Fleet telematics has come a long way since it first emerged in the early 1990s. What was initially a simple GPS system to pinpoint the location of a vehicle and tell if a vehicle was or wasn’t in motion has evolved into a sophisticated data gathering tool that can drive bottom-line benefits to fleets of all functions, compositions and sizes.

Today, fleet telematics technology integrates routing, geo-fencing, navigation, two-way communication, vehicle diagnostics, dashboard, real-time driver and vehicle alerts, customizable reports and a host of other features that collect critical data about vehicles and drivers that fleet managers use to shape strategy and improve efficiency.

To put the destructive power of nature in perspective, look no further than the damage estimates from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria—between $65 billion and $190 billion for Harvey, between $50 billion and $100 billion for Irma and between $45 billion and $95 billion for Maria.

Most of the recovery expenses will go toward property damage, but a good bit of those expenses—at least in the case of Harvey and Irma—will also go toward vehicle replacement.  

With innovations and technological advances in tank construction and also in fuel delivery, dispensing and monitoring, using aboveground storage tanks for fuel storage is safer than ever before, and if managed and maintained properly, they can provide fleets numerous advantages.

For example, there’s improved product security, a price break for buying fuel in bulk, greater control over inventory and the convenience of not having to wait on a fuel delivery service to top off vehicles or equipment—meaning less downtime, increased productivity and improved operating costs.

Truck drivers log 432 billion miles annually, so it’s no surprise that breakdowns are inevitable. Unfortunately, when a truck in your fleet breaks down, you lose time, money and, potentially, client trust if services or products are delayed. Considering how important it is to maintain your fleet, maintenance is top of mind for fleet managers.

It’s a best practice to track maintenance and repairs to determine if your fleet has unique areas that should be addressed immediately. There are, however, several leading causes of semi-tucks breaking down that you should keep in mind.

Summer and road trips go hand in hand, and this summer will be no exception. In fact, according to AAA, you can expect 10 percent more travelers on the road this summer than the record-breaking numbers from last summer—and that’s despite a projected 30 cent increase in the price of gas.

If it feels a little crowded out there, it’s not your imagination.

Distracted as defined by Merriam-Webster is “having one’s thoughts or attention drawn away.” If there was such a thing as the Merriam-Webster Fleet Edition Dictionary, distracted could easily be defined as “having your drivers’ thoughts or attention drawn away, which could result in millions of dollars of losses from vehicle damage, litigation, injury and/or death.”

Make no mistake about it; distracted as it relates to driving is a dangerous activity — one so dangerous that in 2014 alone distracted driving accidents were responsible for 3,179 deaths on American roadways. But what exactly is distracted driving?

It seems that when there is a proposed rule or regulation affecting the trucking industry, there is a great amount of buzz and often two sides vehemently opposed. 

The proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding mandatory speed limiters on heavy trucks is no exception. In one corner you have the industry’s largest trade group, American Trucking Associations (ATA) in favor of the rule which mandates that heavy trucks—weighing more than 26,000 pounds—be fitted with electronic devices that would limit top speeds to no higher than 65 mph. They argue that reducing and regulating truck speed via the device would decrease the number of collisions on U.S. roads.

What is often said of the IT industry—the only thing constant is change—can also be said of fleet management. From industry challenges to government regulations, driver recruitment and retention, to advances in technology and safety, the fleet management industry is always on the move and constantly evolving. 

To stay ahead of the curve, being informed on what is happening and what to watch for down the road can help you grow your business, control your budget and keep your drivers engaged, loyal and productive.

Way back in June of 1978, a movie starring Kris Kristofferson, Ernest Borgnine and Ali McGraw was released. It was called Convoy, and its plot centered on truckers forming a mile-long convoy in support of a fellow trucker’s vendetta with a conniving sheriff named Lyle “Cottonmouth” Wallace.

Fast-forward to the present, and trucks continue to travel in convoys across U.S. roadways, not in a mile-long formation in support of a vendetta, but to improve vehicle fuel efficiency by drafting behind another big rig and cruising along in its draft wake.

You have probably heard some of the many characterizations describing millennials. They have been accused of being slackers, holding a sense of entitlement, and jumping from job to job. While there may be a scintilla of truth in some of these, they are by and large misconceptions that are far from accurate.

According to a report from the Pew Research Center, millennials will make up approximately 75% of the global workforce by 2025.  They are more ethnically and racially diverse than previous generations and are on track to being the most educated generation in American history.