Automotive Fleet, February 2016

Dont Solve the Problem Eliminate the Problem The Market Trends editorial in the January 2016 issue entitled Do Your Drivers Know their Company Vehicle is not Equipped with a Spare Tire touched on a subject that is near and dear to my heart for the following reasons Changing a spare tire on a passenger vehicle is nothing short of challenging for anyone much less a man or lady in business clothes For the most part this is a skillset that has eroded over time and is not thought of much anymore In its simplistic form most vehicles have specific contact points for the typical scissor jack which is very ungainly by itself if the proper contact point is not used then there is a high probability that the vehicle will slip off the jack When a tire is flat the bottom of the vehicle is now much closer to the ground thereby creating further challenges when identifying the proper contact point This can create an almost impossible situation Many people simply do not comprehend the need to select a level and stable surface on which to jack a car Most people dont remove the spare tire until after they get the car in the air If the rear of the vehicle is jacked up then the trunk is higher than normal Wrestling with the spare in this situation creates further physical and safety challenges The list goes on and on for a simple sedan For pickup trucks and vans the fun just begins when you must lower the spare by the winch accessed by the rear bumper area this is a huge thrill Let us not forget that on and 1 ton vehicles the torque required to break the lug nuts loose for removal may pose quite a challenge If the pickup truck or van has cargo of any significant weight this may cause further challenges with the capacity of the jack or the stability of a raised vehicle The driver should plan to wrestle with the tire and cable while crawling under the vehicle Light truck tires weigh significantly more than passenger car tires and have the potential to strain someone that is not used to handling this amount of weight For either a passenger car tire or a light truck tire be prepared to have a close encounter with nasty brake dust I have had a long standing practice of instead of trying to solve the problem eliminate the problem and create a simple policy of not permitting employees to change flat tires Simply drive slowly and carefully to a safe area and contact roadside assistance from your maintenance supplier An employers responsibility is to provide a safe working environment To this end we must do everything reasonable to protect our most valuable asset our employee Replacing a spare tire is fraught with any number of perils that can easily be avoided by a relatively inexpensive roadside assistance call J J Keig Corporate Fleet Manager CBRE McKinney Texas Do You Know Your Drivers Do They Know You I agree with the Market Trends editorial that getting to know drivers is an important concept for all fleet managers See Implementing a Driver Communication Strategy Driver communications is a matter of customer service and getting acquainted with your constituents It is far easier to talk to someone you know about an issue than it is conversing with a stranger Furthermore this accentuates your ability to influence a broader group of people when you send a broadcast message Allen Mitchell Fleet Consultant New Braunfels Texas AUTOMOTIVE FLEET I FEBRUARY 2016 6 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR www automotivefleet com Vice President Group Publisher FleetGroup Sherb Brown 310 533 2451 Editor and Associate Publisher Mike Antich 310 533 2467 Managing Editor Lauren Fletcher 541 213 2097 Senior Editor Chris Wolski 310 533 2442 Assistant Editor Kat Sandoval 310 533 2557 Field Editors Al Cavalli Bob Cavalli Production Director Kelly Bracken Production Manager Brian Peach 310 533 2548 Senior Art Director Armie Bautista Graphic Artist Jeff Polman Subscription Inquiries 888 239 2455 bobitpubs@ halldata com National Sales Manager Sherb Brown 310 533 2451 District Advertising Managers Regional Sales Manager Eric Bearly 303 681 2615 eric bearly@ bobit com Great Lakes Robert Brown Jr 1000 W University Dr Ste 209 Rochester MI 48307 248 601 2005 Fax 248 601 2004 rbrown8799@ aol com Sales Marketing Coordinator Tracey Tremblay 310 533 2518 Chairman 1961 2014 Edward J Bobit CEO Ty F Bobit COO Cyndy Drummey CFO Armand Del Duca Bobit Business Media 3520 Challenger St Torrance CA 90503 1640 Fax 310 533 2503 Printed in U S A