Finding Extra Fuel Economy Through Telematics

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Small fleets may not always see telematics as a priority. With smaller margins the cost of the service may seem prohibitive, but even smaller fleets can yield strong results. A fleet operations manager with a fleet comprised of nearly 50 vehicles realized higher average fuel mileage and lower cost per mile by implementing telematics into his fleet.

One of the first things that Reggie Eubanks, fleet operations manager for ServiceMaster Restore, did when he joined the company in July was develop a six-month plan to revitalize his new company’s fleet.

This plan would involve integrating new software to manage the fleet, implementing telematics software, and auditing the company’s fleet.

The company’s fleet, he learned, was comprised of over 40 vehicles with 10 or 20 vehicles that would require more repairs than they were worth to continue to operate. A few had literally been run until their wheels had fallen off, he said.

One of the first things the company did after he joined was scrap the vehicles that had outlived their usefulness.

The common theme among the vehicles that remained was high mileage. Nearly all of the vehicles that the company would still use had over 200,000 miles clocked on their odometers.

 

UK Named Most Bicycle-Friendly College in America

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The University of Kentucky has recently received national recognition for going the extra mile for bike accessibility so all the students can go to classes and auditoriums fast even with a simple Nirve 20 inch kids bike which you can find for sale at the link.

Bicycling Magazine, the world’s leading cycling magazine, has named UK the most bicycle-friendly college in America out of 45 universities, ranging from small liberal-arts colleges to large, public universities. Amelia Neptune, program director at the League of American Bicyclists (LAB), said the university stood out from other schools because of the creative incentives offered to students, staff and faculty and the dedication that the university puts forth toward overseeing the support of cycling.

“It’s truly an honor to have all of the university’s bicycling efforts recognized by an organization as well-renowned as Bicycling Magazine,” said Sandra Broadus, UK’s alternative transportation manager.”We still have a lot of room for improvement, but Transportation Services and the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) have dedicated a lot of funding for infrastructure improvements, outreach, education, and incentive programs for cyclists over the last six or seven years.”

Bicycling Magazine mirrored their ranking process off of LAB’s program, which rates schools who apply for the Bicycle Friendly Award from bronze to platinum based on the “Five E’s”: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation. Although a rigorous application, the process forces colleges to notice holes in initiatives they have in place and to improve their current bicycle accessibility on campus.

Kia Unveils 2019 Niro EV and 2020 Soul

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Kia unveiled its 2019 Niro EV and the 2020 Soul, which is coming in a gasoline and electric version, at the LA Auto Show.

The 2019 Kia Niro EV will be coming to market with a 64-killowatt-per-hour lithium-ion polymer battery that will support DC fast-charging as standard equipment.

Final range on the vehicle is still being finalized, but the company noted an estimate above 200 miles during its press conference.

The 2019 Niro EV will offer four driving modes — eco, normal, sport, and eco+ — that will automatically adjust vehicle settings such as heating, air conditioning, speed limits, and regenerative braking to manage fuel efficiency. If air conditioner fan not working, it can be repaired by an HVAC technician. Drivers can also adjust regenerative braking levels using paddle shifters to add extra range.

The 2020 model year will mark a new vehicle generation for the Kia Soul. The upcoming model of the vehicle will come with a redesigned exterior and new platform.

2019 Toyota Prius Adds All-Wheel Drive

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Toyota is adding an electrified all-wheel drive system as part of a refresh of the Prius for 2019 that should improve sales in the Northeast and other snowy states.

The system would reduce fuel economy from the current front-wheel model only slightly. Toyota expects the AWD Prius to deliver 52 miles per gallon in city driving, 48 mpg on the highway, and 50 mpg combined. The FWD Prius has been rated by the EPA to deliver 54 mpg in the city, 50 mpg on the highway, and 52 mpg combined.

Toyota expects the AWD Prius to account for about 25% of Prius sales. The company unveiled the vehicle ahead of the LA Auto Show.

Volkswagen Planning New North America Factory for Electric Vehicles

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Reuters reported Volkswagen is deciding where to locate a new factory in North America to build electric vehicles for the U.S. market, the German automaker’s new head for the Americas.

Scott Keogh, the newly appointed CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said a new plant was needed to build a vehicle yet to be revealed under the Volkswagen brand, priced between $30,000-$40,000, that is due in 2020.

“We are 100 percent deep in the process of ‘We will need an electric car plant in North America,’ and we’re holding those conversations now,” Keogh told journalists at the Los Angeles auto show.

An electric car that could take on Silicon Valley’s Tesla Inc is part of the massive investment in electric vehicles that Europe’s largest carmaker plans to make.

Volkswagen announced earlier this month it would spend almost 44 billion euros ($50 billion) on developing electric cars, autonomous driving and new mobility services by 2023, while exploring areas of cooperation with U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co.

To meet a production timeline for 2020, the new electric car will initially be sourced outside of the United States, Keogh said, but then will be produced at the newly chosen site.

Volkswagen’s existing U.S. plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where the Passat and Atlas are built, could be one option as there is enough room at that facility, but it will not necessarily be chosen, Keogh said.

18 Trucking Touts Mechanical, Environmental Pluses of Renewable Diesel

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18 Trucking, a construction trucking services company based in Hayward, Calif., is reporting reductions in maintenance costs and less downtime for its fleet after switching to Neste MY Renewable Diesel.

Neste MY is a low-carbon fuel produced from 100% renewable and sustainable raw materials, primarily wastes and residues, explains Neste. Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 80%, it is a drop-in fuel that requires no blending and no engine modification.

Diesel particulate filters (DPFs) are an engine aftertreatment system designed to reduce emissions from diesel engines. Because they become clogged over time from soot and other particulate matter, the vehicles must routinely be taken out of service to clear these systems of the backup, explains Neste.

U.S. Ethanol Prices Drop to 13-Year Lows on Bigger Supply

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Prices for U.S. ethanol fell to the lowest levels in 13 years on Wednesday, pressured by bigger-than-expected output and larger supplies of the corn-based biofuel, traders said.

Weekly U.S. Energy Information Administration data showed that ethanol production last week was up 6,000 barrels per day, to an average of 1.048 million bpd while stockpiles increased 139,000 barrels to 22.93 million barrels.

Some traders had anticipated a decline in output, as many producers were struggling to make money due to low ethanol prices and comparatively higher costs for the corn and natural gas necessary to make it.

“With all the talks of slowdowns, the market expected to see continual drops in production but they haven’t materialized, and margins have taken a further beating,” an ethanol trader said.

Interest in E15 Picks Up Among Gasoline Retailers

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Mike O’Brien, vice president of market development for Growth Energy, says that with seasonal restrictions on E15 sales potentially being lifted in time for next summer’s driving season, interest in selling E15 has increased among gasoline retailers.

“We’ve had quite a few retailers calling us wanting to discuss E15. How to put E15 in place with an eye on the fact that the RVP waiver will likely be going away sometime in the near future,” he said.

Growth Energy is an ethanol trade group, and has created Unleaded88 branding for E15, which has helped retailers market and sell the product. “The intent behind that is to provide a consistent and recognizable fuel brand for all the retailers to use when selling E15 because in that manner, they’re able really to optimize the sales of the new product that’s out there,” O’Brien said.

Biodiesel Tax Credit Extension, Phaseout Proposed in US House

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Chairman of the House ways and means committee Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, released a proposal Nov. 26 to make technical corrections to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (PL 115-97) and to extend several expired tax credits, including the biodiesel and renewable diesel tax incentive. The National Biodiesel Board welcomed the proposal for a multiyear extension of this important incentive, which would keep the credit at its current rate of $1 per gallon for 2018 through 2021 but gradually reduce it to 33 cents per gallon by 2024 and then allow it to expire.

Evolve KY Announces its 15th Electric Vehicle Charger Location — Prospect Plaza in Prospect, Kentucky

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Evolve KY, Kentucky’s non-profit electric vehicle group has just installed electric vehicle chargers at their fifteenth location… and the first in Prospect, Kentucky.

The chargers are located at Prospect Plaza at 9211 US Highway 42 in Prospect, KY.  There is a Starbucks Coffee shop, several restaurants and shops all available at that location.

The charger is fee-free and part of the non-profit group’s very popular Adopt a Charger program.  Highland Cleaners (which is located in the plaza) sponsored the chargers.

“Highland Cleaners is striving to be the “greenest cleaners” in Louisville and Kentucky,” said owner Michael Jones. “We aim to go above and beyond using green cleaning solutions and recycling programs.  Highland built the highest LEED rated dry cleaning building in the United States and now we feature two locations with electric car charging stations.”

With more and more people choosing electric vehicles, the chargers will be a great services to those living in the area and also for travelers.

“Electric cars cost less to “fuel” and maintain, are zero emission vehicles and are super fun to drive,” said Stuart Ungar, president of Evolve KY. “Once you understand the features and benefits and go for a ride in one, you want one!” If you’re seeking an enjoyable and thrilling experience, you can explore the excitement of betting on 겜블시티 슬롯, where you have the chance to win substantial prizes that can add a significant thrill to your gaming adventure. The games available on these websites offer a remarkably enjoyable and engaging experience, providing hours of entertainment and excitement that can keep you immersed in the world of gaming, ensuring that you’ll have an incredible time exploring all the diverse gaming options they have to offer.