July 2022 Truck Industry News

Soaring Gas Prices will Persist This Summer

It’s the topic everyone is talking about — fuel costs. See why experts believe peak prices are still to come.

After peaking at a record high of $5.02 in June, gas prices are expected to hover in the high-$4 range for the rest of the summer, barring any major disruptions to the supply chain.

While many visits to the gas station will be met with slight relief this summer, diesel buyers likely won’t be so lucky. As refineries forego diesel production to keep up with gasoline demands, prices should remain sky-high for the foreseeable future.

Experts also expect oil to remain expensive due, in large part, to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the resulting sanctions on Russia’s energy exports. There is good news on the natural gas front, however, as futures prices have pulled back sharply in recent weeks. 

Article Source: https://www.kiplinger.com/economic-forecasts/energy

The Enterprise Difference

Fleet fuel costs are one of the top expenses a company faces and increases to the price per gallon can have a big impact on the operational budget when companies least expect it. Enterprise Truck Rental offers companies access to WEX Fuel Management program to support their business operation. This fuel card program helps companies manage, track and report fuel-related expenses, in addition, to protect against fraud at the pump and save up to $0.05 per gallon on qualified fill-ups. Terms apply.

Managing Fuel Use is Top of Mind

Taking steps like improving truck maintenance and incentivizing drivers can help you cut fuel use and combat surging gas prices. Boosting fuel efficiency becomes more essential with rising prices. 

With gas prices at near-record highs, fuel conservation is top-of-mind for many fleet operators. But even when fuel costs less, its consumption can represent up to 39% of a fleet’s cost per mile, according to the American Transportation Research Institute.

Here are some fast ways your fleet can boost fuel efficiency now, and for the road ahead:

• Understand the operational characteristics of your fleet
• Educate and incentivize drivers
• Improve fleet maintenance for optimal vehicle performance
• Tweak engine settings related to vehicle speed, idle shutdown times and predictive cruise control
• Consider fuel-savings add-ons, such as aerodynamic devices that cut wind resistance.

Article Source: 

The Enterprise Difference

Fleet fuel costs are one of the top expenses a company faces and increases to the price per gallon can have a big impact on the operational budget when companies least expect it. Enterprise Truck Rental offers companies access to WEX Fuel Management program to support their business operation. This fuel card program helps companies manage, track and report fuel-related expenses, in addition, to protect against fraud at the pump and save up to $0.05 per gallon on qualified fill-ups. Terms apply.

Risky Driving Behavior Remains a Big Problem for Businesses

Recently, the Governor’s Highway Traffic Safety Administration (GHSA) and General Motors (GM) released a report addressing one of the nation’s most dangerous roadway problems: distracted driving.

The report, which spans a wide range of factors that affect distracted driving, contains 29 recommendations for State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO) to consider and implement, including:

• Encouraging leadership at the federal, state and local levels to prioritize distracted driving as a safety challenge
• Improving current legislation to send a clear message that distracted driving is unlawful and deadly
• Creating a new national distracted driving advocacy organization

Collecting more effective data about distracted driving, including prevalence data

Article Source: https://www.automotive-fleet.com/10174003/ghsa-gm-release-report-to-combat-distracted-driving

Catalytic Converter Thefts Are on the Rise — and NAFA Is Urging Congress to Fight Back

It’s an act that can take less than a minute, but catalytic converter theft can result in lasting financial losses for fleet operators.

To combat this crime that has increased 300% year to year, NAFA is pressing Congress to hold a hearing on the Preventing Auto Recycling Theft (PART) Act, a piece of legislation that would work to reduce thefts by:

• Requiring new vehicles to have a VIN number stamped onto catalytic converters during production
• Creating a grant program through which eligible entities can stamp VIN numbers onto the converters of non-stamped vehicles
• Establishing detailed record-keeping standards for purchasers of used converters.

Article Source: https://www.nafa.org/publication/fighting-back-against-catalytic-converter-theft-nafa-urges-congress-to-pass-the-part-act-non-member/