Penske Weathered Irene, Focused on Customer Service
September 12, 2011
In preparation forHurricane Irene, which wreaked havoc up and down the Eastern Seaboard of the United States in late August, Penske Truck Leasing had many moving parts to contend with.
<p>It mobilized its contingency plans at hundreds of possibly affected locations ahead of the pending storm, which entailed moving trucks and equipment, stocking up on fuel and coordinating closely with its customers. </p><p>Local Penske offices proactively contacted consumer rental customers and asked them to either pick up their rental trucks early, or to delay pick-up, until the hurricane had passed over their respective region.</p><p><a href="https://www.gopenske.com/">Penske</a> also had additional staff on-hand at its Reading, Pa. global headquarters to handle increased customer issues related to the storm. Penske’s leaders met to monitor the storm and respond to any special situations that could have developed. </p><p><strong>24/7 Response to Impending Storm</strong></p><p>The central hub of Penske’s response efforts was the <a href="http://blog.gopenske.com/lease/penske%e2%80%99s-247-roadside-assistance-team-is-always-on-call/">24/7 emergency roadside assistance center</a>. The center had several tasks to concern themselves with. </p><p>The first? Ensuring that all Penske <a href="https://www.pensketruckleasing.com/">leasing</a>, <a href="https://www.penskelogistics.com/">logistics</a>, <a href="http://www.pensketruckrental.com/">rental</a> and <a href="https://www.pensketruckleasing.com/">contract maintenance</a> customers were assisted during times of inclement weather.</p><p>“In some cases, we’re emergency responders for the emergency responders,” stated Julie Levering, Penske’s director of maintenance services. She was referring to a customer base of medical supply companies that keep hospitals well stocked, and <a href="http://www.pensketruckrental.com/commercial-truck-rental/commercial-trucks/">utilities needing rentals</a> to fix downed lines.</p><p>The second task? Serve as the disaster command center for all leasing and logistics operations in North America. </p><p>Penske locations were required to report in to the center any power outages, damages and closures, etc. The information was then compiled as hourly reports during the most sensitive times.</p><p><img class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8973aeb05e48d62661063a1a57cab3c0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="d00f6" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTEyNjk0OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0ODA4Mzk5M30.WTLz9ExGydA-iz8f46O0DWo7vwElSW2e7bTN05Qzw_Q/img.jpg?width=980"/>Since the hurricane path could have included Penske’s corporate headquarters in Reading, Pa., during the weekend, Levering and her team also rolled out contingency plans. On-site generators were checked, and rechecked.</p><p>In the photo at right, 24/7 center supervisor Rowland George checks on weather patterns during Hurricane Irene.</p><p><strong>Irene Did Not Seriously Affect Penske Operations </strong></p><p>The 24/7 team did not see a noticeable spike in customer calls. There were maybe two dozen temporary closures of Penske facilities and there were no issues at headquarters.</p><p>Penske’s vice president of security, Drew Parenti, served as facilitator for this crisis management plan: “as a company, we were concerned with the safety of our associates, properly serving our customers and protecting our facilities and assets from damage. The field did a terrific job and it was very impressive to see.”</p><p>Levering’s thoughts on how Hurricane Irene affected the company: “It was relatively uneventful. People took the warning seriously and took the steps to be prepared, which was the smart thing to do. I think many companies and individuals diverted their operations,” around the hurricane’s path.</p><p>Now that Hurricane Irene has come and went, there is still work to be done. </p><p>“Our crisis management team will meet for an after-action briefing,” said Parenti. “We’ll look for opportunities to improve and streamline our crisis response plans, make those plans uniform across the enterprise, and automate the most critical processes. In my experience, the best emergency response plans are those that address the relevant issues, yet are relatively brief and easy to follow.”</p><p><em>By Alen Beljin</em></p></div>
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Rising Pump Prices Fuel More Gas and Diesel Thefts
April 19, 2011
Rising fuel prices for gasoline and diesel have made consumer and commercial trucks easy targets for crooks looking to steal fuel. One recent media report from Hickory, N.C. noted that over 400 gallons of gas, valued at nearly $2,000, were pilfered from the parked trucks of area businesses.
<p>Professional truck drivers and even consumer truck rental drivers in the process of moving should both take note of this trend – especially as both gasoline and diesel prices are <a href="http://www.eia.doe.gov/oog/info/gdu/gasdiesel.asp">forecasted to remain</a> at or near record highs. Penske experts Drew Parenti, vice president of security, and Ray Zale, security manager, are offering truck fleets of all sizes several handy tips to combat theft not only <a href="http://blog.gopenske.com/news/penske-introduces-alternative-fuel-station-finder-website/">fuel</a> theft, but the stealing of valuable truck tires, catalytic converters or other truck parts.</p><ul class="ee-ul"> <li>Ensure your location’s truck lots are well-lit</li> <li>Trim any vegetation back five to 10 feet on the outside of the lot’s fence line</li> <li>Always lock access gates, and use case-hardened locks when not in operation</li> <li>Avoid leaving trucks in unsecure locations during times of closure for prolonged periods of time</li> <li>If outside storage sheds are used at your facility ensure the doors are locked; possibly block the access doors with a parked truck</li> <li>When parking trucks that have brand-new tires, park them with vehicles tightly together to reduce access to both the tires and fuel tanks</li> <li>Always secure the cargo area and lock the cab of your vehicle</li> <li>Park your truck in well-lit areas whenever possible</li></ul><p>“It is important to take logical defensive precautions,” stated Parenti, who joined Penske last November following 26 years in the FBI, where he was most recently special agent in charge of the bureau’s Sacramento, Calif. office. “Thieves in this business are professionals, and they’re seeking to take items and resell them to interested buyers.”</p><p><em>By Alen Beljin</em></p></div>
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