks. For more information on the
Association visit http://www.nafa.org. Follow NAFA on Facebook and Twitter
@nafafleet.
Fuel Economy of New Vehicles Sets Record High
WASHINGTON – Today, EPA issued its annual report that tracks the average fuel economy of vehicles sold in the United States. The report shows that model year 2012 vehicles achieved an all-time high fuel economy of 23.6 miles per gallon (mpg). This represents a 1.2 mpg increase over the previous year, making it the second largest annual increase in the last 30 years. Fuel economy has now increased in seven of the last eight years.
“Today’s new vehicles are cleaner and more fuel efficient than ever, saving American families money at the gas pump and helping to keep the air that we breathe cleaner,” said Janet McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “Each year new technologies are coming on line to keep driving these positive trends toward greater and greater efficiency.”
Fuel economy will continue to improve under the Obama administration’s historic National Clean Car Program standards. The program doubles fuel economy standards by 2025 and cuts vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by half. The standards will save American families $1.7 trillion dollars in fuel costs, and by 2025 will result in an average fuel savings of more than $8,000 per vehicle. The program will also save 12 billion barrels of oil, and by 2025 will reduce oil consumption by more than 2 million barrels a day – as much as half of the oil imported from OPEC every day.
The large fuel economy improvement in model year 2012 is consistent with longer-term trends. Fuel economy has increased by 2.6 mpg, or 12 percent, since 2008, and by 4.3 mpg, or 22 percent, since 2004. The average carbon dioxide emissions of 376 grams per mile in model year 2012 also represented a record low. While EPA does not yet have final data for model year 2013, preliminary projections are that fuel economy will rise by 0.4 mpg, and carbon dioxide emissions will decrease by 6 grams per mile in 2013.
EPA’s annual “Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 through 2013” attributes much of the recent improvement to the rapid adoption of more efficient technologies such as gasoline direct injection engines, turbochargers, and advanced transmissions.
Consumers have many more high fuel economy choices due to these and other technologies, such as hybrid, diesel, electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Consumers can choose from five times more car models with a combined city/highway fuel economy of 30 mpg or more, and from twice as many SUVs that achieve 25 mpg or more, compared to just five years ago.
The new report can be found at: http://epa.gov/otaq/fetrends.htm
“Today’s new vehicles are cleaner and more fuel efficient than ever, saving American families money at the gas pump and helping to keep the air that we breathe cleaner,” said Janet McCabe, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “Each year new technologies are coming on line to keep driving these positive trends toward greater and greater efficiency.”
Fuel economy will continue to improve under the Obama administration’s historic National Clean Car Program standards. The program doubles fuel economy standards by 2025 and cuts vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by half. The standards will save American families $1.7 trillion dollars in fuel costs, and by 2025 will result in an average fuel savings of more than $8,000 per vehicle. The program will also save 12 billion barrels of oil, and by 2025 will reduce oil consumption by more than 2 million barrels a day – as much as half of the oil imported from OPEC every day.
The large fuel economy improvement in model year 2012 is consistent with longer-term trends. Fuel economy has increased by 2.6 mpg, or 12 percent, since 2008, and by 4.3 mpg, or 22 percent, since 2004. The average carbon dioxide emissions of 376 grams per mile in model year 2012 also represented a record low. While EPA does not yet have final data for model year 2013, preliminary projections are that fuel economy will rise by 0.4 mpg, and carbon dioxide emissions will decrease by 6 grams per mile in 2013.
EPA’s annual “Light-Duty Automotive Technology, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, and Fuel Economy Trends: 1975 through 2013” attributes much of the recent improvement to the rapid adoption of more efficient technologies such as gasoline direct injection engines, turbochargers, and advanced transmissions.
Consumers have many more high fuel economy choices due to these and other technologies, such as hybrid, diesel, electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Consumers can choose from five times more car models with a combined city/highway fuel economy of 30 mpg or more, and from twice as many SUVs that achieve 25 mpg or more, compared to just five years ago.
The new report can be found at: http://epa.gov/otaq/fetrends.htm
PAUL ALLEN’S VULCAN CAPITAL INVESTS $30 MILLION IN TRUECAR.COM
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (December 12, 2013) – TrueCar.com, the negotiation-free car-buying platform, today announced that it raised $30 million of funding from Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital. TrueCar.com intends to use the funds to fuel market expansion, invest in product development and further build the TrueCar.com brand. This investment was made from Vulcan’s new Silicon Valley based growth equity fund. The fund is focused on investing in the world’s brightest ideas and in internet and technology companies that are making a transformational change -- in the way that TrueCar.com is bringing transparency to the car buying process. Mr. Agrawal, who heads all growth equity investments for Vulcan Capital will be joining the TrueCar.com Board of Directors. Current investors in TrueCar.com include Upfront Ventures, Jeff Skoll’s Capricorn Investment Group, USAA, and Allen & Company.
TrueCar.com empowers car buyers by giving them transparent insight into what others actually paid, upfront pricing information, a guaranteed savings certificate and a connection to a trusted TrueCar Certified Dealer to seamlessly complete the car purchase. Over the past year, the TrueCar.com experience has enabled TrueCar.com users to save, on average, over $3,000 off of MSRP. TrueCar.com users and its Certified Dealers have completed over 1 million automobile transactions since inception, and nearly 400,000 this year alone. Additionally, TrueCar.com works with nearly 7,000 new car franchises and independent dealers operating in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Last month, TrueCar.com users accounted for approximately 2.3% of all new car sales in the US.
“The Vulcan Capital investment supports TrueCar.com’s mission to bring truth and transparency to automotive retail and provides us with the capital necessary to grow the business and develop better products for consumers and dealers,” said Scott Painter, Founder and CEO at TrueCar.com.
The automotive sector is one of the largest in the U.S. economy, and according to industry sources, Americans are expected to buy approximately 15.6 million cars this year at a total transaction value of roughly $500 billion. TrueCar.com’s nationwide network of TrueCar Certified Dealers are unique within the retail automotive industry because they are willing to provide upfront pricing information and guaranteed savings, where available, as a way of establishing trust with today’s car buyers.
“We believe TrueCar.com’s negotiation-free car buying platform has demonstrated significant traction in changing the way consumers behave in one of the largest segments of the economy,” said Abhishek Agrawal, Managing Director at Vulcan Capital. “Moreover, this remarkable business model has delivered huge value and significant savings to consumers.”
For more information about TrueCar.com, please visit www.TrueCar.com, follow @TrueCar on Twitter, or become a fan of TrueCar on Facebook and Google+.
About TrueCar.com
TrueCar.com is the negotiation-free car buying platform. TrueCar.com empowers car buyers by giving them transparent insight into what others actually paid, upfront pricing info, a guaranteed savings certificate and a connection to a trusted TrueCar Certified Dealer to seamlessly complete the car purchase. The reality is buying a car is painful and buyers fear they are going to overpay. TrueCar.com’s transparent upfront pricing information and guaranteed savings certificate makes the car buying process simple so buyers never overpay. TrueCar.com’s mission is to prove that truth and transparency are a more profitable way of doing business -- starting with cars. TrueCar.com users and its Certified Dealers have completed over 1 million automobile transactions since inception, and nearly 400,000 this year alone. Its national network of nearly 7,000 TrueCar Certified Dealers is committed to providing negotiation-free pricing for some of the country’s largest membership and service organizations, including AARP, American Express, AAA, USAA and Consumer Reports. Note: Not all program features are available in all states. Go to www.truecar.com for program details. TrueCar.com is a privately held company headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., with offices in Santa Barbara, Calif., San Francisco, Calif., and Austin, Texas.
About Vulcan Capital
Vulcan Capital is the multi-billion dollar investment arm of Vulcan Inc., the company founded by Paul G. Allen to manage his philanthropic and business endeavors. The firm invests across all stages of corporate development including venture capital, growth equity and leveraged buyouts as well as investing in public equities and other liquid asset classes. Vulcan Capital's current portfolio spans a range of industry sectors, including technology, internet, mobile, life sciences, energy and natural resources, media and communications, and financial and information services. This investment was made from Vulcan’s new Silicon Valley based growth equity fund which is focused on making investments ranging from $10-$100 million into leading internet and technology companies, including mid- to late-stage venture capital, recaps, growth buyouts and strategic public market block investments. For more information, visit capital.vulcan.com
TrueCar.com empowers car buyers by giving them transparent insight into what others actually paid, upfront pricing information, a guaranteed savings certificate and a connection to a trusted TrueCar Certified Dealer to seamlessly complete the car purchase. Over the past year, the TrueCar.com experience has enabled TrueCar.com users to save, on average, over $3,000 off of MSRP. TrueCar.com users and its Certified Dealers have completed over 1 million automobile transactions since inception, and nearly 400,000 this year alone. Additionally, TrueCar.com works with nearly 7,000 new car franchises and independent dealers operating in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Last month, TrueCar.com users accounted for approximately 2.3% of all new car sales in the US.
“The Vulcan Capital investment supports TrueCar.com’s mission to bring truth and transparency to automotive retail and provides us with the capital necessary to grow the business and develop better products for consumers and dealers,” said Scott Painter, Founder and CEO at TrueCar.com.
The automotive sector is one of the largest in the U.S. economy, and according to industry sources, Americans are expected to buy approximately 15.6 million cars this year at a total transaction value of roughly $500 billion. TrueCar.com’s nationwide network of TrueCar Certified Dealers are unique within the retail automotive industry because they are willing to provide upfront pricing information and guaranteed savings, where available, as a way of establishing trust with today’s car buyers.
“We believe TrueCar.com’s negotiation-free car buying platform has demonstrated significant traction in changing the way consumers behave in one of the largest segments of the economy,” said Abhishek Agrawal, Managing Director at Vulcan Capital. “Moreover, this remarkable business model has delivered huge value and significant savings to consumers.”
For more information about TrueCar.com, please visit www.TrueCar.com, follow @TrueCar on Twitter, or become a fan of TrueCar on Facebook and Google+.
About TrueCar.com
TrueCar.com is the negotiation-free car buying platform. TrueCar.com empowers car buyers by giving them transparent insight into what others actually paid, upfront pricing info, a guaranteed savings certificate and a connection to a trusted TrueCar Certified Dealer to seamlessly complete the car purchase. The reality is buying a car is painful and buyers fear they are going to overpay. TrueCar.com’s transparent upfront pricing information and guaranteed savings certificate makes the car buying process simple so buyers never overpay. TrueCar.com’s mission is to prove that truth and transparency are a more profitable way of doing business -- starting with cars. TrueCar.com users and its Certified Dealers have completed over 1 million automobile transactions since inception, and nearly 400,000 this year alone. Its national network of nearly 7,000 TrueCar Certified Dealers is committed to providing negotiation-free pricing for some of the country’s largest membership and service organizations, including AARP, American Express, AAA, USAA and Consumer Reports. Note: Not all program features are available in all states. Go to www.truecar.com for program details. TrueCar.com is a privately held company headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., with offices in Santa Barbara, Calif., San Francisco, Calif., and Austin, Texas.
About Vulcan Capital
Vulcan Capital is the multi-billion dollar investment arm of Vulcan Inc., the company founded by Paul G. Allen to manage his philanthropic and business endeavors. The firm invests across all stages of corporate development including venture capital, growth equity and leveraged buyouts as well as investing in public equities and other liquid asset classes. Vulcan Capital's current portfolio spans a range of industry sectors, including technology, internet, mobile, life sciences, energy and natural resources, media and communications, and financial and information services. This investment was made from Vulcan’s new Silicon Valley based growth equity fund which is focused on making investments ranging from $10-$100 million into leading internet and technology companies, including mid- to late-stage venture capital, recaps, growth buyouts and strategic public market block investments. For more information, visit capital.vulcan.com
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Verizon Networkfleet’s New Configurable Update Rates Provide More Frequent GPS Tracking Updates
Verizon Networkfleet is now offering Configurable Update Rates (CUR) in its GPS devices to provide more frequent location information on fleet vehicles and assets. The new update rates, which can be set in 15 second increments up to two minutes for the Networkfleet 5000 series devices, give fleet managers the flexibility to receive near real-time location data. The CURs can be set by the user and are fully integrated into Networkfleet’s online GPS fleet tracking and engine diagnostic monitoring system.
The new update rates give fleet managers the ability to view vehicle routes with more specific detail based on their particular needs and respond to customer service questions. For example, street sweepers and snow plows have defined routes that have to be completed within a specific time frame. Passenger transportation providers such limousines and shuttles need to arrive at a customer location within a narrow time window. Now these organizations can respond to customers with even more accuracy as to specific times/dates and route locations for these vehicles.
For both commercial and government fleets, more frequent location data for vehicles and assets can improve fleet operating efficiency and improve vehicle and driver safety. This feature is another example of how Verizon Networkfleet is continually striving to offer more flexibility and options that make customers’ jobs easier.
For more information, visit http://www.networkfleet.com
The new update rates give fleet managers the ability to view vehicle routes with more specific detail based on their particular needs and respond to customer service questions. For example, street sweepers and snow plows have defined routes that have to be completed within a specific time frame. Passenger transportation providers such limousines and shuttles need to arrive at a customer location within a narrow time window. Now these organizations can respond to customers with even more accuracy as to specific times/dates and route locations for these vehicles.
For both commercial and government fleets, more frequent location data for vehicles and assets can improve fleet operating efficiency and improve vehicle and driver safety. This feature is another example of how Verizon Networkfleet is continually striving to offer more flexibility and options that make customers’ jobs easier.
For more information, visit http://www.networkfleet.com
Decisiv Maintenance Summit Gets High Marks
Glen Allen, Virginia – December 10, 2013 – Decisiv, Inc., the leading provider of Service Relationship Management (SRM) platforms for fleet maintenance, today announced results and findings of its 4th Annual Maintenance Summit. This year’s Summit featured a record number of fleet and service provider attendees who highly rated the event in a post Summit survey. Planning is already underway for the 5th annual Decisiv Maintenance Summit, to be held in November 2014.
“This unique gathering of fleets, dealers and service providers-- many of whom already use our SRM solution— enables collaboration and communication about key financial metrics and best practices,” said Michael Riemer, VP Products and Channel Marketing at Decisiv. “Our attendees report that these summits are invaluable for openly discussing and brainstorming, and that they take home some very valuable information that can ultimately impact their company’s revenue and profitability.”
The Summit was facilitated by Jack Porter, Senior Consultant at Decisiv, who has been instrumental in the growth and the success of the event for the last four years. For the 2013 Decisiv Maintenance Summit, 8 out of 10 attendees were either Very Satisfied or Satisfied with the overall meeting program. High marks were also given for meeting topics and discussions, presentations and facilitator preparedness. Receiving rave reviews as well was the free exchange of ideas about pressing industry issues, such as the growing technician shortage and how to improve staff productivity and utilization by using more accurate measures and comparisons of technician skills.
On the summit agenda were presentations and discussions about the challenges of managing down equipment and service events, accessing information that can be used to measure and improve service and repair operations, communications issues that might hamper asset utilization, and best practices around key financial metrics for service and repair activities. Also covered in detail was how minimizing Days Out of Service (DOS) has a direct impact on bottom line profitability, including use of Decisiv’s new DOS Impact Calculator.
Decisiv Maintenance Summit attendees were also introduced to a new benchmarking and best practice exchange service that will be available in 2014 to help improve the performance of maintenance operations and generate greater returns on investment in assets and personnel.
About Decisiv, Inc.
Founded in 2001 and based in Glen Allen, Virginia, Decisiv is the leading provider of a Service Relationship Management (SRM) platform for fleet vehicle maintenance programs combining communication, collaboration and decision support solutions for inspection, preventive maintenance and repair services. More than 750 fleets with 330,000 assets and 900 service providers use the Decisiv platform for asset management in conjunction with fleet maintenance management systems to minimize Days Out of Service, increase revenue, improve capital and resource efficiency, lower operating costs and generate a higher return on assets. For more information, visit decisiv.com.
“This unique gathering of fleets, dealers and service providers-- many of whom already use our SRM solution— enables collaboration and communication about key financial metrics and best practices,” said Michael Riemer, VP Products and Channel Marketing at Decisiv. “Our attendees report that these summits are invaluable for openly discussing and brainstorming, and that they take home some very valuable information that can ultimately impact their company’s revenue and profitability.”
The Summit was facilitated by Jack Porter, Senior Consultant at Decisiv, who has been instrumental in the growth and the success of the event for the last four years. For the 2013 Decisiv Maintenance Summit, 8 out of 10 attendees were either Very Satisfied or Satisfied with the overall meeting program. High marks were also given for meeting topics and discussions, presentations and facilitator preparedness. Receiving rave reviews as well was the free exchange of ideas about pressing industry issues, such as the growing technician shortage and how to improve staff productivity and utilization by using more accurate measures and comparisons of technician skills.
On the summit agenda were presentations and discussions about the challenges of managing down equipment and service events, accessing information that can be used to measure and improve service and repair operations, communications issues that might hamper asset utilization, and best practices around key financial metrics for service and repair activities. Also covered in detail was how minimizing Days Out of Service (DOS) has a direct impact on bottom line profitability, including use of Decisiv’s new DOS Impact Calculator.
Decisiv Maintenance Summit attendees were also introduced to a new benchmarking and best practice exchange service that will be available in 2014 to help improve the performance of maintenance operations and generate greater returns on investment in assets and personnel.
About Decisiv, Inc.
Founded in 2001 and based in Glen Allen, Virginia, Decisiv is the leading provider of a Service Relationship Management (SRM) platform for fleet vehicle maintenance programs combining communication, collaboration and decision support solutions for inspection, preventive maintenance and repair services. More than 750 fleets with 330,000 assets and 900 service providers use the Decisiv platform for asset management in conjunction with fleet maintenance management systems to minimize Days Out of Service, increase revenue, improve capital and resource efficiency, lower operating costs and generate a higher return on assets. For more information, visit decisiv.com.
Toyo® M137™ Premium High-Performance Steer Tire Now Available in 16-Ply
CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA – The M137™ premium high-performance steer radial manufactured by Toyo Tires® is now available in a 16-ply with increased load carrying capacity. Designed for use on long haul, over-the-highway commercial applications; the M137 is designed to deliver more miles per 32nds to operators driving coast-to-coast.
This EPA SmartWay verified tire uses e-balance™ technology and stiffer construction to improve tire life and endurance as well as resist irregular wear and reduce fuel consumption. An innovative casing profile minimizes growth of the tread and maintains a more uniform and flatter tread radius to also improve the life of the tire. Smooth wear and extended tire life are also aided by a new tread design that creates even contact pressure distribution across the tread surface.
“Some modern truck designs have heavier front axles that result in more weight and more wear and tear on the tires. In response to that trend, Toyo Tires now produces two sizes of the premium M137 steer for long haul fleets in a 16-ply,” said Lowell Slimp, senior product manager, commercial truck tires, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “Our 16-ply M137 features an increased load-carrying capacity to handle the higher weight. Additional benefits include improved wear performance, improved durability and a reduction in road noise through the life of the tire.”
The two sizes offered in 16-ply are 295/75R22.5 and 285/75R24.5. To learn more about the M137 premium high-performance steer in 16-ply, and about the full line of commercial tire products from Toyo Tires, log onto www.toyotires.com/tbr.
Also be sure to check out the improved casing warranty for commercial tire products by Toyo Tires at: http://toyotires.com/tbr/customer-care/warranty-information, or speak with an authorized Toyo Tires dealer.
About Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.
Toyo Tires offers a complete line of premium replacement tires for nearly every make and model including high performance cars, luxury vehicles, light trucks and SUVs as well as tires for commercial trucks. For more information log onto www.toyotires.com and connect with the community at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google+.
This EPA SmartWay verified tire uses e-balance™ technology and stiffer construction to improve tire life and endurance as well as resist irregular wear and reduce fuel consumption. An innovative casing profile minimizes growth of the tread and maintains a more uniform and flatter tread radius to also improve the life of the tire. Smooth wear and extended tire life are also aided by a new tread design that creates even contact pressure distribution across the tread surface.
“Some modern truck designs have heavier front axles that result in more weight and more wear and tear on the tires. In response to that trend, Toyo Tires now produces two sizes of the premium M137 steer for long haul fleets in a 16-ply,” said Lowell Slimp, senior product manager, commercial truck tires, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “Our 16-ply M137 features an increased load-carrying capacity to handle the higher weight. Additional benefits include improved wear performance, improved durability and a reduction in road noise through the life of the tire.”
The two sizes offered in 16-ply are 295/75R22.5 and 285/75R24.5. To learn more about the M137 premium high-performance steer in 16-ply, and about the full line of commercial tire products from Toyo Tires, log onto www.toyotires.com/tbr.
Also be sure to check out the improved casing warranty for commercial tire products by Toyo Tires at: http://toyotires.com/tbr/customer-care/warranty-information, or speak with an authorized Toyo Tires dealer.
About Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.
Toyo Tires offers a complete line of premium replacement tires for nearly every make and model including high performance cars, luxury vehicles, light trucks and SUVs as well as tires for commercial trucks. For more information log onto www.toyotires.com and connect with the community at Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google+.
Riverside Mfg., LLC helps Allen County Highway Department get better control of vehicle electrical systems
FORT WAYNE, IND. (Dec. 5, 2013) – Riverside Mfg., LLC, an industry leader specializing in the design and manufacture of electrical systems and products for harsh environment vehicles and equipment, announces the implementation of its SmartTek 8-Button Switch Panel and Mini I/O Control Module on Allen County Highway Department vehicles. The technology is replacing previous aging and difficult-to-use rocker switches to help drivers control more items within the vehicle.
The combined SmartTek product is a solid-state controller area network (“CAN”) based module for electrical systems which distribute electrical energy to power external headlamps, turn fans on and off, control internal dome lights and more. By having an easy-to-use interface with a high number of power switch inputs, the product allows a user to more efficiently operate vehicle electrical systems.
Allen County Highway Department installed the modules in a number of dump trucks to maintain greater control over electrical system functions, such as activating the salt spreader, power take off (PTO) and controlling plow strobe lights. The module offers multiple user-friendly methods for programming without the need to comprehend high levels of electrical system coding.
“Creating products that simplify operations while on the road is one of our company’s top goals,” said Fred Merritt, CEO of Riverside. “With this solid-state module, users may install it themselves without having to engage additional technical assistance for backend code. Furthermore, customers have the ability to configure more switches and control more items that require powering within their vehicle, which they couldn’t do before with most current control panels.”
Designed with the latest solid-state components for maximum configurability and control, the SmartTek system features customizable inserts and programmable multi-color backlit buttons in a small enclosure. Additionally, the technology is housed in weather-tight extruded aluminum protecting against harsh weather conditions, and the system offers eight 10 amp configurable outputs and four digital-input channels.
The Allen County Highway Department helps to build better roads that people may travel freely, comfortably and safely in the pursuit of daily interests and activities.
“Overall, I was impressed by the ease of install of both the I/O and switch panel. It more than met our expectations and was only a two to four hour install,” said Ed Neal, Fleet Manager of Allen County Highway Department. “It has excellent functionality with more options than a bank of manually wired switches and relays, and we look forward to installing more units in the trucks here at the department.”
The SmartTek panel and module is the first product to be announced from a series of innovative, next-generation vehicle controls that Riverside will be launching in the upcoming year.
To learn more about Riverside Mfg., LLC, visit http://www.riversidemfg.com.
The combined SmartTek product is a solid-state controller area network (“CAN”) based module for electrical systems which distribute electrical energy to power external headlamps, turn fans on and off, control internal dome lights and more. By having an easy-to-use interface with a high number of power switch inputs, the product allows a user to more efficiently operate vehicle electrical systems.
Allen County Highway Department installed the modules in a number of dump trucks to maintain greater control over electrical system functions, such as activating the salt spreader, power take off (PTO) and controlling plow strobe lights. The module offers multiple user-friendly methods for programming without the need to comprehend high levels of electrical system coding.
“Creating products that simplify operations while on the road is one of our company’s top goals,” said Fred Merritt, CEO of Riverside. “With this solid-state module, users may install it themselves without having to engage additional technical assistance for backend code. Furthermore, customers have the ability to configure more switches and control more items that require powering within their vehicle, which they couldn’t do before with most current control panels.”
Designed with the latest solid-state components for maximum configurability and control, the SmartTek system features customizable inserts and programmable multi-color backlit buttons in a small enclosure. Additionally, the technology is housed in weather-tight extruded aluminum protecting against harsh weather conditions, and the system offers eight 10 amp configurable outputs and four digital-input channels.
The Allen County Highway Department helps to build better roads that people may travel freely, comfortably and safely in the pursuit of daily interests and activities.
“Overall, I was impressed by the ease of install of both the I/O and switch panel. It more than met our expectations and was only a two to four hour install,” said Ed Neal, Fleet Manager of Allen County Highway Department. “It has excellent functionality with more options than a bank of manually wired switches and relays, and we look forward to installing more units in the trucks here at the department.”
The SmartTek panel and module is the first product to be announced from a series of innovative, next-generation vehicle controls that Riverside will be launching in the upcoming year.
To learn more about Riverside Mfg., LLC, visit http://www.riversidemfg.com.
FleetOwner Honors Old Dominion with ‘Fleet of the Year’ Award
THOMASVILLE, N.C. (Dec. 10, 2013) – Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. was named “Fleet of the Year” by FleetOwner magazine in the for-hire category.
The magazine selected Old Dominion for the award based on a number of factors, including the company’s continued commitment to using technology to streamline the supply chain process and its strong financial performance in recent years.
Editors noted Old Dominion’s aerodynamic treatments of its fleet, onboard telematics, sustainable facilities and impressive financial results in recent years as chief factors for recognizing the company this year.
“We’re honored with this achievement, which reaffirms Old Dominion’s commitment to maintaining a safe, efficient and sustainable fleet,” said David Congdon, president and CEO of Old Dominion. “We will continue to provide a premium service to all our customers, so they can keep promises to their customers as well.”
Editors maintain its awards are not linked to any industry association or influenced by any outside group, nor are nominations sought for the award. Rather, candidates are identified and researched over the course of a year and selected after a thorough interview process.
“FleetOwner honors its ‘Fleet of the Year’ awardees specifically for how their equipment/maintenance executives concretely apply innovative thinking to substantially enhance key aspects of their trucking operations,” said David Cullen, executive editor of FleetOwner. “Old Dominion Freight Line stands out in this regard. Clearly, it’s been guided forward by leaders with minds open wide to new approaches and the ability to put squarely into practice solutions that truly smart thinking reveals.”
More information about the award can be found in the magazine’s December issue or online at www.fleetowner.com. For more information about Old Dominion, visit www.odfl.com or call (800) 432-6335.
About Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODFL) is a leading, less-than-truckload (“LTL”), company providing regional, inter-regional and national LTL service. In addition to its core LTL services, the Company offers its customers a broad range of logistics services including ground and air expedited transportation, supply chain consulting, transportation management, truckload brokerage, container delivery and warehousing. In addition, Old Dominion offers a consumer product for household moving: OD Household Services. Through strategic partnerships, the Company also offers international freight forwarding services throughout the world. OD consistently has one of the lowest claims ratio and best time on-time records in the industry. For more than 79 years, Old Dominion has been helping the world keep promises.
In 2013, Old Dominion was recognized with the following acknowledgements for company leadership in the industry:
· Mastio & Company ranked Old Dominion as No. 1 National LTL carrier for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
· Forbes Magazine named Old Dominion as one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies.
· NASSTRAC honored the company as 2013 Carrier of the Year.
· CIO magazine recognized Old Dominion for IT Excellence with the CIO 100 Award for the fifth consecutive year.
· Inbound Logistics named the company to its 75 Green Supply Chain Partners (G75) List.
· For the fourth consecutive year, Logistics Management honored OD with the Quest for Quality Award.
· Fortune Magazine named OD as one of the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Companies.
· Inbound Logistics magazine recognized Old Dominion as a 2013 Top 100 Trucker.
The magazine selected Old Dominion for the award based on a number of factors, including the company’s continued commitment to using technology to streamline the supply chain process and its strong financial performance in recent years.
Editors noted Old Dominion’s aerodynamic treatments of its fleet, onboard telematics, sustainable facilities and impressive financial results in recent years as chief factors for recognizing the company this year.
“We’re honored with this achievement, which reaffirms Old Dominion’s commitment to maintaining a safe, efficient and sustainable fleet,” said David Congdon, president and CEO of Old Dominion. “We will continue to provide a premium service to all our customers, so they can keep promises to their customers as well.”
Editors maintain its awards are not linked to any industry association or influenced by any outside group, nor are nominations sought for the award. Rather, candidates are identified and researched over the course of a year and selected after a thorough interview process.
“FleetOwner honors its ‘Fleet of the Year’ awardees specifically for how their equipment/maintenance executives concretely apply innovative thinking to substantially enhance key aspects of their trucking operations,” said David Cullen, executive editor of FleetOwner. “Old Dominion Freight Line stands out in this regard. Clearly, it’s been guided forward by leaders with minds open wide to new approaches and the ability to put squarely into practice solutions that truly smart thinking reveals.”
More information about the award can be found in the magazine’s December issue or online at www.fleetowner.com. For more information about Old Dominion, visit www.odfl.com or call (800) 432-6335.
About Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODFL) is a leading, less-than-truckload (“LTL”), company providing regional, inter-regional and national LTL service. In addition to its core LTL services, the Company offers its customers a broad range of logistics services including ground and air expedited transportation, supply chain consulting, transportation management, truckload brokerage, container delivery and warehousing. In addition, Old Dominion offers a consumer product for household moving: OD Household Services. Through strategic partnerships, the Company also offers international freight forwarding services throughout the world. OD consistently has one of the lowest claims ratio and best time on-time records in the industry. For more than 79 years, Old Dominion has been helping the world keep promises.
In 2013, Old Dominion was recognized with the following acknowledgements for company leadership in the industry:
· Mastio & Company ranked Old Dominion as No. 1 National LTL carrier for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
· Forbes Magazine named Old Dominion as one of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies.
· NASSTRAC honored the company as 2013 Carrier of the Year.
· CIO magazine recognized Old Dominion for IT Excellence with the CIO 100 Award for the fifth consecutive year.
· Inbound Logistics named the company to its 75 Green Supply Chain Partners (G75) List.
· For the fourth consecutive year, Logistics Management honored OD with the Quest for Quality Award.
· Fortune Magazine named OD as one of the Top 100 Fastest-Growing Companies.
· Inbound Logistics magazine recognized Old Dominion as a 2013 Top 100 Trucker.
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