New Vehicle Decals

You may have noticed that the University has been transitioning away from the classic Old Capital dome logo and are using a new block letter Iowa logo. Following that trend, we will be updating the large decals on University vehicles with the new block letter logo and a more modern looking font for the department name. We are not going to replace all existing decals, instead it will be a gradual transition to the new style decals as new vehicles are put into service. This change does not affect the UI Healthcare decal design, they will remain the same.

Checklist: Info You Need for a Fleet Services Requisition

For those that have not submitted a rental vehicle requisition in a while, we put together this handy checklist with the needed info to fill out and submit a vehicle requisition.

• Departure date and time
• Return date and time
• Desired Pick-up location
• Will the driver be leaving a personal vehicle?
• Destination
• Purpose for the trip
• I-PASS or GPS device needed
• Type of vehicle desired and any special needs
• Will they be towing a trailer? If yes, we will need to know dimensions and weight of the trailer
• Driver's name and License Number (Not needed if driver already has a DLRS assignment)
• Number of passengers and their relation to the University (i.e. students, staff, patients, etc.)
• Any additional contacts to add for communications
• MFK information

A Green Leaf in Google Maps, What’s That About?

You probably know that a green leaf has something to do with being green or eco-friendly. The green leaf in Google Maps is all about fuel saving. Google Maps can suggest a route to minimize fuel consumption, or as they call it the “fuel-efficient” route. An “efficient” route looks to avoid traffic, and hills, and will keep you on roads with more constant speeds. There is a setting in the Maps app that can be toggled on or off to “Prefer fuel-efficient routes” when the calculated travel times are similar. You are able to see the time differences between routes and the percentage fuel savings for the suggested route. 

Tolls Can Be Taxing

If you have a trip planned where toll roads are unavoidable Fleet Services has got you covered. We have I-PASS devices for traveling in Illinois and other E-Z Pass states (view map of E-Z Pass states), and a K-Tag transponder for traveling in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. A toll transponder can be added to any Fleet Services reservation or requested for use in a departmentally assigned vehicle. Using an I-PASS will typically reduce the toll by 50% versus paying cash. If you are not sure if there are tolls on your trip check the route on Google Maps before you go, it will tell you if there are tolls. Just an FYI, if travelling in Illinois there is currently no cash option for tolls as a COVID safety measure so be sure to plan ahead. The rate for a toll transponder is $5.00 per day plus the tolls.

Not Enough Pressure

Due to physics, (Boyles law, I believe) the colder temperatures cause the volume of air in tires to decrease. As the volume decreases, so does the air pressure in the tire, and that is what causes your tire pressure light to come on. If the tire pressure light is on, add a little air and drive a few miles, that should reset the light. If the light comes on again in a couple of days, bring it in to the shop so we can check for a slow leak. There is an air hose available for customers to use at the SW corner of the CAMBUS Barn. Remember, the recommended tire PSI for a vehicle is on a sticker inside the driver’s door or in the owner’s manual not on the tire. The pressure printed on the side of the tire is range for that tire not a specific value for your vehicle.

Fleet Factoid

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the most stolen vehicle in the US in 2020 was Ford Full Size Pick-up trucks with 44,014 total thefts, up 13% from the previous year. Check out the full list of most stolen vehicles to see if your car might be a target.