Spring Break Vehicle Reservations

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. As long as we have the time to plan, we should be able to get you the vehicle type you need.

Temp Assigned Vehicles for Summer

If your program has short-term vehicle needs for the summer, please let us know ASAP so we can try to help. It can be challenging to find enough vehicles to fit everyone’s needs, so the more time we have to plan the better. A minimum 3-month commitment allows you to take advantage of the monthly rate.

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 and departmental items, and make sure the safety kit, ice scraper, and the WEX fuel card are left in the old vehicle.

Automatic Vehicle Location Devices (AVL) Available

Fleet Services can provide Automatic Vehicle Location devices to help you keep track of your department vehicles. These devices can give real time location information, send an email/text when a vehicle arrives/departs from specific locations, and provide and email/test when the actual speed  exceeds the posted speed, along with many other features. You can even add forward/rear facing cameras that include features to detect distractions for even safer driving. If you are interested in these devices please call Mike at 319-384-0564 to discuss rates, options, and any other questions. 

UI Researchers Affirm Dangers of Distracted Driving

Researchers at the University of Iowa’s Injury Prevention Research Center and the Transportation Research Injury Prevention Safety Lab have found a complete ban on cellphone use while driving, except for voice-activated technology, can improve safety. According to Dr. Cara Hamann, the director of both the Education and Training Core at the Injury Prevention Research Center, “Distraction is attributed to about 8 percent of all fatal crashes, 12 percent of injury crashes, and 11 percent of all police-reported crashes”. According to Dr. Hamann it’s crucial for a combination of legislation, enforcement, and public education to prevent distracted driving. Read the full article on distracted driving from the Daily Iowan.  

Pothole Palooza: Winter's Gift to Drivers Everywhere!

The frequent freezing and thawing this winter, along with some snow and moisture, have caused potholes to appear across Iowa's roadways. Potholes form when moisture seeps into or under the pavement, causing it to shift, buckle, or break during freeze-thaw cycles. Vehicles driving over these weakened areas can dislodge patches, creating potholes. The Iowa Department of Transportation, along with city and county crews, are using cold-mix asphalt to patch potholes quickly. While this is often a temporary fix, it improves driving conditions until warmer weather allows for more permanent repairs using hot-mix asphalt or Portland cement concrete. For potholes on local streets or county roads, residents should contact their city or county engineer. Potholes on interstates, Iowa numbered routes, and U.S. highways can be reported to Iowa DOT maintenance offices. Take a look at the full article about potholes from the DOT that includes phone numbers for the 6 different maintenance offices.

Honest Mike’s Used Cars

New vehicle delivery season means that action on our GovDeals site will be picking up soon. We expect Minivans and Sedans to be delivered in March so we should have some to sell soon after that. Take a look at our GovDeals auction page.

Fleet Factoid

What company is the largest tire manufacturer in the world? Most people would guess Bridgestone or Goodyear but they would be mistaken. The world’s largest tire manufacturer is actually LEGO! Peaking at 381 million tires produced In 2010 and still producing over 300 million annually. Read the full article about tires from Jalopnik.