Leadership from NECS’ Vehicle Services team recently attended the 2024 IRP Fall Workshop and came away with a recap for our clients.
Melissa Wigand, Lisa Woods, and Brian Lehane attended the Industry Advisory Council, where they discussed a variety of topics, including the failed ballot of mandating telematics in all vehicles as it was determined not feasible from a IT perspective. Auditors rejecting 0s and 5s in IRP reports as they are assumed fraudulent, and Electric Vehicle ballots being pushed back to 2026. Other discussions surrounded:
Jurisdictions integrating technology (particularly AI, ChatGPT and Google Power) to enhance administrative efficiency. Some jurisdictions are leveraging technology better than others.
A visit to a Kentucky Weight Station, which was a tangible experience to help attendees better understand how Department of Transportation (DOT) or State Highway Patrol inspects weights of trucks to ensure compliance with safety guidelines. Attendees also experienced a simulated roadside inspection in order to understand roadside enforcement and also a Pre-Trip inspection to demonstrate safety checks to ensure a smooth trip.
A discussion on the impacts of electrification for the transportation industry.
“I always leave this meeting with a desire to leverage the knowledge and information learned to help our team and educate our clients.” Melissa Wigand, Director, Vehicle Services”
On the final day attendees broke into three tracks. The first track focused on administrative tasks such as streamlining registration processes and customer service, addressing the risks associated with chameleon carriers, and featuring insights from law enforcement. The second track focused on the auditing process, managing fraudulent credentials and flagging companies who use the same mileage/data year over year rather than utilizing accurate information. The third track focused on law enforcement discussing compliance and strategies for combating fraudulent credentials.
The conference ended with a panel discussion and a discussion on best practices and Q&A.
