Get Your Vehicle Summer Ready

Summer time is upon us. The hot summer sun, blowing dust and monsoons, combined with all the stop and go traffic, will really take a toll on your vehicle. Let’s not forget too, that you probably went all winter with probably doing very little or no maintenance. Regular vehicle maintenance not only reduces potential mechanical failures, but it increases the longevity and  resale value!

Here are some key things that should be checked:

• Air Conditioning- Should be inspected by a qualified technician and have the cabin air filter replaced.
• Cooling System- Should be flushed and refilled every 24 months. Never remove the radiator cap until the engine has thoroughly cooled! The condition and tightness of belts, clamps and hoses should also be checked by a professional.
• Oil- Change the oil and oil filter regularly every 3,000.
• Windshield Wipers- Replace worn wiper blades and fill windshield wiper fluid.
• Lights- Inspect all lights and bulbs and replace burned out bulbs.
• Tires- Check tire pressures once a month while they are cold. Don’t forget to check the spare as well and make sure the jack is in working order. Tires should be rotated about every 5,000 miles. Examine tires for tread life and uneven wearing which is a sign of poor alignment.
• Brakes- Should be inspected as recommended in your manual, or sooner if you notice noises, grabbing, rubbing or problems with stopping distance.
• Battery- Scrape away corrosion from posts and cable connections; clean all surfaces and re-tighten all connections. Check fluid levels on older batteries. Battery life is diminished in summer heat!
• Emergency Box- Carry some basic tools, first aid kit, flares and a flashlight for emergencies. Additional items, such as, a blanket, water, granola bars, mobile USB charger, duct tape and matches are always good to have on hand. You never know where or how long you can be stranded! 
  

Have a work truck? Get your work truck or fleet summer ready and store all your tools and emergency items in a Fleetwest Load'N'Go service body. Made from Heavy-Duty 16 ga. Steel yet still light enough to fit in 1/2 ton trucks. Call us toll-free in the U.S. for a quote today (866) 497-7200 

Elite Fleets

What is an Elite Fleet? Elite Fleet is an honorary title given to the top fleet in The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas program. Elite Fleets lead the way in innovative and efficient fleet management. This title brings recognition from neighboring fleets as well as national organizations. Once given this title, the fleets are ineligible to compete again for the next five years. The winners of The 100 Best Fleets are announced and awarded at the NAFA I&E. The following is the top 10 of the 2017 100 Best Fleet winners:

1.      City of Chesapeake, VA
2.      City of Bellevue, WA
3.      Alameda County, CA
4.     San Luis Obispo County, CA
5.     DeKalb County, GA
6.     City of Riverside, CA
7.     City of Durham, NC
8.     City of Tempe, AZ
9.     Hillsborough County, FL
10.    The University of Texas at Austin, TX

      Congratulations to our home town, the City of Tempe, for making the top ten!!

How does one become an Elite Fleet? Here are some tips from the experts, aka previous Best Fleet winners.

Maximize ROI

• Maximizing the vehicle return on investment can provide revenue for upfitting fleet vehicles or purchasing new, innovative fleet technologies.
• Having a large fleet means disposal of hundreds of vehicles annually. Creating a higher resale value can provide large savings.
• Vehicle ROI needs to be considered during initial truck acquisition.
• Small details such as adding a bed-liner to a pickup truck, tinting the windows in warmer climates, and picking a popular paint color such as white can increase resale value.
• Bolt-on truck bodies damage both the pickup truck and the service body itself. Fleetwest offer slip-on models that won’t damage the vehicle and are easily removed for a higher resale value and maximized ROI.

Rightsizing a Fleet

• Rightsizing a fleet can mean either increasing or decreasing the number of vehicles and drivers.
• Using vehicles utilization studies can help determine an accurate number of trucks with maximum utilization.
• Underused vehicles or equipment can be sold at auction to increase ROI.
• Integrating transferable truck bodies into a fleet provides more versatility and eliminates the need to purchase more pickup trucks. Load’N’Go truck bodies can be removed from one truck to another when needed if the pickup truck is in the shop or a technician is out.

Load'N'Go Open Bed by Fleetwest
(shown on optional jacks)

Vehicle Maintenance

• Many government fleets develop maintenance partnerships. This strategy works well for both the fleet and the partner because they can benefit from fleet services.
• Investing in durable and secure fleet vehicles and service bodies can reduce overall maintenance costs. Fleetwest service bodies are easily transferred from on pickup truck bed to another, fully loaded, when it comes time for vehicle maintenance. This reduces downtime which in turn saves money.

Durashell 175 by Fleetwest

Go Green

• Investing in a green fleet, when rightsizing or initially acquiring vehicles, initially saves money in fuel costs; and provides companies with an environmental stamp of approval.
• Some organizations have invested in hiring a green fleet coordinator to advise on the best way to incorporate environmental technology into a fleet.
• Goals can be set to reduce fleet petroleum fuel, carbon emissions, and overall environmental impact.
• Lightweight vehicles require less fuel and reduce carbon emissions. Durashell service bodies are made of a lightweight fiberglass composite and can reduce fuel costs to create a greener fleet.

Interested in creating an Elite Fleet of your own? Fleetwest can help with that! Call us for a quote today, toll-free in the U.S. (866) 497-7200 or visit www.fleetwest.net 

Accessories Make a Difference

Ladders and other long cargo items, such as pipes, can take up valuable storage space in a work truck. Simply adding a ladder rack to your service body makes a world of difference. It will optimize that storage space, create organization and make for a safer work environment.

Ladder Rack with Headache Rack shown on Load'N'Go Security Top

Benefits of adding a ladder rack:

• Ladder racks provide the best angle to secure loads. Placing ladders or long material on top of your service body frees up storage space inside for parts and expensive cargo and equipment.

• Accessibility is easier when ladders are securely stored on top of your work truck. Rather than moving tools and material to get to a ladder, simply take it down from atop.

• Road safety is increased when ladders are stored on top the length of a pickup truck. When ladders stick out from the back of vehicles, accidents are more likely to occur; creating expensive accident or insurance costs for you and/or your fleet.

• Easy accessibility to heavy materials, such as ladders, eliminates the risk of personal injury. Maneuvering heavy ladders can cause back injury. Having a secure ladder rack makes accessing these heavy materials easier and safer.

Fleetwest offers multiple styles from simple steel material racks to low profile hydraulic ladder racks. Hydraulic ladder racks further optimize convenience and security because of their drop-down feature that provides easier access to materials. Call toll free today at (866) 497-7200 for a quote on a ladder rack and Load’N’Go service body.