NAFA's Mid-America Chapter Digs Into New Technologies

 

The future is coming whether one plans for it or not. NAFA Members take the view that preparation is essential, and with that on October 14, NAFA's Mid-America Chapter Meeting "Future Technologies in Fleet" (at the Grand Café, in Kansas City, MO) neatly fit into that strategy. Forty-two fleet professionals attended this insightful session.

Two presenters for the morning, Brad Hoffelt, GE Capital, SVP & General Manager, Products & Services, and Lauren Wenger, Central District Service Manager for Western Star Trucks, informed the audience about how vehicles are quickly becoming connected, through telematics and GPS. The benefits a fleet could achieve would range from safety and maintenance cost reduction, to maximizing driver efficiency.

 

 Another interesting topic involved a discussion on the increasing practice of data collection on vehicles and driver behaviors. New applications are being developed to analyze databases automatically, instead of examination by fleet managers, which can result in real-time measuring of driver performance, instances of idling, and even divergence from routing over a period of weeks and months.

Chapter attendees were impressed with the amazing things that are either coming soon or already here with regard to vehicles, improving capabilities, convenience, and cost savings for fleet operators.



Attendees also heard from Brad Bohnen of Ericsson, Inc., who gave an overview of his company and the fleet services his team provides. Brad is a member of NAFA's Midwest Chapter.

The Mid-America Chapter thanks the following for continued sponsorship support: Adrian Steel, Affiliated Auctioneers, American Midwest Fleet Solutions, ARI, Auto Truck Group, Central Power Systems and Services, Chrysler Group, Custom Truck & Equipment, Donlen, Emkay Fleet Management, Enterprise Leasing Company of Kansas LLC., Ferrell Autogas, Fleet Response, Ford, GE Capital Fleet Services, GM, Knapheide, Kranz of Kansas City, LeasePlan, Manheim, Merchants Fleet Management, Midway Ford Truck Center, NAPA Auto Parts, Nissan, Olathe Ford-Lincoln, Summit Truck Group, Toyota, and Union Leasing (Gold Sponsorship); BMW, CEI, Dick Smith Ford, Kansas Soybean Commission, Overland Park Jeep/Dodge/Chrysler, Element Fleet, Piermonte Fleet Sales, and Wheels Inc. (Silver Sponsorship); and Flexco Fleet Remarketing, Gary Crossley Ford, PARS Inc., Shawnee Mission Ford, Westfall Commercial Truck, and WEX (Bronze Sponsorship).

Special thanks to Chapter Secretary Dave Zumbaugh for material in this article.