2/9/2010  Oil Intelligence
Commentary by Steve Sturgess, Executive Editor

One of the more intriguing devices I have stumbled across at shows is the Intellistick. It is, as you may have already guessed from the name, an intelligent replacement for the humble dipstick.

It's an oil condition and temperature monitor, tracking additive depletion, increasing viscosity, but most importantly, instantly indicating the presence of water or coolant in the lube oil.

When I saw it I was impressed. After all, having the oil condition at your fingertips, so to speak, is a big plus for any machine, especially an internal combustion engine. But when I saw the price at around $500, I could see that the military-derived product would have some significant market objections. After all, you can get a lot of information from ongoing oil analysis at a fraction of the price.

Of course, you don't get the available instant contamination notice, which can be communicated from the truck to the back office in real time. That's information you need to act on immediately to avoid costly damage, especially if the truck has just had an oil change and has thousands of miles to run before the next change and analysis flags the coolant in the oil.....

2/5/2010  Fleet Fuel Prices: What are They Now?
By Glen Sokolis, Sokolis Group

How many of you forget something that you were going to do today, but you won't remember until tomorrow? I know everyone's hands would be raised if we were in a fleet fuel seminar. Do you remember where fleet fuel prices have been in the last couple of years?

Are you ready for the possible rising oil price storm that looks like it could hit your fleet fueling budget in 2010?

Let's take a step back and remind you where fleet fuel prices have been for both diesel fuel and gas. These are Department of Energy national averages, so they could be slightly higher or lower in your area. We have never been big fans of the DOE national average for fleet fuel. As one fuel expert once said to me, "It's like using a globe to find your house!"

Just 24 months ago, diesel fuel prices were $3.387 a gallon, while gas prices were $3.135 a gallon.

Twelve months ago diesel fuel prices were $2.299 a gallon, and gas prices were $1.72 a gallon.....

2/5/2010  Panel: Electronic Logging Technology Addresses Fleet Priorities
By Diana Britton, Managing Editor

According to Allan Lowry, director of safety at Central Refrigerated Service, there are three main priorities for a fleet: safety, service and retention. Electronic logging technology addresses every one of those priorities, Lowry said during a panel session at Qualcomm Enterprise Services' recent user conference in Coronado, Calif.

Lowry joined in on the discussion with some other fleets and a company driver to talk about their use of electronic on-board recorders. The general census was: so far, so good.

Safety

Lowry said the use of EOBRs in Central Refrigerated's fleet has made it much easier to look at every violation, identify risky drivers and take the appropriate actions, such as training drivers. The technology also helps log auditors because the log is much more legible. Central Refrigerated had the technology fully implemented by February 2009.....

1/29/2010  The Motivation Behind Mobile Fleet Fueling
By Glen Sokolis, Sokolis Group

There are only a few things that are out of the hands of fleet fuel managers; the price of fuel itself may be one of them. But there are other ways to still have a handle on your fleet fuel management. Take, for instance, the WAY that your fleet fuels. Do you use mobile fueling or fuel at a retail station? Mobile fueling could be one of the things a fleet fuel manager has under control, and its convenience is unmatched.

Fueling at retail may not just incur the price of the fuel your driver purchases. Take into account the miles it may have taken for the driver to find or get to that station. Consider the time and miles used to detour from the designated route to find that station, those miles did not have to be wasted. Also the unpredictability of the fuel prices at that fuel station may not accommodate your planned fuel budget. Imagine too if the station was busy and the truck had idled for more then a few minutes; there goes more fuel down the drain. Mobile fueling will essentially bring the fuel to you. The trucks will be tanked up and ready to go each day, and now there's no reason to have drivers deviate for fuel.....

1/22/2010  Controlling Fuel Efficiency When Fuel Prices Are Unpredictable
By Glen Sokolis, Sokolis Group

&newsThere have been so many discussions on oil and fuel prices these last few weeks, especially with prices soaring up to $84 in early January to taking a dramatic hit back down to $80 only three days later. So when you cannot control the price of fuel, what can you do to have better fuel efficiency in your fleet or own personal vehicle? Below are two main points to consider when fuel economy is on the table.

1. Let's start with the driver. Drivers control the vehicle, so it's no wonder they would have a great impact on the fuel efficiency of it. Be sure not to let an angered or disgruntled driver behind the wheel; if a driver is angry or mad, he may treat the truck with heavy shifting or improper shifting. Trucks handled the proper way will do the same with fuel; a rough road would waste fuel. Let's not forget speed; driving the speed limit (or under 65 mph) also reduces the vehicle's excess fuel usage. Drivers can also keep the windows rolled down when they are not driving along the highway, as the air conditioning will only use excessive fuel. However, for longer highway trips, the air conditioning is a better choice to the window because of the drag that can be caused by a rolled-down window. Finally, have the driver be sure that the truck and trailer are in proper alignment, not only for fuel efficiency but also safety.....

1/15/2010  Why Oil Does What It Does When It Comes to Prices
By Glen Sokolis, Sokolis Group

Last week's Friday Fuel included a discussion on some factors that drive oil prices such as current weather conditions and stockpiles, or inventory, around the world. Today's topic will continue on with the machine behind the price of oil. Since oil is a world commodity, there are not only many factors, but they vary by each country.

A constant saying heard throughout the last few months has been 'the dollar is weak.' So what does a weak dollar have to do with oil? Well, to us a dollar is always just that-a dollar; it's how relative it is to other currencies that make it weak or strong. Perception of the dollar also dictates this, what value the currency traders view the dollar as having. They decide or perceive this by reviewing economics and treasury bonds. Since crude oil is mainly traded in U.S. dollars, that's where the two lines cross. If you can't immediately change a weak dollar, do what you can to raise the oil price to try to meet the mark the dollar is lacking.

Current events are also another aspect of what's behind oil.....

1/8/2010  Oil's Ups and Downs
By Glen Sokolis, Sokolis Group

Oh, the commodity of oil, how its price changes and bends at the drop of a hat. Since December, when prices were at the $70 mark, oil has taken a ride all the way up to $82 earlier this week. An increase like that must have some serious dynamics behind it! We'll examine a few of those factors as we continue to see the price almost double since this same time last year.

One of the most obvious reasons that oil has risen so speedily is thanks to good old Mother Nature. One of the coldest winters is currently hitting the U.S. Northeast. Record snowfalls in New England has increased the home heating oil demand. According to the International Energy Association (IEA), nearly 8.5 million homes use oil as their main source of heat. While many of those homes try to get their expected need of winter oil delivered in the summer months to avoid extreme prices, their tanks do not hold enough to carry through so many seasons. The Northeast is not the only area feeling the cold and ordering extra oil for heat; Florida is expected to barely reach 60 degrees, whereas the average is generally in the 70s. Many southern regions are even dipping to subzero temperatures.

More specific and less frigid factors in the rise of oil prices are the stockpiles, which are also on an up and down scale, and the operations of refineries....