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FLEETMAGAZINE
VOL. 12, NO. 3 ● MAY/JUNE 2019
CORPORATEGOVERNMENT
LAW ENFORCEMENTUNIVERSITY
UTILITY
What’s In
Page 9
A FLEET SUPERVISOR
TAKES ON INVADING PLANTS
SIX STEPS FOR PULLING
DRIVER PRIVILEGES
Page 8
NEW NAFA OFFICERS
AND BOARDPage 30
Solutions
Page 13
NAFA’S 36th PRESIDENTPATTI M. EARLEY, CAFM®
SHAPING A NEW FUTURE FOR NAFA MEMBERS
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FLEET CHALLENGES SOLVED
Driver Authentication and Access Control for Fleet Management
Managing dozens or hundreds of expensive mobile assets is a tough job. Fortunately, today’s fleet managers have plenty of software and hardware options to make it easier, from sophisticated in-vehicle telematics systems to back-end scheduling and logistics software.These tools help fleet managers control costs, reduce risks and improve driver accountability. All these benefits depend on the ability to correctly identify individual drivers or users and control who has access to vehicles, equipment or systems
The fleet management market encompasses not only commercial trucking fleets but also government and public utility fleets, municipal transportation systems, law enforcement fleets, car sharing, material handling equipment for warehouses, and specialty markets such as airport service vehicles.All these market segments can benefit from easy, effective user authentication and access control systems.
● User authentication is the ability to correctly identify an individual user and match their information to the vehicle, equipment or systems they are using.
● Access control is the ability to ensure that only authorized users can gain access to an asset or system. User authentication and access control solutions help fleet managers protect valuable physical assets, monitor driver safety and productivity, and streamline compliance activities. At their simplest, they ensure that the right driver is accessing the right vehicle or equipment. But they can also link driver identities to scheduling, time and attendance, behavioral management, and compliance systems.
BY DAVID KOMA
954544_ELATEC_Advertorial.indd 1 2019-03-12 10:43 AM
FLEET CHALLENGES SOLVED
Driver Authentication and Access Control for Fleet Management
Managing dozens or hundreds of expensive mobile assets is a tough job. Fortunately, today’s fleet managers have plenty of software and hardware options to make it easier, from sophisticated in-vehicle telematics systems to back-end scheduling and logistics software.These tools help fleet managers control costs, reduce risks and improve driver accountability. All these benefits depend on the ability to correctly identify individual drivers or users and control who has access to vehicles, equipment or systems
The fleet management market encompasses not only commercial trucking fleets but also government and public utility fleets, municipal transportation systems, law enforcement fleets, car sharing, material handling equipment for warehouses, and specialty markets such as airport service vehicles.All these market segments can benefit from easy, effective user authentication and access control systems.
● User authentication is the ability to correctly identify an individual user and match their information to the vehicle, equipment or systems they are using.
● Access control is the ability to ensure that only authorized users can gain access to an asset or system. User authentication and access control solutions help fleet managers protect valuable physical assets, monitor driver safety and productivity, and streamline compliance activities. At their simplest, they ensure that the right driver is accessing the right vehicle or equipment. But they can also link driver identities to scheduling, time and attendance, behavioral management, and compliance systems.
BY DAVID KOMA
954544_ELATEC_Advertorial.indd 1 2019-03-12 10:43 AM
Advertorial
SPONSORED BY
For many applications, the simplest solution for user authentication and access control starts with something most company employees already carry: an ID badge equipped with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. RFID systems are easier to manage and more secure than physical keys or password/PIN systems.
RFID APPLICATIONS IN FLEET MANAGEMENTRFID-enabled user authentication and access control systems can help fleet managers improve security and enable tracking for a broad range of devices and software systems. A few examples:● Vehicle/Equipment Access Control: RFID readers enable drivers to unlock a vehicle with their ID badge rather than a physical key. The ignition key can simply be stored in the glove compartment. This improves security and significantly reduces administrative time and headaches associated with physical key management. Doors can be set to unlock only for the driver assigned to the vehicle that day or to managers with override authorization. Have a last minute switch in drivers of vehicles due to a driver’s illness or a mechanical breakdown? No problem—access rights can be switched instantly from a central software system, with no need to track down drivers to swap physical keys. These systems are ideal for environments where vehicles or equipment are shared among many users, such as warehouses, airports or car share/bike share services.
● Telematics/Behavioral Tracking: In-vehicle telematics systems have transformed the fleet management industry over the last 20 years. Telematics systems allow fleet managers to track the movement of vehicles in real time using GPS. In addition to tracking, they may be used to enable remote vehicle diagnostics, fuel management and dynamic scheduling. When driver identities can be accurately confirmed and linked to the vehicle, they can also be used to monitor driver behaviors. Behavioral management systems linked to telematics data improve driver safety and accountability and allow companies to determine when additional training or disciplinary measures are needed. Alternatively, they can be used to incentivize positive behaviors.
● Compliance Management: Fleet managers must ensure that their companies follow federal and state regulations for commercial drivers. User authentication combined with telematics data can be used to monitor individual driver compliance with Hours of Service (HOS) rules and other regulations. Compliance systems can also ensure that drivers whose commercial licenses have expired or who have not completed required training are not able to access vehicles or equipment they are not currently authorized to operate.
● Time-and-Attendance/HR: User authentication systems can replace manual reporting of hours worked for payroll and attendance purposes; when the driver accesses the vehicle with his ID badge, he is also checked in to HR systems as present and on the job. Time-and attendance and telematics data linked to individual drivers can be used for productivity analysis and employee reviews and employee reviews.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT RFID SOLUTIONS FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT? To learn more visit elatec.com/fleetguide You’ll learn: ● How RFID systems work and the different types of RFID technologies ● The benefits of RFID, and why RFID works better for fleet management than
password/PIN or physical key systems ● Challenges that OEMs face when implementing RFID solutions for their systems ● How ELATEC helps OEMs access new markets, reduce total lifecycle costs,
and develop “future-proof” solutions that deliver real customer advantages
David Koma is responsible for ELATEC USA’s business development for industry solutions which include multiple vertical markets including fleet management. David and his team of account managers and applications specialists provide consultation and support fleet managers, OEMs and integrators.
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FLEETSolutionsVol. 12, No. 3 • May/June 2019
Shaping a New Future for NAFA MembersNAFA President Patti M. Earley, CAFM®, Fleet Fuel Specialist with Florida Power & Light, became NAFA’s 36th president in February, and she is excited about leading the association during this innovative time for fleet and mobility. By Donald Dunphy
Reflecting on Two Years of Change for NAFA MembersNAFA’s Immediate Past President Bryan Flansburg, CAFM, shares how he navigated the Association toward growth while addressing some of the fleet industry’s biggest changes, including the shift toward mobility management.By Bill Romba
Is It Really a Wrap? A Look at Vehicle Wraps for FleetsA seamless presentation of a company’s image is not easy. Partial wraps, full wraps, custom paint, and other treatments take time and careful consideration. The best solution is a perfect storm of unified mission, quality product, appropriately prepared vehicles, skilled installers, and attentive aftercare.By Fiona Soltes
The Changing Fuels MarketWhat do alternative fuel vehicles mean for fleets? Fleet managers must be aware of the pros and cons of cars and trucks that run on alternative, more renewable fuels such as electricity, propane, and hydrogen, as well as hybrid vehicles. By Bill Romba
10
Pro Tip Follow these steps to pull driving privileges.
What’s in My Fleet Milfoil harvesters collect aquatic plants in the Columbia River.
IN THE NEWS ...................................8
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Have You Maintained Your Preventive Maintenance Regimen? Preventive maintenance is hardly an exact science, but the impact on a fleet’s operation can be significant.By Sandy Smith
Preparing Fleets to Handle Special EventsManaging a fleet can include any number of special circumstances, events, and situations that require forethought, playing “what if,” and relying on lessons learned.By Fiona Soltes
>> bit.ly/NAFAFLEETSOLUTIONS
13
15
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Safety FirstRaymond P. Martinez, Administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA), is determined to champion safety for drivers and the public through education and
compliance enforcement.By Donald Dunphy
The contents of this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of NAFA. Opinions expressed in any article are those of the author or subject and not necessarily those of NAFA. NAFA assumes no liability for the accuracy, sufficiency or completeness of claims, statements, representations or opinions contained in any advertisement or article in this publication. Claims made in any advertisement in this publication do not constitute endorsement of the product or service by NAFA.
NAFA HEADQUARTERS STAFFPhillip E. Russo, CAE: Chief Executive OfficerBill Schankel, CAE: Chief of Staff and OperationsTina Lynn Mercardo, CEM: Director of Meetings and EventsKatherine Vigneau, CAFM®: Director of EducationPam Nobles, M.A.: Director of Learning and CommunitiesKen Hunter, APR: Director of Marketing and CommunicationsScot Blum: Senior Manager, Marketing and CommunicationsChristine Goyette: Senior Manager, Chapter and Community RelationsDonald W. Dunphy: Communications Manager/Editor Gena Galeros: Manager, Membership Recruitment and RetentionMaureen Smith: Membership Database and Membership Services CoordinatorDanielle Barrouk: Certification AssistantBill Romba: Marketing and Communications AssistantMallory Wymer: Education Assistant
NAFA EDITORIAL CONTENT COMMITTEEChair: Ted Roberts, Fleet Management Weekly Vice Chair (R): Sara Burnam, CAFM, Palm Beach County Fleet Management Vice Chair (A): Tod Trousdell, Roberts Trousdell Board Leader: Bob Mossing, STERIS Corp. Levi Clark, CAFM, Port of Seattle Ken Kadet, Booster Fuels Tyler P. Raugh, Booster Fuels
NAFA 125 Village Boulevard, Suite 200 Princeton, NJ 08540 (609) 720-0882 FAX: (609) 452-8004 www.nafa.org • [email protected]
Published by
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FLEETSolutions ©2019 (ISSN 1053-1203) is the official magazine of NAFA Fleet Management Association. Subscription rate is $85 U.S. and is included in membership dues. Subscriptions sent to Canada are $106 U.S. and $181 U.S. to other countries.
Postmaster: Send address changes to FLEETSolutions 125 Village Boulevard, Suite 200, Princeton, NJ 08540 USA
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PUBLISHED MAY 2019/NAF-S0319/7404
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What’s In
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS ........28
FLEETSolutions THE MAGAZINE FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT 7
THIS JUST IN ................................ 30
COVER: PATRICE KELLY PHOTOGRAPHY
8 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
Six Key StepsWhen You Are Required to Pull Driving Privileges
PULLING DRIVING PRIVILEGES FROM fleet drivers is not one of the more exciting duties of a fleet manager, but it is an absolute necessity at times. When drivers are not driving safely or have bad driving habits, it puts your employees, other drivers on the road, and your company or organization at extreme risk. When
evaluating if you should suspend driving privileges from a driver, it is important that you collaborate with other departments in your organization or institution such as Risk Management, Human Resources, and Legal.
Here are six steps to follow if you need to suspend a driver’s driving privileges:
Standard operating procedures (SOPs) MUST be in place, vetted, and approved by all departments of concern.
Next is educating and sharing the SOPs with all members that will be operating fleet vehicles, as well as with the supervisors responsible for those drivers.
Keep accurate records on drivers. Running motor vehicle record (MVR) checks before granting privileges and routinely once a year is important to determine your drivers’ driving habits. When driving complaints are received, document, document, document any information you have on the complaint, actions taken, and the driver’s response.
Have facts, not fiction or assumptions, about your driver and/or the situation. Depending on the situation, this is where telematics can be a huge assistance to management in unsafe driving situations. Depending on the telematics product your fleet uses, you can gather valuable information such as location, speed, and hard braking, just to name a few.
Notify the driver’s supervisor, or other responsible people, of the situation to make him or her aware. This allows proper oversight personnel to be made aware that there could be something more to the situation, such as other unsafe behaviors in other aspects of the drivers’ job.
Collaborate with Human Resources and the driver’s supervisor to determine if it is mandatory for the driver in question to drive, or if the driver can be reassigned to other duties to stay employed. Once any court cases or situations are investigated, such as in the case of an Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) charge, then the driver may potentially be reinstated.
These six steps can reduce the liability to both you and your organization, and collaborating with other departments through the process will provide you with support. Safe drivers hold the “keys” to your success.
FLEETSolutions welcomes your tips for improving fleet processes, solving problems, growing results, and promoting your role in your organization’s success. Submit your Pro Tips to [email protected].
KATHY WELLIK, CAFM
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IN THE NEWS
Online articles are available at:
>> bit.ly/NAFAFLEETSOLUTIONS
FLEETSolutions THE MAGAZINE FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT 9
“MILFOIL, AN AGGRESSIVE SPECIES of plant life, is so well-established in the Columbia River that eradication is not an option; there’s just too much of it,” according to NAFA Regular Member Lance J. Knudtson, CAFS®, fleet supervisor for Chelan County, Washington.
Since there’s no way to get rid of these aquatic plants permanently, the only viable solution left is constant weeding.
“Regular harvesting at public areas is undertaken by Chelan Public Utility District’s trained operators,” said Knudtson. “They utilize a milfoil harvester, a specialized underwater mowing machine specifically designed to cut and collect aquatic plants. Cut plants are immediately removed from the water via a conveyer belt and are stored on the machine until they can be off-loaded at an upland site, where they are desiccated and disposed of properly.
“Milfoil is harvested while traveling upstream to capture most of the fragments. If a clump breaks away, the operator of the harvester
Chelan County vs. the Invading Growth
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What’s In
must circle around and capture it,” Knudtson noted. “The weed is so virulent and adaptive that any fragments not captured will take root elsewhere and continue taking over.”
The consequence of not fighting back against the growth? Clotted waterways and flooding and the loss of indigenous plant life along the Columbia. ■
Have unique, odd, or unconventional equipment in your fleet? FLEETSolutions wants to share it with readers and colleagues. Submit your suggested unique fleet vehicles to [email protected].
10 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
Safety First“EVERYONE WANTS TO GET home
safely at the end of the day,” said
Raymond P. Martinez, Administrator of
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA). “And it’s my
job to help make sure that happens by
regulating and monitoring motor carriers
and enforcing rules related to their
operation.”
“It is also my job to make sure that
the few who have not fully [rallied] to
this cause are educated and guided to
safer practices or that further measures
are taken to mitigate their impacts,” he
added.
Martinez is quick to point out
that the agency, which is a separate
administration of the U.S. Department
of Transportation, would prefer to
intervene before the worst happens.
“Nothing would make me happier than
to not have to issue violations, [and]
that we would not have to penalize
noncompliance. FMCSA prefers to work
with our stakeholders, communicating
the risks of noncompliance and reaching
them before they get in trouble.
“Compliance, in large part, equals
safety.”
The AdministratorRaymond Martinez previously served
eight years as the New Jersey Motor
Vehicle Commission’s chairman and
chief administrator (2010-2018), where
he oversaw the agency’s 2,500 employees
and a $330 million annual operating
budget with more than $1 billion in
annual revenue.
Prior to this, Martinez was
commissioner of the New York State
Department of Motor Vehicles (2000-
2005) and served at the U.S. Department
of State. He is the sixth administrator of
FMCSA and was sworn into office by U.S.
Department of Transportation Secretary
Elaine L. Chao on February 28, 2018.
Martinez prioritized outreach as
FMCSA’s main motivator, saying, “Our
means is not to hit [noncompliant carriers]
so hard with the penalties stick that they
go out of business.” The agency regulates
the trucking industry in the United States;
its primary mission being the reduction of
crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving
large trucks and buses.
“Our goal, as it pertains to safety, is
always getting to zero. FMCSA is a part
of the National Safety Council’s Road to
Zero Coalition.”
Likewise, NAFA Fleet Management
Association is a partner in FMCSA’s “Our
Roads, Our Safety” effort (www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ourroads). The initiative seeks
to enlighten passenger vehicle and small-
and medium-duty truck drivers to the
unique challenges and potential dangers
in sharing roads with buses and large
trucks. “We reach out to entities that
are not in these two segments to share
information with their stakeholders. We
thank NAFA so much for joining with
us and other industry groups, safety
advocates, and like-minded organizations
in this effort.”
Changing minds and attitudes is not
an easy task. So many drivers haven’t
a clear idea of what it takes to drive a
large vehicle and, more importantly,
what it takes to stop one. “You have
vehicles that carry both mass and speed,
and when a passenger vehicle cuts in
front of a commercial vehicle, or it
stops inappropriately, it’s no longer an
argument about the truck driver wanting
to stop. It’s that they can’t.” Trucks that
can weigh more than 40 tons traveling
65 mph will take up to two football fields
(approximately 720 feet) to stop. Factor in
a commercial vehicle’s need to make wide
turns and deal with large blind spots,
and the need for greater understanding
is clear.
Modern Commerce and ExpectationsThe number of commercial vehicles on
roadways and their vehicle-miles-traveled
are in direct relation to the health of the
economy. “As the economy gets stronger
and grows, the number of delivery vehicles
will rise,” Martinez said. “Much of this is
due to the rise of e-commerce, but also
when individuals have more money at their
disposal, they will spend it. This leads to an
increase in buses on the roadways as well,
particularly in coastal and urban areas.”
With more and larger vehicles
occupying the roads, said Martinez, so too
would there be a rise in crashes, injuries,
and fatalities. “The ‘right now’ economy
has created a mindset where consumers
who buy something online in the morning
expect it delivered that same afternoon.
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
FMCSA’s Raymond P. Martinez Looks to Champion Safety for Drivers and the PublicBy Donald Dunphy
Raymond P. Martinez
FLEETSolutions THE MAGAZINE FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT 11
Until you have drones delivering parcels,
trucks will be the dominant component
in the process.
“We’re seeing to it that the industry
holds itself to the highest standards
before FMCSA needs to intervene with
violations,” he said. “We expect that
they will conduct business beyond mere
compliance.”
Hours of Service and ELDsFMCSA is taking the lead on several
key issues, each presenting relevance to
the next. For example, in late February,
the agency announced it is planning to
propose a rule to overhaul hours of service
regulations. It has been receiving data
from motor carriers through the Electronic
Logging Device (ELD) mandate that
highlights areas in the current existing
hours-of-service regulations that may need
to adjust or improve.
FMCSA received more than 5,000
specific comments for the Advance Notice
of Proposed Rule-Making issued August
2018. Through this, the agency indicates
that greater flexibility for splitting on- and
off-duty time into segments is likely to be
included in the proposal.
“We believe ELDs will, over time, prove
to be a tremendous benefit to safety in that
it will keep [time-logging] on-track and
honest, and hopefully make the process
a lot easier,” Martinez said. “The data we
now have suggests we need more flexibility,
not necessarily because carriers want to
drive 24 hours straight per day. If a carrier
is traveling through a wide open region
with greater distances to cover or in areas
like the East or West Coast where travel
time is diminished through congestion, you
understand that need for flexibility.”
Autonomous Vehicles and Places to Park
“Smarter, technology-assisted
vehicles, be they semi- or fully automated,
will bring crash-avoidance systems
about to ensure that drivers are fully
engaged when they’re behind the wheel,”
Martinez said. “Braking systems and
other aspects of technology-driven safety
equipment are not only in development for
continued on page 27
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COMMITTEE
12 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
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FLEETSolutions THE MAGAZINE FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT 13
Shaping a New Future for NAFA MembersNAFA’s 36th President Patti M. Earley, CAFM®By Donald Dunphy
PROFILE
“I THINK THIS AN amazing time in the
fleet industry,” said Patti M. Earley, CAFM,
Fleet Fuel Specialist with Florida Power &
Light. She took the reins as NAFA’s 36th
president in February, and with this took
on oversight of a time of unprecedented
change for fleet and mobility.
“There are so many innovations on
the horizon, from advanced collision
avoidance technology to fully autonomous
vehicles and ride-sharing,” Earley added.
“NAFA leadership is always looking down
the road to keep a pulse on industry
trends and technology changes. While
many fleet managers may not currently
see the impacts the mobility revolution
will have, the fleet industry will see major
changes in the years to come and fleet
managers need to be on the forefront of
those changes. NAFA will strive to provide
the educational opportunities needed to
stay informed.”
Earley will lead a Board of Directors
with a long agenda for 2019 and beyond,
touching on actions and efforts within
the industry and within NAFA itself,
including a wide-spanning shift from the
long-established committee structure
to a more inclusive and interactive
communities format. As a devoted NAFA
member and leader on the national
level, she is well-suited to face these
challenges.
A frequent instructor for
NAFA’s seminars and Institute &
Expo (I&E), Earley is an Excellence
in Education Award winner (2011)
and sees from personal experience
that education is the entryway to
a fulfilled career in fleet. “One
of the first things I did when I
joined NAFA was to enroll in
the CAFM program,” she said.
“I had been in fleet for over
15 years at that time and
was amazed by how much I
learned. Going through the
program at a time when there
weren’t a lot of graduates
gave me the opportunity
to get involved in the NAFA
education programs on
the national level. During
my career, I have been a
university, state, and now
a corporate utility f leet
manager. What I learned in
the program applies across
all industries.
“NAFA offers the best
educational opportunities
in the fleet industry,” she
added, citing Monster.com’s
recent naming of the CAFM
program as one of the top 10
certifications to increase salary.
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14 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
PROFILE“Being recognized by Monster really highlights the value of the
program in the industry and the marketplace. Additionally, NAFA
offers ongoing educational value beyond the certification program
to members with all experience levels in the fleet industry. The
industry is changing so quickly, continuing education is critical
for fleet managers to be able to keep pace.”
While education will be a leading driver for the Association,
Earley sees its advocacy as equally important, especially in the
area of collected vehicle data — who has access to it and who
claims ownership of it. “Fleet managers have huge amounts
of data at their fingertips and need to be able to dissect and
analyze it,” she said, recognizing the fight ahead between fleet
organizations and the OEMs and the role regulatory bodies will
play in decision-making.
“NAFA’s lobbying efforts provide fleet managers a voice in
Washington, D.C.,” Earley said. “Some of our legislative efforts
include cybersecurity, access to onboard diagnostics and data,
and fleet’s place among the internet of things, but also alternative
fuels, advanced technology vehicles, distracted driving, highway
infrastructure, and more. NAFA members can easily keep up
with potential regulations and legislation affecting our industry
through NAFA’s Legislative Update. And most certainly, we
will continue our work on Capitol Hill through our Government
Affairs Committee.”
A true believer in the transformative power of sustainable
practices, Earley envisions NAFA’s continued efforts in this field,
also wielding the considerable influence that NAFA’s legislative
counsel affords. “Organizations have sustainability goals and
need information on vehicles and alternative fuels to be able to
meet those goals,” Earley said. She stated that NAFA is in the
best position to provide information and direction for those goals,
and the organization’s muscle on Capitol Hill will continue to be
a value for membership.
As stated earlier, NAFA launched its Communities initiative
at I&E in April. “I think the Communities approach is going to
get more members engaged and bring us more input from all
industry sectors,” Earley said. “Additionally, for the first time,
we offered educational sessions at I&E geared specifically to
our Associate members. Our Associates are a vital part of our
organization, and I’m excited to have NAFA offering training for
their needs. I want to ensure that the voices of all members and
industry segments are heard so we can focus on the areas that our
members deem most important. I believe our new Communities
initiative will help facilitate this.”
Further, NAFA’s communities will take advantage of one of
the Association’s most valuable assets: its position as one of the
best networking venues for fleet professionals. “The networking I
have done [through NAFA] with other industry professionals has
been invaluable. No matter what fleet issues you may be dealing
with, someone else is dealing with the same thing,” Earley said.
“In my experience, fleet is like a big family, and NAFA members
will go out of their way to assist their peers.”
One major aspect of Earley’s presidential platform will be
creating greater awareness of what the Association does for
members. “I believe there are a lot of fleet professionals who aren’t
aware of the benefits they receive from NAFA. Communicating
that value is essential to growing the organization.” To that
end, Earley expects to initiate campaigns that better illustrate
what members are getting from NAFA and how such benefits
positively affect them.
NAFA will need to stay on top of the changes and innovations
to keep its members informed. Earley is ready for the challenges
of the next two years. “This is a great time to be in the industry,
and I’m excited to be leading this organization.” ■
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FLEETSolutions THE MAGAZINE FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT 15
Reflecting on Two Years of Change for NAFA MembersNAFA’s Immediate Past President Bryan Flansburg, CAFM®
PROFILE
By Bill Romba
THE FLEET INDUSTRY HAS experienced
a great deal of change since 2017 when
Bryan Flansburg, CAFM, took office as
NAFA president. The Location Manager
at First Student, Flansburg successfully
navigated the Association through some
major transitions during his term, chief
among these being the fleet industry’s
ever-quickening shift toward mobility
management.
It was very important to Flansburg
that NAFA stay on top of this revolutionary
change, not only to keep abreast of the
latest information and technological
developments, but also to help members
understand how they might be affected
directly.
“I think that the industry’s biggest
challenge is understanding how
mobility might affect fleet operations.
To me, mobility is how we move people
or product from point A to point B,
whether that is with a fleet vehicle or
not. How is that going to affect the fleet
manager? I think it’s going to affect them
from the standpoint [that] it’ll be more
about managing products or people than
managing assets.”
Flansburg said he did not have a
specific platform during his presidency,
but his biggest goal was to advance NAFA
as an Association during his term.
“It’s funny because the last two
presidents, Ruth [Alfson, CAFM,] and
I, didn’t have a platform that we stood
on,” he said. “We had so many irons in
the fire that we wanted to complete the
things we had started and look at what
the NAFA Board wanted to do moving
forward, rather than what the NAFA
president wanted to do. So I don’t know
that I really had any goals or things that I
wanted to accomplish other than to move
the Association forward in a positive
direction.
“The biggest thing that I really wanted
was for people to understand what mobility
may mean to them in the future, and
I think that we are really moving that
forward,” Flansburg added.
Another key change for NAFA took
place a few months before Flansburg took
office, when members voted to approve
landmark bylaw amendments that helped
redefine the Association’s membership
structure and afforded more opportunities
to Associate Members. “I think the biggest
positive is the fact that we are now
allowing our membership to define the
future of NAFA,” he said. “Previously, it
was a subset of that membership, only the
fleet managers, that were defining the
direction of NAFA. The fact that there can
be up to five Associate Members on the
Board now, where there used to only be
one, it really gives a broader view of what
NAFA’s membership needs are.”
Flansburg also discussed another
change that was announced at this year’s
Institute and Expo when NAFA unveiled
the new Communities initiative. “For so
long, NAFA has touted that we are the
largest and most diverse fleet Association
in the world, and that’s true. What we
lacked, however, was a method by which
all of the fleet segments could feel like they
had voice in NAFA, or where they could
effectively collaborate with each other.
The Communities program will solve that.
So, if I’m with a university fleet, I will
belong to a community that’s a university
community,” he explained. “That way, I
can communicate with people with like-
minded fleets so that we can try to help
each other solve problems that we’ve
probably already worked on separately.”
Successfully navigating a national
Association with a few thousand members
through crucial changes like these is no
small feat. So, not surprisingly, Flansburg
stated that serving as president is very
different from any other position he’s held.
“And I think I’ve held every Board position
at least once, if not twice,” he quipped.
In a recent conversation with Patti
Earley, CAFM, Flansburg said he offered
this as advice to her as she begins her term
as NAFA’s 36th president: “It’s different as
the president,” Flansburg said. “You are the
16 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
leader, so you can’t necessarily force your
opinion on others. You must listen to other
people. There are multiple personalities on
the Board. So the advice I gave Patti is how
to know when it’s time for a vote because
it’s a fine balance between allowing the
introverts to process things long enough
and upsetting the extroverts that want to
move forward.”
In addition to leading NAFA through
some landmark transitions, Flansburg
also experienced a devastating personal
tragedy during his presidency when his
son Derrick died in October 2017. He
said that this moment stands out to him
because of the heartfelt response he and
his wife Sandy received from the NAFA
community.
“We all have friends, we all have family,
but I call NAFA my family. They were all
there for me during that tragedy that my
wife and I went through, so, to me, that
really sticks out in my mind,” he said.
Looking back on a professional moment
that stands out from his term, Flansburg
said that was the push toward mobility.
“When I worked at the University of
Colorado Boulder, I had someone who
reported to me whose job was looking at
how to get people onto campus without
driving a vehicle. There were around 5,000
parking spaces on campus, and we had
32,000 students and 6,000 faculty and staff,
so we had to get people to move around the
campus without them necessarily having
to drive a vehicle.
“So professionally, the mobility shift
is something that I really look back on
and think we’ve come a long way, but
personally, it was my son’s death where the
NAFA family really stood out and shined
for me.”
“You are the leader, so you can’t necessarily force your opinion on others. You must listen to other people.”
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A member of NAFA for 23 years,
Flansburg said that, as the fleet industry
continues to evolve toward mobility
management, he feels NAFA has an
excellent opportunity to serve as a vital
industry resource.
“I started with NAFA in 1996, and it’s
meant so much to me over the years through
education and certification,” he said.
“I see the Association continuing to bolster
its assets and continuing to rise to the
needs of the membership and to the needs
of the fleet manager, period.”
As mobility begins to play a bigger role
in the coming years, the fleet profession
will look very different from what it
has been in the past. But NAFA and its
members are in the best possible position
to stay ahead of the curve because of
Bryan Flansburg’s foresight and leadership
during his presidency. ■
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951994_3M.indd 1 22/03/19 2:12 AM
FLEET CHALLENGES SOLVED
Map the most efficient route to fleet success
BY KYLE KWELTY
SPONSORED BY
What do you talk about with peers when you’re networking at an industry event, such as the NAFA I&E? Networking is a great way to share the challenges you’re facing and learn possible solutions. For example, the topic of working toward success with organizational stakeholders and strategic partners is a common theme to discuss. In your perspective, is everyone typically satisfied with those connections or are they still hunting for ways to work smarter?
Before you can determine the right road to take with your internal and external “passengers”, first you have to define what success looks like. While you are trying to make these decisions, you may feel like you’re driving in circles. In the end, the condition of your fleet and its most pressing concerns will steer your direction and destination.
To demonstrate: if your fleet is decentralized, then you may focus on teamwork first. With that newfound cohesion, you will establish a foundation for cost control. Conversely, if stockholders are reading quarterly reports, efforts to scrutinize fleet expenses may eclipse all others. In either case, fleet management continues to grow more complex. So what can you do to make achieving success easier?
Identify who’s on board with you
Every day, you are juggling the factors that make fleet management challenging. You have to understand how the vehicles are actually being used out in the field. Plus, you need to control unsteady costs like maintenance and fuel. Finally, you have to measure metrics such as total cost of ownership based on driver behavior and vehicle readiness.
On top of that, you’re tasked with keeping all of the relevant people informed and engaged. You’re likely dealing with three primary groups of people who influence your success:
1. The stakeholders who need you to align the fleet with their business objectives.
2. The drivers who rely on your vehicles to stay productive and drive business revenue.
3. Fleet management companies, upfitters, maintenance providers and other outsiders that are endlessly pouring data on you from drivers and vehicles.
The team at ARI can help your fleet steer more revenue and savings toward your bottom line. To learn more, visit www.arifleet.com
Kyle Kwelty heads ARI’s team focused on continuous technology and process innovations that help businesses minimize administrative burden and maximize fleet investment.
What if you had a business copilot with the right tools to help navigate you to success? Just imagine what you could accomplish.
Layout the map to success
Now you have your destination in mind, and everyone who you need to satisfy has their boarding passes in hand. What other essentials do you need next on your journey to fleet success?
Here are some ideas:• First, an app that not only gives drivers all of their vehicle
information but also sends messages to them. When a driver’s attention is needed, you, a repair shop or even their own vehicle can alert them.
• Also, alerts and reporting that let you take vehicle usage, policy compliance and strategy planning to the next level.
• By all means, a fleet management partner who helps take work off your desk. Simplification for your drivers too, so they can concentrate on their jobs.
• In addition, your partner’s insight about what’s wrong with how you are running your fleet and how to fix it. And a complete picture from them of your current and forecasted spending. Finally, a roadmap of industry trends and improvement opportunities that support your business needs.
• For tomorrow, a vision of how telematics and mobility solutions will drive your business and prepare you for future challenges.
With these essentials, you’ll be on the most efficient route to fleet success. From honing vehicle usage and controlling costs to meeting driver’s needs and pleasing stakeholders, you’ll handle it all with ease.
The road ahead
You need a business partner who can optimize a route for everyone who is impacting your fleet team’s success. Moreover, that partner should help move task roadblocks that detour your organization away from achieving your business goals. So buckle your seat belt, grab the wheel, and start driving toward your fleet success horizon.
HolmanEnterprises.com
WE’RE NOT JUST SPINNING
WHEELS.
We’re driving your bottom line.
The fleet management, truck up-fitting, and OE parts distribution companies of Holman Enterprises have joined forces. The synergy created by our sister companies working together will provide fleet managers with
a range of services and expertise unmatched in the industry.
HolmanEnterprises.com
WE’RE NOT JUST SPINNING
WHEELS.
We’re driving your bottom line.
The fleet management, truck up-fitting, and OE parts distribution companies of Holman Enterprises have joined forces. The synergy created by our sister companies working together will provide fleet managers with
a range of services and expertise unmatched in the industry.
961216_ARI.indd 1-2 4/17/19 1:09 PM
FLEET CHALLENGES SOLVED
Map the most efficient route to fleet success
BY KYLE KWELTY
SPONSORED BY
What do you talk about with peers when you’re networking at an industry event, such as the NAFA I&E? Networking is a great way to share the challenges you’re facing and learn possible solutions. For example, the topic of working toward success with organizational stakeholders and strategic partners is a common theme to discuss. In your perspective, is everyone typically satisfied with those connections or are they still hunting for ways to work smarter?
Before you can determine the right road to take with your internal and external “passengers”, first you have to define what success looks like. While you are trying to make these decisions, you may feel like you’re driving in circles. In the end, the condition of your fleet and its most pressing concerns will steer your direction and destination.
To demonstrate: if your fleet is decentralized, then you may focus on teamwork first. With that newfound cohesion, you will establish a foundation for cost control. Conversely, if stockholders are reading quarterly reports, efforts to scrutinize fleet expenses may eclipse all others. In either case, fleet management continues to grow more complex. So what can you do to make achieving success easier?
Identify who’s on board with you
Every day, you are juggling the factors that make fleet management challenging. You have to understand how the vehicles are actually being used out in the field. Plus, you need to control unsteady costs like maintenance and fuel. Finally, you have to measure metrics such as total cost of ownership based on driver behavior and vehicle readiness.
On top of that, you’re tasked with keeping all of the relevant people informed and engaged. You’re likely dealing with three primary groups of people who influence your success:
1. The stakeholders who need you to align the fleet with their business objectives.
2. The drivers who rely on your vehicles to stay productive and drive business revenue.
3. Fleet management companies, upfitters, maintenance providers and other outsiders that are endlessly pouring data on you from drivers and vehicles.
The team at ARI can help your fleet steer more revenue and savings toward your bottom line. To learn more, visit www.arifleet.com
Kyle Kwelty heads ARI’s team focused on continuous technology and process innovations that help businesses minimize administrative burden and maximize fleet investment.
What if you had a business copilot with the right tools to help navigate you to success? Just imagine what you could accomplish.
Layout the map to success
Now you have your destination in mind, and everyone who you need to satisfy has their boarding passes in hand. What other essentials do you need next on your journey to fleet success?
Here are some ideas:• First, an app that not only gives drivers all of their vehicle
information but also sends messages to them. When a driver’s attention is needed, you, a repair shop or even their own vehicle can alert them.
• Also, alerts and reporting that let you take vehicle usage, policy compliance and strategy planning to the next level.
• By all means, a fleet management partner who helps take work off your desk. Simplification for your drivers too, so they can concentrate on their jobs.
• In addition, your partner’s insight about what’s wrong with how you are running your fleet and how to fix it. And a complete picture from them of your current and forecasted spending. Finally, a roadmap of industry trends and improvement opportunities that support your business needs.
• For tomorrow, a vision of how telematics and mobility solutions will drive your business and prepare you for future challenges.
With these essentials, you’ll be on the most efficient route to fleet success. From honing vehicle usage and controlling costs to meeting driver’s needs and pleasing stakeholders, you’ll handle it all with ease.
The road ahead
You need a business partner who can optimize a route for everyone who is impacting your fleet team’s success. Moreover, that partner should help move task roadblocks that detour your organization away from achieving your business goals. So buckle your seat belt, grab the wheel, and start driving toward your fleet success horizon.
HolmanEnterprises.com
WE’RE NOT JUST SPINNING
WHEELS.
We’re driving your bottom line.
The fleet management, truck up-fitting, and OE parts distribution companies of Holman Enterprises have joined forces. The synergy created by our sister companies working together will provide fleet managers with
a range of services and expertise unmatched in the industry.
HolmanEnterprises.com
WE’RE NOT JUST SPINNING
WHEELS.
We’re driving your bottom line.
The fleet management, truck up-fitting, and OE parts distribution companies of Holman Enterprises have joined forces. The synergy created by our sister companies working together will provide fleet managers with
a range of services and expertise unmatched in the industry.
961216_ARI.indd 1-2 4/17/19 1:09 PM
20 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
ASSET MANAGEMENT
A Look at Vehicle Wraps for FleetsBy Fiona Soltes
GEORGE SURVANT HAD A full list of
anticipated challenges when it came to a
quick rebranding of the fleet at a previous
company. What he didn’t expect, however,
was the level of disagreement among
internal teams; a change in design after
installation was well underway, leading
to wasted product and numerous trucks
having to be redone; and the need to
replace the installation team due to local
issues.
All in all, it was far from a smooth
application.
The truth is, there’s often a lot of
real work on the way to a seamless
presentation of a company’s image.
Partial wraps, full wraps, custom paint
and other treatments take time to plan
and careful consideration to implement.
And once the job is done, they take a bit
of care and knowledge to maintain that
perfect look. The best solution, then, is a
perfect storm of unified mission, quality
product, appropriately prepared vehicles,
skilled installers, and attentive aftercare.
The good news is it’s more than
possible.
Survant, who is now Senior Director of
Fleet Relations for NTEA, said he learned
a variety of lessons from that previous
wrap experience. Among them: “Insist
that once the design phase was complete,
no changes would be made.” Also: “Vet the
installation teams prior to installation
start,” since those teams predominantly
are subcontractors to the overall vendor
for the image transformation. He’s had
several other less challenging wrap
experiences and noted that the size and
timeframe on this particular project made
things more difficult. Initially, the hope
was that the project could be complete
within seven or eight months. Due to
alterations in the color palette, that didn’t
happen. It begs the first step in a successful
project: ensuring all stakeholders are
represented and in agreement.
Make the PlanDonna Lind, Client Relations Director,
and Jennifer Krabbeler, Marketing
Director, of Signature Graphics each speak
of the importance of fleet management
connecting with their organization’s
marketing department as early as possible
to ensure vision, needs, and reality are all
aligned. Those not directly involved with
fleet, for example, may not be fully aware
of the variety of vehicles and equipment
represented, the challenges of taking
vehicles off the road for installation, or
how a treatment might impact resale
later on. Lind and Krabbeler said they’re
increasingly seeing organizations start
with white vehicles and then wrap them
in company colors rather than opting for
custom paint. As the vehicles reach the end
of their lifecycles, then, the wraps can be
removed, the original white paint will have
been protected beneath, and the vehicles
will likely be more attractive to potential
buyers than those in a specific color.
When pulling together an overall plan,
there’s a lot to consider, especially since
installations will take numerous hours
per vehicle. Survant, for example, spoke of
attempting first to schedule installations
for vehicles that were unassigned or for
those with drivers vacationing or off sick.
He also looked for opportunities when
vehicles would be near the installation
site for other reasons. But vehicles also
had to be cleaned before installations,
there had to be shelter available so the
installations could be performed under
cover, and there had to be accessible
storage locations for the wraps, plus
coordination of delivery to get them there.
Is It Really a Wrap?Choose the Right Partner and Right Product
Ask those who make, design, and/or
install vehicle wraps what fleets should
look for in a partner, and the answers
fall along similar lines: Responsiveness.
A proven track record. A variety of
quality products to meet unique needs.
Technology that can help streamline
the planning and installation process.
A network of certified installers. And,
of course, f lexibility when things don’t
go as planned. On the side of the fleet
professional, however, representatives
of these companies say projects go much
smoother when there’s buy-in from the
top down (and executive support that
once a design is done, it’s done, Survant
added).
Choosing the right partner, said Adam
C. Wright, President and CEO of Associated
Graphics (AGI), is about choosing someone
who can reduce the headaches and “make
your life the easiest.” Materials can be
similar, he said, “so it’s more about who
can service you the best. … At the end
of the day, the graphics are something
that should just happen, and you don’t
want them to slow the process down.
You have millions of dollars in vehicles,
and you don’t want to hold up those
vehicles because of something as simple
as graphics.”
AGI takes a holistic approach to wrap
projects, from initial planning meeting
to installation. The company uses
proprietary software with live updates
to keep clients apprised of progress, and
it tackles the potentially most challenging
installations first. Some companies might
focus first on the “bulk” of installations
needed in, say, a metropolitan area, but
AGI likes to tackle the speed bumps right
away, such as the vehicles located in more
FLEETSolutions THE MAGAZINE FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT 21
HED
GEH
OG9
4/SH
UTTE
RSTO
CK.C
OM
EDITORIAL CONTENT
COMMITTEE
rural areas. That allows for creative
solutions early in the process.
AGI also has one of the largest installer
networks in the country, Wright said; the
company’s wheelhouse is large projects,
but it shines brightest “where a customer
really needs attention to detail” or needs
installation in towns most people have
never heard of. In those cases, working
with a company dialed in to the customer
service end is key.
“You don’t want to rush the process,”
Wright said. “You want to trust the
graphics partner you’ve chosen.”
Darren Keller, Vice President of Sales
and Marketing at Lowen Color Graphics,
said there has to be an understanding that
the graphic represents the organization’s
brand identity. “In many cases, their
vehicles are seen by more people than
any other advertising and marketing that
they do,” he said. “Think of FedEx as an
example. How many times do you see a
FedEx truck every day? And how many
times do you see a FedEx ad? That’s why
we’re very passionate about what we do,
because we’re taking responsibility for our
customers’ brand identity.”
In terms of products, Jessica
Franklin, Segment Marketing Manager
for Transportation and Hospitality at 3M,
said in recent years the conversation about
wraps has evolved to include options that
are more eco-friendly such as 3M Envision
Print Wrap Films, which are non-PVC,
manufactured with less solvent, and made
in part with bio-based materials. Also,
more customers are opting for reflective
applications, whether on a small or large
scale, to enhance visibility for branding as
well as safety. Her company was involved,
for example, with a project for a Minnesota
children’s hospital. The hospital outfitted
its critical care mobile transport unit
with a brightly colored design, printed on
a wrappable reflective film. The project
incorporated a full reflective wrap of 3M
Scotchlite Print Wrap Film 780mC in a
design that is not only fun and engaging,
but also stands out, as can be seen in the
ad on Page 17.
Keller, meanwhile, said one of his
company’s more interesting jobs was
related to a movie promotion. It involved the
installation of wraps on 1,000 vehicles in 25
the presence of an overlaminate. This
protective coating, applied over the vinyl,
helps prevent damage from the elements.
Wraps without an overlaminate may fail,
shrink, or fade quickly.
For those with an overlaminate, he
said, care is fairly simple. First, avoid
the use of harsh chemicals that might
eat away at the wrap. It’s OK to run the
vehicle through an automated car wash
on occasion — brushless might be best
— but not on a regular, ongoing basis.
As for pressure washing, that’s OK,
too, but not too close or too strong.
Typically, he said, cleaning the vehicle
may be as simple as just hosing it off. In
the case of stains, Goley suggests wiping
those off as soon as possible; he has been
known to use a mix of 70 percent rubbing
alcohol and 30 percent water when
needed. There’s no need to wax; those
who want a glossy or semi-gloss finish
can add one with the overlaminate.
And one last tip? When possible,
Goley said, keep the vehicle out of direct
sunlight, whether it has an overlaminate
or not. That sunlight, he said, can be a
wrap’s “worst enemy.”
Treat the wrapped vehicle with the
care usually shown a brand new car,
he noted, and it should continue to
deliver a flawless message for some time
to come. ■
Wrapped and ReadyFLEET WRAPS are a critical component of branding and rebranding, and it takes time to ensure they are implemented with qual-
ity and care and maintained appropriately throughout the life of the fleet. This category is just one of the areas where fleet wraps
come into play. The companies listed below were exhibitors at the 2019 Institute & Expo, which you can review at https://nafa19.
mapyourshow.com/7_0/search.cfm. For a convenient and handy resource to find this type of information quickly at any time,
check out the NAFA Online Buyer’s Guide at http://nafa.officialbuyersguide.net!
22 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
Graphics/Decals Installation & Removal
ASSET MANAGEMENT
3M
Adrian Steel Company
American Midwest Fleet Solutions
Associated Graphics
Digital Imaging Group
Lowen Color Graphics
Pro Cal Professional Decals, Inc.
Professional Graphics
Signature Graphics
locations over the course of a month. But
because the wraps would only be in place
for six weeks, Keller said, his company used
a material considered a temporary film.
“The adhesive on it allowed the graphic
to stay down very tight with no lifting or
cracking or peeling,” he said.
Better yet, it was designed to be so easy
to remove that the drivers of the vehicles
could do it once the promotion was over
without having to schedule professionals
for the job. “The graphic was applied right
over their permanent graphic, so at the end
of the promotion, the drivers removed it,
and they went back to the same identity
they had prior.”
As for choosing what might be best
for withstanding future problems, a
conversation with the wrap company
will be in order. Busier graphics might
help hide small, future imperfections, for
example. But individual panels of vinyl can
typically be replaced. In addition, some
materials may be better in areas of, say,
extreme heat. These days wraps typically
are designed to last a handful of years.
Install with CareFor the best result, the vehicles should
be in the best condition possible. Wraps
will apply best to fresh paint and smooth
vehicle surfaces, but the likelihood is that
most vehicles won’t be new if a rebranding
is needed. If that’s the case, the experts say,
it’s essential to take care of dents, dings,
scrapes, and areas of rust or corrosion to
allow for the best application. Also, Lind
and Krabbeler noted that if the vehicles
have previously had graphics installed,
“ghosting” may be the result when those
graphics are removed. Paint that has been
covered by a graphic will look different than
paint that has been exposed to weather. In
most cases, these areas can be buffed out
and won’t affect a wrap installation, but
may require extra time, expertise, and cost.
Beyond that, 3M’s Franklin said,
maximizing the performance and value
of any graphic begins with selecting the
right film, but proper installation is critical.
“The finished graphic is only as good as
the installation of it,” she said. There are a
variety of certification programs available
for installers, including one from 3M.
Ensure that certified installers are used
to get the job done right the first time.
Protecting the InvestmentIn recent years, as wrap materials and
techniques have continued to improve, it
has become easier than ever to protect
the investment.
Andrew Goley, Material and Installation
Specialist with Professional Graphics in
Rockford, Illinois, said the main difference
in taking care of a wrapped vehicle is in
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VEHICLE FUEL MANAGEMENT
24 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
By Bill Romba
GASOLINE-POWERED AUTOMOBILES ARE STILL the kings of the road. But, as
automotive technology continues to
advance, vehicles that run on alternative,
more renewable fuels are beginning to
challenge those powered by traditional
internal combustion. More and more
automakers are offering hybrid versions
of some of their popular cars and trucks,
while others are developing cars that run
on alternative fuels like electricity,
propane, and hydrogen.
The fuel market is changing, and fleet
managers must be aware of the pros and
cons of these alternative fuel cars and
trucks as it relates to their organizations’
fleets.
“Gasoline/diesel prices have declined
dramatically over the last decade thanks
to booming domestic oil production,” said
Mark Smith, Technology Integration
Program Manager for the U.S. Department
of Energy. “For alternative fuels, prices
have held relatively stable over the last 10
years. The U.S. is producing more gasoline
and alternative fuels domestically than
at any time over the last three decades,
resulting in more stable prices, which
allows fleets to budget more accurately
for fuel expenses.”
While prices for gasoline and
diesel fuels have dropped, it can still
be advantageous for organizations to
diversify the types of vehicles in their
f leets. Making these changes can be
difficult, but there are advantages in
addition to cutting fuel costs. NAFA
Regular Member Ronald Gitelman,
CAFM®, Fleet Administrator for Yale
The Changing Fuels MarketWhat Alternative Fuel Vehicles Mean for Fleets
University, mentioned that one key
benefit is being able to show your
community that your organization is
committed to sustainability, especially
in environments where it is a significant
focus.
“We operate in a fairly heavily
congested area with some rankings
having the New Haven, Connecticut, area
as high as fourth to seventh on worst air
quality,” he explained. “Yale is trying to
do its part to help clean the air.” Gitelman
also said that fueling costs for alternative
fuel vehicles can be lower, depending on
the source, and some can also have lower
maintenance costs.
Likewise, NAFA Regular Member
Richard E. Battersby, CAFM, Assistant
Director, Bureau of Maintenance and
Internal Services for the City of Oakland,
California, said that alternative fuel
vehicles help meet his organization’s
stated sustainability goals by reducing
their carbon footprint and lowering
exhaust emissions.
However, there can be drawbacks to
adopting this new technology. Battersby
said that such vehicles can result in
higher capital acquisition costs. He also
added that “some fuels may have range
limitations, and others are not always
available.”
If a fleet adds the required infra-
structure so they can combat this issue
and fuel these vehicles on-site, costs can
increase significantly. “To put in a solid
level-2 charging station can cost between
$5,000 and $10,000 depending upon
the type of station used. If you want a
DC fast charge, you could be looking at
$30,000 to $35,000. That is significant,”
said Gitelman.
“The cost of the upfit adds to the cost of
the vehicle and can reduce ROI, especially
if you don’t calculate the social costs as
part of the savings,” he stated. “Repairs
may need to be sent to an upfitter, and
this can increase downtime.”
There is also the prevalent issue of
getting buy-in from drivers who may be
used to topping off the tank at the local gas
station. Part of getting over that hurdle
is getting drivers into the vehicles to try
them out. “Fleets that have a motor pool
also have an effective way to ingratiate
drivers to vehicles with different fuel
types,” said NAFA Regular Member Sara
Burnam, CAFM, Director of Palm Beach
County Fleet Management in Palm Beach,
Florida. “Pool vehicles have shown to be
a particularly good entry point to electric
vehicle adoption.”
“All vehicle technologies have trade-
offs and alternative-fueled vehicles are
no different,” added Smith.
“For example, alternative fuel
vehicles can have fewer operations
and maintenance costs than gasoline
and diesel vehicles, although they tend
to cost more upfront. Payback periods
vary depending on use, so whether
an alternative fuel vehicle makes
sense depends on individual customer
preferences.”
Just as with any other car or truck, fleet
managers must consider maintenance and
repair costs for alternative fuel vehicles and
how they factor into their organization’s
FLEETSolutions THE MAGAZINE FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT 25
budget before bringing them into their
fleet. These will typically vary based on
the type of vehicle being considered and
the type of fuel used to run it.
“Electric has lower costs due to
no oil and other items you may find in
a non-alternative fuel vehicle,” said
Gitelman. “Hybrid vehicles can reduce
brake repairs, but you must be careful
in the long-term with the hybrid battery.
Propane results in cleaner filters so they
may last longer. “Utilizing NAFA’s tools
to run a complete lifecycle cost analysis
would be needed to help determine the
budgetary requirements.”
Battersby added that service and
maintenance costs can go down, although
repairs are sometimes costlier due to more
expensive components. “Cost-neutral
The Changing Fuels MarketWhat Alternative Fuel Vehicles Mean for Fleets
Ron GitelmanRichard Battersby
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alternative fuels that require no vehicle
or fuel storage modifications, such as
renewable diesel, can lower repair and
maintenance costs and reduce downtime
by decreasing the amount of particulate
matter (PM) going into the diesel
particulate filter (DPF) by 33 percent.
This significantly cuts down on service
and downtime, number of regeneration
cycles, and expensive replacement of the
DPF catalyst,” he stated.
Electric and alternative fuel vehicles
are becoming the future of the automotive
industry, with several automakers
announcing that they will be significantly
scaling back their production of cars and
trucks that run on internal combustion
engines in the coming years. Additionally,
both Ford and General Motors’ Chevrolet
brand have announced that they will
be focusing solely on the production of
crossovers and sport utility vehicles
and discontinuing production of several
passenger car models.
Gitelman explained that he doesn’t
feel alternative fuel vehicles will make
SUVs less appealing, but rather that
their technology will need to advance
so they can become a more viable option
in atypical environments.
“An alternative fuel vehicle in a cold
and snowy climate will be a hard sell
until there is mass production of AWD
on such automobiles,” he said. “Range
can also be a problem. If a vehicle puts
on 200 miles per day, it is a hard sell to
use electric until ranges are around 350
to 400 miles.”
26 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
While there is a common tendency to hear “alternative fuel” and think of natural gas or electric vehicles, the reality is much simpler. An alternative fuel is an energy type that differs from the most common types: petroleum gasoline and diesel.
The diversity of fuel types emerged from the circumstances with which vehicles — in this case, fleets — operate. Heavy-duty trucks that run in the central United States may not have access to natural gas in either compressed or liquefied form. However, biodiesel might be a solution.
Likewise, vehicles located in areas of the country that have not yet built up an electric charging infrastructure may not be able to go all-in on EV but could find benefits from hybrid vehicle types.
Some reasons operators look to these alternatives include potential cost savings, modernization, sustainability goals that seek reductions of carbon emissions, and limiting the import of and reliance upon foreign oil and its derivatives.
options are available to them. There’s
no single fuel that works for all f leets,
but the variety of fuels available presents
a lot of opportunities.”
As the fuel market changes and
alternative fuel vehicles start to
become more prevalent in the f leet
industry, managers will have a big
choice to make regarding when to bring
alternative fuel vehicles into their fleet.
As Gitelman explains, it is imperative
that fleet managers do their homework
Smith added that while every vehicle
may not be suited for every environment,
the broad selection of alternative fuel
vehicles that is available can be a benefit
to fleets.
“With the wide variety of fuels and
vehicles available today, f leets can
typically find an alternatively fueled
vehicle that fits their needs,” Smith
explained. “Once a fleet knows their duty-
cycle and any additional requirements
for the vehicle, they can assess what
VEHICLE FUEL MANAGEMENT
What’s an Alternative Fuel Anyway?
and research all aspects of how these
vehicles will fit into their fleets.
“Don’t push your sales staff into
electric vehicles when the infrastructure
to charge the vehicles is not in place or
their range will not allow them to do
their job without significant delays.
Find what works for you and move with
it,” he said. “Don’t jump in blindly, but
rather get your feet wet, be willing to
admit failures, and move forward to find
success.” ■
958765_Klash.indd 1 4/2/19 4:21 PM
FLEETSolutions THE MAGAZINE FOR FLEET MANAGEMENT 27
passenger vehicles but heavy-duty vehicles
as well. We are working very closely with
industry researchers and developers who
will bring these to market.”
Martinez recognizes that fully
autonomous commercial motor
vehicles, while almost a certainty, will
arrive farther into the future than
consumer counterparts. Regardless, he
enthusiastically awaits their arrival.
“Every year, we will see more and more
of these technologies introduced into the
commercial segment, and we expect that
not only will these make driving safer,
but easier as well, increasing the viability
of commercial motor vehicle driving as a
career option.”
Until the day when commercial vehicles
can take full command should the driver
become too tired to function effectively,
drivers will need to rest. However,
Martinez noted that there are not enough
places for large vehicles to park.
“The Federal Highway Administration
is the most closely related agency involved
with pouring concrete, effectuating for
where there are appropriate levels of
parking for trucks. Still, if the economy
continues to depend on trucks to deliver
goods, homes, and businesses as they
have for the last 100 years, we’d better
plan for appropriate parking.”
Besides the toll long-haul driving takes
on the person behind the wheel, it takes
as much of a toll on the mechanical parts
of the vehicle itself. Stressed vehicles
also lead to crashes and fatalities, and
Martinez believes more parking is crucial
to addressing the problem.
Driver Shortage and Crowdsourcing Security
Because of the difficulty of driving
commercial vehicles, there is a lack of
qualified candidates for the job. “Again,
technology will make driving large
vehicles safer and more attractive, but we
still need a solution right now,” Martinez
said. “What we’ve done, pursuant to the
law, is start a process to make it easier for
military personnel who are moving into
civilian life to get work as commercial
drivers. Many of them already have
experience with buses and large trucks.
Also, if you are under 21-years-old, you
cannot drive for interstate commerce.
Once again, we’re looking for flexibility
that will get these qualified individuals
behind the wheel and back to work.”
The unexpected benefit of having
more drivers at work includes where
drivers tend to be: the docks, ports,
airports, bus stations, and truck depots.
“One thing we’re actively engaged
in is working with our stakeholders to
stem the problem of human trafficking,”
Martinez said. “It is a federal crime for
someone to use a commercial motor
vehicle in any way to promote human
trafficking. Drivers see what’s going on
in the field and know when something
is not right.”
Martinez said that by having these
“boots on the ground” individuals as the
eyes and ears to uncover illicit activities,
this crime could be reduced. Further,
those who commit the crime can be
identified and punished.
Safety First continued from page 11
34
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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
28 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
“If convicted, you would have
a lifetime ban in this industry.
You would never be able to drive a
commercial motor vehicle again in
this country.”
Drug AbuseFMCSA is actively looking to reduce
and ultimately bring to zero the number
of work zone and pedestrian fatalities.
One of the reasons these fatalities occur
is a nationwide problem: the increase in
drug abuse.
“Commercial motor vehicle drivers
are not immune to the problems found
across the country. We see states
legalizing the recreational use of
marijuana as well as the continuing use
of medical marijuana, but also we see the
skyrocketing use of both prescription and
illicit opioids,” Martinez said. “Because
FMCSA is an education agency as much
as an enforcement agency, we need to
be more stringent with the rules that
govern those who drive these vehicles.
As dangerous as trucks and buses can be,
they become easily more dangerous when
entrusted to a compromised driver.”
Common-Sense SolutionsAdministrator Martinez realizes that
while there are many safety concerns
that will be alleviated through technology
soon, many answers are at hand already
and are surprisingly no-nonsense.
“This brings us back to ‘Our Roads Our
Safety.’ We are tackling these large-scale
concerns and seeking improvements,
but we are just as passionate about
advocating solutions that are here right
now. Coexistence on America’s roadways
between commercial and passenger
vehicles is achievable, but it requires
everyone doing their part.”
Martinez cites distracted driving as
a leading contributor to crashes across
the spectrum, including all vehicle types,
as well as pedestrian and work zone
crashes and fatalities. Now as before,
the evidence is clear that driving while
texting or talking on cellphones greatly
decreases a driver’s cognitive abilities
and increases the chances of a crash.
Further, inattention as a pedestrian
can place an individual square in the
middle of danger. Martinez’s advice:
Turn off the phone and pay attention to
your surroundings, inside and outside
the vehicle.
“When you drill down into the data
that’s collected from various sources,
including crash investigations and
reporting from NHTSA, you can be
surprised,” he said. “For instance, the
information confirms that seat belts
save lives, and it is such a basic and
fundamental thing one can do for safety.
It is surprising that this is still such an
obvious but overlooked safety routine.
We look at these reports and realize that
even in some of the worst cases, outcomes
would have been much different if every
driver was buckled up. This is the one
thing that every driver and passenger
has direct control over.”
Martinez looks to the next year in his
job as a pivotal one as he helps balance
the needs of all drivers on America’s
roads with the requests of companies
and organizations that run commercial
vehicles. He recognizes that making
changes that improve safety for everyone
will require a desire to change, the
ability for every stakeholder to do their
part, and, of course, f lexibility. ■
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
3M COMMERCIAL SOLUTIONS ......................................................17 www.3M.comACERTUS (Formerly AmeriFleet/Metrogistics) ........................ Inside Front Cover www.acertusdelivers.comADRIAN STEEL COMPANY .............................................................. 3 www.AdrianSteel.comARI®...........................................................................................18, 19 www.arifleet.comBACKRACK INC. ............................................................................ 27 www.backrack.comELATEC USA INC .......................................................................... 4, 5 www.elatec.comGPS INSIGHT .................................................................................... 6 www.gpsinsight.com
KLASHWERKS ............................................................................... 26 www.raven.is/fleet.comMERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC ..........................................................12 www.mbcorpsales.comNISSAN NORTH AMERICA ............................................................ 23 www.nissanusa.com/fleetSEARS AUTOMOTIVE .................................................................... 29 www.searsauto.comSURE ECOSYSTEM .......................................................................... 9 www.sureecosystem.comTOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA .....................Outside Back Cover www.fleet.toyota.comTRACK STAR INTERNATIONAL, INC. .............................................14 www.trackstar.com
Martinez cites distracted driving as a leading contributor to crashes across the spectrum, including all vehicle types, as well
as pedestrian and work zone crashes and fatalities.
BALD TIRES?Have your fleet fully covered
the way it should be.Sears Auto Center can help your fleet get on the road quickly and safely. Special pricing, preventative maintenance and after-hours service will keep your fleet running during peak business hours so you can be there for your customers when they need you most.
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We put your life in drive.
853621_Sears.indd 1 1/23/17 12:54 PM
NAFA Announces 2019 OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORSNAFA announces its 2019 officers and Board of Directors elected in February. Chosen as officers for the 2019-2021 term are:
THIS JUST IN
Robert Mossing, Fleet Manager, STERIS Corporation
Adam Seifert, CAFM, Team Lead – Consulting, ARI
Mark A. Smith, CAFM
President Patti M. Earley, CAFM®, Fleet Fueling Operations Supervisor, Florida Power & Light
Senior Vice President Ray Brisby, CAFM, Fleet Manager, Calgary Fire Department
Vice President Mike Camnetar, CAFM, Regional Vice President, Business Development, LeasePlan USA
Secretary/Treasurer Kathy Wellik, CAFM, Fleet Director, Iowa State University Transportation Services
Immediate Past President Bryan Flansburg, CAFM, Location Manager, First Student
NEW MEMBERS ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THREE-YEAR TERMS ARE:
CONTINUING ON THE NAFA BOARD ARE:Richard Battersby, CAFM, Fleet Manager, City of Oakland, California
Nancy Bean, CAFM, Fleet Manager, City of Provo, Utah
David Hayward, Manager, Deloitte
Maria Neve, Government Sales Manager, Merchants Fleet
Steve Saltzgiver, CAFS®, Manager, Mercury Associates
30 www.nafa.org • [email protected] MAY/JUNE 2019
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Ruth Alfson, CAFM Patrick Barrett, CAFM Jeffrey Jeter
NAFA thanks them for their service on the Board of Directors, as their terms concluded in February.
APRIL 6–8 | INDIANAPOLISAPRIL 6–8 | INDIANAPOLIS
GET YOUR FLEETON THE FAST TRACK
SAVE THE DATE
958928_Editorial.indd 1 4/2/19 3:20 PM
56 PERC
ENT
FEWER FRONT-TO-REAR CRASHES WITH INJURIES
WITH FORWARD-COLLISION WARNING PLUS AUTOBRAKE
ACCORDING TO THE IIHS.
Investing in a reliable � eet saves you future maintenance
costs and lost productivity.
Prototypes shown with options. 1. Drivers are responsible for their own safe driving. Always pay attention to your surroundings and drive safely. System effectiveness is dependent on many factors including road, weather and vehicle conditions. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details. 2. The TSS Pre-Collision System is designed to help avoid or reduce the crash speed and damage in certain frontal collisions only. It is not a substitute for safe and attentive driving. System effectiveness is dependent on many factors including road, weather and vehicle conditions. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details. 3. Automatic High Beams operate at speeds above 25 mph. Factors such as a dirty windshield, weather, lighting and terrain limit effectiveness, requiring the driver to manually operate the high beams. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details. 4. Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist is designed to read visible lane markers under certain conditions. It provides a visual and audible alert, and slight steering force when lane departure is detected. It is not a collision-avoidance system or a substitute for safe and attentive driving. Effectiveness is dependent on many factors including road, weather and vehicle conditions. See Owner’s Manualfor additional limitations and details. Steering Assist not available on all models. 5. Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is designed to assist the driver and is not a substitute for safe and attentive driving practices. System effectiveness is dependent on many factors including road, weather and traffic conditions. See Owner’s Manual for additional limitations and details. Dynamic Radar Cruise Control not available on all models. ©2018 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Toyota Safety Sense™1 is now on most new Toyotas at no extra cost.Toyota Safety Sense™ (TSS) is a bundle of active safety features designed to help protect you and your � eet investment. Crash-avoidance technologies like TSS have the bene� t of helping to keep maintenance costs low while prioritizing safety. Learn more at � eet.toyota.com. Let’s Go Places.
Common sense, meet Toyota Safety Sense.™
LANE DEPARTURE ALERTWITH STEERING ASSIST4
PRE-COLLISION SYSTEM2
AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS3
DYNAMIC RADARCRUISE CONTROL5
Designed to alert drivers and may automatically apply brakes to help reduce impact.
Switches automaticallyto low beams as oncoming
vehicles approach.
Designed to alert drivers and even helps prevent unintentional
drifting from lanes.
Reduces cruise control speed when needed by monitoring the speed of
the car in front of you.
935809_Toyota.indd 1 03/10/18 5:14 PM
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE IS HARDLY an exact science. But the
impact on a f leet operation can be
significant. “For most vocational f leets,
how you handle preventive maintenance
inf luences virtually all facets of your
overall f leet management strategy,” said
Chris Foster, Manager, Truck and
Equipment Maintenance, ARI. “A
comprehensive PM strategy helps you
control operating costs, increase
reliability, and minimize unforeseen
downtime. Conversely, an inconsistent
approach to preventive maintenance can
dramatically impact the performance
of your f leet along with your ability to
effectively service your customers.”
Your preventive maintenance
regimen requires maintenance itself,
auditing the parameters in which
scheduled work is done, the policies that
govern such work, and adapting when
forces both internally and externally
impact your fleet’s utility.
Policy in PlaceWhen it comes to managing preventive
maintenance (PM) schedules, NAFA
Regular Member Richard Battersby,
CAFM®, starts in the most logical place.
“We start with manufacturer-
recommended intervals for time and
mileage/hours and adjust for severe
duty such as police patrol vehicles,” said
Battersby, Fleet Manager for the City of
Oakland, California. Those guidelines are
Have You Maintained Your
Preventive Maintenance Regimen?By Sandy Smith
strictly adhered to, even though there may
be challenges related to a vehicle in the
body shop, or at a remote location.
With about 1,500 vehicles in the fleet,
though, there are times when a dashboard
light comes on, or when a driver thinks
something isn’t right. “We make every
effort to resolve drop-in complaints as
quickly possible, while the driver waits.
However, these can sometimes turn into
out-of-service status for repairs required
due to safety. We try to operate from an
appointment model, but this really doesn’t
accommodate drop-ins if everyone has
their day filled.”
OEM guidelines, spelled out in such
detail in owner’s manuals, don’t always
accommodate the various fleet needs.
Meeting those is the bare minimum, to
ensure that the warranty is maintained.
For fleets, though, the stakes are higher.
“Preventive maintenance timetables are
very important as it relates to keeping the
drivers safe, mitigating downtime as well
as keeping the OEM warranty valid with
solid maintenance records,” said Mark
Ackerman, Director of Maintenance and
Repair, LeasePlan. “When drivers are
down for any length of time, it takes away
MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT
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from business productivity, thus costing
the client money.”
Foster notes that, in recent years,
OEMs have become “more stringent in
terms of warranty recovery and support.
Specifically, the OEMs are looking for
additional documentation to support
warranty claims to ensure the units were
properly maintained prior to failure. This
really underscores the importance of
PM compliance. Adhering to consistent
preventive maintenance schedules to
minimize PM variability is something
the OEMs are stressing across the board.”
Fleets and their fleet management
companies, then, have a hard task: setting
time tables that meet OEM requirements,
keep vehicles at peak performance, and
fit within the repair and maintenance
budget. “Setting accurate and effective
preventive maintenance schedules that
are incorporated into corporate driver
policies ensures organizational alignment
for necessary vehicle care,” said NAFA
Associate Member George Albright,
CAFM, Director of Fleet Maintenance,
Merchants Fleet.
It is a high hill to climb, for sure. Even
fleet management companies, which have
data from multiple fleets from which to
derive best practices, do not have the
luxury of applying a one-size-fits-all
solution.
“Establishing a fleet maintenance
policy varies from client to client in terms of
what is required preventive maintenance
and what, if any, timetable is established,”
said NAFA Associate Member Mark Lange,
CAFM, Managed Maintenance Analyst for
Element Fleet Management. “It’s critical
that, whatever preventive maintenance
policies are established, adherence to
the policy occurs. In most cases, this will
include a mileage and time threshold.
Not only does preventive maintenance
help reduce unnecessary expenses and
maintain vehicle warranties, but ensuring
the vehicle is evaluated during servicing
is critical to identify any potential safety
issues that need to be addressed.”
In some cases, a blanket policy makes
sense, Lange said. “The clients may want
to create an oil change policy that is a
blanket policy so that regardless of what
vehicle is used or how it’s used, the client
has one defined oil change interval. In
such cases, we will consult with the client
to develop such a blanket policy. If the
client’s goals are aligned primarily with
low-cost operation regarding oil change
intervals, the best option may be the OEM
recommendations, which may include an
oil indicator on the dash. The FMC will
MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT
Common Questions about Preventive MaintenancePreventive maintenance can be a confusing topic and fleet management companies hear it all. Much of it, though, boils down to asking whether the OEM and the vehicle itself are giving the fleet the right information.
Minder lights: “By researching the vehicles thoroughly, you will find
that most manufacturers will list the average mileage the maintenance minder light comes on, allowing for recommendations on an interval,” said Mark Ackerman, Director, Maintenance and Repair, LeasePlan. “Additionally, the OEM will have a minimum recommendation if the light does not come on, such as at least once a year.”
Discrepancies in guidance:The various tools, like telematics diagnostics and OEM
monitors, may not always agree. Which to follow? “We advise fleet managers with vehicles leveraging multiple maintenance schedule tools to instruct their drivers to follow whichever prompts them first,” said NAFA Associate Member George Albright, CAFM, Director of Fleet Maintenance, Merchants Fleet. “For example, a utility vehicle not due for its next
preventive maintenance service for 1,500 miles should still have that service performed if the vehicle’s onboard oil life monitor is triggered. This practice helps to create alignment throughout the organization, eliminate confusion for fleet drivers, and maintain the vehicle’s OEM warranty.”
Cost savings: PM is not the place to skimp. “The biggest misconception
around PM scheduling is the notion that extending intervals or skipping a particular service is an easy way to eliminate a portion of your fleet spend,” said Chris Foster, Manager, Truck and Equipment Maintenance, ARI. “This couldn’t be further from the truth. Arbitrarily extending intervals or skipping services may help reduce maintenance costs today, but undoubtedly your operating expenses will increase over time and these escalating costs typically far exceed the perceived savings.”
Here are a few of the more common concerns:
“Establishing a fleet maintenance policy varies from client to client in terms of what is required preventive maintenance and
what, if any, timetable is established.”- NAFA Associate Member Mark Lange, CAFM,
Managed Maintenance Analyst for Element Fleet Management
still recommend a time-based interval
to ensure the vehicle has regular safety
inspections.”
Timing is EverythingWhat goes into a good f leet PM
schedule? The most obvious place to start
is the OEM recommendations, Albright
says. “This practice will help to ensure
that vehicle service repairs are provided
at the minimum OEM requirement to
prevent invalidation of the manufacturer
warranty.”
Then, it is time to consider how
the vehicle is used. “Understanding a
vehicle’s idle time is key, as vehicles with
high idle time may require a schedule
based on vehicle engine hours rather
than mileage or time,” Albright said.
“Most newer model vehicles are equipped
with an onboard oil life monitor that
measures temperature, vehicle starts,
distance traveled, and time in transit
and will proactively alert a driver when
the vehicle has reached the next required
service.”
The fleet’s own data can provide a
mountain of information, Foster said,
especially to “help uncover trends and
begin to customize PM intervals based
on asset type, application, payload,
geography, etc. In addition to the PM
intervals, we also tailor secondary
PM services — air filter, fuel filter,
transmission service, etc. — to the
unique operating characteristics of each
fleet.”
Foster suggests looking to the end of
the vehicle’s life as well. “For example,
if you’re targeting an extended lifecycle
for an asset, consistent maintenance is
vital to maximizing the vehicle’s effective
service life. Poor PM compliance or
inconsistent intervals between services
will be magnified as the vehicle ages.”
Understand the UniquenessIn most cases, a blanket policy isn’t
specific enough, and it’s impossible to set
an individual PM schedule for each fleet
vehicle. Instead, Albright says, policies
should be based on vehicle utilization. “A
severe or extreme service schedule will
require more frequent services than a
normal service schedule. For example, a
utility vehicle operating in the mountains
of Breckenridge, Colorado, should follow
the severe or extreme service schedule
versus the executive vehicle in Charlotte,
North Carolina, which should follow the
normal service schedule. The correct
identification of the required service
schedule is important, as the mileage
intervals may vary by 3,000 to 4,000, and
incorrectly selecting the service schedule
can result in your fleet vehicles receiving
unnecessary service or, worse, preventable
damage due to excessive wear.”
At the opposite end of the spectrum
are those repairs or vehicle checks that
are unscheduled. Ackerman suggests
providing the drivers the ability to make
unscheduled repairs up to a small amount,
say $100, without receiving authorization.
“These are typically incidental items such
as wiper blades and various filters. For
items above and beyond this, the repair
facility is instructed to call us or submit
electronically for review of any additional
repairs. These are reviewed by an ASE-
certified technician for proper pricing,
repair need, and client instructions being
followed. If all these criteria are met,
additional approval is given to the repair
facility to proceed.”
Ackerman notes that some clients
have multiple approval limits based
on vehicle mileage. Those with higher
mileage, for instance, may have a lower
approval limit. “This practice provides
fleet managers with better visibility to
potential ‘repair vs. replacement’ vehicle
cycling opportunities. When setting
these parameters, fleet managers need
to consider their organization’s optimal
vehicle replacement cycles and how
their maintenance schedules and repair
approval parameters can help to support
those lifecycle policies.”
The driver must be taken into
consideration as well. “Vehicles such
as those driven by executives may want
to be handled completely different, in
that the client may not want the driver
to receive overdue notifications and
they may want those directed to an
administrative assistant,” Lange said.
“The PM requirements of an executive
vehicle may also vary from what is
OEM recommended vs. OEM dealership
recommended. In many cases, the OEM
dealerships have far more aggressive
maintenance schedules. Executive
drivers typically have the authority to
approve all preventive maintenance, and
executives will typically approve the OEM
dealership’s aggressive PM schedules
regardless of the OEM schedule.”
Explore Predictive ModelingSetting a PM policy can be challenging.
Fleet management companies have data
that they can use to see what’s “working
and what isn’t,” Ackerman said.
That sort of analysis, Albright said,
can help fleet managers move “toward
predictive analysis modeling that can
reduce unscheduled repairs, limit driver
downtime, and lower vehicle ownership
costs.”
The insight also can help a f leet
understand not just the “what” but
also the “why” of f leet performance,
Foster said. “Today, fleet professionals
want to know not only which units are
costing them the most but also why those
units are costing so much. Our role as
a fleet management provider is to help
customers identify the key metrics and
trends within their business and how
they can act upon them, empowering
our clients to drive meaningful business
improvements.” ■
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By Fiona Soltes
ALL IN A DAY’S work? Hardly.
Managing a fleet can include any
number of special circumstances, events,
and situations that require forethought,
playing “what if,” and relying on lessons
learned.
Case in point from NAFA Regular
Member Richard Battersby, CAFM, CPFP,
of Oakland (California) Public Works: He
has learned that it’s important to block
storm drains during major parades,
such as those for NBA championships.
Quite simply, “Confetti lasts forever.”
But he also has learned the value
of deploying aged assets in anticipated
hotspots and planning for gridlock as
well as the need to assemble a team
and begin planning as far in advance
of a special event as possible. It’s not
necessary to reinvent the wheel when
it comes to high profile and special
events, he attests, especially if there’s
a chance to connect with someone who
has experienced something similar.
Sharing StoriesIn spring 2018, Battersby joined
several f leet professionals in sharing
stories and insight from less-than-
normal days. Sporting events, visits
from high-level politicians and important
meetings topped their lists. Regardless of
the reason, extra sources were needed;
however, the professionals spoke about
the need for f lexibility and creativity
in f luid situations and admitting that
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every time their phones rang in the days
leading up to those events, it could be
someone else with a different request,
needing to be prioritized.
As for Battersby, he has assisted
in planning for several high-profile
happenings, including the Global Climate
Action Summit, the Davis Bike Club 4th of
July Criterium, and the State Capitol 9/11
Memorial Remembrance. But those don’t
compare to those two NBA Championship
parades in 2017 and 2018.
“The biggest surprises were the
level of staff required to be involved in
executing such an event successfully, and
the numerous small details that normally
would be easy to execute but in the context
of planning and executing support for a
major event become extremely difficult,”
he said.
His best piece of wisdom, in addition
to seeking counsel from those with prior
experience? Develop and maintain a
checklist in addition to a directory of
important internal contacts that clearly
identifies areas of responsibility and
a directory of external contacts that
identifies the services they provide.
Game Plan for Game DayNAFA Regular Member Al Thunberg,
CAFM, City of Minneapolis (Minnesota)
Fleet Services, made it through Super
Bowl LII in February 2018. It takes a while
to figure out which teams will play in any
such event. That one was the Philadelphia
Eagles and New England Patriots, in case
anyone needs a reminder. But the city
knew it would host about three years
in advance. Minneapolis had staff working
full time on Super Bowl planning a year
before kickoff, and the fleet department
“really dug in and got the detailed plans
together” within the last half year. The
event provided fleet a unique opportunity:
the chance to make a solid and successful
case for a new mobile command van, as
well as additional marked squad cars and
other resources.
In August 2007, a bridge over
the Mississippi River in Minnesota
collapsed, tragically killing 13 people
and injuring 145.
“We knew, when that happened, that
our old mobile command van was too
small,” Thunberg said. “When a big event
like that happens, the upper-ranking
police command staff, everybody wants
to be in that van.”
The new one — thanks to that Super
Bowl — is 45 feet long, with four slide-outs
and a large conference room to handle
the higher level of staff needed for a high-
profile event.
It turned out it wasn’t needed for the
big game, but Thunberg is perfectly fine
with that.
“Fortunately,” he said, “there were
no big surprises.” What was in use was
a f leet of 10 special crew cab Polaris
Rangers with black and white marking,
badges and emergency lighting. Polaris is
Al Thunberg, CAFM Jeff Hawthorne, CAFMRichard Battersby, CAFM Robert Martinez
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a Minneapolis-based company, Thunberg
said, and the fleet added to 10 others
that had been purchased prior. “They
ended up being really valuable,” he said.
They were especially useful for getting
into tight spaces and for patrolling the
2.5-mile security perimeter around the
stadium. Lessons learned? The city could
have used more of them, and they should
have been equipped with GPS.
Presidential Visit ModeNAFA Regular Member Jeffrey
Hawthorne, CAFM, of Palm Beach
(Florida) County Sheriff’s Office has
found himself dealing with the same
“special event” again and again.
President Donald Trump’s private club,
Mar-a-Lago, is in Palm Beach, and Trump
is fond of visiting there.
“And every time he comes, every visit,
it’s a major undertaking,” Hawthorne
said. “You’ve got to be flexible.”
Granted, processes and expectations
have become more familiar. In the
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beginning, additional equipment —especially barricades, fencing, and a
storage trailer – was required. Today,
being in “presidential visit mode” means
recognizing that he may go anywhere
in the county, which is more than 2,300
square miles.
“For every facet of your operation, you
must have a contingency,” Hawthorne
said. That means, for example, backup
plans for spare vehicles or access to
retail fuel. There are now emergency
fuel cards in case a fill-up is required.
The department also learned to keep
spare SunPass toll road transponders on
hand for use on unmarked vehicles. Until
recent changes in state law, unmarked
units were not exempt from toll charges.
And everywhere the president goes,
bands of security go with him.
Big City, Big CrowdsThen there’s NAFA Regular Member
Robert Martinez, Deputy Commissioner
for Support Services, City of New York
Police Department. He joined the NYPD
as a mechanic in 1986, and while working
his way up the f leet ranks, endured both
the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001,
and Hurricane Sandy. But he also sees
his share of significant planned events,
too: the New York City Marathon, for
example, with almost 53,000 finishers
in 2018. There’s New Year’s Eve in Times
Square, which draws an estimated 2
million revelers; the annual Village
Halloween Parade; the lighting of the
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree; and
the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Let’s not forget the presence of Trump
Tower, which President Trump considers
his permanent residence. (The biggest
challenge there, Martinez said, is that
the tower is a public access building,
which makes things a bit trickier than
the White House.)
His best advice for preparedness?
Documentation of everything. In the
case of an unplanned signif icant
event, he added, it’s essential to know
what kind of reporting is needed for
FEMA for reimbursement, as well as
to remember that “you can’t get rid of
anything until FEMA says you can get rid
of it.” Experience from those unplanned
events could also help with ideas for the
anticipated ones.
Hurricane Sandy, for example,
led NYPD to gather just under 900
light towers for the public to plug in
cell phones, laptops, and more as a
community service. Many of those
towers were borrowed at the time, but
the department did end up purchasing
about 200 to add to its initial 80. That
storm also provided valuable lessons
about where water will go and led to the
design and purchase of several pickups
with higher suspension and bigger tires
to meet different needs.
In addition, the department keeps an
eye on world events and considers the
impact they might bring to the city. Trucks
being driven into crowds, for example,
led to careful preparation for the New
York marathon, doing whatever possible
to block “almost every intersection with
vehicles, from the beginning to the end.”
Too Much of a Good Thing?So, is it possible to be too prepared
for a special event? Some might say no,
but perhaps. Thunberg, for example,
originally staffed his shop 24 hours a day
for 10 days prior to the Super Bowl. It’s
normally open 18 hours a day, five days
a week. In hindsight, however, “it wasn’t
really needed that far in advance.”
When doing the planning, he said, they
figured if everything went well, the worst
that could happen is that they’d be bored
and could use the time cleaning the shop.
“And everything did go well,” he said.
They even set up a TV and watched the
game. ■
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Hurricane Sandy, for example, led NYPD to gather just under 900 light towers for the
public to plug in cell phones, laptops, and more as a community service.
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