When fleet operators choose vehicles for their fleet use, several factors influence the decision.  Among the most important attributes fleet managers look for is long-term reliability, ensuring that vehicles will not have to be replaced until absolutely necessary.  But when is it time to upgrade or replace your fleet vehicles?  With changing automotive technologies and workloads, knowing when your fleet may need refreshing can be difficult.  Consider the following guidelines to see if your fleet could use a change.

1. Keep current.

If your fleet is still stocked with a number of older model years, you may be missing out on features that not only make your work easier, but can also increase safety.  Newer vehicles have better environmental standards and utilize new technologies to assist your drivers in the course of their daily work.  For example, voice-activated GPS and telephone features in newer cars put your drivers at less risk for distracted driving, keeping them safe.

2. Keep an eye on costs.

Holding on to a vehicle may make sense to avoid the price of purchasing a new vehicle, but older vehicles can come with a whole set of other costs.  Wear and tear makes maintenance a much more frequent and costly operation, and the lower fuel efficiency that comes with an aging vehicle costs you more money on fuel. When repair bills start piling up, it may be time to reconsider purchasing a new vehicle.

3. Invest in Efficiency.

Newer vehicles are more fuel-efficient, from new gasoline engines to hybrid vehicles and alternative fuel technologies. It may cost you more in the short term to purchase a hybrid vehicle for deliveries around town, but the fuel savings will help to pay for the cost of that vehicle within just a few years.

4. Use Vehicles that Work for You.

Invest in fleet vehicles that work best for your business, even if they cost a little more. If you are making daily deliveries but purchase vehicles with low capacity due to cost, you may find yourself making two or three times as many trips per day, spending far more than the price difference in fuel costs alone.

5. Wait Until You’re Sure.

While it is important to reinvest in your fleet from time to time, you should make sure that you really need new vehicles before purchasing or trading in.  Making changes too early and too often will put a strain on your company’s bottom line faster than any inefficiencies or repair costs.

Keeping your fleet current, well-maintained and running smoothly will keep your company working well into the future.  Make sure that your fleet stays on the right track with good buying habits.  And, as always, don’t forget good fuel management!

Photo courtesy of Jeff Weese and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

In a consumer advisory launched June 2, the U.S. Department of Transportation urged all motorists to inspect their tires for proper inflation and signs of tread wear and damage before driving in hot weather.

The consumer advisory coincides with National Tire Safety Week, June 5-11, and comes at a time when driving increases with the kick-off of the summer travel season.

"As the weather warms up, it's especially important for drivers to ensure their tires are properly inflated," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. "For your safety and the safety of others on the road, inspect your tires regularly and maintain the proper inflation."

The latest data from the DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that over the five-year period from 2005 to 2009, nearly 3,400 people died, and an estimated 116,000 were injured in tire-related crashes.

While it's true improperly maintained tires can contribute to a crash at any time of year, it is particularly critical for motorists to check tires during hot weather, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland warned. "Underinflated tires spinning on hot asphalt for extended periods of time can be a recipe for disaster."

The DOT urges motorists to check their tire pressure before long trips and to inspect tires periodically. Motorists should also be aware that aging tires and hot weather can be a potentially deadly combination, as older tires are more susceptible to heat stress, especially if they are not properly inflated. Motorists should check the tire sidewall to see how old their tires are, and check with the tire manufacturer or the vehicle owner's manual for recommendations on how often to change tires.

Properly inflated tires will also improve a vehicle's fuel. According to the Department of Energy's fueleconomy.gov Web site, under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 PSI (pound per square inch) drop in pressure of all four tires.

For example, for a vehicle with a fuel-economy rating of 30 miles per gallon and a 35 PSI tire pressure recommendation, a drop of 25 percent in tire pressure would equate to a loss of 8.8 percent in fuel economy, or a drop of 2.6 miles per gallon.

[via Automotive Fleet]

Photo courtesy of Sean MacEntee and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

Summer is here, and that means that your drivers will find themselves working in hotter conditions. Exposure to extreme summer temperatures can cause major health issues, including heat stroke. If any of your vehicles have broken air conditioners, your drivers are at an increased risk. So here are some tips to keep cool without AC, courtesy of WikiHow.

       Plan your travel times. Early morning is often the coolest time of the day, and if you are not on a fixed schedule, to work, for instance, you can plan on doing as much driving as possible before the heat is unbearable. 
 
       Work with the traffic flow. Avoid "rush hours", when people are on their way to work, or home afterward. This event may cause you to be stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic hardly moving along at all.

      Look for shady routes to your frequent destinations. If you drive in a north or south direction, tree-lined streets and roadways are often shady for much of the day.
 
       Roll down the windows. If you have a fan operated fresh air vent, open it, turn on the fan, and open a rear window enough to draw a draft through your automobile. A sun roof or sliding back window will draw a lot of fresh air, even when you are barely moving.

       Install reflective window tinting on the windshield and windows. This can offer a substantial reduction in direct sunlight coming into your car. (Note: check with your state to ensure this is legal. Some states do not allow this practice.)

      Put a fan on the dashboard or hang it from the visor. There are a number of inexpensive 12-volt fans available at auto parts stores and retailers that plug into a cigarette lighter plug to move air.

      Dress down. If you have a long commute to work or school, you may be able to drive in short pants and a tee shirt, then change in a restroom or locker room at work, leaving you cleaner and cooler for the day ahead.
 
      A 10lb block of ice on the floorboards under a vent will help cool things down. This was “Arizona AC” in the 40's and 50's.The ice block can rest in a plastic pan or baking tin. Opening a window a little will help with airflow.

      Take a cooler. Pack a cooler with enough ice to keep your drinks cold. For the extreme, drink the melted ice water!

      Bring a cold pack. The night before work, put a cold pack in the freezer. Before you leave the next morning, take it out and wrap it in a towel. It will last a while.

Use these helpful tips to keep your drivers cool, comfortable, and safe in the months ahead.

[via WikiHow]

Photo courtesy of shellorz and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

We trust our employees. We really do. But things happen. Maybe your driver wants a soft drink. Or maybe he’s looking for a little snack.

For our last post, the 5th sign that you are possibly missing your business’ fuel dollars: paying for more than just business fuel.

Misuse #5: Non Fuel Items showing up on receipts..

How we help identify these: A fleet card can provide specific purchasing details, including the fuel grade, fuel grade cost, total gallons, and total dollars spent. Any other items purchased will show as NON-FUEL items with the total dollars spent.

So what do you do? If you allow your drivers to by items while out, great. However, if you would like to limit your fuel dollars to fuel purchases only, make sure you have set up your fleet cards to only be used for fuel. You can even restrict purchasing fuel to paying at the pump.

This concludes our series 5 Signs That You Are Possibly Misusing Your Business’ Fueling Dollars. If you missed any of the signs, click below for the article.

Misuse #1: I Told You Not To Fuel There!

Misuse #2: I Am Begging You, Please Enter Your Odometer Reading Correctly!

Misuse #3: Purchasing Gas More Than Once A Day?

Misuse #4: Need To Know When My Vehicles Are Caput!

Photo courtesy of Blog's your uncle and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

You’re vehicles are always on the road. And while your employees are driving them everyday, they might not think to tell you about the thump, clank or grinding sound that started the other.

The 4th sign that you are possibly misusing your business’ fuel dollars: overlooking regular vehicle maintenance

Misuse #4 Poor Miles per Gallon.

How we help identify these: With the correct reporting in place and when accurate odometer information is entered at the point of purchasing fuel, fleet cards can track vehicle performance by Miles Per Gallon (MPG)  and Cost Per Gallon (CPG).  If there is a spike or a drop in these numbers, it is a key indicator that the vehicle may be in disrepair or possible misuse has occurred.

So what do you do? Check your fleet card reports. By logging into your online account management tool, you can see the miles driven on every vehicle and work with your team to put a maintenance plan in place. It is expensive to change oil in all of your vehicles, but it’s much more expensive to have a vehicle break down on the side of the road.

Photo courtesy of auto-facts.org and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

It’s Not Personal. It’s Just Business. For purchasing business fuel that is.

The 3rd sign that you are possibly misusing your business’ fuel dollars: drivers filling up a few times a day.

#3 Multiple purchases made in one day.

How you can identify these: Any purchases made with a fleet card set up with the proper customization can generate real-time purchasing authorizations and declines. A fleet manager can use this data to monitor and limit the number of transactions allowed by card and/or by driver per day. Any attempts above the limits can be set to “DECLINE” or “ALLOW & REPORT” to help prevent the misuse of company resources.

So what do you do? Review the settings on your fleet cards. Fleet cards can provide a number of settings, allowing fleet managers to customize the cards for best use. Once you know your fleet cards are set appropriately, you can manage your fuel spend more efficiently.

Photo courtesy of WriteOnNewJersey.com and re-used under the Creative Commons license.

Everyone is watching gas prices. One day they are up; the next they are down. We all read the news stories and hear the stories about what is going on in the world: economy, war, natural disasters. Each event has its own affect on the price of fuel.

In our continued effort to keep you up to date on information that will help you run your business smoothly, FleetCards USA has put together a timeline comparing gas prices and world events. Going back 35 years, here is interesting look at how everyday events have a hand in what we pay at the pump.

You think it’s simple. Your driver swipes your fleet card at the pump, he selects the grade of fuel and he enters the odometer. He should be set to fuel. And in most cases he is.

Your 2nd sign that you are possibly misusing your business’ fuel dollars: improperly tracking and monitoring business fuel transactions.

#2 Odometer information entered incorrectly.
How wyou can identify this: Depending on the product, fleet cards can help you track odometer entries and compare to previous transactions.  Based on the data collected, if the odometer does not fit the established mileage averages, there may be a problem.
So what do you do? Talk to the drivers. While entering vehicles odometer readings may take extra time, it will safe the company money in the long run.

Welcome to our small series: 5 Signs That You Are Possibly Misusing Your Business’ Fueling Dollars.

Today's topic: I Told You Not To Fuel There!

You trust your drivers. You know they are purchasing fuel only for business vehicles and they are back out on the street as soon as they are done filling up. But what happens when something just doesn’t add up?

Your first sign that you are possibly misusing your business’ fuel dollars: finding out when purchases are made at unauthorized locations.

#1 Purchase made outside of normal fuel locations or outside of assigned route.

How you can identify this: Any purchases made with our product will generate real time authorizations and declines that list the station address.

With the proper fleet card, purchase information may be available as soon as the employee makes the purchase. Depending on the card, you can review transaction information via your online account management system within 24 to 72 hours for pay at the pump transactions.

So what do you do? If you don’t have a fleet fuel card, you should think about getting one. You can customize your cards to be used at specific locations and even limit what can be purchased with the cards.

Over the last few weeks, the FleetCards USA TrendWatch council has been keeping a close eye on the rising price of fuel. More expensive fuel has hampered the efforts of small businesses to recover from the recent recession and put a strain on budgets nationwide. Luckily, diesel and oil prices have slackened just in time for the Memorial Day weekend, giving businesses reason for cautious optimism.

On-highway diesel prices fell 6.4 cents nationally this week, according to the United States Department of Energy. This brings the national average price just below $4 once again.  On the Gulf Coast, prices stood at $3.935, with California still leading the nation at $4.287.

This drop in prices comes from a sharp dip in oil prices early in May, which brought the market price to under $100 per barrel. Prices have continued to drop for June delivery due to strengthening of the U.S. dollar amid concerns over European sovereign debt. Prices at the pump should continue to dip over the next few weeks, but there is no certainty that these lower prices will last in the long term.

The volatility of the oil market and uncertainty of fuel prices is a fact of life in the business world. Good fuel management is a helpful tool to mitigate these ups and downs, but there are plenty of other ways that some companies have coped with higher prices.  What is your business doing to protect your budget during uncertain times?

Photo courtesy of Brian Cantoni and re-used under the Creative Commons license.