Fleet Management News

FieldLogix is a top news source for fleet management news. We are constantly evaluating the market for top fleet management trends and report our findings to you. We are the go-to source for many fleet managers and analysts that cover the fleet management industry. Our extensive knowledge of the market ensures that we are capable of supplying fleet management news that is credible, timely, and informative.

Gas Prices Up 7 Cents in The Past Week

Gas prices are currently averaging $3.66 for a gallon of regular unleaded, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. This is a 7 cent increase from this time last week. The Fuel Gauge Report uses retail receipts from more than 100,000 service stations across the United States, compiled by the Oil Price Information Service and by Wright Express.

Since the July 4 weekend, US drivers have been paying more at the pump. The states with the most expensive gasoline today are:
* Alaska – $4.09
* Hawaii – $4.04
* Connecticut – $3.98

High Fuel Costs Compel City Fleets to Go Green and Use GPS Tracking

Faced with the impact of rising fuel costs on the city budget, local leaders are realizing the importance of “going green” and utilizing a fleet GPS tracking system.

Dozens of cities across America are facing the same challenge: the effects of rising fuel costs. In Albany, NY the cost of keeping the city government’s fleet of vehicles on the road during the next fiscal year will increase by nearly $2 million because of rising fuel costs, officials recently said. That figure is up from the $1.6 million the city spent this last calendar year on fuel for its vehicles.

Albany Mayor Willie Adams used the fuel discussion to reiterate his position that every city vehicle needs to have some sort of Global Positioning System, or GPS tracking system, to monitor their whereabouts to ensure they aren’t traveling when they aren’t supposed to be.

“Nearly every corporation in the country has some kind of GPS or AVL (automatic vehicle location) device,” Adams said. “We’re a corporation and we need to keep track of our vehicles. That’s something I’d like to see on all of our vehicles.”

Fewer Drivers on the Road Yet Gas Prices Keep Rising

Gasoline prices are rising again even though drivers in the U.S. have bought less gas for four months in a row. Gasoline is getting more expensive even though motorists continue to cut back. MasterCard SpendingPulse said Tuesday that gasoline consumption has dropped for 16 weeks in a row. SpendingPulse, which tracks credit card payments around the country, said the four-week average for gasoline demand fell by 1.1 percent last week compared to a year ago.

Demand even dropped over the July 4 weekend, usually a time for lots of road trips. MasterCard analyst Jason Gamel said motorists used 1.7 percent less this year than they did during last year’s holiday weekend.

Oil, which is used to make gasoline, is higher as well. On Tuesday. Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude for August delivery gained $2.28, or 2.4 percent, to settle at $97.43 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price many international oil varieties, rose 51 cents to settle at $117.75 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange in London.

Gas Prices Up 7 Cents in One Week

Weeks of declining gas prices have come to an end. Gas prices are on the rise gain, slowly but surely.

A gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is currently $3.63, up seven cents from one week ago. Gas prices are up 92 cents from one year ago, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report.

Rising oil prices over the last few weeks are the main reason for this month’s increase in gasoline prices. Oil prices are fluctuating day to day, but seem to be on an upward climb week by week.

Gas Prices On the Rise – Again

Just when businesses and consumers thought they were in the clear – oil and gas prices have started to rise again. Gas prices certainly have come down in recent weeks, but they aren’t as low as last summer.

Two weeks after the U.S. and other 27 allies announced they were tapping domestic oil reserves (which temporarily knocked down the price of oil to almost $90 a barrel) oil is back around $100. And gas prices, which have been declining since May, are up over 4 cents since one week ago.

Oil is rising again as investors bet that the economies of many countries, including the U.S., will improve in the second half of the year, and global demand for petroleum will rise. While most experts agree that the world has plenty of oil, there are concerns that supplies could get tight as demand rises.

Ryder’s Green Fleet of Natural Gas Vehicles a Big Success

For Ryder, the decision to invest in a green fleet of natural gas vehicles is paying off. The company just reported that it is seeing a big increase in demand for its natural gas vehicles. A growing number of businesses are transitioning their fleets to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG) as alternatives to gasoline and diesel because natural gas vehicles burn less fuel and produce less emissions.

Ryder (NYSE: R), a leader in commercial transportation and supply chain management solutions, announced last week that it has secured lease agreements for 87 heavy-duty natural gas trucks from customers looking to take advantage of the fuel cost savings and environmental benefits of alternative fuel powered vehicles. According to Ryder, natural gas is a domestic resource and it is 25 percent cleaner than the cleanest diesel. When your company commits to going Green with CNG vehicles, you demonstrate corporate and environmental responsibility and business savvy.

“Corporate and government fleets are the strongest adopters of natural gas vehicles” said Dave Hurst, senior analyst for Pike Research, which recently published a report analyzing global clean technology markets. “More and more fleet managers are attracted to the lower fuel costs of natural gas, in addition to the opportunity to reduce their vehicles’ carbon footprint.”

A large portion on the new truck order is part of the Ryder/San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) Natural Gas Vehicle project – a joint public/private partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission, San Bernardino Associated Governments, Southern California Association of Governments, and Ryder. The $38.7 million project includes a total of 202 natural gas vehicles available for lease or rent, three strategically located natural gas compliant maintenance shops in Southern California, and two fueling stations. Ryder took delivery of 70 vehicles in May and is expected to have the balance of the full 202 SANBAG natural gas vehicle order in its green fleet by the end of 2011.

Parkhouse Tire Selects FieldLogix To Improve Fleet Maintenance

Parkhouse Tire Uses FieldLogix To Improve Fleet Maintenance and Enhance Employee Supervision

For the past two years, Parkhouse Tire has been successfully using FieldLogix, an industry leading GPS fleet tracking system. The company has been expanding their fleet and recently doubled the number of FieldLogix devices installed in their vehicles.

Parkhouse Tire Fleet Manager, Joe Guerrero, said “I like the ability to see where vehicles are, where they have been, and how many miles each vehicle has been driven… I’ve been given ‘bologna’ by past employees who claimed to have started their day at a certain time but actually started later. Monitoring employees makes them more accountable.”

FedEx Expanding Green Fleet With New Electric Vehicles

FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx (NYSE: FDX) that handles time-sensitive shipments, announced last week it will double its electric vehicle fleet and add more than 4,000 new fuel-efficient vehicles to its conventional fleet.

Over the next two months the company will expand its green fleet by putting 24 all-electric vehicles (EVs) on the road. Once these are all deployed, FedEx Express will have a green fleet of 43 electric vehicles in service. The new EVs will operate in New York City, Chicago, and Memphis.

The company is currently running 19 all-electric vehicles in Los Angeles, London, and Paris.

On high-mileage routes, FedEx is replacing 4,000 vans with fuel-efficient, low-emitting clean diesel Sprinter vehicles that are 100 percent more fuel efficient than conventional vans, according to Keshav Sondhi, FedEx Express asset manager.

“Since launching our first Sprinter in 2000, we have put close to 1.4 billion miles on these more fuel-efficient vehicles, saving over 66 million gallons of fuel compared to their predecessors,” he said.

Fewer Americans Will Travel This Weekend Due to Gas Prices

Gas prices are affecting people’s travel plans for this 4th of July holiday weekend. Five out of every six travelers will make their trips by automobile, according to AAA.

Fewer Americans will travel during the Independence day weekend, consistently one of the heaviest travel periods of the year. AAA said it expects fewer travelers to travel, as high gas prices are putting the squeeze on lower-income households. Although gas prices have been decreasing recently, they are still about $1 dollar higher than they were last year.

Between Thursday June 30 and Monday July 4, 39 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home, according to AAA Independence Day forecast. That is a 2.5 percent decrease from last year.

FieldLogix Launches Innovative Fleet GPS Financing Program

FieldLogix is proud to offer the shortest term and lowest cost financing program on the market today.

Maximize ROI and Cashflow

If you only save one gallon of fuel a day, your system can pay for itself in less than 6 months.

Financing your fleet GPS system is a great way to maximize your return on investment.

Financing your fleet management system gives you flexibility to conserve capital and keep cash flowing.

The best purchase program in the industry

Lowest Cost:

The FieldLogix purchase program is 40%-50% lower in total costs than most 36 month programs.

Shortest Term:

The FieldLogix purchase program is short-term, only for 12 months, so you are not locked in to a long term commitment.