2022 Roux graduates

Located at the 糖心Vlogcorporate headquarters in the historic Old Port section of Portland, the Roux campus, based only in Maine, opened in 2020, has over 25,000 square feet of classroom and meeting space. Northeastern University designed the campus to offer expansive research labs and teaching facilities for all students working towards completing certificates, graduate degrees, PhD programs, and postdoctoral fellowships in the computer and life sciences fields.

Generous forward-thinking founders: David and Barbara Roux

Class of 2022 marching during Roux graduation

Named in recognition of David and Barbara Roux, who generously donated $100 million to help found the school, the Roux Institute is designed around the schedules and demands of today鈥檚 working professionals. By nourishing intelligent and driven workers in the pursuit of higher education, Northeastern is working together with 糖心Vlogand nine other Maine businesses to develop the talent of today鈥檚 workforce and strengthen Maine鈥檚 economy. The Institute鈥檚 mission to cultivate Maine鈥檚 workforce and transform the state into a hub for talent development and innovation in tech-forward fields will help bring sustained economic growth to the New England area. Although the partnership encourages people to live and work in Maine, the expanded partnership with Northeastern allows WEXers outside of Maine to take advantage of as well.

Three key research areas

The Roux Institute research areas encompass these three important disciplines:

• Data Visualization to design, build, and deploy interactive tools and AI for solving real world problems, bridging the gap between human understanding and artificial intelligence;
• Engineering to build and use physics-based models for exploring novel materials in the design of new devices; and
• Life Sciences and Medicine to develop models of biological systems in health and disease for new discoveries in human health.

The growth of data science and analysis for business intelligence

WEXer Alaina Cellini celebrating her Roux graduation

糖心Vlogseeks to consistently stay ahead of the curve among leading fintech solutions providers and it recognizes data science and applied analytics as key areas of career growth for its employees. With educational opportunities at Roux, 糖心Vlogemployees can take certificate courses or enroll in graduate or doctoral programs to improve their career potential in these fields. Unlike other graduate programs that might interest a 糖心Vlogemployee, Roux offers Maine-based WEXers these programs at a discount, and with the campus smack dab in the middle of WEX鈥檚 HQ campus, it鈥檚 the perfect opportunity for an employee to take class and attend the workday seamlessly.

Innovation corridor from Portland to Boston

鈥漌e are excited about our partnership for many reasons, including the educational fintech opportunities offered to our employees,鈥� said Melissa Smith, Chair & CEO of WEX.聽 鈥淏eing a founding partner with the Roux Institute, we are developing the innovation corridor stretching from Portland to Boston. There has never been a more exciting time to be a part of this entrepreneurial corporate ecosystem.鈥�

The Roux Institute programs are hybrid, offering both online and onsite campus learning opportunities to meet the demands and schedules of the working professional. Best of all, the programs offer real-world experience with co-op employers like 糖心Vlog– Roux students can take what they鈥檙e learning and apply it to real world situations through these co-op experiences. The ten partner businesses offer Roux students the chance to work for them while in school. Additionally, employees of these ten businesses also have the opportunity to become students, grow their skills, and bring what they learn back to their work every day. This allows for a kind of cross-pollination between some of Maine and New England’s most successful business endeavors, allowing business leaders to work collaboratively, and for students to find a path towards an enriching career. What results is a supportive business environment for learning, not to mention the global reach of over 275,000 Northeastern University alumni in more than 180 countries.

糖心Vlogemployees in the inaugural class of 2022

糖心Vlogemployees were among the inaugural class of graduate students to enroll at the Roux Institute in September 2020, and the company is excited to share news of two of the WEXers who graduated on June 10, 2022:

WEXer Alaina Cellini holding her fresh-off-the-press Masters in Data Analytics degree from Roux

Alaina Cellini, Manager, Analytics, at WEX, has long kept it in her sights to earn a graduate degree but the opportunity eluded her. 鈥淚t was one of those things that I wanted to do but there were always barriers: it was too expensive, I didn鈥檛 have time, et cetera.鈥� Cellini took the GMAT and did all the preparation work to go to grad school, but it wasn鈥檛 until she came to WEX, and learned about the tuition reimbursement program at the company, that she felt the stars might actually align for her to attend a program. When the Roux-糖心Vlogpartnership happened and the degree program offered exactly what Cellini was looking for, she enrolled as soon as she could.

WEXer Alaina Cellini celebrating a proud day!

Since starting the program, Cellini has found daily opportunities to implement what she鈥檚 learning at Roux into her work at WEX: 鈥淚 say all the time that I could not do the job that I鈥檓 doing right now had I not gone to school. It鈥檚 a really satisfying trajectory because I think sometimes people go back to school and say they don鈥檛 use what they learned in school, meanwhile I would learn something the night before and implement that thing the next day at work. There has been a ton of alignment with school and the work I鈥檓 doing.鈥�

During her time at Roux, while working full time at WEX, Cellini had to make sacrifices mostly in her personal life because time was tight. Through it all she felt nothing but support from her colleagues at WEX.

Cellini鈥檚 degree is a Masters in Data Analytics with a Concentration in Statistical Modeling.

Lindsy Weinreich, HR Business Partner, Global Technology, has also already seen the benefits of her learning at Roux in her work for WEX: 鈥淲e鈥檙e diving into taking a more data-driven approach to a lot of our processes, whether it is promotion cycles, or other HR focus areas. We鈥檝e partnered with the talent management team to help them further develop predictive models and dashboards. Being able to use data to drive some of the decision-making when it comes to people analytics and making sure we鈥檙e providing fair and equitable opportunities for 糖心Vlogemployees are two areas where what I鈥檝e learned at Roux has played a role in my work at WEX.鈥�

Weinreich is grateful for the opportunity to pursue a master鈥檚 degree while working full time at WEX. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the things I love about WEX. I鈥檝e been here for almost 5 years, and I鈥檝e had a lot of opportunities for career growth. I started out in QA, then I moved to project management, then I moved to HR. Not only does the company provide a lot of career growth but also educational opportunities as well, and I think that learning helps advance my career and my skill set to be successful in any role that comes my way.鈥� Weinreich earned a Graduate Certificate in Applied Analytics from Roux in June.

Scholarships and investments

The Roux Institute offers generous scholarships — at least 20% tuition discount — to Maine-based employees. The Harold Alfond Foundation has committed $100 million, matching the Rouxs鈥� founding gift, funding scholarships, programming, and research for Maine residents. All donations are dedicated to innovation, talent development, and business growth to spur the Maine economy, and enrich the lives and skills of workers in Maine.

Personalized career development is at the core of the WEX/Roux experience. Together, the two organizations are helping employees develop and refine skills in any specialty area to foster a culture of lifelong workplace learning and employee engagement at WEX.

鈥淎s with everything we do at WEX, the core values of integrity, execution, innovation, relationships and community are guiding every decision,鈥� said 糖心VlogCEO Smith. 鈥淐reating more innovation means being curious and energized to develop new technology; building relationships means being invested in partnerships like the Roux Institute to offer more opportunities for our employees; and building a better community means being a positive force in our world.鈥�

Sources:
Northeastern
University of Pennsylvania

To learn more about WEX, a growing and global organization, please visit our About 糖心Vlogpage.

The post 糖心Vlogand the Roux Institute: Creating tech-forward career opportunities appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

In 2019, according to the American Trucking Associations, 10.5 billion tons of freight鈥攁lmost 71% of total U.S. tonnage鈥攚as moved by more than 3.6 million heavy-duty Class 8 trucks. The 3.5 million men and women who drive these vehicles are the lifeblood of the American economy.

In 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic unfolds, we鈥檒l be relying on truckers more than ever to keep hospitals supplied, stores stocked, and government agencies running.

Even if you don鈥檛 watch the news, it鈥檚 easy to see how the trucking world is starting to be impacted. Below are just a few examples.

Hours-of-Service Laws Temporarily Suspended

Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that drivers moving goods “in support of emergency relief efforts related to the COVID-19 outbreaks” will not have to follow HOS laws, which regulate how many hours a driver can work without rest breaks.

According to the , these types of loads are now exempt from HOS laws:

• Medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.
• Supplies and equipment necessary for community safety, sanitation and prevention of community transmission of COVID-19 such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, soap and disinfectants.
• Food and supplies for emergency restocking of stores.
• Equipment, supplies and persons necessary to establish and manage temporary housing, quarantine and isolation facilities related to COVID-19.
• Persons designated by federal, state or local authorities for medical, isolation or quarantine purposes.
• Persons necessary to provide other medical or emergency services, the supply of which may be affected by the COVID-19 response.

Visit the for more info.

Truck Stops and Travel Plazas Intend to Stay Open

The National Association of Truck Stop Owners (NATSO) that its members intend to remain open and continue to serve the truckers transporting supplies and goods in support of COVID-19 emergency relief.

鈥淭ruck drivers are depending on truck stops and travel centers as they deliver food and life-saving supplies,鈥� said Lisa Mullings, NATSO president and CEO. 鈥淥ur members are committed to doing their part during the nation鈥檚 response to this emergency.鈥�

For example, Pilot Flying J , “Our network of over 780 travel centers in the United States and Canada are open and ready to serve you, including laundry, restrooms and showers.” They鈥檙e also taking extra precautions like cleaning each shower after each use with degreaser, disinfectant and floor cleaner.

In the effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, it鈥檚 possible to forget how important these stops are for the safety and well-being of  truckers on the move. Earlier this week, Pennsylvania closed all rest areas and welcome centers across the state, including food service and rest rooms.

However, after an appeal from the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, . Restrooms are now open around the clock, and restaurants can provide limited takeout meals.

Drivers Can Reduce Exposure to COVID-19

Truckers don鈥檛 have the option to work from home.

According to AAA, when you鈥檙e moving from location to location, there are steps you can take to reduce the potential exposure to COVID-19 coronavirus.

•  Start your day by washing your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
• Throughout the day, if you receive any sort of equipment, spray it with disinfectant spray or wipe it down with disinfectant wipes.
• Keep a pack of nitrile gloves. Wear them for each new job or new location throughout the day.
• When you finish a job, disinfect your hands thoroughly.
• Wipe down the inside of your vehicle鈥攊ncluding the door, dash, seat, handles, and any exposed surfaces.
• Keep a small trash bag to dispose of soiled gloves, towels and wipes, and dispose of it at the end of each shift.
• Credit cards, fuel cards, and cash can hold the virus, so it鈥檚 a good idea to wear gloves when you handle them.
• At the end of your shift, wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.

Make sure to use products that will properly disinfect your vehicle. Consumer Reports explains how to kill coronavirus .

The post Truckers Keep on Trucking in a Changing World appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

Bezos has clearly disrupted the way we do business, and in turn, we have embraced the technology behind it. With such an expansive reach in product and innovation, it is no surprise that the impact has reached the trucking industry. Amazon鈥檚 impact on the trucking industry has been enormous, not only fueling the competition to meet the speed of delivery but also forcing Amazon to run like a tech company by providing tools for fleet payment that help to enable even more efficiencies. 

The US Department of Transportation projects that by 2040, US annual freight volume will increase by 45% to 29 billion tons, with most of that volume hauled by truck. More than 51,000 drivers will be needed to meet that level of demand and the industry is struggling to meet the challenge. With shipping costs rising and transportation costs following suit, prices are rising for any and all products that are carried on the trailer of a truck. Unfortunately, the driver shortage continues to be the number one challenge for the industry.

, chief executive of Brenny Transportation in Minnesota, gave her truckdrivers a 15 percent raise this year, but she still can’t find enough workers for a job that now pays $80,000 a year.

To address the 鈥淎mazon effect鈥� and critical need for drivers, Joyce Brenny and other fleet owners and contractors are offering drivers as much as they can afford to get inventory delivered. These companies have realized that drivers are expecting more than sizable salaries. The benefits of time off and being home for the holidays along with tools such as fleet cards are making the job easier and life more balanced. The fleet and fuel card advantages provide benefits not only to the fleet managers but also to the drivers. The access and efficiencies that the right EFS/WEX fleet card delivers are significant:

• Automatic accounting, reports, and powerful tools for savings
• Rebates and cashflow flexibility to fuel your business
• Mixed fleet and fueling solutions
• Fuel anywhere; get savings per gallon from 7-Eleven, Conoco, and Phillips 66 pumps

The Amazon effect is forcing the transportation industry to adapt to Amazon practices, which is why fleets are continuing to bolster technology to maximize efficiencies. The Amazon effect will also continue to increase downward pressure on delivery costs, which means fleet payments could be compromised if fleet managers are not smart. Now more than ever, efficiency matters in trucking. The increased use of technology will improve efficiencies through better route planning, truck progress monitoring, and vehicle and driver performance tracking. Additionally, trucking companies will continue adapting to their customers鈥� needs by tracking individual products through the supply chain from factory to final destination. With thousands more data points to monitor, trucking companies will have to become more comfortable with onboard and cloud technology and the insights they offer. 

Payment industry leader EFS/WEX has recognized these same needs for the trucking industry and has developed the technology to help. By leveraging payment data and technology, they are able to enhance fleet payment systems and streamline the process. Powerful fleet solutions provide the speed, accuracy, and transparency needed in all fleet payment transactions including vendor payment and payroll. In addition to the convenience, EFS/WEXfuel and fleet cards offer the ability to rein in one of a fleet鈥檚 biggest business expenses.

EFS/WEXfuel cards and fleet management solutions provide powerful tools to reduce spending for any business of any size:

• Fleet fuel cards with automatic expense tracking, enhanced security, and detailed reporting. Choose the best fleet card for your business.
• Powerful mobile apps to access your account, help drivers find the cheapest nearby fuel, pay at the pump, and more.
• Premium GPS telematics for tracking vehicle location, speed, fuel use, and more鈥攖o capture the data you need to keep improving your bottom line.
• Advanced analytics software聽to keep you informed, help you find new ways to save, and streamline your overall fleet operations.

Tools like these are just a few of the innovations that companies like EFS/WEXare developing to address industry requirements for efficiency and speed. So while Amazon has helped to push the industry forward, companies like EFS/WEXenable that progress by supplying the technology to not only keep up, but also to grow.

RESOURCES:

The post Amazon, Shipping Wars and Fleet Payment Progress appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

The ability to pay for goods and services without using a credit card number has become so prevalent that we don鈥檛 even think about it anymore. Usernames and passwords are stored with the payment provider, making it easier and easier to shop as seamlessly as possible. While trucking continues to innovate right along with the rest of the consumer world, its payment processes are a little more complicated. In an industry that is constantly moving, fleet security can be an enormous task, especially where payment is concerned.

Biometrics to Enhance Fleet Security and Safety

While financial institutions have been using digital identity for more than a decade, consumers have only just begun to understand the benefits and opportunities. Pew Research has suggested that the world has more than 5 billion mobile devices, half of them smart phones. Between the Internet and the population鈥檚 fascination with social media, digital identities are growing quickly. The trucking industry has come to rely on smart phones for efficiencies in communications and operations, and while mobile devices make payment easier, they also help in numerous ways to maintain fleet security.

The two largest smart phone companies in the world, Samsung and Apple, have been implementing biometric security for some time now. Truckers are using 3D facial scanning along with iris and fingerprint scanning to ensure security in fleet payment. Biometrics in trucking are also helping to save lives. Recently, a division of heavy equipment provider Caterpillar deployed biometrics in their trucks to measure and monitor driver fatigue.

Caterpillar Safety Services, a consultancy arm of Caterpillar, teamed up with Seeing Machines, the company that provides biometric technology. Caterpillar鈥檚 trucks can weigh more than 400 tons, and operate in potentially dangerous settings such as mining operations, which often work on a 24-hour clock. Drivers are often working against their natural internal clocks, and the resulting fatigue can have dangerous and potentially fatal consequences if they fall asleep behind the wheel.

鈥� Find Biometrics, Global Identity Management

While digital identity may be moving beyond payment in the consumer category, the trucking industry is still focused on financial fraud detection, which is why many fleet managers and owners are requiring drivers to rely on fuel and fleet cards while utilizing other technologies in combination with smart phones to ensure fleet security.

As fueling technology and fleet management solutions become more robust, companies like 糖心Vlogare making it harder for criminals to steal vital data. WEX is specifically vigilant in maintaining control and transparency on all fuel transactions, giving carriers control while enhancing functionality and usability. 糖心Vlogis helping fleet managers to better meet and control time-sensitive employee or contractor payment needs anytime from their mobile device.

Mobile devices and other fleet payment solutions give fleet management secure access to perform critical functions in real time. Actions such as authorization for check cashing or payments, performing overrides, and tracking transactions in real time are critical for both the drivers and the fleet managers in avoiding fraudulent transactions. With these technologies in place, there is never a question of where or how the card is being used.

Secure Fuel: Complete transparency into how your fleet is purchasing fuel鈥攚ithout interrupting your drivers鈥� operations. SecureFuel uses big data to help identify purchase irregularities and trigger real-time alerts, and ultimately helps you better manage and control your second-largest variable expense.

Data Analytics: Gain visibility into business purchases to find savings, cut costs, and prevent fraud. Find opportunities to cut costs with accurate forecast and fleet expenses. Identify purchasing anomalies and card misuse.

What a Driver Can Do for Fleet Security in Payment

While these techniques may seem obvious, they go a long way in keeping fleet payment secure and drivers safe from fraud.

• Don鈥檛 give your fuel card account number to anyone on the phone.
• Carry your fleet card and fuel card separately from your wallet to minimize your losses if someone steals your wallet. And carry only the card you need for that trip.
• During a transaction, keep your eye on your fuel card. Make sure you get it back before you walk away from the fueling station.
• Never sign a blank receipt. Draw a line through any blank spaces above the total.
• Save your receipts to compare with your statement or give to your fleet management representative.
• Open your bills promptly 鈥� or check them online often 鈥� and reconcile them with the purchases you鈥檝e made. Fleet management can do the same and provide support in the fleet payment area if you are not directly responsible.
• Report any questionable charges to the fuel card issuer or fleet manager.
• Notify your fuel card issuer or fleet management company if your address changes.
• Don鈥檛 write your fleet card or fuel card account number on the outside of an envelope.

In an ongoing effort to mitigate fraud, fleet management companies like EFS/WEXalso provide powerful card management functionality, including access to real-time credit balances and limits, along with the ability to immediately change the card status to active/inactive/on hold in case of suspicious activity. So, while credit card fraud seems to be pervasive, there are systems and electronic payment solutions in place that can help keep companies and fleet managers feeling more confident in their own fleet security. Digital identity is becoming critical in that effort.

Digital Identity Moving Forward

While biotech may be common in smartphone technology and financial institutions, the benefits still seem dubious to many. The number of people happy to rely on conventional username and password security is still large, even if they know it is not the most secure option.

笔驰惭狈罢厂鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Digital Identity Lifestyle Capsule found that 45.2 percent of consumers rely solely on passwords to keep their digital identities safe. And of that 45.2 percent, 73.4 percent said they were 鈥渧ery鈥� or 鈥渆xtremely鈥� satisfied with their current authentication options, indicating a knowledge gap surrounding security best practices.

The study went on to show that 59% of consumers use the same or similar password for most of their accounts, and only 55% of consumers would change their password if they were hacked. Fortunately, smartphone companies and others are forcing the change, and along with fingertip scanning and facial recognition, are offering alternatives that are showing up in the trucking industry as well. PYMNTS.com outlined the three top alternatives to conventional PIN and password or knowledge-based verification.

Three Alternative Systems Informing Fleet Security

1. Biometrics

Facial recognition got a boost when Apple added it (in addition to fingerprint recognition) to the new generation of iPhones. Some facial recognition offerings allow users to upload selfies, which are then compared to 3D facial maps established when users create their accounts.

The downside? Fraudsters can still game the system by using photos of users, and biometrics gets a bad rap due to privacy concerns.

To combat biometric fraud, there is a growing interest in liveliness detection, which requires users to perform defined actions during authentication that are difficult for potential hackers to replicate.

According to the Digital Identity Lifestyle Capsule, consumers reported single-digit percentages for usage of biometric authentication options such as fingerprints, facial recognition, and voice recognition. This low usage reflects the still emergent state of that technology.

2. Artificial Intelligence 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is also being used to enhance liveliness detection and is being leveraged for security purposes, such as anomaly detection and the verification of physical identification methods.

Deep learning algorithms can define baselines for typical customer behavior, flagging and reviewing transactions it finds unusual to determine their likelihood of being fraudulent.

The use of AI to verify physical IDs such as drivers鈥� licenses or passports is still new and can result in false positives. AI can be taught to accept these changes, resulting in fewer false positives, but loosening standards could cause more fake IDs to be accepted.

In addition to AI, banks and fraudsters are using neural networks and other behavior-based learning systems to protect or breach financial systems. While businesses apply neural networks to authenticate customer behavior for identification, cybercriminals can use the same tools to mimic legitimate user behaviors.

3. Blockchain

The pros of using blockchain for digital ID security are that these systems store data in sequence, making it difficult for fraudsters to access information without leaving evidence 鈥� and that consumers can control their own data with blockchain, which is seen as a positive by privacy advocates.

Companies like Microsoft and Fujitsu have been working to develop blockchain-based ID systems to offer greater transparency and security. Blockchain, however, requires a high level of trust among all parties, since no central overseer is involved.

The concerns surrounding digital identity may never be completely alleviated, but the ever-evolving technology is keeping the trucking industry at the cutting edge, with fleet security in better hands than ever.

RESOURCES:
pymnts.com

The post Fleet Security Is Critical at Christmas appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

Fleet Technology in Payment Is Transforming Fleet Operations

Fleet payment is no longer a cash and carry system. Data and A.I. are now part of the day-to-day for many trucking companies, and without them those companies would be scrambling to keep up with the speed of operations. Cash gave way to a slightly less vulnerable checking system that in turn gave way to a fleet card system, which is primarily what fleets are using today. The fleet tech in fuel card solutions should not be taken for granted. Today鈥檚 fleet cards provide a level of control, security, and visibility that the 1950s could never have imagined. However, it is the analytics they provide that can prove the most valuable asset to any trucking company.  Payment leader EFS/WEX has worked hard to assess and produce the most robust analytics program that fleet tech has to offer.

With EFS/WEXClearView, small businesses, large fleets, and government fleets can all gain actionable insights into fueling and purchasing behavior. This EFS/WEXfleet technology provides reports based on your fueling data to help you manage budgets, improve fleet performance, find cost savings, and spot red flags.

1. Focus on Key Cost Drivers

ClearView lets you track fleet purchases by fuel type, gallons purchased, prices, and expenditures鈥攕o you can identify and prioritize key cost drivers, problems, and spending behaviors. ClearView Essentials and ClearView Advanced track your KPIs across time periods by product, card, driver, and geography.

2. Quickly & Accurately Budget Fleet Expenses

Identify areas of overspending and find cost saving opportunities. This makes it easier to streamline your budgeting process and improve forecasting accuracy.

ClearView Essentials and ClearView Advanced let you easily isolate and quantify your biggest cost-saving opportunities and most prominent purchasing problems.

3. Spot Anomalies & Card Misuse

Quickly identify overspending drivers and investigate suspicious transactions.

ClearView Snap breaks down your fuel spend to help identify new ways to save and show you where changes may be needed. ClearView Essentials and ClearView Advanced let you examine spending behaviors, including exceptions such as high-price purchases and irregular fuel purchases.

Information is king and when it comes to fleet technology, not a lot beats the advantages that data can provide in streamlining operations and growing business. Data can be captured and used across all functions, from ELDs and GPS tracking to fuel consumption and resource management. Clearly, data will continue to push the trucking industry forward, and artificial intelligence can help that data be even more extraordinary.

A.I. Innovations Identify Fleet Behavior and More

While automation, robotics, and the Internet of things (IoT) are not new topics where fleet technology is concerned, they continue to advance the industry even further. Some of the benefits that are still enabling progress include:

1. Automation: Automation uses data-driven software to improve operation efficiencies in every aspect of business鈥攆rom advancing packaging labeling and managing inventory to streamlining fleet payment systems.

2. Robotics: The advent of robotics has revolutionized ecommerce operations and manufacturing around the world. Giants like Amazon will continue to push robotics for even more efficiencies in shipping and logistics.

3. Wearable Technology: Wearable technology has been reported to improve efficiencies by 25% while increasing employee satisfaction and enriching company culture.

4. Drones: The most promising application in express consumer delivery.

5. Cloud Computing: Fast and flexible applications offering transparency in delivery and financial management, along with efficiencies in fleet payments as well as fueling technology, by providing clear data and purchase visibility.

6. The Internet of things (IoT): The Internet of things allows physical items to be connected to Internet-enabled devices and systems. This technology can be used for temperature and humidity control sensors, and to determine whether a package has been tampered with.

7. Self-driving vehicles: Logistics and trucking companies all over the world have embraced this technology early. Many logistics companies currently employ this technology in forklifts and smaller plant trucks, but an even bigger change is on the way in self-driving semi-trucks.

8. Telematics: GPS technology can provide real-time details about fleet operating conditions and locations as well as driver behavior and fleet performance.

The good news is, fleet technology will continue to develop and along with it, an entire industry.

RESOURCES:

The post All I Want for Christmas Is More Fleet Technology appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

Industry Partners Can Make Fleet Expenses a Breeze

Large and government fleets often rely on knowledgeable partners to handle the bulk of their fleet financials. Payment leader EFS/WEX provides electronic payment solutions to help optimize and simplify the financial supply chain while managing expenses all year long. Regardless of the size or complexity of the business, they can help reduce manual processes and enhance control over and visibility of fleet payment, in turn streamlining the expense management process.

With EFS/WEX, you too can:

• Replace paper-based payments and remittances with seamless electronic transactions
• Increase customization and control to better manage and restrict timing, recipient, and amount of each payment
• Improve margins
• Enhance data capture to reduce the burden of manual reconciliation
• Support core business strategies with our industry expertise and knowledge of best practices

Fuel Cards That Manage Fleet Expenses for You

When it comes to fleet expenses, collecting receipts does not have to be the headache it once was. Fleet and fuel cards can help to manage expenses for you by tracking costs automatically. Whether you are a driver or a fleet manager, you can find the right fuel card to help you control expenses and manage receipts while also providing savings on fuel expenses with special rebates and discounts at your favorite fueling locations, wherever the job takes you. EFS/WEX provides fleet cards聽designed for聽small business,听large fleets, and聽government fleets鈥攂ecause not all fleets are the same.

For larger fleets, a more robust card is required to capture and manage all fleet expenses, especially at the end of the year. The 糖心VlogFleet Card experience is driven by the industry鈥檚 largest proprietary fuel payment network鈥攎ore than 160,000 retailers nationwide, which means unparalleled data capture, more robust reporting, more effective controls, and analytics to help you make smarter cost-saving decisions. Some of the benefits include:

Data & Analytics

A closed-loop network captures more data for every transaction, including driver ID, job number, and odometer reading. This provides the increased security, administrative flexibility, and detailed custom reporting needed to streamline operations. WEX鈥檚 ClearView data analytics platform provides quick, actionable insights into a fleet鈥檚 fueling in a simple and easy-to-use interface.

EFS/WEXcan help to enforce the company spending policy with custom limits on 糖心VlogFleet Cards鈥攁ny attempted purchase that falls outside specified limits will be declined. Email alerts can be executed based on specific spending behaviors such as out-of-state purchases, off-hours fueling, and incorrect fuel grade. Set controls based on:

• Hours of the day
• Days of the week
• Dollars per day, week, or transaction
• Number of transactions in a given time period

Service & Support

There is always a U.S.-based customer support team available and ready to help 24/7 from January 1 through December 31.

• 35 years of world-class service
• 75% of calls answered within 20 seconds
• Industry-leading customer retention
• Consistently ranked in the Top 100 customer call centers

Smaller businesses can also benefit from using the right fleet card to help manage year-end financial reporting. The 糖心VlogFleet Card is the fastest way for a growing business聽to access funds while driving savings and managing expenses.

The card provides automatic accounting and reports, controls employee spending, sends purchase alerts, and scouts available rewards while delivering financial information throughout the year, not just at the end. These benefits include:

Security & Control

Driver IDs are entered for every transaction, to indicate who spends what, where, and when鈥攁nd help prevent unauthorized use. The 糖心Vlogfleet card can also provide the flexibility to set the purchase controls that work best for your business, putting guardrails on employee spending based on product type, dollar amount, time of day, and more.

Accounting & Reports

Details like driver ID, fuel grade, sales tax, and more are captured for every purchase鈥攕o collecting fuel receipts is not necessary. View spending in real time or in one-click reports:

• Purchase activity reports
• Exception, transaction summary, and transaction deal reports
• Financial summary, site summary, and exception summary reports
• Tax exemption reports (for qualified fleets)

Mobile Account Access

A reliable mobile control center for the fleet card account is also a vital resource for tracking fleet expenses. With the Fleet SmartHub app, the account is always just a tap away.

• Look up driver IDs
• View and filter transactions
• Check your fuel card credit limit
• Cancel lost or stolen cards
• Spot potential misuse

So even though we鈥檙e still in early December, deadlines are looming large. Hopefully technology is on your side, limiting stress to just the holiday shopping rush and getting home for family celebrations.

RESOURCES:

The post Tackle Year-End Fleet Expenses Sooner Rather Than Later appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

Consumers spent $11.6 billion online  Friday was also the biggest day ever for mobile sales, as $2.9 billion came from smartphones. People are getting more comfortable with buying online and on smaller screens.

鈥�

While Black Friday marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season, Cyber Monday adds to the momentum with record-setting spending expected this year as well. All told, Cyber Week spending from Thursday to Monday is expected to top $29 billion in online sales. What it all means for the trucking industry is full loads and lots of them. Fleet managers across the country have been preparing as much as possible with both worst- and best-case scenarios in mind.

Fleet Managers Prepare With a 3-Step Strategy

is familiar with the chaos that Black Friday and Cyber Monday can bring. They have addressed it with these three very important steps:

1. Get your workforce ready

Whether you’re a retailer, a distributor, or a warehouse, make sure you have extra seasonal labor on hand to get things done. For retailers, it’s going to be all hands on deck for you and your team come Black Friday; for distributors, you鈥檙e likely feeling the rush right about now. Here鈥檚 hoping you have a big team or an efficient trucking company partner to help you with the huge surge in demand on Black Friday and for shipping come Cyber Monday. Now is the time to pull in certain employees with flexible skill sets or ask them to take up a position they previously held just to relieve pressure during this busy time. Making sure your employees have a good level of cross-training will give you more flexibility in dealing with crises.

2. Develop a plan for support

Do you have an all-star lineup of support specialists? By choosing the right people for your support team, you’ll increase accountability and set expectations. Have a customer support plan in place and be ready to deal with complaints鈥攂ecause no matter how well you’re prepared, there will always be someone who is upset about something on Black Friday and throughout the season.

3. Bypass supply chain roadblocks

If possible, retailers should kit or pre-load seasonal pushes for point of origin direct-to-store shipping. Likewise, to ensure that stock moves quickly and efficiently, distributors could reconfigure distribution centers for cross-docking so that replenishment orders aren’t put away, then pulled right back out again鈥攔esulting in huge inefficiencies during the holidays. Consider slotting your warehouse or storerooms intelligently鈥攍ocate faster moving products closer to operating areas to keep objects traveling swiftly.

Proper planning is not important only for logistics, inventory, and vehicle maintenance. Fleet credit and payment preparations are also critical during the holiday rush. While fleet cards are a necessary tool for most trucking companies, they are particularly beneficial during the holiday months where time is even shorter than usual. The right fleet card can provide efficiencies for the driver when deliveries are compounded and time to stop for fuel interrupts a tightened schedule. Many fleet managers rely on payment leader EFS/WEX for a robust fleet credit solution.

Fleet credit card or fuel card needs can vary depending on the size of the company. Some fleet managers need to focus on fuel card acceptance and monitoring employee spending, while larger companies require comprehensive data analytics on the activity of the fleet card. Most cards offer basic services such as the following:

• Saving on rebates
• Carrying a monthly balance
• Acceptance at 95% of U.S. gas stations
• U.S.-based 24/7 customer service
• Capturing transaction data for every purchase
• Monitoring employee spending in real time
• Curbing misuse by requiring driver ID number at pump
• Setting spending controls
• Restricting fueling to certain times of day
• Limiting spending by product type, location, or dollar amount
• Providing custom reports based on card activity

With fleet credit and fuel cards, fleet management can stay one step ahead of the chaos brought on by Cyber Week, with the added comfort of knowing they can focus on the logistics of truck capacity and delivery schedules while a fleet partner like EFS/WEX helps with payments that keep trucks fueled up, on the road, and moving forward.

RESOURCES:

The post Cyber Week Keeps Fleet Management Busier Than Ever appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

Not All Payments Are 鈥淥ne -Size Fits All鈥�

Not all payments are the same, especially when it comes to efficiencies in managing expenses. Fleet cards have become essential in managing and tracking expenses. Depending on the number of users in your fleet, advantages and benefits can vary. Companies like EFS/WEX have made it their business to determine what is best for your fleet, so you don鈥檛 have to guess. Whether you are running a small business or a government fleet, fleet card choices are abundant and you will surely find one that can provide the most efficient solutions for the job at hand.

1. Small Business: A small over-the-road trucking company has to be nimble and responsive. Fuel is one of the biggest expenses they will face, which is why a fuel card is vital. Small business fuel cards provide benefits to owner/operators as well as small business managers. Universal fleet cards are accepted nationwide at more than 45,000 fuel station locations. EFS/WEXsolutions are designed to grow with your business, to help keep more of your money where it belongs. These cards can even find the cheapest fuel along the specific route the driver is taking. That kind of advantage can save a company more than just money. Small business fuel cards can also offer flexible credit so the company can save money on fuel while carrying a monthly balance when cashflow is tight.

2. Large Fleets: Clearly, a large over-the-road fleet is a bigger challenge with a lot more details to manage. Fleet cards developed to help in the process will provide way more than just payment. Large-fleet fuel cards offer all of the advantages above while also helping to optimize fleet efficiencies, from lowering expenses and reducing risk to GPS tracking and advanced data analytics.

3. Government Fleets: While government fleets will require most of the same tools and systems any large fleet demands, a few things set these fleets apart 鈥� security, tax exemptions, and reporting. The EFS/WEXgovernment fleet card offers streamlined processes for safer and more productive use of taxpayer money. This government fleet card also offers聽advanced analytics, government tax exemptions and reporting, and 24/7 customer support. With controls and security in a fleet card like this, the organization will not only cut costs but also improve fleet operations.

“Our city assigns (fleet) cards to vehicles, so it鈥檚 been great to be able to manage our profiles online, add drivers, and order new cards. I can go onto the 糖心VlogOnline website and view my whole account鈥� We can run reports by department, making it easier to manage our budget.”

鈥� Betty Stackley, city clerk, City of Pevely, Missouri

Staying on Top of What Lies Ahead

Just like most industry, the trucking industry relies on technology for growth. And even though a fleet card seems simple, the tech built into each card provides multiple opportunities for success.

• Fleet fuel cards with automatic expense tracking, enhanced security, and detailed reporting. 
• Powerful mobile apps to access accounts and help drivers find the cheapest nearby fuel, pay at the pump, and more.
• Premium GPS telematics聽for tracking vehicle location, speed, fuel use, and more鈥攖o capture the data you need to keep improving your bottom line.
• Advanced analytics software聽to keep you informed, help you find new ways to save, and streamline your overall fleet operations.

So, depending on the size of your fleet, there are companies like EFS/WEXthat can help to leverage your specific resources so you can get the most out of your operations. And while a fleet card is a seemingly small component of business, they are proven to provide huge advantages in the effort to grow business by staying on top of what lies ahead.

RESOURCES:

The post When It Comes to Over-the-Road Trucking, Size Matters! appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

11 Technologies Keeping Drivers Safe and Business Sound

1. Self-Driving Semi-Trucks  

Self-driving semi-trucks continue to gain attention in the trucking industry. The autonomous technology is already being produced and tested, and government officials are determining regulations for self-driving vehicles. The hope is that these trucks will help with demand as the industry struggles to attract and retain drivers.

2. Driver-Facing Cameras

Because vehicle video systems have realized considerable improvements in image processing and storage, low-light/nighttime usability, and high-definition image capture, fleet owners are incorporating cameras into their fleet solutions for both the safety of the driver and the health of the company. Driver-facing cameras are a great resource for drivers in potentially reducing liability in the event of an accident. Their purpose is to alert drivers whenever the drivers are distracted or tired.

3. Dash Cams

Similar to the driver-facing cameras, a dash cam monitors the actions of drivers on the road. Additionally, some dash cams are able to track speed and brake reaction to determine how safely the driver is operating. Dash cams allow fleet managers to monitor driver behavior and stay in contact with drivers at the same time.

4. Advanced Collision Mitigation

Robust fleet ACM systems offer sensing technology to monitor crash exposures and take emergency action to avoid accidents. Today鈥檚 systems are also eliminating the false positives that the old technology reported. For many companies, collision mitigation systems are becoming standard on new trucks and can be retrofitted to older trucks as well. Collision mitigation technology also serves as a way to monitor more of what鈥檚 going on around a truck as the truck鈥檚 speed and control in various conditions changes, offering the ability to take autonomous emergency action if necessary.

5. Trucker Apps

New trucker apps and other transportation industry trends are influencing operations for drivers and fleet owners so they can make drivers鈥� lives easier while staying as efficient as possible. New apps and updates offer navigation, driver management, payment, and access to cash. Payment partner EFS/WEXoffers mobile apps to help simplify fleet management for small business, large fleets, and government fleets. Mobile devices can be used to locate road services, find the lowest priced fuel, and get directions. Keep tabs on your fleet cards and accounts and find merchants who accept them.

6. Electric 18-Wheelers

As the need for eco-friendly alternatives becomes more pressing, electric semi-trucks are becoming one of the most talked-about technologies in the industry today. These vehicles will help reduce the carbon footprint while saving the fleet money at the same time.

7. Dynamic Routing

Dynamic routing has transformed the way trucks move. Using data to inform routes based on traffic patterns, weather, and road conditions, truck drivers are now more efficient than ever. This new and ever-evolving technology allows fleet managers to modify route density and decrease distance traveled between deliveries. Real-time routing with dynamic software is maximizing drive time and optimizing profit.

8. ELD

Since 2017 electronic logging devices have been tracking and recording commercial truck drivers鈥� hours of service to ensure drivers are operating in accordance with the requirements and restrictions set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. This fleet technology has been the single most successful technology contributing to the safety of truckers and the passenger vehicles around them.

9. Trailer Tracking

Trailer tracking technology makes it easier to locate and manage assets. GPS tracking combined with a system to monitor trailer activity and location can warn a fleet when those trailers are in high-theft areas and track a stolen trailer. Better visibility on these expensive assets is critical for any fleet size, from one to a hundred.

10. Temperature Tracking and Record Keeping

This is another category of fleet technology that鈥檚 become mandatory for many carriers. As part of the Food Safety Modernization Act, those involved in transporting human and animal food, including shippers, carriers, and receivers, must follow best practices for sanitary transportation. This tracking tech can monitor things like properly refrigerating food, cleaning vehicles between loads to prevent contamination, and protecting food during transportation.

11. Telematics

Telematics supports all tracking devices in the trucking industry, not the least of which is theft monitoring tech. Telematics technology is a way to monitor a vehicle using GPS and onboard diagnostics to record movements on a computerized map. It refers to any device that merges telecommunications and informatics, including everything from GPS systems to navigation systems. It is responsible for many features in vehicles, from OnStar to hands-free mobile calling.

 RESOURCES:

The post Up to Date Fleet Solutions Require New Tech appeared first on 糖心Vlog..

Clearly the impact these fires have had already is devastating. Residents and businesses have been displaced and disrupted. Agriculture of all types is at risk, leaving grapes, avocados, and citrus vulnerable during these months. Along with agriculture, wildfire season has affected many other industries as well, including the trucking industry, keeping fleet management on high alert.

Last year鈥檚 wildfires forced some truckers to abandon their rigs on the highway as the fires exploded onto the roads. A fire that devoured timber and brush on both sides of Interstate 5 near the Oregon state line forced a number of truckers to flee their cabs. Seventeen rigs in total were abandoned, four of which burned.

About 17 big rigs were abandoned and at least four caught fire.

鈥擫t. Cmdr. Kyle Foster of the California Highway Patrol鈥檚 Mount Shasta office

Truckers Have Learned to Support Each Other During Wildfire Season

The trucking and transportation industry, along with California residents, has been urged to stay on high alert in the coming weeks. Fleet safety is always top of mind for fleet owners and managers alike, but during wildfire season, safety is both paramount and a challenge to get in front of. warns that fire conditions are still present.

Warm, dry weather will keep the risk of wildfire high, said Kathy Hoxsie, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Santa Ana winds will remain at bay for the next few days, but strong gusts are forecast to return to Southern California next weekend. The fire conditions are still in place.

With trucks back in their lanes, some fleets are helping to deliver supplies as part of the relief effort. The American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN) provides logistics coordination support for communities affected by disasters. Formed in 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, ALAN provides invaluable logistics relief at no charge before, during, and after a catastrophic event. Getting supplies where they are needed is not always easy but with the help of a coordinated effort from the trucking industry, evacuees and service providers are getting the supplies they need.

Fleet managers are focused on the status of the fires during and after the destruction as well. Staying connected to resources for up-to-date information is a priority when drivers are near or scheduled to be near affected locations. Companies like EFS/WEX make it a priority to provide emergency information resources when any kind of a weather- or fire-related catastrophe occurs. The EFS/WEXemergency response landing page can guide fleet managers and drivers to resources needed during the event.

California Wildfire Updates

• California Wildfire Resources

Relief Services

• Register on the Safe and Well List

In the past, fires have also affected shipping in the region due to road closures and fleet safety precautions in the impact zones. According , COO of supply chain risk analysis firm Riskpulse, hundreds of shipments were impacted during the wildfires that devastated Sonoma Valley. Food and beverage shippers have had shipments altered throughout the last few weeks while dozens of customers and vendors have also been affected based on the number of retail outlets including Walmart stores within the fire zones.

Other factors affecting trucking during wildfire season are poor communications and power outages. In many cases power outages are intentional, a deliberate effort to curb the potential of downed lines to spark fires in high wind conditions. Power outages may keep fires at bay, but they also interrupt communications systems as well as traffic lights and signals.

Officials in Santa Rosa, about 50 miles north of San Francisco, said they had responded to multiple traffic collisions, including five with injuries, at intersections without power. 鈥淧lease slow down and treat all intersections without power as a four-way stop,鈥� city officials said on Twitter.

鈥�

The long and short of it is that wildfire season is not over, and the trucking industry will likely be faced with a continuing threat. Fleet management will need to stay vigilant and proactive as wildfire season continues. Meanwhile it is good to know that a whole industry stands ready to back each other up to get the job done, and that the industry has a big role to play in making life better for those affected by disasters.

RESOURCES:

The post Wildfire Season Has Fleet Management on High Alert appeared first on 糖心Vlog..