Although the F-Series tops the pickup truck sales charts year-after-year, Ford is no longer the overall leader in the pickup market. As the midsize truck segment explodes with options, Ford is a bit late to the party with the Ranger not yet on the road. While the reintroduction of this midsize truck should help Ford take over part of a segment they currently have no presence in, the manufacturer may be looking for more.
Automobile reported that per an unnamed source familiar with future production plans, Ford is considering bringing a compact pickup to the US market by 2022. Ford offered a small pickup in Brazil (the Courier) as recently as 2013, but it has been a while since one was available in the US.
The small truck would be built on the new Focus platform, so it would not be rear-wheel drive. Also, this means it would more than likely be built in the Cuautitlan, Mexico assembly plant, which was just retooled to handle the updated Focus production. However, this may present an unforeseen issue, as the White House is working to impose heavy taxes and tariffs on vehicles made outside of the US. There’s still a long path to travel before this small truck makes it to US roadways, with the largest roadblock seemingly being the southern border of the country it was designed in.
Jul 2018
Ford Fusion Nameplate May Live On
As Ford axes its lineup of sedans, at least one of them might live on, at least in name, in the form of a high-roof hatchback. Rumors have been swirling around the Ford Fusion nameplate. And from what these rumors are saying, it sounds like Ford is interested in competing against Subaru in the wagon-crossover market. While nothing has been confirmed, the word is that Ford will look to release the re-branded Fusion around the time when the current Fusion goes out of production.
Continued use of the Fusion nameplate will not only help with band recognition as they market a new vehicle, but the name fusion would perfectly with a wagon-crossover type vehicle.
While information is scarce at this point, Bloomberg first reported that Ford spokesman Mike Levine declined to speculate on the new Fusion’s design while confirming “we’ll likely continue to use the name because of its awareness, positive imagery and value with consumers.”
It’s wait and see at this point, but all early signs are pointing towards the Fusion nameplate living on.
Jul 2018
Penalties for Distracted Driving on the Rise
As the issue of distracted driving continues to grow, Oregon is taking major steps to deter drivers from using their phones while on the road. The new plan will compound each instance so that incurring multiple infractions will be increasingly detrimental. The new guidelines are as follows.
The first offense that does not contribute to a crash will be a Class B violation, which entails a fine of up to $1,000. A second offense, or a first offense that results in an accident, is a Class A violation with a fine of up to $2,000. And three infractions within 10 years results in a Class B misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $2,500, a criminal record, and the possibility of up to 6 months in jail.
The law also differs for teen drivers. Drivers under 18 can’t use any electronic devices, even if they’re utilizing hands-free mode. Adults are allowed to use hands-free mode, but cannot use any features of the phone that require them to hold the device or touch the device beyond the one-touch to activate it. The rules apply to both moving and stationary vehicles. So just because you’re at a stop light or in stop-and-go traffic, don’t think you’re in the clear to start texting.
Police officers across the country have increased their efforts in monitoring drivers for phone use, both while moving and while stopped. And while these updates are currently an Oregon-based plan, it’s important for all of us to pay close attention as we can certainly expect other states to adjust the penalties for distracted driving.
If the dangers of distracted driving aren’t enough to prevent you from doing so, the increased penalties these new laws carry should be.
In regards to fleet drivers, EMKAY’s SafeRoads service will also act as a deterrent for your drivers. The service not only monitors driver behavior, but also scores them on four different dangerous driving habits, cell phone use being one. And a good thing about the SafeRoads program is that it’s a deterrent that doesn’t entail thousands of dollars in fines and the potential for a criminal record and jail time.
Jun 2018
Chevy Blazer Reignited
A classic name has returned to the GM lineup, the Chevy Blazer. And though the name may be familiar, the face will not be. The announcement was made on Thursday at an Atlanta event and the all-new Chevy Blazer is set to go on sale in 2019.
The design of the Blazer has a sportier appearance than their other SUV offerings and per GM’s head of design, the team didn’t use the old Blazer as an outline for the design as they wanted to have a new and youthful appeal to consumers. Initial photos show an assertive styling with sharp lines and aggressively hooded headlights.
The Blazer will fit in between the Equinox and the Traverse, giving the manufacturer an SUV at every possible size. It seats five and will offer four and six cylinder engine options, both being paired with a 9-speed transmission for increased fuel economy.
The release could be Chevy’s response to the much-anticipated release of Ford Bronco that’s coming in 2020, but it also helps them to compete against the Grand Cherokee and Ford Edge.
The Chevy Blazer first came off the assembly line back in 1969 and the last year Chevy produced a Blazer was in 2005. Pricing and fuel economy numbers should become available closer to its actual release date next year.
Jun 2018
Distracted Driving Continues to Impact Commercial Fleets
Automotive Fleet recently published an article on the issue of distracted driving and how it’s impacting the fleet industry. The annual accident rate of commercial fleets is at 20%, much higher than that of the general public. Sure, fleet drivers are on the road a lot more than others so it makes sense that the accident rate for this segment is higher. But there’s more to it than just miles.
Being that fleet drivers are working while on the road it’s easy to make the connection between the potential for increased distractions when driving. While many companies are taking steps by introducing new safety policies, these can only go so far. No matter how many policies are in place, it’s up to the individual to stop driving while distracted.
We developed the SafeRoads program to help drivers accomplish that goal. Get in touch with us to learn more about this innovative driver monitoring program and take a look at the complete article on Automotive Fleet’s website here:
EMKAY Named a Best and Brightest in Chicago for 5th Straight Year
After taking home a 4th straight Best and Brightest in the Nation honor back in January, EMKAY followed that up with our 5th straight selection as one of the Best and Brightest in Chicago! This award recognizes companies that continually display a commitment to excellence and we are very grateful to have received this great honor.
“A positive work environment not only benefits our employees, but also our customers and community. We are incredibly proud of our team’s efforts to create and foster an environment in which employees can excel both personally and professionally, stated Brad Vliek, Vice President of Client Services at EMKAY.
About the Best and Brightest Programs
The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in operations and employee enrichment that lead to increased productivity and financial performance. This competition scores potential winners based on regional data of company performance and a set standard across the nation. This national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole.
FCA recalls 4.8 million vehicles with the potential of getting stuck in cruise control
The issue was discovered when a vehicle automatically accelerated while in cruise control mode in order to maintain the set speed. FCA advised that this type of acceleration could cause a short circuit which would then lock the vehicle in cruise control. This may result in the typical cruise control cancelling methods (i.e. braking or hitting the off switch) to not disengage the system. Drivers can still slow down by shifting into neutral or braking, but the latter may not disengage the system.
FCA is advising owners of impacted vehicles to bring them into dealerships for a free of charge software update that should prevent the short circuit from occurring. Until that can be completed, the manufacturer is directing owners to not use the cruise control system.
The vehicles impacted by this issue are all gas-powered engines with automatic transmissions. The full list is as follows:
2015-17 Chrysler 200 sedan
2014-18 Chrysler 300 sedan
2014-18 Dodge Charger sedan
2014-18 Dodge Durango SUV
2014-18 Dodge Journey crossover
2014-18 Jeep Cherokee SUV
2014-18 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV
2014-18 Ram 2500 pickup
2014-18 Ram 3500 cab chassis
2014-18 Ram 3500 pickup
2014-18 Ram 4500/5500 cab chassis
2014-19 Ram 1500 pickup
2015-18 Dodge Challenger coupe
2017-18 Chrysler Pacifica minivan
2018 Jeep Wrangler
A link to the official press release on FCA’s website is below:
EMKAY has completed the purchase of over 1,960,000 kWh of Renewal Energy Attributes from Direct Energy Business. This purchase of wind energy credits means that EMKAY’s headquarters will run on completely renewable energy at least through 2020.
We are very proud of our company’s extensive efforts to support environmental protection through the use of renewable energy, by helping to restore wildlife refuges, and by taking numerous steps to reduce the environmental footprint of our corporate headquarters.
Direct Energy Business is part of a leading energy and energy-related services provider that is focused on helping customers make their business better. Through energy choice and a suite of innovative products and services, customers can buy less electricity and natural gas and better manage the impact of energy on their budget and operations.
May 2018
2019 Silverado Offering a 4-Cylinder Turbo
As the full-size pickup MPG battles rages on, GM made the next move by offering a 2.7-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine. This makes the Silverado the only full-size pickup to offer a 4-cylinder engine. This will replace the 4.3L V-6 and is said to produce 310-hp and 348 lb.-ft. of torque. These numbers are better than the aforementioned V-6 by 25 horses and 43 lb.-ft., so this small engine packs a punch.
Fuel economy ratings have yet to be released, but it’s natural to expect them to be better than the V-6 that was running at 18-city and 24-highway.
The V-8 offerings will also be equipped with GM’s new fuel-management system that will deactivate cylinders as needed. The previous system had the ability to convert the V-8’s to 4 cylinder engines when the amount of torque needed was low. The updated system can deactivate all eight cylinders, resulting in 17 different firing fractions and increasing overall fuel economy.
Apr 2018
EMKAY Releases All-New Fleet Dashboard
An extensive overhaul of EMKAY’s Fleet Dashboard is now complete and the new features are ready for use! Thanks to a lot of hard work on the part of our IT department, our customers now have complete control over their fleet data.
Our new layout enables you to customize exactly what you see upon logging in, ensuring that you stay up-to-date on the most important aspects of your fleet. Not only can you customize what you see on the fleet dashboard, but you can also tailor the data to be incredibly specific, down to different makes and models.
Not an EMKAY Customer? Get in touch with us to see how we’re changing the way fleet operates!
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