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CrownSource Welcomes Zep Professional!

We’re excited to welcome Zep Professional, the leading innovator of cleaning solutions for vehicle care, to CrownEnterprise, our eMarketplace and eProcurement System.

The appearance of your vehicles says a lot about your company. So keep your fleet on the road and looking good with Zep Professional Vehicle Cleaners & Supplies. We’ve negotiated deeply discounted, national account pricing on all the vehicle cleaning and supplies you need to keep your fleet at next level clean. And remember, with CrownSource, you get free shipping on every Zep Professional order.

As a CrownSource customer, you have access to deep discounts on the products you need – like Vehicle Cleaners & Supplies plus more – to keep your fleet running smoothly.

Login to our eProcurement Platform to see nearly four million products sourced specifically for the transportation industry.

Not a customer? Schedule a demo now.

CrownSource Welcomes Grainger!

We’re excited to announce that CrownSource has established a Preferred Vendor agreement with Grainger, the nation’s leading MRO company. What does this mean for you? One-stop shopping on more than 700,000 products, including deep discounted, national account pricing across many transportation-specific product categories including maintenance, repair, cleaning, material handling, and safety products through CrownSource.

Remember, delivery is FREE! That’s right, free shipping on every Grainger order. Login to start saving today! Not a customer? Schedule a demo now.

The CrownFuel Over-The-Road (OTR) and Commercial Fueling Network Cardlock Fuel Card Programs Deliver You Deep Discounts!

Why CrownFuel?

CrownFuel is a multi-faceted, total cost management fuel program that delivers a variety of unique offerings designed to save you the most money across your fuel program. Our fuel card offers the convenience of a credit card without the security risks.

Save up to 21¢ per gallon at the pump

Over-the-Road (OTR) and Commercial Fueling Network Cardlock Fuel Card Programs deliver you deep discounts at the pump at more than 3,000 locations nationwide.

No Transaction Fees

Eliminate typical transaction fees which range between $1-$3 every time a driver swipes the card.

National Coverage

OTR diesel fuel card is accepted at more than 6,000 truck stops for convenience.

Secure, Flexible Card Controls

Control your spend by setting card limits as well as exactly where, when, and how your drivers fuel.

Customer Service

24 / 7 / 365 service with the shortest wait time in the industry (average 26 seconds).

Mobile App

User-friendly mobile app helps fleet operators manage fuel cards from their mobile device and provides drivers access to all fueling locations with state-of-the-art map feature.

Get Your FREE Fuel Assessment

Our fuel experts will analyze your program to see if you’re getting the best OTR pricing available.  Click here to get your free fuel assessement.

As a CrownSource customer, you have access to deep discounts on the products you need – like Fuel, Additives and more – to keep your fleet running smoothly. Login to our eProcurement Platform to see nearly four million products sourced specifically for the transportation industry. Not a customer? Schedule a demo now.

Diesel Guard Antigel Deicer Additives – The Perfect Winter Solution

ValvTect manufactures the industries most effective additive system to prevent winter diesel fuel problems such as filter plugging caused by fuel gelling and icing. ValvTect’s antigel formulas contain proprietary wax crystal modifiers, cold flow improvers, heavy wax modifiers, and wax anti-settling properties. This prevents formation of large wax crystals that plug filters and shut engines down.

All Diesel Guard winter grade formulas also include a non-alcohol jet fuel deicer/water dispersant which lowers the freeze point of entrained water to prevent the formation of ice crystals. The dispersant safely removes a controlled amount of moisture from tanks and lines to prevent water build-up and icing in the fuel system.

This advanced system of antigel and deicer components provides superior improvement of cold temperature operability on a wide range of today’s hard to treat low and high sulfur distillate fuels. Diesel Guard antigel/deicer can provide improved cold temperature operability equaling up to a 70% blend of No.1 (Kerosene). Proper use of Diesel Guard antigel/deicer additives can:

  • Reduce the cold filter plug point up to 35 degrees.
  • Reduce the pour point as low as -50 degrees or more.
  • Reduce the freeze point of water to as low as -50 degrees F.

Distillate fuel treated with Diesel Guard antigel/deicer provides diesel equipment operators with significantly better fuel economy by eliminating, or reducing, No.1 fuel which contains a BTU content about 4,000 less per gallon than straight No. 2 diesel. A “winterized” diesel fuel with Diesel Guard antigel/deicer additive contains up to 1400 more BTU’s per gallon than a 70/30 blend of No. 2 and No. 1, thus, producing more energy and better fuel economy and power. Additional benefits verses a No.1 blend include better lubricity, deicing, moisture dispersancy, and enhancement with cetane improver, detergents and other components to produce a true “winterized” premium diesel fuel.

As a CrownSource customer, you have access to deep discounts on all the winterizing products you need – like antigels, shovels, safety vests, gloves – to keep your fleet running smoothly whatever the cold weather brings. Login to our eProcurement Platform to see all our winter prep products. Not a customer? Schedule a demo now.

Welcome Valvoline – Your Heavy Duty Source for Oil, Grease and Coolant

This is How the Tough Get Going!

We’re excited to announce our latest CrownConnect eProcurement Platform supplier – Valvoline™!

You need a motor oil you can count on. Coolant that can take the heat. Grease that can handle the pressure. Valvoline™ was made for heavy duty engines 150 years ago. And Valvoline has been proving their products on the road and off the road ever since. The Valvoline™ lab is your engine, your garage, your fleet, your worksite.

Watch the Valvoline™ Heavy Duty video below and see how they help protect heavy duty equipment and make an impact on businesses just like yours every day.

As a CrownSource customer, you have access to deep discounts on the Valvoline™ oil, grease and coolant you need to keep your fleet running smoothly. From bulk oil to drums to gallons, we’ve got your covered! Login to our eProcurement Platform to see all our heavy-duty trucking products and services. Not a customer? Schedule a demo now.

5 Steps for a Smooth ELD Transition

We asked Mark Schedler, DOT Sr. Editor at J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. to share with us all the tips and information on how to efficiently undergo a smooth transition. Schedler provides expertise on how one can ease the process of transitioning from an automatic onboard recording device (AOBRD) to the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate.

Schedler’s original post was featured on the J.J. Keller blog earlier this year:

Based on your experiences moving from paper to electronic logs, you may not be particularly excited to take on yet another transition. However, the majority of electronic logging devices in use are only AOBRD-compliant, meaning a significant percentage of carriers have yet to fully comply with the ELD mandate. Based on those odds, you need to verify your fleet is using a compliant ELD well before the final mandate deadline of December 16, 2019.

Luckily, you can minimize the pain of another transition by starting early and leaving plenty of time to verify compliance and potentially switch devices, if necessary. Giving yourself this extra time will minimize stress and the potential for driver turnover. Use the following recommended steps to ease the impact and help drive a successful transition.

1. Plan an Orderly Transition

Account for the time it will take to conduct hands-on and classroom/remote training, adapt to hardware differences, and potentially learn a new system. Drivers whose carriers did not provide adequate training during the initial December 2017 transition to electronic logs generally experienced longer roadside inspections, a much higher level of frustration, and received avoidable citations. Don’t let your fleet suffer the same fate.

2. Verify Proven ELD Compliance

Your provider should have established ELD compliance and be listed on the ELD Registry. Ask if the ELD update can be done “over-the-air” or if you are going to have to purchase new devices. If new hardware is required, you’ll need to consider the estimated cost and installation timeline, as well as confirm if ELD unit availability aligns with your transition date. You’ll also want to ensure your chosen provider offers 24/7 driver support and dedicated customer care. If you determine you want to make a switch, don’t wait too long, or you may be stuck with a vendor that doesn’t have the “bugs” worked out, which is especially frustrating during roadside inspections. For assistance verifying your device and determining the next steps for your operation, request a FREE ELD Compliance Check at JJKeller.com/Verify.

3. Test ELDs for Compliant Data Transfers

Make sure your device can easily connect to the electronic control modules (ECMs) on all vehicles. An ELD may pair up and read data differently depending on the model year of the truck. Even if a provider’s device is listed on the ELD registry, it is up to the carrier to ensure it is compliant with mandate requirements.

4. Conduct a Phased Implementation

A transition can prove more challenging in a fleet with complexities like multiple terminals, business units, or operation types. For example, in an operation where drivers share the same truck, there could be a mixture of short-haul exempt drivers not required to log and regular grid-logging drivers who do not qualify for the short-haul exception. Approaching the transition in phases and addressing feedback from smaller groups of drivers is easier to act on and resolve without affecting the entire fleet.

5. Evaluate the Change

Whether you have five trucks or 5,000 trucks, you need to actively manage the transition from AOBRDs to ELDs, or from your current ELD system to a new ELD system and leave time to evaluate the change after implementation.

In conclusion, companies that delay planning and preparation phases are going to find the transition very difficult to complete by the deadline, not to mention, put the quality of their transition in jeopardy. When it comes to completing a successful transition, a proactive approach is your most powerful asset.

For step-by-step guidance meeting the final ELog deadline, including training requirements, back-office and driver responsibilities, auditing electronic logs, and updating hours-of-service policies and procedures, request J.J. Keller’s free 2019 Hours of Service Blueprint  to keep your operations running smoothly.

As a CrownSource customer, you have access to deep discounts on the products you need like ELDs. Login to our eProcurement Platform to see all our safety supplies and over three million other products sourced specifically for the transportation industry.

Not a customer? Schedule a demo now.

Author: Anna Demetree

7 Reasons Why You Need the 2020 ERG

A Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) can help emergency responders find crucial information fast. It’s intended for use during transporting incidents of hazardous goods and shipments. It helps you satisfy U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) requirements, and is a great tool to aid in emergency preparedness, planning, and training. The safety and compliance experts from J.J. Keller share seven reasons why this guide can be handy for your driving and emergency needs:

1. It contains the most recent and updated response information for your use during an incident.

It’s important to know exactly what to do and what requirements are necessary to satisfy the DOT needs. The 2020 ERG can steer you to take the correct steps and actions necessary during an incident.

2. It contains new shipping names and ID numbers that can’t be found in previous editions.

This will give you more time and convenience when trying to contact or track locations and ID’s.

3. It eliminates the hassle of checking previous editions for updated shipment response information.

It’s more convenient for you, and still gives you all the emergency information you will need.

4. It’s the easiest way to comply with §172.602.

DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) states that the most updated emergency response information should be used to satisfy §172.602.

5. It eliminates the worry of not having the correct response information.

When in an emergency, stress and worry can overpower the situation. You can take that extra weight off your shoulders by being prepared with the correct and updated information in the 2020 ERG.

6. Enforcement expects you to have the most current edition, the 2020 ERG.

It’s important for everyone to be on the same page. While enforcement will have the most updated version of the ERG, so will you.

7. When transporting hazmat, an ERG is one of the several ways you can accompany your shipping papers.

The hazmat regulations require most hazardous materials shipments to have emergency response information on or with the shipping papers. Having the ERG is one of many ways to satisfy the requirements in §172.602.

Pre-order your 2020 ERG at 2016 pricing on CrownMarketplace today! Not a customer? Schedule a demo now.

Author: Anna Demetree

J.J. Keller – Safety and Regulatory Compliance Specialists since 1953!

We’re excited to announce our latest CrownConnect eProcurement Platform supplier – J.J. Keller, safety and regulatory compliance specialists since 1953!

J. J. Keller is the trusted source for DOT / Transportation, OSHA / Workplace Safety, Human Resources, Construction Safety and Hazmat / Hazardous Materials regulation compliance products and services. J. J. Keller helps you increase safety awareness, reduce risk, follow best practices, improve safety training, and stay current with changing regulations in the transportation industry.

Their expertise extends nearly 1,500 topics, and serves over 600,000 customers – including over 90% of the Fortune 1000® companies. J.J. Keller helps create a diverse portfolio of solutions, including electronic logging and mobile technologies, training materials and tools, consulting and managed services, as well as a wide variety of digital and printed publications, forms and supplies. More specifically, they offer dash cameras, driver apps, driving kits, fleet management, ERGs, active shooter training programs, sexual harassment prevention programs, defense driving training and more.

J.J. Keller is dedicated to giving back to the community, and acts as an active leader in improving the lives of their customers. Associates have the opportunity to engage in community give-back programs throughout the year, partnering heavily with the J. J. Keller Foundation. They are prominent about delivering customer needs and making others their first priority. CrownSource stands by their morals and actions, and is well positioned to deliver tremendous value and loyalty to our customers and contracted suppliers.

J.J. Keller has received numerous awards and recognition over the years for their excellence. They have been awarded Consulting Magazine’s Fastest Growing Firms every year since 2015, Certified Great Place to Work© every year since 2016, WELCOA Platinum Well Workplace Award in 2018, Occupational Health & Safety Magazine Product of the Year in 2018 and more. They have proven themselves as a trustworthy and fruitful business to customers and the community, and will continue to serve them with efficiency and success.

As a CrownSource customer, you have access to deep discounts on the products you need – like J.J. Keller‘s line of security seals and more – to keep your fleet operations running smoothly. See what makes J. J. Keller’s selection of security seals stand out – and why you should turn to the safety and compliance leader for all your DOT compliance needs. Login to our eProcurement Platform, CrownConnect, to see all our safety supplies and over three million other products sourced specifically for the transportation industry.

Not a customer? Schedule a demo now.

Author: Anna Demetree

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