ARI Acquires Fleet Management Business From FleetLevel+

MT. LAUREL, NJ (July 8, 2013): ARI^®, a leading global fleet services provider specializing in complex car and truck fleets, is pleased to announce that it has acquired the fleet management segment of Fleetlevel+ Services GmbH’s business holdings. The transaction is expected to close in August. The new company, which will be known as ARI Fleet Germany, supports ARI’s continued development of a strong, strategic global footprint and will provide the company’s clients with enhanced fleet management services and solutions in both the German market and in continental Europe.

“The acquisition of Fleetlevel+’s fleet management business supports ARI’s on-going focus on developing a strong global platform to better serve the needs of our customers who are growing globally as well,” said ARI President Carl A. Ortell. “The opportunity to expand into the German market and operate on the Continent will further enhance ARI’s ability to deliver innovative, top-level fleet management services in the markets and the regions that best complement our customers’ needs.”

“This is a natural next step for ARI,” said the company’s Managing Director of Global Operations, Chris Conroy. “We have been providing fleet management solutions in the UK since December 2011, with foundational values of transparency, partnership, and innovation. We hope to leverage this new opportunity in Germany to provide services to both our existing multi-national customers and those with regional requirements in Europe. All of this will be supported by ARI’s continued investment in people, processes, and technology.”  

The Stuttgart-based company offers a comprehensive range of fleet management services and will be supported by ARI’s global network of industry professionals, the company’s pioneering suite of fleet management solutions and its unmatched investment in technology and innovation. 

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, programs, and technology. With a workforce numbering more than 2,400 and offices throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Europe and the UK, ARI manages more than 952,000 fleet vehicles in North America and the UK, and combined with its strategic partners, more than 2 million fleet vehicles globally. A leader in the 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.

NAFA Offers CAFM “Boot Camps” In Tucson And Vancouver

(PRINCETON, NJ – July 3, 2013)  -- Throughout the fleet management industry, NAFA’s CAFM program is recognized as the industry standard.  The certification symbolizes that the fleet manager is an expert in his or her field, the way a CPA is recognized in the accounting field.  To earn the status of Certified Automotive Fleet Manager (CAFM), fleet professionals must demonstrate their expertise by passing a series of comprehensive examinations that cover eight disciplines of automotive fleet management.  It’s not an easy certification to earn, but NAFA’s CAFM Boot Camps can help.

This fall -- for the first time ever -- NAFA will be holding Boot Camps in both America and Canada. 

• September 17-19, 2013     -- Westin Wall Centre Vancouver Airport, Vancouver, Canada
• October 25-27, 2013          -- Loews Ventana Canyon, Tucson, Arizona

“Boot Camps are intense forums where certification students can get face-to-face instruction on some of the more difficult concepts in the course materials,” said NAFA’s Executive Director, Phillip E. Russo, CAE.  “The Boot Camp is geared towards helping students prepare for their exams, while simultaneously helping them to become well-rounded and highly knowledgeable fleet professionals.”

Students already enrolled in the certification program can pay an extra fee to test the day before, get their results, and test the day after the Boot Camp; however, attendees do not need to be enrolled in the CAFM program to benefit from the Boot Camp.  Each Boot Camp helps fleet professionals develop the basic understanding of successful fleet management – principles that will be invaluable for them throughout their career.  The Boot Camps are also an excellent way for fleet professionals to get a glimpse inside the CAFM program to see if it’s something they wish to pursue.

Subjects covered in the CAFM program include Fleet Information Management, Maintenance Management, Professional Development, Vehicle Fuel Management, Asset Management, Business Management, Financial Management, and Risk Management.  In addition to the CAFM program, NAFA offers the CAFS certification, which gives candidates the option of selecting one of three discipline sets based on their education or employment needs.

“Learning about all aspects of fleet, even those that I don’t touch in my day-to-day job, has given me the essentials needed to work in fleet just about anywhere, which is a great asset,” said a recent CAFM graduate.

For more information, please visit http://www.nafa.org/bootcamp (for the U.S. Boot Camp) and http://nafa.org/canadianbootcamp (for the Canadian Boot Camp).

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 visit http://www.nafa.org

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Nation’s Tollroads Show Small Uptick (.02%) In 2013 Memorial Day Traffic, Compared to 2012

WASHINGTON, DC – Ahead of this week’s busy July 4^th holiday travel season, the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), the worldwide association representing toll facility owners and operators and the businesses that serve them, released results of a comparative, national sample of Memorial Day holiday traffic on a dozen tollroads across the country showing a slight average increase of .02% in 2013 traffic, compared to last year. 

The new data released today from IBTTA comes before this week’s busy 4^th of July travel weekend where AAA has predicted 40.8 million Americans are expected to travel.  Of those 40.8 million traveling this holiday week, 84% - or over 34.4 million - of those are expected to take to America’s highways for a journey of at least 50 miles or more from their home. 

“When it comes to safe, reliable holiday travel on America’s highways, bridges and tunnels, consumers continue to see the benefit of choosing to drive on the over 5,000 miles of tolled roads throughout 35 U.S. states and territories,” said Patrick D. Jones, Executive Director and CEO of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association. “Today, most toll roads, bridges and tunnels collect tolls electronically, keeping the flow of traffic moving forward by easing congestion and getting Americans this 4^th of July holiday weekend to their barbeques, baseball tournaments and fireworks displays even faster – and safer.”

The data released today comparing Memorial Day traffic on toll roads this past holiday, compared to 2012, is drawn from IBTTA’s members and include a diverse group of agencies throughout the country.  A sampling of the agencies included are:
·      Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel District, Cape Charles, VA
·      Illinois Tollway, Downers Grove, IL
·      E-470 Public Highway Authority, Aurora, CO
·      Lee County Toll Facilities, Fort Myers, FL

In addition to releasing today’s data, IBTTA also has distributed an online, Independence Day travel safety video.  In the video, IBTTA’s Executive Director and CEO, Patrick D. Jones, asks motorists to adhere to three points of advice:  1) “Be Safe in Your Own Vehicle” by making sure your vehicle is well-fueled, your tires are well-inflated and mirrors properly adjusted; 2) “Watch Out for the Other Guy” by driving defensively; 3) “Choose the Safest Possible Facilities” by driving on America’s toll roads, some of the safest road facilities throughout the world. 

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About IBTTA
The International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) is the worldwide association for the owners and operators of toll facilities and the businesses that serve tolling. Founded in 1932, IBTTA has members in more than 20 countries and on six continents. Through advocacy, thought leadership and education, members are implementing state-of-the-art, innovative user-based transportation financing solutions to address the critical infrastructure challenges of the 21st century. For more information, visit www.ibtta.org or join us on Twitter @IBTTA or #TollRoads.

Nation's Road Conditions Show Slight Improvement; North Dakota, Kansas and Wyoming Have the Best, Most Cost-Effective Highway Systems

Los Angeles (July 2, 2013) - As Americans hit the road for the Fourth of July holiday, they'll be driving on slightly smoother roads, crossing fewer deficient bridges and spending less time stuck in traffic jams according to Reason Foundation's Annual Highway Report.

Reason Foundation's Annual Highway Report measures the condition and cost-effectiveness of state-owned roads in 11 categories, including pavement condition on urban and rural Interstates, urban traffic congestion, deficient bridges, unsafe narrow lanes, traffic fatalities, total spending per mile of state roads and administrative costs per mile. The study's rankings are based on data that states reported to the federal government for 2009, the most recent year with full spending statistics available.

Nationwide there was small progress in every category except for pavement condition on rural arterial roads. These improvements were achieved at a time when per-mile expenditures dropped slightly. Despite receiving stimulus funding from the federal government in 2009, spending on state roads decreased slightly, by 0.6%, in 2009 compared to 2008.

"It's hard to believe it when you hit a pothole or see a bridge in Washington collapse, but the nation's roads are getting better," said David Hartgen, author of the study and emeritus transportation professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. "There are still several states struggling and plenty of problem areas. But you make the case that overall America's roads and bridges have never been in better shape."

Among the states plagued with problems are New Jersey and California. New Jersey spends $1.2 million per mile on its state-controlled roads. That's nearly twice as much as the $679,000 per mile that the next biggest spending state-California-spends. North Carolina, home to the nation's largest state highway system, spends $44,000 per mile on its roads. South Carolina spends just $31,000, the lowest per mile rate in the nation, according to a Reason Foundation study of all 50 state-controlled road systems.

Drivers in California and New Jersey may be wondering what they are getting in return for that money. More than 16 percent of urban Interstate pavement in each of those states is in poor condition. Only Hawaii ranks worse, with 27 percent of its urban Interstate pavement rated as poor.

Not only are California's Interstates full of potholes, they are also jammed-80 percent of the state's urban Interstates are congested. Minnesota has the next highest percentage of gridlocked Interstates, with 78 percent of urban Interstates deemed congested.

In terms of overall road conditions and cost-effectiveness, North Dakota has the country's top ranked state-controlled road system, followed by Kansas (2^nd), Wyoming (3^rd), New Mexico (4^th) and Montana (5^th), according to Reason Foundation's Annual Highway Report.

Alaska's state-controlled road system is the lowest quality and least cost-effective in the nation. Rhode Island (49^th), Hawaii (48^th), California (47^th), New Jersey (46^th) and New York (45^th) also perform poorly.

Vermont's roads showed the most improvement in the nation, improving from 42^nd in the previous report to 28^th in the new overall rankings. New Hampshire (27^th) and Washington (24^th) both improved nine spots in the rankings.

Minnesota system plummeted 17 spots in the rankings, from 25^th to 42^nd and Delaware dropped nine spots to 20^th.

Massachusetts had the lowest traffic fatality rate, while Montana had the highest.

Reason Foundation's Annual Highway Report
Overall Performance and Cost Effective Rankings

1. North Dakota
2. Kansas
3. Wyoming
4. New Mexico
5. Montana
6. Nebraska
7. South Carolina
8. Missouri
9. South Dakota
10. Mississippi
11. Texas
12. Georgia
13. Oregon
14. Kentucky
15. Virginia
16. Nevada
17. Idaho
18. New Hampshire
19. North Carolina
20. Delaware
21. Tennessee
22. Indiana
23. Arizona
24. Washington
25. Ohio
26. Utah
27. Alabama
28. Vermont
29. Maine
30. Michigan
31. Wisconsin
32. West Virginia
33. Iowa
34. Illinois
35. Louisiana
36. Arkansas
37. Florida
38. Oklahoma
39. Pennsylvania
40. Maryland
41. Colorado
42. Minnesota
43. Massachusetts
44. Connecticut
45. New York
46. New Jersey
47. California
48. Hawaii
49. Rhode Island
50. Alaska

Reason Foundation's Annual Highway Report is online here and here (.pdf). For data from previous years, please see Reason's report examining 20 years of U.S. highway data and trends.

About Reason Foundation

Reason Foundation is a nonprofit think tank dedicated to advancing free minds and free markets. Reason Foundation produces respected public policy research on a variety of issues and publishes the critically acclaimed Reason magazine and its website www.reason.com. For more information please visit www.reason.org.