Tips for Safe Driving on Winter Roads

If the recent snow storms in Connecticut are any indication, winter weather will be heading our way before too long. Idealease provides some useful guidelines for keeping the roads safe during the cold months:

1. Proper tire care is vital for safe driving in icy conditions. Tires should always be properly inflated with ample tread, and this is especially true in the winter. Steering can be tricky when there’s ice on the road, and well-maintained tires on the steer axel add invaluable control. Idealease also recommends traction tires on the drive axels.

2. Driving a rig with its lights on during the day increases its visibility to motorists.

3. Cruise control should never be used on snowy or icy roads.

4. Driving too fast is the number one cause of winter accidents, so take it slow.

5. Don’t “pump” ABS brakes.

For more winter driving safety tips, visit:

http://www.idealease.com/safetycompliance/10_21_2011.pdf.

Peterson Idealease is Open for Business

In September, Peterson Trucks officially opened its lease and rental branch, Peterson Idealease. By partnering with Idealease, Peterson benefits from the company’s extensive experience in providing full-service lease and rental contracts to customers throughout North America.

Idealease, the 3^rd largest leasing company behind Ryder and Penske, was founded nearly 30 years ago as a dealer-owned leasing organization, and it continues to provide professional management, purchasing contract services and national accounts support in the US, Canada, and Mexico. With full-service lease and rental programs, Idealease offers safety training, emergency breakdown service, quick vehicle replacement, and routine maintenance services to its customers, presenting a one-stop-shop for fleets opting for lease or rental programs.

Combining Peterson’s decades of experience in truck and engine repair with Idealease’s comprehensive programs makes Peterson Idealease an exceptional provider of lease and rental vehicles. Peterson Trucks is excited to see the development of its newest branch.

To learn more about Peterson Idealease’s services, visit:

www.petersontrucks.com or www.idealease.com.

EPA Approves CA Particle Pollution Regulations

 The U.S. EPA has approved plans to reduce particle pollution in the San Joaquin Valley and along the Southern California coast. Originally outlined in a California Interstate Transport State Implementation Plan (SIP), these new regulations will require the state to reduce particle pollution to levels described in the SIP by 2015.

The EPA’s decision is largely a response to a California Air Resources Board study attributing an annual 9,200 premature deaths statewide to microscopic particles caused by diesel emissions. These particles are small enough to travel deep into the lungs when inhaled, and they can aggravate chronic conditions such as asthma and emphysema.

New emissions requirements will affect mobile diesel equipment used in a variety of industries, including trucking, shipping, and constructions. Operations that travel in the San Joaquin Valley or in Southern California can expect aggressive state regulatory measures in the near future.

For more information, visit the U.S. EPA’s website at:

http://www.epa.gov/region9/air/actions/ca.html