NAFA Connection

Your creative ideas have already helped your employer. Now it's time to receive the recognition you deserve! Submit your entry today for this year's Larry Goill Memorial Quality Fleet Management Idea Award, sponsored by NAFA and Bell Canada.

NAFA's Larry Goill Memorial Quality Fleet Management Idea Award honors individuals whose creative ideas improve fleet management by increasing productivity or creating bottom-line cost savings. Submit your idea and be in the catagory of these past recipients: Christopher Amos, CAFM; Jack Harris; David Carr, CAFM; J.J. Keig, CAFM; Oleg Cytowicz; Jon Crull, CAFM; Robert Stanton; John Alley, CAFM; and David Bragg.

Applications may be submitted by any individual who is directly employed in a vehicle management role by any company, utility, government agency or not-for-profit organization in the United States or Canada. Eligibility is limited to persons who perform the usual and customary duties of motor vehicle fleet administration directly for the fleet operator and who are not engaged in the sale, rental, lease of, or services to, motor vehicles. Previous winning ideas have included:

• Innovative use of Internet technology
• Cost and efficiency savings realized by restructuring personnel
• Streamlining tasks or eliminating marginal activities
• Forming both internal and external strategic alliances
• Designing unique vehicles to meet unique needs
• Innovative lifecycle analysis and decision-making
• Unique hiring and retention practices

A distinguished panel of experienced fleet managers, from diverse backgrounds, will judge all entries. The criteria for judging will include: originality and innovativeness; demonstrated effectiveness of the practice as documented in the entry; and applicability to other fleets. Click here to review a complete list of our past award recipients.

To be considered a candidate for the Quality Fleet Management Idea Awards, please complete the entry form located at www.nafa.org/goill or click here for an entry form. All entries must include a completed entry form and six (6) copies of any additional materials sent along with the entry to substantiate the entry (e.g. CD, video, reports, etc.). There is NO entry fee. You may submit up to three separate ideas for consideration; each idea, however, must be submitted on a separate entry form with its own corresponding documentation. Deadline for entries is March 12, 2009.

It is recommended that you send your entry via a secure delivery method that provides evidence of delivery to NAFA. All entries must be sent to:

Larry Goill Memorial Quality Fleet Management Idea Awards
c/o NAFA
Suite 200, 125 Village Blvd.
Princeton, NJ 08540

Get your walking shoes ready! Exhibits sold for our Expo Floor are at the same number from last year at this time - the same number of companies and same amount of square footage. More companies are registering each week, so there's more to look forward to!

Attend the CAFM Breakfast, and listen to featured Speaker Ed Rigsbee, CSP, give his presentation "Alliance Alchemy: Turning Relationships into Gold." As a nationally recognized expert on strategic alliance development and implementation, Rigsbee's expertise combined with his inspirational style of speaking, will leave you with a sense of purpose and ready-to-use tools. 

Rigsbee is the author of over 1,000 articles, several video and audio programs and the author of PartnerShift - How to Profit from the Partnering Trend, Developing Strategic Alliances and The Art of Partnering. In addition, he is also the president of Alliance Works in Thousand Oaks, California, a division of Rigsbee Enterprises, Inc.

Join this talented writer and speaker on Tuesday, April 28th, from 8:45 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and learn the correct formula for developing successful alliances that produce results; the four behavior keys and seven steps to develop and implement successful internal and external business relationships; and how to get instant access to the strength, capabilities and experience of others. 

NAFA's CAFM Boot Camp provides a valuable opportunity for those enrolled in the Certified Automotive Fleet Manager (CAFM) program. Throughout the I&E program, Boot Camp sessions are labeled and targeted to help you increase your study power for the CAFM program, while making you a well-rounded and highly knowledgeable fleet professional. For full course descriptions, visit our Detailed Program page, or click here.

You can also take the CAFM exam and receive next-day results! This opportunity was so popular last year, NAFA has decided to bring it back. The CAFM exam is scheduled for Friday, April 24, 2009, just prior to the start of I&E. Those who have passed all necessary exams will graduate at the Institute & Expo in New Orleans; those who have not, will be able to take a class in each of the eight disciplines and re-test, immediately following the I&E on Wednesday, April 29.

To secure your seat for the exam, please take your independent preparation seriously, and complete all Study Guide questions prior to the Boot Camp. Register online at www.nafa.org/exams. Deadline for forms is March 27, 2009.

Commissioning for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Maintenance Facilities offered Sunday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., will give attendees the tools to understand and manage a facility commissioning process. Learn how modern maintenance facilities are operating to their design potential once the contractor leaves the site as well as the benefits of a LEED facility and how you can select a consultant. Click here for more information.

Emerging Clean Fuel and Vehicle Technology Options for Fleets, offered Monday, April 27th, from 9:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., outlines the steps for quantifying fleet carbon – or green-footprint, and will present the latest findings on future paths for key alternative fuels; biofuels and feedstocks; new energy saving technologies such as hybrids; future options such as fuel cells; and review best practices for their successful future. Attend and learn how to quantify your environmental footprint; the latest offerings from manufacturers in light and heavy vehicle; current fuel options; options in the future; and the latest findings on fuel and vehicle impacts and which ones best fit your needs. Click here for more information.

On Tuesday, April 28th at 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mythbusters: The Snake Oil Saga will dig deep to provide you with a litany of the types and designs of products making claims on the market today; what engineers and scientists say about such products; and the results of several "real world" tests completed on a cross section of the products available today, with surprising results. NAFA is sending out our Mythbusters version of Adam and Jamie to prove or disprove, once and for all, the claims of these "Snake Oil" sales pitches. From interviews with some of the most respected engineers and scientists in North America to real product testing, we have the results. Click here for more information.

Attendance numbers for NAFA's I&E is significantly up - a 63% increase from this time last year. Register now! You still have time to secure a prime location at the largest fleet management event under one roof anywhere! To reserve your booth or request more information, contact Mark Miller at 703-934-4700, ext. 1107, or exhibits@nafa.org.

The Ford Motor Credit Company reported a net loss of $1.5 billion in 2008, a decrease of $2.3 billion from net income of $775 million a year earlier. On a pre-tax basis, Ford Motor Credit reported a loss of $2.6 billion in 2008, including the second quarter 2008 impairment charge of $2.1 billion for North America operating leases, compared with earnings of $1.2 billion in the previous year. The decrease in full year pre-tax earnings is more than explained by the impairment charge, a higher provision for credit losses, and higher depreciation expense for leased vehicles.

In the fourth quarter of 2008, Ford Motor Credit's net loss was $228 million, down $414 million from a year earlier. On a pre-tax basis, Ford Motor Credit reported a loss of $372 million in the fourth quarter, compared with earnings of $263 million in the previous year. On December 31, 2008, Ford Motor Credit's on-balance sheet net receivables totaled $116 billion, compared with $141 billion at year-end 2007.

Ford Motor Credit also is restructuring its U.S. operations to meet changing business conditions, including lower auto sales and the planned reduction in Jaguar, Land Rover and Mazda receivables, and to maintain a competitive cost structure. The restructuring will affect servicing, sales and central operations and eliminate about 1,200 staff and agency positions, or about 20 percent. The reductions will occur in 2009 through attrition, retirements, and involuntary separations.

As a result of their agreement, the Ford Motor Company and Navistar International Corporation will end their current diesel engine supply agreement, effective Dec. 31, 2009. However, the companies will continue to collaborate on a range of initiatives, including their existing Blue Diamond Truck and Parts joint ventures. Navistar will acquire additional equity in the Blue Diamond joint ventures, which will continue to offer dealers and customers F-650 and F-750 medium duty trucks, as well as parts support for a variety of Ford products, including Ford's PowerStroke Diesel-equipped trucks. Ford and Navistar also will continue their diesel engine supply relationship in South America. As a result of the agreement, Ford will make a payment to Navistar.

"Navistar and Ford benefitted from a successful partnership that provided value to both companies for nearly three decades. However, it's in our best interests to resolve our conflict and continue our relationship with each other in other areas," said Dan Ustian, Navistar chairman, president, and chief executive officer. "The next phase of our relationship is consistent with Navistar's strategy to diversify our customer base, while continuing to provide value to both companies through our existing joint ventures and our supply agreement in South America."

General Motors Corp. announced that it has reached agreement with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to resolve various outstanding investigations related to GM's past accounting and disclosure. The SEC did not allege that GM engaged in fraud or any other intentional violations. GM will not pay any fines or other monetary penalties.

GM, without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations and without admitting or denying any violation of law, will consent to entry of a consent judgment based on allegations relating to a number of past accounting and disclosure issues described in an SEC Complaint, which has been filed in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The consent judgment will provide that GM will refrain from any violations of specified laws and regulations in the future.

GM has publicly acknowledged deficiencies that led to accounting errors in the past. GM has already taken substantial steps to address these issues, as described in its public filings, including the restatement of certain accounting errors and the enhancement of its internal control process. This agreement concludes all outstanding SEC investigations of GM. 

Chrysler LLC reported continued progress in gaining cost concessions from its key constituents as the company pursues a global strategic alliance with Fiat S.P.A. 

The potential alliance will benefit Chrysler by preserving jobs and strengthening its viability plan. The alliance would give Chrysler immediate access to substantially all Fiat group vehicle platforms, which would complement Chrysler's current product lineup with fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly small cars and powertrain technology, saving Chrysler years of development time and billions in costs. 

Potential benefits of global partnerships and alliances were referenced in Bob Nardelli's oral and written testimonies before the U.S. House and Senate, and reinforced in public statements over the last several months. This alliance is completely in line with U.S. Treasury's request for significant restructuring actions, concessions from constituents including employees, the UAW, dealers, suppliers, lenders and Chrysler Financial, development of fuel-efficient vehicles, and long-term overall viability. This alliance is also conditioned on the U.S. government approval of Chrysler's upcoming viability plan submissions. 

Chrysler had previously engaged in discussions that pursued a consolidation partnership with General Motors. After a series of exchanges, GM stated that the option of a consolidation was "off the table."  After extensive review, U.S. Treasury awarded the Company $4 billion of the $7 billion, with $3 billion to be distributed pending the interim review of Chrysler's viability plan on Feb. 17, and final review on March 31. It is important to note that no U.S. taxpayer funds would go to Fiat.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., will launch a Safety Recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), involving approximately 134,900 Yaris vehicles sold in the United States.
 
The Yaris is equipped with driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners that retract the seat belts, to begin absorbing the occupant's forward momentum when a severe frontal impact is detected. On 2006 and 2007 model year Yaris, Toyota has determined that the seat belt pretensioner deployment may affect the sound insulating foam in the center pillar, following a collision.
 
There are no reported cases of this condition in the United States and no other Toyota or Lexus vehicles are involved. Toyota will inform owners of the involved vehicles with a Safety Recall notification via first-class mail, beginning in early February. Owners are requested to contact their local Toyota dealer for repair. The repair will take approximately one hour, depending on the dealer's workload. Customers with questions or concerns should contact the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331.

Nissan is realigning some of its North American operations to ensure long-term competitiveness in the U.S. market. The actions include a restructuring of the Nissan North America (NNA) sales and marketing operations, and the integration of Nissan Design America (NDA).
 
NNA is restructuring its sales and marketing field operations to be better positioned to serve dealers and consumers. Specific actions include transitioning from a field structure based on 11 regional sales offices, to a new structure with seven regional sales offices and 23 satellite offices in 18 locations across the United States. This shift involves the closure of four regional sales offices.
 
Additional enhancements to the sales and marketing organization include expanded personnel assigned to support each dealer and the creation of a dedicated electric vehicle project team.
 
NDA is integrating its operations into its San Diego studio, beginning April 1. This action is being taken to strengthen NDA's role in Nissan's global design organization, by increasing the level of participation in the exploratory and advanced phases of North American and global design projects. This integration will result in the redeployment of the design facility in Farmington Hills, Mich., for use by other functions of the company.
 
Taken together, these actions will eliminate approximately 110 positions. Nissan intends to achieve the majority of these reductions through a voluntary transition plan.   

Due to the financial market crisis, the government of Canada has developed an Economic Action Plan that aims to help Canada emerge from this recession stronger. The Government's Economic Action Plan is comprised of five main elements, one of which is Improving Access to Financing and Strengthening Canada's Financial System. Under this element, up to $200 billion will be used for the Extraordinary Financing Framework to improve access to financing for consumers and allow businesses to obtain the financing they need to invest, grow and create jobs.

In addition, under the Economic Action plan, is the creation of the Canadian Secured Credit Facility, with up to $12 billion to support financing of vehicles and equipment for consumers and businesses, with a focus on freeing up automotive credit. The Canadian Secured Credit Facility will provide more funds for lenders who, in turn, would offer consumers and businesses better terms to borrow money and finance the purchase or lease of vehicles and equipment, according to the Canadian Auto Workers Union.

Under the program, the government will borrow funds to purchase from financial institutions up to $12 billion of asset-backed securities supported by loans and leases on vehicles and equipment ranging from cars and tractors to construction gear and copying machines, according to the CAW.

Auditor General Jack Wagner said the Department of General Services (DGS) must exert greater control over its management of the State's fleet of 16,637 vehicles, after issuing a report that faulted the agency for weak leadership, incomplete record-keeping, and little accountability in how cars were being assigned and maintained.

Although DGS said that it had centralized management of the vehicle fleet, effective as of January 5, Wagner said it was a step that should have occurred long ago.

"With the Commonwealth facing a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, DGS must seize the wheel and take control of Pennsylvania's vehicle fleet, to save taxpayer dollars and to ensure the public that the privilege of operating a state vehicle is not being abused," Wagner said.

Wagner said that reforms must address three main deficiencies: program decentralization, lack of proper documentation and lack of transparency. Wagner initiated a special performance audit of the state's vehicle fleet last June; however, auditors' inability to obtain sufficient documentation from DGS prevented completion of the audit. As a result, Wagner issued a special report detailing auditors' findings.

In the fall of 2008, auditors determined that 16,637 vehicles were operated by 51 state agencies, boards and commissions. Based on General Services' estimated annual cost of $4,359 for acquisition, maintenance, fuel and insurance per vehicle, the State's total cost would be about $72.5 million a year.

State law authorizes DGS to purchase and supervise all state vehicles, but it failed to exert administrative control during the period examined by auditors, Wagner said. General Services' decentralized management philosophy of permitting each agency, board and commission to set its own policy of which employees received cars and maintained records, led to different guidelines on assignment of vehicles, shoddy record-keeping, inadequate maintenance, unauthorized repairs and failure to fulfill General Services' request for information.

Decentralization also meant that DGS could not provide up-to-date answers to the most basic questions from taxpayers. Auditors had expected to obtain and audit expense records for state vehicles, but were told that DGS could provide little more than a list of 16,000-plus vehicles, that included their make, model and license plate number. DGS could not provide valid, reliable data such as odometer readings for all cars, and names and job titles for all state employees with permanently assigned vehicles.

"Without accurate and complete information, DGS and state agencies that use state-owned vehicles are not accountable to citizens who are footing the bills for the purchase and maintenance of vehicles," Wagner said.

Coca-Cola Enterprises announced the deployment of the largest hybrid electric delivery trucks in North America. CCE plans to deploy an incremental 185 hybrid electric trucks across the United States and Canada in 2009, bringing their total number of hybrid electric delivery trucks to 327, the largest such fleet in North America.

Just last week, CCE earned the Orion Energy Systems Environmental Stewardship Award for its commitment to energy conservation and climate change in California.  The company has 142 hybrid electric delivery vehicles on the road, the majority of which are 12-bay box trucks. This is the largest heavy duty fleet in North America. The company recently launched a new, larger hybrid electric tractor, which is the standard bulk delivery truck the company uses for large deliveries.

In 2009, the company plans to deploy the larger hybrid tractors to: Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Los Angeles; Miami; New York; Portland; San Francisco; Seattle; Tampa; Toronto; Vancouver; and Washington, DC. Additionally, the company plans to deploy incremental hybrid 12-bay trucks to Albuquerque, Columbus, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, and Montreal. 

New York will receive more than $31 million in grants for highway safety programs across the State. The federal highway safety grants will be distributed by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) to nearly 750 State, local and not-for-profit agencies to conduct highway and traffic safety initiatives aimed at increasing driver education, new enforcement efforts to combat drinking and driving, passenger restraint enforcement, aggressive driving and excessive speeding prevention and bicycle and pedestrian safety, among others.

"The federal funding announced will provide necessary resources to continue the successful implementation of driver safety initiatives, child passenger programs and traffic enforcement details to combat the many issues challenging motorists across the State," said Governor David A. Paterson.

The grants announced fall under the following categories: Buckle-Up New York, Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, Child Passenger Safety, and Agency Programs. The programs receiving funding this year are integrated into the State's overall traffic safety strategy, and are part of the GTSC Highway Safety Plan that is approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Hertz Global Holdings, Inc., announced that as part of a comprehensive plan to further decrease costs, the company is reducing its global workforce by more than 4000 employees during the fourth quarter 2008 and through the first quarter 2009.

The cost reductions are attributable to reduced rental demand, and Hertz continues to reengineer work processes using Lean Sigma techniques to drive efficiencies. There will be job reductions in the car and equipment rental businesses, corporate and support areas and in all geographies, with an emphasis on eliminating non-customer-facing jobs.

The workforce reduction is expected to generate annualized costs savings in the range of $150 million to $170 million in 2009, and the company expects to take a charge in the fourth quarter 2008, related to these job reductions, in the range of $20 million to $25 million.

Cars.com and Carfax renewed their partnership to ensure dealers can give online shoppers instant access to Carfax Vehicle History Reports from their Cars.com listings. Since 2005, Cars.com listings include links to Carfax Reports, paid for by Carfax-subscribing dealers. A recent study by Cars.com and global research firm Synovate, about the value of third-party automotive sites to dealer walk-in traffic, shows that online shoppers are highly influenced to visit a dealer's lot after seeing a Carfax Vehicle History Report. 

President Obama Issues Environmental Directives

On January 26th, President Obama issued an order for the U.S. Environment Protection Agency to begin formal reconsideration of the Bush administration's controversial decision to deny California, and 17 other states, the ability to pass strict rules limiting green house gas emissions from passenger vehicles. On the same day, the President also directed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a final rule on increasing the CAFE standards as required by the 2007 Energy Independence & Security Act. This law mandates that the Secretary of Transportation prescribe annual fuel economy increases for automobiles, beginning with model year 2011, resulting in a combined fuel economy fleet average of at least 35 miles per gallon by model year 2020.

Vehicle Scrappage Program Kicks Off

On January 30th, the Federal Minister of the Environment, Jim Prentice, officially launched the new National Vehicle Scrappage Program "Retire Your Ride." The program is being implemented by the Clean Air Foundation, along with support from the Government of Canada.

Retire Your Ride offers incentives to Canadians who turn in their older and higher polluting vehicles, as well as promotes sustainable transportation options that will help diminish air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Nearly five million cars and trucks on Canada's roads were manufactured before 1996 - these models produce about 19 times more air pollutants than newer cars and trucks.

The incentives offered include discounts on public transit passes, bicycles, memberships in car-sharing programs, or $300 cash. The Government is granting $92 million to fund the program until March 31st, 2011. 

Joining the Government's pledge for high environmental standards, also included in this initiative will be a National Car Recycling Code of Practice. This code will raise the standard of environmental care for vehicle recycling.  

Toyota launched the all-new Toyota Certified Used Hybrid (TCUH) program, an extension of the Toyota Certified Used Vehicles (TCUV) brand which provides added inspection and warranty coverage on certified used Toyota hybrids.

"The program is a great way to increase awareness of certified used hybrid vehicles," said TCUV Marketing Manager, Steve Gallagher. "As more hybrids enter the used vehicle marketplace, Toyota Certified Hybrids offer high-quality options to customers interested in purchasing these fuel-efficient vehicles."

As the industry's first dedicated certified pre-owned program for hybrid vehicles, TCUH was designed to drive sales of certified used hybrids while expanding Toyota's customer base for these types of vehicles. Each vehicle comes with the three-month/3,000-mile comprehensive warranty, seven-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and roadside assistance plan offered on traditional TCUV models. The program also brings added awareness to a pre-existing eight-year/100,000-mile factory hybrid battery warranty.

The Charlottesville City Council has adopted a 2025 Vision Statement for the City. One of the major components is "A Green City," which includes plans for promoting alternative fuels and alternatively fueled vehicles.

In support of its Environmental Sustainability Policy, the City of Charlottesville is working to advance air quality, public health, reduced energy consumption and economic development goals for the area, by promoting the implementation of polices and practices that contribute to the reduction of petroleum consumption in its vehicles. Strategies have been adopted to facilitate the introduction of alternative fuels and hybrid-electric vehicles, leading to increased fuel efficiency.

The City currently employs 40 alternatively fueled vehicles, including 2 compressed natural gas (CNG) school buses, 16 bi-fuel vehicles (CNG/gas), 20 hybrid-electric vehicles, and 2 "flex-fuel" vans (ethanol/gas), and has introduced biodiesel blends into a subset of its diesel powered vehicles as part of a pilot project.

ARB Chairman Mary Nichols sent a letter to Lisa Jackson, the new designated Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), requesting that she revisit the decision by the previous EPA administrator that denied California the waiver it needs to enforce its clean car law.

"We feel strongly that under its new leadership, EPA will recognize that the decision made by the former administrator to deny California the waiver to enforce our clean car law was flawed, factually and legally, in fundamental ways," said Nichols.

Should the EPA grant the waiver, California and 13 other states will begin a program to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles 30 percent by 2016.

The letter points out that the decision by the previous EPA administrator improperly evaluated California's need for greenhouse gas standards in complete isolation, without also considering the context of California's complete motor vehicle emission control program. The letter also indicates that California believes that the EPA can reconsider its decision in a manner that fulfills its public notice and comment obligations without undue delay. This is because the issues to be reconsidered are limited in scope, and there has already been extensive comment input, by stakeholders and the public, on the waiver request. The letter can be found at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/arbwaiverrequest.pdf.

Customers eager to purchase America's most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans, the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid, can take advantage of a $3,400 tax credit from the federal government.

Buyers of a new 2010 Fusion Hybrid or Mercury Milan Hybrid this year, will qualify for the $3,400 tax credit, the highest credit amount ever offered for hybrids purchased or placed in service after Dec. 31, 2005. The Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrid, the most fuel-efficient SUVs in America, continue to qualify for a $3,000 tax credit, the highest available tax credit of all hybrids on the road today.

The Air Resources Board adopted a regulation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of cans of refrigerants by do-it-yourselfers to recharge the air-conditioning systems of cars.

The regulation includes a deposit and recycling program patterned after a recent and successful pilot program by industry in Southern California. It will cost an estimated $11 for each ton of greenhouse gases prevented from entering the atmosphere. The original 2007 proposal to ban the do-it-yourself cans outright, carried an estimated cost of $159 per ton. 

The automotive refrigerant currently in wide use, HFC-134a, is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming impact 1,300 times greater than carbon dioxide. A single 12-ounce small can of this refrigerant is equivalent to 1,000 pounds of CO2, or the emissions from an automobile burning 50 gallons of gasoline.

The regulation, one of a series of so-called discrete early action measures under AB 32, California's landmark climate change legislation, has four major components. The proposed regulation is estimated to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions of over 250,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year in 2020, and will add about $1 to the purchase price of a can.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced today that USDA Rural Development has approved the first-ever loan guarantee to a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant. The $80 million loan to Range Fuels Inc., Soperton, Ga., comes from the Section 9003 Biorefinery Assistance Program, authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill.

The Biorefinery Assistance Program promotes the development of new and emerging technologies for the production of advanced biofuels - defined as fuels that are not produced from food sources. The program provides loan guarantees to develop, construct and retrofit viable commercial-scale biorefineries producing advanced biofuels. The maximum loan guarantee is $250 million per project. The program is designed to create energy-related jobs and economic development in rural America. The loan to Range Fuels is approved, subject to conditions.

The project is expected to produce an estimated 63 jobs. When fully operational in 2010, the plant is expected to produce approximately 20 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year.

Order by February 28 and Save 25% on NAFA's FADG

Fleet Acquisition and Disposal Guide

A NAFA collaboration with NTEA & IARA, this guide investigates the acquisition and disposal process, illustrating how both functions are equally important and mutually dependent. Save time and effort by using this comprehensive source, as 360 pages cover topics ranging from methods of reducing lifecycle vehicle costs by minimizing net acquisition costs, to maximizing net disposal revenue and selecting vehicles. ORDER TODAY!

NAFA has provided space in each issue of the FleetFOCUS for companies and organizations to advertise career opportunities in the fleet industry. Members can also market themselves to potential employers. If you're interested in this opportunity, make your listings 200 words or fewer. Links to complete job descriptions on the company's Web site are suggested. Please note all of the materials a candidate must supply in order to be considered for the position (e.g., resume, salary history, municipal application, etc.). To take advantage of this service, e-mail your ad to Patrick McCarren at pmccarren@nafa.org.

January Job Postings

Fleet Manager - Nassau County, NY
Lead Mechanic - Delta, CO
Fleet Administrator - Kansas City, MO

Resume Bank

NAFA is going one step further to help those in the industry gain employment. For a small fee, NAFA will send resumes to any prospective employer who places an ad on the Career Network Section of the NAFA Web site. Employers will be provided with new, up-to-date resumes that fit the job, for a small cost.

There is still no charge to submit a resume to the Resume Bank. To be included in the Resume Bank, please send a current version of your resume to Maureen Smith, NAFA, Inc., 125 Village Blvd., Suite 200, Princeton, NJ 08540, or fax it to 609-452-8004. Resumes can also be e-mailed to Maureen Smith at msmith@nafa.org. A few tips and reminders: If you would like to include a generic cover letter to be sent to potential employers, please include that as part of your resume. Make sure your home address, home phone or cell phone and personal e-mail address are included on your resume. Potential employers will contact you directly. NAFA has a number of fleet-related job openings on the Jobs Wanted/Available page (click here).

Industry Calendar
Click here

NAFA's 34 local chapters across Canada and the United States offer you numerous opportunities to meet colleagues and receive valuable fleet management education to keep you informed! Each year, more than 100 NAFA Chapter meetings provide top level education and training on a wide variety of timely topics!

February is a busy month for NAFA Chapters! Chapter meetings will take place, including:

February 5
Pacific Northwest Chapter Meeting
Location: Oregon Convention Center, Portland, OR
Contact: Kent Fretwell, P: 503.378.2132

February 5
RMFMA Arizona Chapter Golf Outing
Location: Scottsdale Silverado Golf Course, Scottsdale, AZ
Contact: Danny Johnson, dljohnson@scottsdaleaz.gov, P: 480.312.5575 

February 5-7
Board of Governors Meeting
Location: Renaissance Orlando Airport Hotel, Orlando, Florida
Contact: Hotel phone number: 1.407.240.1000
 
February 6
Arizona Chapter Meeting
Location: SRP PERA Club, Tempe, Arizona
Contact: Danny Johnson, dljohnson@scottsdaleaz.gov, P: 480.312.5575 
 
February 11
Greater Hartford Chapter - Meeting, and Dangers of Drowsy Driving Presentation
Location: Alsom Power, Windsor, CT

February 11
Old Dominion Chapter - February Meeting
Location: ChemTreat, Inc., Banks Brothers Building, Glen Allen, Virginia
Contact: Ken Bernard, P: 540.853.2108 or 540.400.9894, or via email: ken.bernard@roanokeva.gov
RSVP by noon on Friday, February 6
 
February 12
Greater Pittsburgh Chapter - Annual Business Meeting and Pittsburg International Auto Show
Location: David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Room 330 East, Pittsburg, Pa
Contact: Donna McDonough, donna.mcdonough@bnymellon.com, or fax: 412.236.0288
RSVP by February 9, 2009
 
February 13
Nation's Capital Chapter - Meeting
Location: Prince George's County Central Vehicle Maintenance Facility, Capitol Heights, MD
Contact: Rick Hilmer, P: 301.808.1721, or via email: rghilmer@co.pg.md.us
RSVP by February 10, 2009

February 13
Chicago Chapter - Annual Chicago Auto Show and Breakfast Meeting
Location: Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
Contact: Joe McDonald, P: 847.795.5458

February 17
North Central Chapter - Meeting
Location: Holiday Inn Select, Bloomington, MN
Contact: Dave Schiller, P: 651.259.5497, dave.schiller@dnr.state.mn.us

February 18
New England Chapter - Fleet Manager Roundtable Discussion
Location: Holiday Inn, Mansfield, MA
Contact: Karen Kearns, P: 401.392.1000 ext. 2060 or karen.kearns@gtech.com

February 19
San Francisco Chapter - Building Successful Surveys and Chapter Elections
Location: Bold Knight Bistro, San Jose, CA
Contact: Dave Snow, P: 408.299.2357, email: dave.snow@faf.sccgov.org
RSVP by February 13, 2009 

February 19
New York Chapter - The Path to Electric Vehicles
Location: 1000 Roosevelt Avenue, Carteret, NJ
Contact: Arthur Kappel, AKAPPEL@cablevision.com
RSVP by February 12, 2009

February 24
Wisconsin Chapter Meeting, Auto Show, and Term Elections
Location: Meeting will be held at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center and the Auto Show will be held at Midwest Airlines Center, both in Milwaukee, WI.
Contact: Mary Daniel, P: 414.385.5212, mdaniel@sssf.org

Which new colleagues and suppliers might you benefit from? Welcome new NAFA Members and new NAFA Affiliates. Click here to view.

Do you have an article you want to look up, but can't remember the title? Or information you need, but you only remember the year it was printed? Now you can type in keywords, topics, years, and even questions, on a customized search engine provided by Google, on our Web site.

Just log onto www.nafa.org and scroll to the far right hand side at the top of the page. Type what you're looking for in the box under "Search this Site" and then press search. In a matter of seconds you'll be supplied with a list of matches for your review. You don't even need to log into the NAFA site to use this application! Just type in what you're looking for, and with one click you'll find everything you need. 

NAFA's FleetED is designed to help you quickly find references and educational resources that you need now.

From asset management to maintenance management, benchmarking and shop operations, NAFA's FleetED covers all fleet management disciplines and competencies, making this free Web site your fast online portal to all fleet management education.
 
Easily look up available resources, while scanning an overview of a particular fleet management discipline. Complete a brief self-assessment test, selected by discipline, to confirm your strengths and discover what areas may need a little more concentration. These quizzes provide real-time feedback, with suggested education content according to your assessment results.

Whether you are looking for something specific, or just trying to figure out what you need to know, NAFA's FleetED will guide you to valuable, comprehensive education content and reference materials. Visit FleetED at www.nafa.org/fleeted or www.fleeted.org.

Easily access NAFA colleagues with our directory files. Same content information as found on the Networking Databases, just downloadable! Print these files for use when you are traveling or save to your computer for times when you'll be without Internet access.

Directory of NAFA Members – listed alphabetically by surname
Directory of NAFA Members – listed by industry code
Directory of NAFA Affiliates – listed alphabetically by surname
Directory of NAFA Affiliates – listed by business code
 
Information for these directory files was gathered from NAFA's membership database on August 31, 2008. New members or record changes after this date may not be reflected in the files found here. Alumni, as well as Distinguished Service Award recipients and Honorary Members, are found within the Directory of Members.
 
To view and search our online Networking Databases, click here. Networking Databases are updated throughout the year.

Have you been promoted? Is your company moving? Did you get a new job? Are you retiring? Remember to notify NAFA about these and other changes.

If you are retiring, please contact NAFA, as you may be eligible to become a NAFA alumnus and stay in touch with your NAFA colleagues and friends.

There are two easy ways to both help your colleagues keep in touch and make changes to your membership record: 1) click on "My Profile" on the NAFA homepage and submit changes, or 2) e-mail info@nafa.org.