Element Closes on Funding for Fleet Management Business
TORONTO, ON - Element Financial Corp. has closed on US$4.8 billion in rated asset-backed security (ABS) funding that will fuel the company's aggressive move into the U.S. fleet management business. In June, Element Financial Corp. reached an agreement to acquire GE Capital's remaining North American fleet management operations in the U.S. and Mexico, along with as GE Capital's fleet management operations in Australia and New Zealand.
The Productive Shop
Downtime costs money. Nobody wants to keep a truck in the shop any longer than necessary. So here's a question to consider: is your shop as productive and efficient as it could be? Some things you just can't change; for example, you can't suck oil out of an engine any faster than it wants to flow, but could you be doing something else to the truck while it's in the oil change bay, like topping up its tire inflation pressure or checking its alignment? So much of what used to require manual hands-on labour can now be automated, and many tasks that once had designated areas in a shop or even needed dedicated personnel can now be done simultaneously, thus reducing the time the truck is unavailable. Here's a look at a few technologies that can help refine the service process and save some real time on basic maintenance procedures.
ATA: U.S. Truck Tonnage Mixed, Previews 2016
ARLINGTON, VA - A measure of trucking freight activity fell last month in the U.S., but remains not far from a record high level hit early this year, accordign to one fleet group, who also offered a preview into conditions for the New Year. The American Trucking Associations' (ATA) advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index declined 0.9 percent in November to 134.3 from the month before, following an increase of 1.8 percent during October, which was revised downward from a first reported 1.9 percent gain. This latest index reading is just 1.1 percent below the all-time high of 135.8 reached in January 2015.
Diesel Prices Continue Heading to Lower Levels
LONDON, ON and WASHINGTON, D.C. - It looks like diesel prices will end the year on a very much lower note in both Canada and the U.S. with continuing declines, making for the least expensive prices in several years. According to the petroleum information services provider The Kent Group, the national average cost of trucking's main fuel in Canada is down $0.017 from a week ago to $0.995 per liter. This is the sixth weekly drop and its lowest level since 2010. Compared to this time last year diesel is $0.199 cheaper. Prices fell Canada's four different regions and currently range from a low of $0.97 per liter in the Western Provinces to a high of $1.093 in Quebec. In the U.S., the story is also a continued drop for six straight weeks, with the average national cost falling US$0.054 from last week to US$2.284 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Department's Energy Information Administration.
U.S. Carrier Safety Fitness Regulations Expected Soon
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Notice of a proposed rule that would increase the use of inspection data in making Safety Fitness Determinations for motor carriers operating south of the border is expected to be published by Dec. 29, according to the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
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