Spring Break is Coming, Are Your Reservations In?

Just a reminder that if you need a vehicle on or around Spring Break, get your reservation in as soon as possible, especially if you need a minivan, SUV, or need to pull a trailer. It is our busiest single week of the year, so long as we have the time to plan, we will be able to get you what you need.

New Vehicles Season is Upon Us

New sedans and minivans are arriving which means it will soon be time to start swapping vehicles around. Fleet Services will notify you when a vehicle is ready to swap and we will schedule a convenient date and time for it to happen. To prepare for the swap the department will need to clean the vehicle. We have vacuums and cleaning supplies available for you to use at Fleet Services. Please remove all personal items, and make sure the safety kit, ice scraper, fuel chip key, 2 sets of vehicle keys, and the WEX card are accounted for. The old items will stay with the old vehicle.

Prompt Retrieval of Serviced Vehicles

With new vehicles being delivered to us space in lot 64 is really at a premium. To help us with our space issues, please make every effort to pick up serviced vehicles as soon as you are notified the maintenance or repair is complete. We want to make sure there are enough open spaces to go around.

Please Move Cars for Snow Removal

After a large snow event like the one we had in January, Fleet vehicle users need to move vehicles within 24-48 hours after snow so the crews can clean the areas. If your car is snowed in or inaccessible you can contact Parking Dispatch and they can help you get the car dug out so it can be moved. A large snowfall is difficult for everyone, maintenance workers included, please help them out by moving your vehicles.

What Does a Red or Yellow Dot on Your Tires Mean?

Tire manufacturers have conceded that It's nearly impossible to manufacture a perfectly balanced, perfectly round tire. For this reason manufacturers identify tire irregularities from the factory with colored dots of paint to help technicians correctly install and balance the tire. The yellow dots identify where a tire weighs the least. The red dots identify where the tire is flattest, or the lowest point on a tire. A poorly balanced tire leads to unwanted vibrations, and can affect ride quality, fuel economy, and braking effectiveness. Read the full article from MSN.  

Don’t Leave Your Keys in Your Car!

There are lots of ways to properly store vehicles keys safely and securely. Leaving them inside an unlocked vehicle is not one of them. An unlocked car with keys inside is an open invitation for thieves. It only takes a few seconds to break in and drive away with the vehicle and any valuables left inside. If you leave keys inside a vehicle it also increases the chances of locking the keys inside of it, which will cause other headaches. Best practice is to develop a routine like always checking your pockets before locking the car and keeping a spare key in a safe place outside the vehicle.

Hey, What’s With the Slow Flow?

If you have ever encountered a slow flowing gas pump, you know how frustrating it can be. Have you ever wondered what causes a pump to slow to a trickle? The most common cause is a clogged dispenser filter. Filters should last around a year and Fleet Services changes our dispenser filters at the recommended intervals. Cold ambient temperatures can also cause pumps to run slower than usual. The more interesting potential cause of slow flow is a tripped leak detector. Fuel islands like ours have all kinds of sensors and detectors built in to make sure everything is functioning properly. When the leak detector detects a leak, it will trigger a very slow flow condition. The idea is that a slow flowing pump will prompt a customer to go inside and complain to someone at the station so they know something is wrong. Check out the full article from Jalopnik that includes some videos that explain each instance of slow flow. If you ever notice that one of our pumps seems to be flowing slower than usual please let us know.

Fleet Factoid

Driverless cars have been in operation in California for some time, but due to a legal loophole, they can’t get fined for moving violations. California State Law only allows traffic fines to be issued if there is a person behind the wheel. However, they can still get parking tickets! Read the full article from Global Fleet.