Transportation technology provider AmeriQuest of Cherry Hill, N.J., in cooperation with two food distribution organizations, has launched the Food FleetXchange transportation internet portal.

Food Distributors International and The National Grocers Association joined AmericaQuest in the project, which provides members with discounted prices for fleet-related products and services, such as tires, lubricants, brakes, tractors, transmissions, engines and even forklifts. Food FleetXchange includes an online information service for fleet professionals to obtain information and compare notes.
"The whole idea here is to aggregate buying power and make possible lower prices for our members," said Stuart Zlotnikoff, president of the National Grocers Association Service Corporation. "We have achieved that for a vast number of products and services."
AmeriQuest has negotiated special pricing and rebates with a number of suppliers, including well-known names such as Morgan, Bandag, Allison, Sterling, Freightliner, ChemStation, Citgo, Yale, Continental General, Imperial and Caterpillar.
According to AmeriQuest, some programs, such as those involving tires and lubricants, offer substantially discounted prices compared to list. Most companies will find prices lower than they could negotiate regardless of their size. For these offerings, companies must meet a 50-unit fleet minimum to qualify.
But for those that offer rebates only, Caterpillar engines, for example, no minimum purchase is required. Rebates range from $1,000 to $2,000, depending on the model purchased.
"To qualify for the rebates, all companies need to do is sign up for FoodFleetXchange, negotiate their price with the supplier, and place the deal through Food FleetXchange," said Joseph Ciolino, AmeriQuest executive VP for corporate development.
FoodFleetExchange can be accessed at www.foodfleetxchange.com/login2.jsp.