Mustang Celebrates 60 Years of Fun Driving

Managing a fleet of vehicles is a complex affair. Ford knows that and has developed Ford Pro Fleet Management Software to simplify and bring order to the process. To illustrate what this software can do, Benna Ford offers this case study about an organization known as HomeTown Services. Creating one Company out of 26 The company was formed as a cohort of 26 separate residential HVAC, plumbing, and electrical service providers in the South-central United States. The entire nature of the business involves sending technicians in commercial vehicles to locations, and overall, HomeTown Services operates over 1500 vehicles, including Ford Transit® vans, E -350 box trucks, and F-250® Super Duty® trucks. Managing a fleet of this size across multiple states would challenge any business, but how HomeTown was formed from many separate businesses brought additional complexities. “Our oldest brand was founded in 1961,” said Del Underwood, Vice President of Purchasing and Fleet. “Even the youngest is at least ten years old.” When they were independently operated, each business had its own fleet management process, and much of it was done manually. “Fleet management was happening largely without software support,” Underwood said. Recognizing the need to organize these disparate, often paper-based systems, HomeTown Services turned to Ford Pro™ to guide them through software adoption and implementation. Streamlining Vehicle Purchases It is a growing business that can purchase up to 250 vehicles annually.  They already know what they need, so the most important factor is making the process quick and straightforward. Brian Harbison, Ford Pro™ FinSimple™ Commercial Business Development Manager, was called upon to set up a Commercial Line of Credit (CLOC) so that vehicles could be easily added by applying the total amount financed for each vehicle to an existing balance. Underwood and his team work closely with Harbison to ensure a sufficient balance to match their fleet growth projections. Managing Different Forms of Maintenance Maintaining such a fleet is a huge task, but the Ford Pro™ Fleet Management Software helps Underwood and his department stay on top. “Some branches have in-house mechanics, some use car dealers, and others use mechanic shops,” Underwood said. The software allows him to accommodate these different maintenance and repair processes, which allows each brand to maintain its individuality while ensuring HomeTown has an overall view of the fleet’s status. “In our industry, downtime is a killer,” Underwood said. “We look at a vehicle and technician as a ‘unit.’ Whenever a service unit is down, it costs us up to $12,000 per day, while the revenue losses from a down installation unit can be as high as $22,000 per day.” Knowing When to Say Goodbye The Ford Pro™ Fleet Management Software also provides advice as to when a vehicle may need to be replaced. “It might sound counterintuitive, but you don’t want to drive a vehicle until the wheels fall off,” Underwood said. “At some point, its total cost of ownership will start to rise to a point where it makes more financial sense to bring in a new vehicle.” Any fleet manager can recognize all these issues. Hopefully, this introduction has given a hint of how the Ford Pro™ Fleet Management Software can help them from purchase through the entire lifecycle of every fleet vehicle. Contact Benna Ford to see how the Ford Pro™ Fleet Management Software can help you with your fleet.

Ford has examined people's concerns about EV vehicles and wants to alleviate as many of them as possible. Consequently, Ford President and CEO Jim Farley has announced the Ford Power Promise for Ford EV customers. Benna Ford gives you the details. Farley reflected on the full-service filling stations that populated towns across the nation.  You could stay in your car while an attendant would top off your tank for you and then go on to clean your windshield and even check your oil. Many customers were new to driving then, and he opined that the full-service stations gave motorists both convenience and peace of mind. After some long-distance EV road trips across Europe, he feels EV owners seek that same level of comfort and satisfaction. Thus, Farley has announced its Ford Power Promise, which includes the following: Complimentary home charger and standard installation with a new electric vehicle purchase or lease Expanded on-the-road charging stations and locating ability 24/7 live support with proactive charging support Confidence in the health of their battery Here are the program details: Complimentary Home Charger The ability to charge at home is a key component of EV satisfaction.  Starting each day with a full state of charge from low home residential utility rates makes EV ownership more convenient and provides significantly lower operating costs than gas vehicles.  Having started on October 1, 2024, with any purchase or lease of a Ford electric vehicle, customers are eligible to receive a complimentary Ford Station Pro home charger (Ford Charge Station Pro) and standard installation at their home. Ford is the only auto manufacturer in the U.S. offering a complimentary Ford home electric vehicle charger and standard installation. Expanded On-the-Road Charging On-the-road charging is probably the most significant impediment to the adoption of EV vehicles, so Ford is taking additional measures to improve and streamline the process for Ford EV owners.  These measures include: BlueOval™ Charge Network —Ford supports charging on the road with access to the largest public charging network in North America. The BlueOval™ Charge Network now includes access to more than 15,000 Tesla fast chargers, with more being added every week. Connected Built-in Navigation —Ford will help drivers locate public charging options through its Connected Built-In Navigation, Apple CarPlay®  EV Routing, and the soon-to-come Google Maps EV Routing via Android Auto™. FordPass® App - Customers pay for charging along their route across Ford’s BlueOval™ Charge Network through one account and one app — the FordPass® App. Ongoing Support and Guidance Ford is launching round-the-clock live support, complete with proactive charging assistance. So, even though something is unlikely to happen, customers will know we’re ready to reach out and help. There are three components to this part of the program: 24/7 Electric Vehicle Support - Customers can text a dedicated Ford advisor anytime for 24/7 electric vehicle support. Proactive Roadside Assistance -  Ford Roadside Assistance will pick customers up and bring them to the closest charging station or dealership in the case of adverse vehicle events. This includes running out of charge, no matter where they are. Easy Service Solutions —In-person advisors at Ford’s extensive dealer network will provide local support and convenient complimentary mobile service and pickup and delivery at participating dealerships. This means many service and maintenance needs can be handled from the customer’s home rather than a service location. Battery Confidence Ford is confident enough in its EV batteries to give them an eight-year / 100,000-mile high-voltage battery warranty. There are many reasons to consider an EV. They are powerful, smooth, quiet, and require almost no powertrain maintenance, among other advantages.  Ford is simply sweetening the pot for the many whose lives fit EV use but are concerned about the change it involves.  With the Ford Power Promise already in place, you now have another reason to check out a Mustang Mach-E or F-150 Lightning at Benna Ford.

Ford’s BlueCruise goes beyond adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping technologies to provide genuine hands-free driving on our nation’s major highways. The system is available on several Ford and Lincoln models and can be used on 130,000 divided highways across North America. Ford has now improved the system with BlueCruise 1.4, which provides a more natural driving experience and lets you be hands-free longer. In addition, the system will now cost less for monthly or yearly subscribers or can be purchased as a one-time purchase. Benna Ford gives you the details. BlueCruise 1.4 provides Ford’s best hands-free driving experience with a more natural and intuitive drive than before. The three primary functional improvements include: Enhancements that automatically and smoothly adjust the vehicle’s speed in curves, helping the driver stay engaged in hands-free mode longer and experience a more continuous drive. Greater in-lane stability is unlocked by an all-new motion controller, which controls the vehicle’s steering, helping reduce the ‘side-to-side’ movement within the lane. When driving in diverse conditions due to inclement weather, such as rain or direct sun, hands-free engagement can remain in place longer than in prior versions. Ford points out that in previous versions of the system, approaching a sharp curve would alert the driver that the system would disengage and the driver should regain control. By contrast, BlueCruise 1.4 will slow the vehicle’s speed prior to and through the curve while remaining in hands-free mode. BlueCruise 1.4 also builds on previous versions of BlueCruise, such as Lane Change Assist, which allows you to change lanes hands-free at the tap of a turn signal. Another recent improvement is In-Lane Repositioning, which helps adjust the vehicle positioning within the lane to provide more space for vehicles in adjacent lanes, just as you probably subconsciously do yourself. Other 1.4 improvements include staying engaged during inclement weather or when the sun is reflected on the vehicle’s sensors. The system also continually improves itself. As of September 2024, 492,000 BlueCruise-equipped vehicles were on the road globally, accounting for more than 244 million hands-free highway miles driven. The more customers use BlueCruise, the more the system learns, enabling improved over-the-air updates. In addition to making BlueCruise better, Ford is also making it more affordable. All models with Blue Cruise compatibility provide the system for a 90-day trial. After the trial, you have the option of: One-Time Purchase: $2,495.00 1-year Option $495.00 Monthly $49.99 All of these prices represent a significant cost reduction. The one-time purchase has not been previously offered. A former 1-year option was limited in availability and cost $800. The previous monthly cost was $75. The monthly subscription is particularly useful for those who occasionally drive long distances. Such a customer could activate the service for one month for a road trip and not activate it again for another year. They could also choose to activate it only during the holiday travel season. BlueCruise is currently available on five Ford vehicle lines: F-150 F-150 Lightning Expedition Explorer Mustang Mach-E The 1.4 system will be available on the 2025 Ford F-150, and more vehicles will follow. If you like the idea of being more energized after a long trip, ask one of the Benna Ford sales professionals to show you how BlueCruise can work for you and which models offer it.