ADP’s Michael Bieger, senior director of global procurement, was honored as the Fleet Executive of the Year for 2015 during the Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA)’s annual conference in September.
Improvements in engine design and on-board oil life monitoring, along with improved oil quality and the use of synthetic oils, have extended oil drain intervals and served to decrease PM service frequency.
Extended maintenance intervals and high vehicle quality contributed to the decline. Areas of concern include higher labor rates, rising parts prices, and difficulties diagnosing increasingly complex systems.
A number of variables are keeping fleet operating costs flat, primarily the dramatic drop in fuel prices that began three years ago, but also extended maintenance intervals, and lower commodity prices to manufacture tires.
Introduced earlier in 2015, the 155 model Class 4 truck is a perfect fit for light delivery, as well as such vocational segments as landscaping fleets.
Replacement tires are the second highest operating cost for fleets after fuel. During CY-2015, replacement tire prices have remained stable compared to the prior year.
Since 2013, year-over-year fuel prices have remained flat. With fuel being 60 percent of total operating costs, lower per-gallon prices have put downward pressure on total fleet costs.
These are the top 20 products from the past year which demonstrated innovation, significance to the industry and potential to improve a trucking operations bottom line.