Penske Truck Leasing today announced it has reached an agreement to acquire the assets of Rochester, N.Y.-based DeCarolis Truck Rental Inc. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“DeCarolis Truck Rental is a well-respected name in the region and we are excited about the opportunity to join our businesses,” said Art Vallely, president, Penske Truck Leasing. “We look forward to working closely with DeCarolis customers and associates to integrate the business into the Penske brand.”

This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including certain regulatory approvals. The parties involved anticipate closing the transaction on December 17, 2021.

“We’re very excited about joining the Penske organization,” said Michael Margarone, president and CEO, DeCarolis Truck Rental. “The combination of both companies will elevate our technology and service capabilities and ultimately benefit our customers. We look forward to this new journey together.”

Founded over 80 years ago, DeCarolis Truck Rental is a family-owned and operated company headquartered in Rochester, N.Y. They provide truck leasing, rental, maintenance and repair services to the food processing and distribution, consumer distribution and freight hauling industries. They employ approximately 175 people, maintain a fleet of approximately 2,350 units, and service customers from 10 locations.

By Kim Harmsen

Retailers are expecting a record number of holiday shoppers on Thanksgiving weekend placing parcel delivery companies in the spotlight to meet consumers' holiday expectations.

Explosive e-commerce growth during the pandemic coupled with last-mile deliveries has made it necessary for fleet managers to turn to companies like Penske Truck Rental for additional equipment.

Penske, which has one of the largest rental fleets in North America, works with parcel delivery companies throughout the year to anticipate rental truck needs heading into the holiday season.

"We meet with our providers and vendors in the first quarter of the year to evaluate the previous year. And then, we meet several times throughout the year to discuss preparations for the upcoming holiday package season. We have a great working relationship with the delivery companies and value our partnership." said Jeff Werner, director of commercial rental sales for Penske Truck Rental.

Chances are during peak holiday delivery periods a Penske rental truck will be there to help your favorite parcel company deliver during the holidays.

Holiday Shopping List

The National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts holiday sales in November and December will increase to between $843.3 billion and $859 billion, an increase over 2020. Consumers are expected to spend an average of $997.73 during the holidays.

The holiday shopping period – Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday – will feature nearly 2 million more shoppers than last year, according to the results of a survey by the NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics.

"We're expecting another record-breaking holiday season this year, and Thanksgiving weekend will play a major role as it always has," said Matthew Shay NRF president and CEO.

Two-thirds of holiday shoppers surveyed plan to shop on Thanksgiving weekend, with more than 30 million planning to shop in-store or online on Thanksgiving Day.

Black Friday remains the most popular shopping day with 108 million consumers planning to make purchases followed by Cyber Monday and Small Business Saturday.

Meeting the Need

In previous years, late October and November have been months when rental truck requests from parcel carriers and others would start to increase. This year, the increase has occurred much sooner.

"Customers are purchasing items earlier to ensure they have them for the holiday season, which is causing the delivery companies to pick-up the trucks earlier than in past years. This will also ensure they have the necessary equipment for the last-minute holiday rush."

In addition to parcel delivery companies, Penske also supports the needs of small and medium-sized businesses that experience similar spikes in holiday demand.

"There are businesses (large and small), that are in need of extra equipment over the holiday season." Werner said. "With Penske's large fleet, we are able to work with the customers to provide equipment."

Penske draws on years of holiday rental demand experience to balance the needs of large parcel carriers and regional and local businesses. "Our teams are working hard to ensure there is equipment available for every type of business," Werner said.

While the holiday shopping season is in full swing, Werner advises businesses seeking rental trucks to act now.

"We constantly have new trucks coming in and customers returning trucks, so there is constantly an inventory turn around," Werner said. "Our teams do a great job of positioning equipment to take care of all of our customers."

Preparation is key.

"Customers need to plan ahead and give us a call at the earliest time they think they will need equipment," Werner said.

Penske offers a wide variety of rental trucks from large commercial semi-tractors and trailers to small box trucks. Penske encourages retailers and businesses to make reservations by calling its hotline for business rentals, 1-800-PENSKE1.

By Bernie Mixon

Catalytic converter theft has skyrocketed in recent months as organized groups of thieves continue to illegally cut these devices out of cars, SUVs, and rental trucks at an increasingly alarming rate.

While this has been an ongoing issue for several years, thefts have increased exponentially throughout the recent pandemic period.

Penske's corporate security team is now spearheading a significant outreach program to law enforcement at the city, state and federal levels and cooperating with various catalytic converter theft task forces in hotspots around the country.

"We're also undertaking an aggressive effort to use a new etching technology and exploring other methods to better track stolen catalytic converters within our expansive fleet of trucks," said Scott Brunner, vice president of Security at Penske Transportation Solutions.

Catalytic Converter Thefts by the Numbers

Catalytic converters are emission control devices used on vehicles including Penske's rental trucks that help reduce air pollution.

Thieves are stealing these devices because they often contain high-value metals such as rhodium, platinum and palladium. Once removed and stolen, these devices are then sold by thieves to metal recycling and scrap yards netting the thieves a hefty payday.

"Catalytic converter theft is an increasing problem for consumers and businesses," Brunner said. "It's not a victimless crime. The theft of these devices can cause customers great inconvenience, disables vehicles for repairs, and drives up costs for consumers."

A recent State Farm report examined catalytic converter theft claims from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, and found thefts grew nearly 293% nationwide, representing more than 18,000 instances.

Compared with the same time period just a year earlier, theft reports from the last half of 2019 to the first half of 2020 numbered just above 4,500.

State Farm reported the total paid to customers during the most recent 12-month period was more than $33.7 million. In the previous 12-month period it was slightly below $9 million.

When it comes to claims, California leads the way with more than 3 out of 10 claims being filed in the state. Texas is second, with roughly 1 out of 10 claims, followed by Minnesota, Washington and Illinois, according to State Farm's examination of data from the first half of 2021.

While the value of metals contained in catalytic converters is a driver of the increase in thefts, the National Insurance Crime Bureau linked the thefts to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We have seen a significant increase during the pandemic. It's an opportunistic crime. As the value of the precious metals contained within the catalytic converters continues to increase, so do the number of thefts of these devices," said David Glawe. NICB president and CEO. "There is a clear connection between times of crisis, limited resources, and disruption of the supply chain that drives investors towards these precious metals."

As of the end of February 2021, 18 states – Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia – are evaluating potential legislative actions to curb the theft problem, according to the NICB.

Protecting Your Fleet

Penske Truck Leasing recommends all fleet operators take note of this trend and to take protective measures including:

• Properly secure vehicles
• Park in well-lit areas
• Use perimeter fencing when vehicles are domiciled overnight
• Invest in parking lot video surveillance
• Train drivers to look for signs related to theft or tampering during their pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections
• Inspect the catalytic converter area often
• Report catalytic converter theft to law enforcement immediately

By "Move Ahead" Staff

The National Private Truck Council 2021 Benchmarking Survey Report provides fleets with new industry standards to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

"Information is power," explained Jim Lager, senior vice president for Penske Truck Leasing. "Fleet operators need real-time data to make informed decisions about their business. They want to know if what they are doing is best-in-class or underperforming, and how they can improve. Being able to see that information helps them identify areas of opportunity within their operations."

Lager added that every aspect of the supply chain is stressed right now. "I think it is even more critical to have good information and good partners to talk to about it," he said.

The 2021 NPTC Benchmarking Survey Report, which is sponsored by Penske, captures critical metrics from the 2020 calendar year, which was a time like no other.

"The purpose of this report is not to critique any fleet's performance, but rather to give them the tools so when they need the answers and the metrics in their continuous improvement efforts that they can grab onto those metrics in the report and move on," said Tom Moore, executive vice president of NPTC.

Even with the challenges, private fleets performed well and used their advantages to navigate supply chain challenges, hauling more shipments and volume than they did in the previous year.

Moore continued: "The thing that really impresses me, despite everything that is going on in the pandemic, is the stability that occurred in our private fleet management. We didn't see extreme swings in terms of equipment buying or a lot of change in the driver hours, even though the DOT extended those hours. Those folks stuck right in that core business. I thought that was a telling statement for how private fleets position themselves for success."

Supply chain challenges have helped private fleets raise the awareness and importance of transportation generally within their companies.

"In the last three to four years, companies have decided to start their own private fleet from scratch because of the vulnerability in finding transportation," said Gary Petty, CEO of NPTC. "I think a lot of companies are saying, 'We can manufacture the greatest product around, but if we can't get it in a way that has no damage and no loss that is timely, it doesn't matter.'"

Many private fleets shined during COVID disruptions and were able to navigate capacity constraints and surging costs others faced within the transportation market, strengthening the case for having a private fleet.

"Private fleets are resilient and flexible," Lager said, adding that more and more companies are considering and transitioning to private fleets. "That is a result of the spot market and the carrier situation driving them toward that so they could control their destiny. They don't want to trust that to a carrier. They want to do it with a partner like Penske."

Petty stated 75% of the private fleets in the study are operating as cost centers or, as he calls them, contribution centers. "They're in it to provide outstanding customer cost in the most effective and efficient manner possible. Whatever financial model, the goal is to deliver exceptional levels of customer service in the most efficient manner possible," he said.

As in years past, the primary reason companies report operating a private fleet is to provide exceptional levels of customer service that are unavailable on the open market, especially at a time when transportation and logistics capacity has been relatively constrained.

In the latest study, more than 92% of the respondents, in response to the open-ended question, 'What is the primary reason your company operates a private fleet?,' answered customer service.

Measuring on-time performance remains the primary means of tracking customer service, although other metrics are growing in acceptance.

This year 68% of the fleets report measuring on-time performance as opposed to 82% last year.

This erosion in on-time deliveries makes room for a bevy of other metrics, according to the NPTC report, most notably safety scores, tracked by 56% of respondents (53% last year); cost-per-mile, tracked by 55% of the respondents (35% last year); and customer comment, tracked by 32% of the population.

Shipments for private fleets were up from last year by 9.7%, and volume was up by 5.6%. This growth is supported by an overall mileage increase of 5.7%, which means that fleet respondents accomplished these gains rather efficiently, according to the report.

Even still, private fleets do face challenges, with driver-related issues being the No. 1 challenge listed. Driver-related issues are cited by nearly every respondent, often more than once. Rounding out the list of issues cited by fleets are: Cost-related issues; equipment and maintenance; customer service; regulatory and safety.

While driver issues remain top-of-mind, private fleets perform better than the for-hire population. "While everybody is feeling the driver shortage, it is less at private fleets," Penske's Lager said.

This year's survey found that driver turnover fell to 15.8%, nearly three full percentage points down from last year's 18.5% turnover rate and much lower when compared to the for-hire segment. Private fleet's average driver turnover is 14.25% over the 15-year history of the survey, and the average driver in the NPTC survey stays with a carrier for more than ten years. "That is extraordinary," Petty said.

NPTC started tracking metrics surrounding the time to hire and the hiring process for the first time. NPTC found that the average fleet has to review, screen and/or interview 19.7 candidates to fill one driver's seat, and the average time to hire a driver candidate is 34 days.

"Private fleets understand you get what you pay for," Moore stated. "They changed the mentality from speed-to-hire because they want to hire the right person.

The three top reasons for turnover are discipline issues, drivers leaving for another job, or retirement.

Moore noted: "For those leaving for another job or discipline issues, that tells me a private fleet can do a better job in the hiring process. If you're asking the right questions in the interview, you can identify what drivers are more likely to leave or will have discipline issues."

For the first time, NPTC asked fleets how much it cost to bring a driver on board. It is about $7,500 for the typical heavy-duty operation, and $3,400 for medium-duty fleets.

The survey also examined which freight movements private fleets haul and which they contract out. Private fleets typically handle about 2/3 of the outbound flow of goods and work with third-party carriers to handle the rest.

For-hire motor carriers handle 17% of all outbound freight movements, while dedicated contract carriers perform 12%. When deciding how to position the private fleet, survey respondents mention numerous inter-related and overlapping factors. The most frequently highlighted are cost, service, geography, and proximity to customers, and backhaul loads.

Empty mileage rates decreased, with an empty mileage of 26% down from last year's 33.3% and the previous year's 28.4%. NPTC found that 28% of respondents reported improved empty mileage, and Lager said reducing empty miles is top-of-mind for carriers. "There is not the luxury of being inefficient right now."

Penske Truck Leasing helps customers analyze their network to determine the best lanes to handle internally and the best to outsource.

"We have the engineering capability and capacity to analyze a customer's entire operation and make a recommendation," Lager said. "We can process the data and optimize it in several ways. It isn't always about cost; it is about delivery windows and meeting schedules. We can display all of that and help them make those decisions."

Use of on-board safety technology continues to increase, and not one respondent indicated not using on-board safety technology.

"If you're not safe, you're not going to be efficient, and the rest of the metrics don't matter," Moore said. "The safety record continued to get better and stronger and was one of the best years we ever had."

Survey participants can request customized data pulls that compares data of peer or like-kind fleets in the same market.

Petty: "It is apples-to-apples numbers they can use. This is powerful information internally. We have found once companies get on the track of scoring themselves against peers, it gives the whole benchmarking exercise a powerful boost of credibility."

By "Move Ahead" Staff

Committed to helping veterans move forward, Penske was recently named a 2022 Military-Friendly Employer. This honor recognizes companies that have remained steadfast in creating employment opportunities for veterans.

The list was established by VIQTORY nearly two decades ago. VIQTORY, which publishes G.I. Jobs and Military Spouses magazines, links the military community to civilian opportunities.

Penske is proud to be among 308 employers to earn the Military-Friendly Employer designation. In the past year, veterans represented nearly 9% of all Penske new hires – a testament to Penske's robust support to veterans and veteran organizations.

Since 2003, the Military-Friendly lists have set the standard for organizations to provide the best opportunities for veterans and military spouses.

"Penske is proud and honored to have earned the silver Military-Friendly Designation for 2022," said Nikita Rhodes, vice president for diversity and inclusion at Penske. "This designation is important because it highlights to associates, customers and suppliers that Penske is committed to the military community."

Rhodes continued, "We recognize the hard work, dedication and perseverance that veterans bring to Penske. While these characteristics are important to our organization year-round, they are especially important on Veterans Day. That's why we take time to recognize and thank our veterans for their service and sacrifice. We couldn't be more proud and grateful for the more than 1,700 veterans that we currently employ as part of our Penske family."

Driving Military Recruitment

Penske actively recruits veterans by promoting employment opportunities in military publications, on veterans' job boards, and through exclusive partnerships with military-friendly organizations such as ESGR, G.I. Jobs, RecruitMilitary, Military Officers Association of America, VetCentral, VRS Virtual Veteran Career Fairs, Hirepurpose, Corporate America Supports You, Lucas Group and Bradley-Morris, Inc.

Penske has teamed up with Veteran Recruiting (VR) and other leading employers to support the VetFriendly Jobs Initiative to hire or train 100,000 veterans by 2020.

The company was one of many that joined efforts with VR to support the White House Joining Forces Initiative, which led to the hiring of 170,000 veterans between 2011 and 2016.

Military-Friendly Organization Supporter

In addition to hiring, the company is proud to partner with and support military-friendly organizations, including The Paralyzed Veterans of America's Mission: ABLE campaign and Support Military Families.

Penske Truck Rental, a division of Penske Truck Leasing, joined with Paralyzed Veterans eight years ago to create the #OneWay4PVA campaign, which encourages rental customers to donate $1 to Paralyzed Veterans Mission: ABLE campaign.

The generosity of one-way customers and Penske donations on all one-way moves have resulted in more than $3 million for Paralyzed Veterans.

Penske associates regularly volunteer for organizations that support and honor our troops and veterans, like the Paul R. Gordon Veteran Social Center of Berks County in Reading, Pennsylvania.

In addition, Penske offers discounts on truck rentals for active military members and veterans when reserving one-way truck rentals online.

Both Penske Truck Leasing and Penske Logistics offer a wide range of career opportunities, including truck fleet maintenance technicians, truck drivers, fleet maintenance supervisors, operations management roles, as well as logistics and supply chain operations roles and many others.

Visit https://penske.jobs/veterans/ for more information on career opportunities.

By "Move Ahead" Staff

As a child, Michael Kegerise marveled as adults recalled his family's legacy of military service, which predated the Civil War.

"I always knew I would regret not serving in the military, so I enlisted while in college," said Kegerise, enterprise facility services project engineer at Penske's corporate office in Reading, Pennsylvania.

After serving 11 years with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard, Captain Kegerise recently took off his uniform for the final time as he ended his military service and added his name to Penske's long list of military veterans.

This month, the organization paused to honor the service and sacrifice of military veterans in recognition of National Veterans and Military Families Month. Today, associates from across the corporate campus joined in celebrating Veterans Day by thanking colleagues for their military service.

"Penske is proud to support our veterans and active-duty military, and we thank them for their service on behalf of our nation and our citizens," said Sarah Smith, senior vice president of Human Resources.

"Veterans and active-duty military bring key skills and capabilities that enhance our truck leasing and logistics businesses: leadership, teamwork and problem solving, to name a few," Smith said. "Their contributions have helped move our company and our industry forward."

Driving Military Recruitment

Penske was named a 2021 Military Friendly Employer in recognition of the company's commitment to creating employment opportunities for veterans.

"We are proud to honor the dedication and sacrifice of veterans in service to our country," said Ron Schwartz, vice president of staffing. "We are equally as proud to hire and employ veterans as well as active National Guard and Reserve members."

The company actively recruits veterans by promoting employment opportunities in military publications, on veterans' job boards, and through exclusive partnerships with military-friendly organizations, such as ESGR, G.I. Jobs, RecruitMilitary, Military Officers Association of America, VetCentral, VRS Virtual Veteran Career Fairs, Hirepurpose, Corporate America Supports You, Lucas Group and Bradley-Morris, Inc.

Penske has teamed up with Veteran Recruiting (VR) and other leading employers to support the VetFriendly Jobs Initiative to hire or train 100,000 veterans by 2020.

The company was one of many that joined efforts with VR to support the White House Joining Forces Initiative, which led to the hiring of 170,000 veterans between 2011 and 2016.

Military-Friendly Organization Supporter

In addition to hiring, the company is proud to partner with and support military-friendly organizations, including The Paralyzed Veterans of America's Mission: ABLE campaign and Support Military Families.

Penske Truck Rental joined with Paralyzed Veterans seven years ago to create the #OneWay4PVA campaign, which encourages rental customers to donate $1 to Paralyzed Veterans Mission: ABLE campaign.

Penske associates regularly volunteer for organizations that support and honor our troops and veterans, like the Paul R. Gordon Veteran Social Center of Berks County in Reading, Pennsylvania.

In addition, Penske offers discounts on truck rentals for active military members and veterans when reserving one-way truck rentals online.

Both Penske Truck Leasing and Penske Logistics offer a wide range of career opportunities, including truck fleet maintenance technicians, truck drivers, fleet maintenance supervisors, operations management roles, as well as logistics and supply chain operations roles and many others.

Visit https://penske.jobs/veterans/ for more information on career opportunities.

By Bernie Mixon

From the time he was four years old, Joe Dezotell knew he wanted to grow up to become a soldier and serve his country.

Now, the retired U.S. Army veteran helps military families navigate the challenges of military moves as a Rental Support Coordinator with Penske Truck Rental's specialized Military Call Center.

Created in 2014, the call center is staffed by associates who understand the challenges of military moves, which helps them to reduce the stress for military families.

"It is a specialized team of Penske associates who all have a direct connection to the military from either their own service or a direct family member's service," Dezotell said. "You have someone who understands your needs and can help relate to you better to make sure this goes as flawlessly as possible."

Thousands of military families move each year either through a government-arranged move, where a contractor packs and ships their items, or through a Personal Procured Move (PPM) – formerly known as a DITY or do-it-yourself move.

For families choosing a PPM move – where the customer arranges to rent a truck to move their items – Penske's Military Call Center team can help.

"Our associates understand the special needs that go with a military move as far as how to weigh the vehicle, load it and unload it, and the need to save all of their receipts for their reimbursements from the government," Dezotell said. "Whether it is someone doing their first PPM move or their eighth or ninth one, we are there to guide them."

That guidance includes helping military families through the emotions of saying goodbye to family and friends and heading to a new destination with unfamiliar surroundings. "You have to understand the emotions that go along with that. It can be unsettling for the family," Dezotell said.

A military move – just like other household moves – provides key family time that can be used for activities, including sightseeing along the journey.

"We always tried to make it an adventure as we moved," Dezotell said. "We'd try to see something we would normally not have the opportunity to see."

Once arriving at the destination, military families – especially arriving on military installations – should prepare to receive a warm welcome and many helping hands.

"The loading and unloading tends to be easier for military members, especially if they are on base. Every time we moved on base, even though the neighbors didn't know who we were, we backed that truck up and everybody would come out and help," Dezotell said.

Penske is a proud supporter of the military, both active duty, reserves and veterans.

Penske Truck Rental, a division of Penske Truck Leasing, joined with Paralyzed Veterans eight years ago to create the #OneWay4PVA campaign, which encourages rental customers to donate $1 to Paralyzed Veterans Mission: ABLE campaign.

Penske associates regularly volunteer for organizations that support and honor our troops and veterans, like the Paul R. Gordon Veteran Social Center of Berks County in Reading, Pennsylvania.

In addition, Penske offers discounts on truck rentals for active military members and veterans when reserving one-way truck rentals online.

If you are in the military and need assistance with a move, call Penske's Military Call Center at 1-844-4TROOPS (1-844-487-6677).

By Bernie Mixon

Penske Truck Leasing customers who have not done so already are encouraged to transfer their fleet telematics systems to 4G or 5G networks, as 3G networks will be retired in the coming months by major U.S. mobile carriers.

The providers are expected to disconnect their 3G networks as early as February and as late as the end of 2022.

Here are the planned 2022 disconnect dates for the following carriers, according to the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA): AT&T 3G, February 22; Sprint 3G (T-Mobile), March 31; Sprint LTE (T-Mobile), June 30; T-Mobile 3G, July 1; Verizon 3G, December 31.

For Penske customers who are not yet using telematics, Penske can aid fleets in evaluating service providers. The connected fleet team provides consulting services at no charge. Contact Penske at success@penskeconnectedfleet.com or dial 844-426-4555.

By "Move Ahead" Staff

Penske Truck Leasing is adding to its industry-leading electric truck fleet by piloting the new light-duty preproduction Ford E-Transit truck. Penske is currently operating an E-Transit in its home market of Reading, Pennsylvania.

E-Transit, the first all-electric cargo van from a full-line automaker in North America, is the electric version of the Ford Transit.

Assembled alongside Ford Transit at the Kansas City assembly plant, E-Transit is designed to serve a wide range of commercial industries, providing its customers a choice of eight configurations, including a cargo van with three roof heights and three lengths, chassis cab and cutaway models.

"Penske and Ford have a longstanding and valued relationship," said Art Vallely, president, Penske Truck Leasing. "We're excited to collaborate with Ford Pro on the introduction and real-world testing of these new electric vehicles as the first truck rental and leasing company to do so. We expect to see strong utilization and interest from customers making final-mile deliveries, regional deliveries, and eventually consumer use for smaller household moves."

This unit will be rented to regional small- and medium-sized commercial businesses. Penske's long-term electric vehicle plans include adding units throughout its wider network, including Southern California.

Paul Rosa, Penske senior vice president of procurement and fleet planning: "We are very pleased to expand our electric vehicle learnings with the addition of the Ford E-Transit to our fleet."

"Our customers are telling us that they have ambitious corporate sustainability goals to reduce their fleet's carbon emissions through the integration of all-electric vehicles," said Ford Pro CEO Ted Cannis. "E-Transit and supporting Ford Pro ecosystem, especially end-to-end charging, play a critical role in achieving those goals and maintaining their business operations without disruption."

The E-Transit is expected to begin arriving at Ford dealerships in Q1 2022.

By "Move Ahead" Staff