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With fuel prices hovering near the $4 a gallon range, drivers across the industry are looking for ways to cut costs and boost vehicle efficiency. Some fleet managers have turned to telematics to help monitor fleet performance and reduce overall vehicle costs.

The first decade of the 21st century saw profound change in the beverage industry, with an exponential explosion of product SKUs taking place at the same time as unprecedented levels of bottler and distributor consolidation.

Although it might not have been a requirement 10 years ago, good brands today will need to make a genuine commitment to sustainability moving forward, says Trent Overholt, vice president of supply chain solutions for Los Angeles-based Rehrig Pacific Co.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), or ergonomic injuries, are one of the most common injuries route delivery drivers encounter and accounted for 33 percent of all workplace injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work for all occupations in 2011.

Each year in March, the trucking industry comes together in Louisville, Ky., for its single largest event, the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS). As the industry’s key event, it’s fairly common for the chief executive officers of exhibiting companies to report on recent performance and prognosticate about the year to come.

Just like the Secret Intelligence Service wouldn’t send James Bond on a mission without the best gadgets, distribution managers need to ensure that their sales and distribution representatives in the field are equipped with all of the tools to get the job done.

During the last several years of working with beverage fleet managers, few topics have shown a solid division between strategy and practice.

As diesel prices continue to hover near $4 a gallon, it’s more important than ever for fleets to get the most out of every last drop of fuel purchased at the lowest possible cost.

 Since nearly the dawn of the automotive age, many “alternative” fuels have been tried, but virtually all have come up lacking when compared with petroleum-based diesel and gasoline.