The IRS has increased the standard mileage rate by 3.5 cents per mile for 2019 over last year’s rates, making the new standard mileage rate $0.58. The increase is designed to address things like rising fuel and vehicle costs. While it doesn’t account for regional differences in prices and maintenance requirements, it does offer a little relief for fleets feeling the pinch of higher costs.

The rising costs go far beyond fuel, though. Other increased expenses fleets are facing in the challenging year ahead include:

• Increased vehicle maintenance costs.
• Rising vehicle costs (including increases in costs related to technological advances and safety features on new vehicles).
• Higher insurance costs.

While you do have the option of tracking the actual costs of using your vehicles, this offers a simpler solution. Especially for larger fleets.

How Can GPS Tracking Help?

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Movement ecology is a discipline that seeks to understand the relationships between organisms and their surroundings through gaining insights about their natural movements. This science includes the movements of animals, plants and microorganisms. The main goal of movement ecology is comprehending how movement relates to survival, but this field of science is still very new.

The earliest applications of this science were used to figure out where animals were going in geographical areas. Scientists relied on technologies like VHF radio to track animals, but data was challenging to collect and analyze. The majority of collected data was used to determine general estimated habitat areas and ranges.

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During the month of April, organizations all over get together with the same goal of encouraging everyone to safely reach their destination by driving with focus. This year, through the “Just Drive” campaign, sponsored by “Wheels,” Distracted Driving Awareness Month is putting safety first and distracted driving through text messages, friends under the influence and more in the back seat.

According to the National Safety Council 2016 statistics, as many as 40,000 individuals died on roadways in the U.S. This is a 6 percent increase from the year 2015 and 14 percent from 2014. In 53 years, it’s the most drastic two-year increase.

So, what can you do?

First, practice driving safely yourself. Turn your phone off while behind the wheel. Decrease your speed, wear your seat belt and pull over safely before you attend to crying children. And, always designate a sober driver.

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Believe it or not, truck tailgates have become a highly sought prize for thieves looking for an easy score that promises big money. Anyone who has ever had to replace a broken or stolen truck tailgate understands the pocketbook pain such replacements can bring. And the problem isn’t going away.

Why are Tailgates So Attractive?

In addition to commanding top dollar from consumers and a fairly large ready marketplace, truck tailgates are also surprisingly easy to steal. Many people have never even heard of this type of theft until it happens to them, yet it is very common with one Oklahoma auto dealer getting hit for three tailgates in a single night.

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The Road to Zero program is an educational program designed to eliminate roadway deaths. After several decades of steady declines in roadway deaths, we experienced a large jump in the number of deaths with 5,000 more people being killed in auto roadway accidents in 2016 than in 2011. Thus, the Road to Zero Coalition, managed by the National Safety Council, was born.

According to the RAND Corporation, the coalition has created three primary initiatives to help them achieve their goals of ending traffic fatalities, including:

1. Double down on things that have proven to be effective evidence-based strategies.
2. Advance technology in vehicles designed to save lives.
3. Creating a positive safety culture that prioritizes safety on the roads.

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