Monday, April 16, 2012

Ownersite.com Makes Fuel Economy Recommendations Says Fleet Operators Can Save More Than They May Realize

ROSWELL, GA - April 16, 2012 - With gas and diesel prices hovering near $4.00 per gallon nationally (and expected to go higher), fleet owners are bracing for an expensive summer. The damage can be mitigated, cautions Steve Eppinger, if fleet owners and operators implement focused strategies that target excessive fuel consumption. Eppinger is the Founder and CEO of Ownersite.com, the cloud-based vehicle asset management platform optimized for small to medium-sized fleet owners.

"Fleet owners often hear how much fuel they can save by driving conservatively or using cruise control, and indeed these two tactics can reduce fuel consumption by up to 25%," says Eppinger. "But there are many other steps owners can take that cumulatively have just as much value—and also extend the life of their vehicles, These include not only better maintaining their vehicles but also implementing tracking and reporting systems that keep them apprised of fuel efficiency breakdowns."

In a 30-vehicle fleet with an average MPG of 27.3 (the corporate fuel economy standard in 2011) and an average mileage of 25,000 per vehicle per year, a one-dollar increase in gas prices equates to nearly $28,000 yearly in added fuel cost. Improving that number of 15% nets the fleet owner more than $4,000 in lost revenue, Eppinger points out.

"Some methods of improving mileage may appear negligible, given the amount of manual effort they require," says Eppinger. "However, dismissing these "lesser" improvements can be a fleet owners' biggest and most expensive mistake."

Eppinger offers these advanced strategies for fleet owners alarmed by the spike in fuel prices:
  • Look at MPG reduction potential cumulatively, not individually. The MPG loss from an out-of-tune engine (4%), under-inflated tires (1.5%), and the wrong oil (1.5%) combined is greater than driving at high speeds 20% of the time (6%). Run with increased rolling resistance tires and you’ll net another 4% increase in MPG for a total of 11%.
  • Evaluate fleet vehicles as a group and not just individually. Rank vehicle fuel economy (compared to what you expect) and then examine the worst underperformers more closely. If two 2006 Ford Econoline vans are 25% apart in fuel economy, the poorest performer—or its driver—needs serious help.
  • Track mileage with each fill-up individually, not just averaged over time, to pinpoint the underlying causes of bad fuel economy. Reasons for poor MPG can be very specific. For example, a driver who fills in on the weekends may have a lead foot or not know how to use the GPS efficiently, throwing off a vehicle’s figures for the entire week.
  • Get help in the form of tracking software. It's not easy to stay on top of fuel-saving strategies unless you run an easy-to-use (preferably mobile) vehicle maintenance and management solution. The best programs not only track mileage and remind you to do important maintenance; they also generate reports that help you identify problems.
Source for all statistics in this news release: Transportation Research Institute at The University of Michigan, September 2011

About Ownersite Technologies
Ownersite Technologies, whose customers have maintained 225 million miles of records using the solution to date, provides comprehensive web-based and mobile solutions to enhance the safety, reliability and value of its customers’ personal and commercial assets and vehicles. Our low cost asset management tools put the advantages usually reserved for large fleet owners into the hands of small business owners for a fraction of the cost. Ownersite.com is distributed directly to businesses and consumers online as well as through our channel of financial service and insurance providers, automotive service shops, and enthusiast networks. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Roswell, GA, Ownersite Technologies is a privately held technology company formed by the original creators of http://www.F150online.com. For more information, visit http://www.ownersite.com.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Announces New Bulk Vehicle Import Feature Expanded Ownersite.com Vehicle Asset Management Platform Import Feature Streamlines Setup and Operation; Reduces Errors

ROSWELL, GA - March 21, 2012 - Ownersite.com, the cloud-based vehicle asset management platform optimized for small to medium-sized fleet owners, today announced support for bulk import of vehicle data. The new feature— included at no additional charge—will enable users to import vehicle lists with multiple fields including year, make, model, VIN, mileage, nickname, purchase date and license/tag information.

"Ownersite.com has long included the ability to import fuel and maintenance records stored in universal data formats such as .csv and .txt," said Ownersite.com Founder and Owner Steve Eppinger. "However, our software previously required users to manually enter vehicle data before they could import other information. Now, users can import vehicle data with a few clicks of the mouse. Users can also add vehicles to the preventive maintenance schedule during import."

This feature streamlines data input and reduces the potential for errors, especially for companies with numerous vehicles. It is also beneficial for companies adding new or used vehicles to their fleets. Furthermore, the new vehicle import feature works exactly like the current fuel and maintenance record import process, so existing users will be able to reap its benefits with no additional training.

"Bulk import is a top feature requested by users of software, and the goal of Ownersite.com is to make vehicle asset tracking as easy and productive as possible," says Eppinger. "We are constantly seeking ways to make the product easier to use. With the new feature, even companies that do not use spreadsheets can speed the setup process by having employees aggregate all the paper-based, vehicle-related records into a spreadsheet or delimited format and then importing it into Ownersite.com with a few easy steps."

About Ownersite Technologies
Ownersite Technologies, whose customers have maintained 200 million miles of records using the solution to date, provides comprehensive web-based and mobile solutions to enhance the safety, reliability and value of its customers’ personal and commercial assets and vehicles. Our low cost asset management tools put the advantages usually reserved for large fleet owners into the hands of small business owners for a fraction of the cost. Ownersite.com is distributed directly to businesses and consumers online as well as through our channel of financial service and insurance providers, automotive service shops, and enthusiast networks. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Roswell, GA, Ownersite Technologies is a privately held technology company formed by the original creators of http://www.F150online.com. For more information, visit http://www.ownersite.com.