While much of the world is cooped up inside their homes, social distancing themselves from others while the Coronavirus continues to spread, leasing companies have no choice but to continue to provide equipment to those who need it most.

Fleet Equipment reached out to a few of these companies to see how they’re handling the pandemic.

Aim/NationaLease

Comments by Geoff Fleming, president, Aim NationaLease

It’s been a stressful and challenging time for everybody. However, Aim and all the NationaLease affiliates have been through unprecedented times before and this is where the dedication of our employees and our companies shines through. Private, family-owned businesses have been able to forge deep and strong partnerships with their customers during difficult times like these by offering unmatched solutions, support and flexibility.

We are doing everything we can to keep our people safe and informed while keeping our operations open and active to support our customers. We are fortunate to be an essential service to support the supply chain and everyone at Aim takes this responsibility very seriously.

For all of our employees we are sending out daily communications on company updates and reinforcing the fundamentals of prevention: stay at home if you are sick, wash your hands effectively and frequently, cough and sneeze into your elbow and clean and sanitize your equipment, work areas and other commonly-used areas frequently, between shifts and usage.

For our drivers, we have put together mobile sanitization supply kits as well as offer reimbursement for such supplies purchased on their own. We are having drivers practice social distancing. We ask them to stay in their trucks until they are able to be hooked to their trailers. We are also having the exchange of paperwork take place in designated pickup areas rather than face-to-face and wherever possible we are utilizing electronic devices for document transmittal and communication to limit interaction. Throughout this we are maintaining communication with our drivers through their Trimble devices, email and phones.

For our equipment, we have developed a standard cleaning and sanitizing procedure to prepare equipment for our customers when services are complete.

To protect our employees and our customers, we are putting a strong emphasis on our drivers and our customers’ drivers to utilize our award-winning Electronic Driver Vehicle Condition Report (E-DVCR) web-based tool. Whether mobile or on a computer, this allows the driver to digitally complete a vehicle write-up, pre-trip or post-trip and send it to the appropriate person at our company. This eliminates the need for paperwork passing between multiple people as well as limits the need for face-to-face interaction.

For our technicians, we are taking precautionary measures at our locations to adhere to the guidelines sent out by the CDC to maintain safe work environments and we are advising our customers and their drivers to utilize technology whenever possible to communicate their needs rather than face-to-face interaction in order to limit interaction.

Penske

Penske posted the following to a blog which can be found here.

To Our Valued Customers,

We are in unprecedented times. Like every company, Penske has been closely monitoring developments related to coronavirus (COVID-19), including updates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization, public officials and other leading health experts.

Our number one priority is the health and safety of our associates, customers and communities. We have always taken great pride in the safety and cleanliness of our facilities and vehicles. Today, this is more important than ever. In addition to our normal sanitation processes, we have implemented the following precautionary measures to support health and safety, as well as to ensure uninterrupted business operations:

• Providing associates with guidance and information to help keep themselves, their families and our customers safe
• Encouraging associates to use enhanced hygiene practices, including frequent handwashing and social distancing
• Encouraging associates to closely monitor their health and to remain home when not feeling well
• Increasing the sanitization level and frequency in our facilities, transaction areas, trucks, equipment and touchpoints
• Restricting all non-essential domestic and international travel, meetings or large gatherings
• Establishing a hotline for associates to address all their needs related to COVID-19

Today, all our locations are open and ready to serve you. Our associates are working hard to keep trucks running, warehouses full, and freight flowing. As a leader in transportation and logistics, continually adapting our operations to serve our customers and communities is in our DNA. Transportation and logistics play an essential role in keeping hospitals, grocery stores and, ultimately, communities running with all the things they need.

In the coming days, we will continue to actively monitor the situation and take necessary precautions. We will continue to update you as new information is made available. As always, your Penske representative and the broader Penske team are available to help you through any challenges.

We appreciate your ongoing partnership and we continue to strive to meet your transportation and logistics needs.

Sincerely,

Brian Hard, president & CEO, Penske Transportation Solutions; Art Vallely, president, Penske Truck Leasing; Marc Althen, president, Penske Logistics