WSA Member Update 8.1.23

August 1, 2023  Dear WSA Members,  We welcome new Virginia-based WSA member MobileVac.  This Verizon report provides an interesting overview of how fleet technology is helping those who utilize it. The survey the company conducted showed significant year-over-year increases in using GPS to accomplish fleet goals, with productivity, routing, maintenance and fuel consumption topping the list. Key takeaways included: • 96% of fleets using GPS fleet tracking software found it beneficial. • Increasing costs were reported as the biggest challenge, followed by labor shortages and meeting customer demands, all of which grew year over year. • Adoption of asset tracking has risen by 6% to 29% since the 2022 study. • In the face of inflation, fleets are cutting costs by using GPS fleet tracking: respondents reported an average 9% decrease in fuel costs, a 17% reduction in accident costs and a 12% decrease in labor costs. Click here to read the report as a PDF file. If you have questions, send an email to Verizon’s Heather Duncan.  We received yet another call about NELTS: The contractor said they were paid the first month just fine but nothing after that. The NELTS response to their non-payment complaints was a notice their invoicing had been done like ‘A’ but NELTS wanted ‘B’. However, after they went back and changed the invoices to ‘B’ they were told that wasn’t right, that they should be done like ‘A’; all with no actual payment of what is now well over $50,000.  When the contractor sent a 30-day quit notice, their standard practice, they received a cancellation notice from NELTS. They will now be pursuing legal action, which is already being done by other contractors. If you get a request to sweep a retail location under NELTS, we suggest you send the retailer our compilation of information on NELTS alleged actions. If you have updated info on NELTS please let me know.  Regarding our WSA member who still hasn’t been paid by CASE Property Management for work last done in March: another member has contacted us with essentially the same story. They were both initially paid in a timely fashion at the start an amount that is approximately 10% of what is now owed. Neither has received payment since on what in both cases are over $4,000 owed.  We have spoken to the manager who promised to have a resolution by yesterday, but phone calls to them remain unanswered as of time to send this on Tuesday afternoon. The saga continues… OSHA encourages each one of you to take the Safe + Sound Week pledge and sign up to participate in Safe + Sound Week here. Have your workplace listed as a participant and counted among the thousands of businesses around the country that will participate this year. OSHA reminds that safety is a shared responsibility and by working together we can continue to create a safe and healthy work environment to ensure every worker goes home safe and sound at the end of the day.  The program offers links to:  ‘Take the pledge‘ to confirm your participation.A planning area to plan and promote your events using their example activities, graphicsand other resources.To recognize your participation you can download a certificate to recognize your organization. We have added to the WSA site WorkTruck’s reminders entitled “10 Things Drivers Should do in Case of an Accident.” Remember that WSA also suggests that you print out this PDF fileand keep it in the glovebox of all your personal and business vehicles as a reminder.  Then, after any incident involving one of your business vehicles, use this Incident Investigation Checklist to get to the true source of the incident/accident. While we’re on the topic, remember WSA also offers a handout showing the tragic costs of distracted driving.  As always, if you have questions or comments about this WSA Member Update, or anything else to do with the World Sweeping Association or power sweeping in general, please let me know.  Good Sweeping,  Ranger Kidwell-Ross, Executive Director World Sweeping Association