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Automotive Social Media Reputation Management

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Ford Motor Credit Company Q1 Earnings

FORD CREDIT EARNS $451 MILLION IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2011*
Ford Motor Credit Company reported net income of $451 million in the first quarter of 2011, a decrease of $77 million from a year earlier. On a pre-tax basis, Ford Credit earned $713 million in the first quarter, compared with $828 million in the previous year. The decrease in pre-tax earnings is more than explained by lower market valuation adjustments to derivatives and lower receivables volume.


[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]

Ralph Paglia
Vice President
Tier 10 Marketing
cell: 505-301-6369 
fax: 801-340-8918

In the Car Business? Really? Then you are a member: http://ADM.fm 

Thursday, April 21, 2011

INTEGRATED SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR CAR DEALERS

INTEGRATED SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING FOR CAR DEALERS


From electing an American president to toppling an Egyptian dictator, there seems to be no limits to what social media can do, but what about driving profitable business into today's dealership?
This session will showcase several actual case studies of social media marketing initiatives that have produced measurable and successful results for the dealers that executed them. An emphasis will be placed on each example's coordination with both off-line and online communication channels driven by an integrated marketing strategy. Attendees will learn how to create viral marketing impact using contests and a system that rewards consumers for spreading the word about the dealership. Online resources will be provided along with reference handouts in printed format providing attendees with valuable tools that they can make use of to promote their dealership before leaving the conference. The use of Google Analytics, content syndication, article marketing, Facebook pages, Twitter link campaigns and how to leverage a dealership's Facebook Fan base as a marketing database will each be demonstrated from the perspective of dealers who have done what many consider to be the future of marketing… today.


Outline: What action items will they take back to the dealerships?:

How to create successful viral marketing campaigns using contests and a system of sharing entries among friends and co-workers to spread the word. Attendees will receive handouts providing valuable tools. How to use Google Analytics, content syndication, article marketing, Facebook pages, Twitter link campaigns and a dealership's Facebook Fan base as a marketing database.
1. Create a Facebook advertising campaign that drives dramatic increases in a dealership's Facebook fan base.

2. Use the little known Facebook page "Updates" application as a free marketing tool to send messages and links to all of the dealership's Facebook fans without spam filter interference.

3. Design and build an online contest that uses prizes and awards to drive automotive consumers towards submitting contest entries that create an active and dynamic marketing database for the dealership.

4. Connect the dealership's blogs, social media accounts and profiles with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other sites so that dealers can post once and have their messaging, photos and videos appear in many places across the social web.
logoRalph Paglia has 20-plus years of leadership in information technology enabled automotive marketing strategy and tactical implementation. Widely known as the outspoken director of digital marketing at ADP Dealer Services, Paglia is now the vice president of digital at Tier 10 Marketing. He is also the founder and editor-in-chief of America's leading social network for automotive marketing and sales professionals. The Automotive Digital Marketing (ADM) Professional Community provides an online exchange for strategies, tactics, best practices, files, images, videos and professional networking amongst marketing professionals working in the car business. Paglia has presented critically acclaimed workshops at each of the nine previous Digital Dealer conferences.


[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]

Ralph Paglia
Vice President
Tier 10 Marketing
cell: 505-301-6369 
fax: 801-340-8918

In the Car Business? Really? Then you are a member: http://ADM.fm 

Monday, April 18, 2011

10th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition on foursquare

Hey there, I thought you should check out this place I found on foursquare:

10th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition
9939 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL

Sent with foursquare

[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]

Ralph Paglia
Vice President
Tier 10 Marketing
cell: 505-301-6369 
fax: 801-340-8918

In the Car Business? Really? Then you are a member: http://ADM.fm 

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Automotive Digital Marketing Professional Community Update

Here's what's happened in the Automotive Digital Marketing Newsroom Newsroom in the past day.

 New posts:
   Paul Potratz commented on Brian Pasch's video 'Celebrate That You Are Different':http://automotivedigitalmarketing.kapost.com/posts/paul-potratz-commented-on-brian-paschs-video-celebrate-that-you-are-different
   Brian Pasch added a blog post:http://automotivedigitalmarketing.kapost.com/posts/brian-pasch-added-a-blog-post-31
   Brian Pasch added a video:http://automotivedigitalmarketing.kapost.com/posts/brian-pasch-added-a-video-8
   Diane Anderson added a photo:http://automotivedigitalmarketing.kapost.com/posts/diane-anderson-added-a-photo
   Brian Pasch added 2 videos:http://automotivedigitalmarketing.kapost.com/posts/brian-pasch-added-2-videos-3
   Thomas A. Kelly replied to Ralph Paglia's discussion 'Does ADM Require Too Much Information For Membership?':http://automotivedigitalmarketing.kapost.com/posts/thomas-a-kelly-replied-to-ralph-paglias-discussion-does-adm-require-too-much-information-for-membership
   Keith Shetterly commented on Brian Pasch's video 'Celebrate That You Are Different':http://automotivedigitalmarketing.kapost.com/posts/keith-shetterly-commented-on-brian-paschs-video-celebrate-that-you-are-different
   Ralph Paglia replied to Ralph Paglia's discussion 'Does ADM Require Too Much Information For Membership?':http://automotivedigitalmarketing.kapost.com/posts/ralph-paglia-replied-to-ralph-paglias-discussion-does-adm-require-too-much-information-for-membership

[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]

Ralph Paglia
Vice President
Tier 10 Marketing
cell: 505-301-6369 
fax: 801-340-8918

In the Car Business? Really? Then you are a member: http://ADM.fm 

Friday, April 8, 2011

90% of Professional Marketers Use Facebook

CHART CLOSE-UP FROM THE STORY:
9 in 10 Marketers Use Facebook »
scroll down to read the full story
social-tools-learn-more-apr-2011.JPG

9 in 10 Marketers Use Facebook

socialmediaexaminer-social-media-tools-apr11.gifNine in 10 marketers (92%) use the Facebook social network as a marketing tool,according to a new survey from SocialMedia Examiner. Data from "2011 Social Media Marketing Report" indicates Facebook is the most popular social network among marketers by a wide margin.

Twitter, LinkedIn Also Popular

The second-most-popular social network among marketers, Twitter, has an 84% adoption rate, meaning Facebook is almost 10% more popular than its closest competitor as a marketing tool. The professional networking site LinkedIn comes in third with 71% marketer adoption. Rather than a specific network, blogs follow with 68% usage, and YouTube/other video sites are used by 56% of marketers.

There is a substantial dropoff of more than 50% between the marketer adoption rates of YouTube/other video sites and their closest competitor, social bookmarking/news sites, used by only 26% of marketers. MySpace comes in last with only 6% adoption as a marketing tool.

7 in 10 Marketers Want to Learn More about Facebook

social-tools-learn-more-apr-2011.JPGIn addition to being the social network used most frequently by marketers, Facebook is also the social network the highest percentage of marketers (70%) want to learn more about. There are some discrepancies between this list and the list of most popular social networks, as blogs closely follow with 69% of marketers wanting to learn more.

Social bookmarking/news sites and Twitter tie for third with 59% of marketers wanting to learn more, and 55% want to learn more about both LinkedIn and YouTube/other video sites. About 67% more marketers want to learn more about MySpace (10%) than are currently using it.

9 in 10 Marketers Use Social Media

Ninety-three percent of marketers use social media to market their businesses, according to other survey findings. Data from "2011 Social Media Marketing Report" also indicates a significant 90% of marketers said that social media is important to their businesses.

About the Data: In January 2011, SocialMedia Examiner posted a survey link on Twitter, which was reposted on other social media networks including Facebook and LinkedIn. SocialMedia Examiner also emailed a list of 50,000 marketers. After 10 days, the survey was closed with 3,342 participants.

TODAY'S MARKETINGCHARTS STORIES

Most Marketers Keep Social Media In-house

Roughly seven in 10 (72%) marketers who engage in social media marketing efforts do not outsource those efforts, according to the "2011 Social Media Marketing Report" from SocialMedia Examiner. However, SocialMedia Examiner notes the number of those who are outsourcing social media efforts has doubled since 2010, from 14% to 28%. Design/Development Most Often Outsourced Among [...] More »

FSIs Dominate CPG Coupons

CPG marketers allocated the largest share of their coupon distribution to free standing inserts (FSIs) during 2010, according to a new study from NCH Marketing. Data from "NCH Annual Coupon Facts" indicates FSIs accounted for roughly 88% of CPG coupons in 2010, with all other forms of media comprising the remaining 12%. In-store Handout Most Popular [...] More »

'Behind the Curve:' Week Ending April 8, 2011

Below are some links to recent research news, studies and lists from the collection of items that MarketingCharts didn't get to writing up this week, but still may be worth a peek: US Console Gaming: The Living Room and Beyond You Gave WHO My Email Address? 210 Million Connected Cars by 2016 Social Ads Spur Big Engagement Opportunities Mobile Searchers [...] More »

Average Consumer Will Spend 10% More on Easter This Year

The average adult US consumer is expected to spend $131.04 on everything from candy to clothes for the Easter 2011 holiday (April 24, 2011), up 10% from last year's $118.60, according to a new survey from the National Retail Federation and BIGresearch. Despite this increase in average spend per person, about 64% of respondents to [...] More »

9 in 10 Marketers Use Facebook

Nine in 10 marketers (92%) use the Facebook social network as a marketing tool, according to a new survey from SocialMedia Examiner. Data from "2011 Social Media Marketing Report" indicates Facebook is the most popular social network among marketers by a wide margin. Twitter, LinkedIn Also Popular The second-most-popular social network among marketers, Twitter, has an 84% [...] More »

[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]

Ralph Paglia
Vice President
Tier 10 Marketing
cell: 505-301-6369 
fax: 801-340-8918

In the Car Business? Really? Then you are a member: http://ADM.fm 

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Twitter Founder on Revolution

Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey and the Ideas that Sparked a Revolution

Posted: 04 Apr 2011 07:08 AM PDT

Part two in a four-part series on innovation and change as the new schools of business management…

Jack Dorsey is the co-founder of Twitter and Square. He has since rejoined Twitter as Executive Chairman and will focus on product development to further Twitter's mainstream appeal. He also remains CEO of Square. What follows is my uncut interview with Dorsey for a recent Entrepreneur Magazine cover story.

Maybe you have to have helped conceive Twitter to be bold enough to take on a change-resistant industry like the financial sector. That's what Jack Dorsey, a co-founder of the ubiquitous 140-character phenom, is doing with his newest endeavor, Square. It aims to transform any mobile device into a credit card reader, allowing any business to accept credit cards and process transactions in less than 10 seconds. Dorsey's simple vision is to make payment systems more accessible. Two great ideas…two great companies.

Sarah Lacy, Silicon Valley pundit and Web 2.0 author, once noted of tech entrepreneurs, "Once you're lucky, twice you're good." Such is true for Jack Dorsey. Perhaps Mr. Dorsey isn't a household name yet like say, Mark Zuckerberg. But, that's all about to change. Jack is the co-founder of a fledgling startup that you may have heard of. Along with Biz Stone and Evan Williams, Dorsey co-founded microblogging sensation Twitter in 2006. The idea was unconventional in its inception, but pioneering in its capacity. Not only has it changed how people share information, it is changing how people create and consume information, 140 characters at a time.

Before Twitter hatched, Dorsey's lifework focused on developing dispatch software to track ambulances and taxis to visualize where they were and what they were doing. As he'll tell you, he fell in love with visualizing cities to uncover what did and didn't work and also how to invent solutions to streamline the system.

In 2000, Dorsey realized that his work was missing something vital to these cities, the very citizens who populated them. Like ambulances and taxis, he wanted to better understand where his friends were and what were they doing. His vision was to capture and share experiences in the moment, "If I were in the middle of Washington Square Park, I could share the experience in real time using a mobile device. But in 2000, it was a bit too early, and the idea didn't work out so well."

Dorsey put the idea to rest. Fast forward five short years. As always, technology marches ahead and by 2005, advancements in mobile communication and adoption set the stage for idea 2.0. At the time, SMS was taking off in the U.S. and was already widely adopted in Europe and around the world. By 2006, it was time to revisit his plans and introduce the world to the live web.

Tweet This: An Idea Reborn

At the time, Dorsey was employed by Odeo, a podcasting company where Evan Williams was an investor and founder. For those who don't know, Williams was the inventor of not only the term "blogger" but also was the founder of the weblog authoring web applications of the same name. It would eventually sell to Google and the proceeds of that deal would lay the foundation for Twitter. Unlike the success Williams found at Blogger, Odeo was on a path toward uncertainty. The team sought the next big thing and during what is now considered a revolutionary series of deep company soul searching, Jack presented his concept for "my.stat.us." The idea was to text message what you were doing and have a group of friends follow along. What was once a system for tracking ambulances and taxis would now set the stage for creating a dispatch service that connected people through their phones and text messaging.

Odeo embraced Jack's idea and dedicated staff and resources to developing version 0.1. My.stat.us eventually was code-named twttr, inspired by the Yahoo-owned social photo network Flickr as well as the fact that American shortcodes are five characters long. Eventually named Twitter, the micro-blog as it was originally referred to, would combine mobile and web services, and limit communications between its users to 140 characters with each message. Jack found that the constraint of 140 characters was actually easier to approach and thus reducing the barriers to entry. Messages evolved into "tweets" and suddenly, everyone with a phone or computer represented a potentially new connection.

Don't Call it a Social Network: Twitter as an Information Network

But Twitter quickly evolved into something much more than a messaging or friend tracking service, it became a medium for reporting experiences to highly connected audiences. "Twitter is about simplicity. The constraint of 140 characters is easy to approach and consume, without a great deal of barriers to entry. One message and suddenly the whole world has access to that Tweet."

Jack's idea for Twitter is also transformative in that it's not designed to be a social network, but instead it serves as a raw utility. It was unique in terms of how people approached and defined it and as Jack described, "there wasn't a lot of product definition around it. People could report about the earthquakes they just felt, what they had for breakfast, and each time they Tweet, it sparks interaction."

The evolution of human communication was introduced to a new branch off the main road. Tweets now served as the impetus to engender reactions that would lead to responses, Retweets (sharing the Tweets of others), memes (threads dedicated to the subject), and also real world, face-to-face interaction. Each time, these exchanges further relationships in any given direction.

But Jack's vision also proved to have a dramatic near-term impact on human connections that's quite literally making the world not only a much smaller place, but also more empathetic.

The 2009 election in Iran was forever immortalized because of Twitter. It served as the catalyst for humanizing the experiences of real people during times of political and civil unrest. The whole world watched as Iranian people took to services like Twitter to voice their emotions and share snapshots of everything the Iranian government tried to suppress. Twitter became a platform for protests. In just a few years, Twitter had also emerged as a global network for spreading news and events, as they happened, much faster than any news network could report. From dispatch to My.Statu.s to Twttr to Twitter, Jack's vision essentially created a real-time system for tracking the pulse of a global community and the experiences of everyday people.

"The more we share what's happening around us, the more we understand how someone lives their life. The greater the understanding we have, the more empathy we have for each other. By and llarge, that reduces conflicts. When you have an understanding of how someone else lives, the less likely it is that you conflict with them."

Fitting a Square Peg into A Round Hole

Sometimes lightening strikes twice and with Jack, the unique combination of financial crises, the ability to spot opportunity, combined with a little luck, would prove fortuitous.

Jack was set to disrupt an industry impervious to the constant pace of Silicon Valley innovation, the financial sector. In order to do so, he credits three takeaways he gleaned from his experience at Twitter:

1. The concept of immediacy helps bring people into the content and encourages personal publishing and resulting subscriptions

2. Being transparent about what's happening makes exchanges and transactions more human

3. As a result, we are creating a dynamic where people and organizations are inherently more approachable.

These three lessons would serve as the foundation for targeting the financial world, as he observes, "The financial world has long been missing immediacy, transparency, and approachability and this is what's needed now."

As with many ideas, necessity serves as the mother of invention. Jack's partner and co-founder Jim McKelvey is also an accomplished glass artist. But because he could not accept credit cards as payment, he was unable to sell his work to meets its true potential. Discouraged by the arduous and intimidating process of accepting payments via plastic cards, Dorsey focused on developing a solution that worked for everyday people who also happened to run businesses of varying size and scope.

Indeed, payment systems were in dire need of access and incorporation to keep pace with the evolution of commerce. Jack envisioned an idea where payment systems would become approachable, sociable and actionable. And thus, Square was born, ironically, next door to the old US Mint in San Francisco.

Innovation in a Time of Financial Crisis

They say timing is everything and certainly Dorsey would agree. At the time Square was coming to life, the financial industry was experiencing a meltdown, and while it was a painful experience for many, it also opened the doors to opportunities for innovation and new partnerships.

"At the end of 2008 and in early 2009, the market was resetting itself with the clearing of existing management teams across the board. MasterCard and VISA were under a serious microscope by the Federal Government, So everything was in place to do something. We were able to quickly move in and talk to the right people in order to do some very interesting things quickly."

Square was the merging of several important elements: technology, mobile, social, and financial.

90% of the world uses plastic cards to pay, but only about 2% of merchants can accept them. Since a sweeping majority of consumers rely on cards, Square was faced with the challenge of replicating the simplicity on the receiving end. The team set out to transform payments to create as Dorsey describes, "A magical experience around payments and what it means to pay people. Innovation could impact everything, making payments, faster, richer and more information dense as well as actionable and memorable."

Creating a Magical Experience Around Payments

Jack looked to Apple's in-store payment network when designing the Square experience. Rather than forcing people to stand in line behind a cash register, he appreciated the process of swiping a card right at the moment of decision. Thus, he set out to extend that "magical" experience to everyone.

Starting with the technology, Square set out to completely reinvent the payment processing system by aligning with important trends in the adoption of consumer electronics. Smart phones are pervasive, propelled by the likes of Apple's iPhone and Google's Android. On the horizon, tablets, such as the millions of Apple iPads already on the market, were set to disrupt mobile computing. The one thing each shared in common would set the stage for Square and an unlikely form of innovation for the payment services industry, the standard 8mm headphone jack.

Square is the size and shape of a sugar cube and features a small opening that houses the ability to read a card once swiped. The cube includes a plug that resembles that of a regular pair of headphones and plugs directly into the headphone jack of the mobile device. Combined with the Square software app, phones and iPads essentially transform into mini card processing centers. With each swipe, money is deposited into the individual's Square account with modest fees extracted, and is there for future use or simply to transfer into the designated bank account.

Out of the gate, Square works with any US-issued credit, debit, pre-paid, or gift card with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover logo.

Accepting payments is just the beginning however, as Dorsey and the Square team envision payments as catalysts for social and actionable interactions. Everything begins with receipts. Print receipts aren't actionable. Such is true with electronic receipts. Square believes that there is life after the transaction as Dorsey asks, "What if you could actually browse the receipts?"

His point is that the receipt will move beyond that of a static record. The receipt becomes a platform for extending experiences and facilitating the exchange of information and communications during and after the sale, between the people on each side of the transaction. The acts of quickly and easily paying or receiving payments is just the beginning. Square seeks to improve the dynamics and relationships between businesses and their customers.

The examples he shares are as interesting as they are practical. "When you get home, the receipt could serve as an ingredient list to discover the blends that went into your espresso, to see how many times you've been to that particular location, used a loyalty or rewards system, click into a merchant's Twitter or web site, forward the receipt for expenses, and see, through a beautiful visual, where the transaction took place."

Change and innovation, two pillars of business that open the doors to new opportunities. Everything begins with imagination, the vision to see things differently and the passion to connect your idea to the people who will benefit from it. What are you working on?

Watch this video on Dorsey at Entrepreneur for more insights…

Part 2: Tony Hsieh, Zappos
Part 3: Dennis Crowley, FourSquare

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook


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The New ENGAGE!: If you're looking to FIND answers in social media and not short cuts, consider Engage!: Choose from the Deluxe or Paperback edition


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Monday, April 4, 2011

Automotive News Updates

Sales remain in recovery mode: U.S. light vehicle sales jumped 17 percent in March despite lower incentives and consumer unease over rising fuel prices and Middle East turmoil. 

 

Ford sales top GM: Ford reported a 16 percent sales gain in March from a year earlier. 

 

Toyota to raise prices on most modelsToyota is raising prices, effective May 1, on nearly all vehicles offered by its three brands. 

 

Should auto industry revisit supply chain: The parts shortages and resulting production shutdowns caused by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami could prompt the global auto industry to rethink how it sets up its supply lines. 

 

Marketing Tricks of the Trade: April is National Car Care Month. Use your social media outlets, newsletters, e-blasts, etc., to provide your dealers with display suggestions, sales tips and car/truck care ideas.


[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]

Ralph Paglia
Vice President
Tier 10 Marketing
cell: 505-301-6369 
fax: 801-340-8918

In the Car Business? Really? Then you are a member: http://ADM.fm 

Friday, April 1, 2011

HootSuite Pivot News Leak

Sent to: Board, Investors and Friends,
 
Things have been going really well at HootSuite for the last while, but after watching the massive growth of Zynga and the likes, I've been thinking a lot about if we are in the right business? Building on top of third party platforms can be challenging, and the team and I want a change. I know that this will come as a surprise, but as of today we're pivoting business models with the launch of Happy Owls (screenshot and link to private beta below). This game is really addictive and I think we stand a great shot of making an even bigger splash in a really fun market. 

As always I appreciate your support, and please keep confidential until our public announcement on Monday. 
 
Ryan
______________________________
Ryan Holmes, CEO
HootSuite - Social Media Dashboard
http://hootsuite.com/happy-owls


[Sent from Ralph Paglia's iPhone]

Ralph Paglia
Vice President
Tier 10 Marketing
cell: 505-301-6369 
fax: 801-340-8918
In the Car Business? Really? Then you are a member: http://ADM.fm 

Rising Gas Prices Fuel Demand for Ford Compressed Natural Gas-Powered Commercial Vehicles

Rising Gas Prices Fuel Demand for Ford Compressed Natural Gas-Powered Commercial Vehicles

  • Rising price of traditional gas coupled with significant government incentives and an increasing number of fuel stations is pumping up demand for compressed natural gas-powered (CNG) vehicles by commercial customers
  • Ford meets demand by offering CNG as an option for Transit Connect, E-Series vans and F-Series Super Duty trucks
  • An extremely clean-burning fuel, CNG usage can result in 30 to 40 percent less greenhouse gas emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

DEARBORN, Mich., March 29, 2011 – Higher fuel prices, increasing government incentives and more fueling stations are spurring interest in compressed natural gas-powered commercial vehicles offered by Ford Motor Company.

Consider Metro Taxi of West Haven, Conn., which soon will take delivery of 20 Transit Connect Taxis powered by CNG. Owner Bill Scalzi said he bought the CNG-powered Transit Connect Taxis because of rising gas prices, government funding and the fact that there will soon be more CNG fueling stations in Connecticut, including one he is adding to his facilities.

Scalzi is not alone in wanting to own natural gas fueled vehicles as orders for CNG Transit Connect Taxis are coming from companies in places like Las Vegas, St. Louis, Boston, Chicago and Hartford, Conn.

"Fleet managers are adding all the reasons up and concluding that it makes sense to switch to CNG now more than ever," said Rod Phillips, Ford Commercial Business Manager of the New England area.

CNG is made by compressing natural gas, which is mainly composed of methane. It is stored and distributed in hard containers at a pressure of 2,900 to 3,600 psi. About 85 percent of the CNG used in the United States is produced domestically.

CNG is used in traditional gasoline internal combustion engines that have been modified to operate on CNG. In addition to Transit Connect Taxi, CNG is an option for Ford E-Series vans and F-Series Super Duty trucks.

The benefits are numerous.

First, CNG is a nontoxic, extremely clean-burning fuel and significantly reduces CO, CO2 and NOx compared with gasoline. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, use of CNG can result in 30 to 40 percent less greenhouse gas emissions.

"The ability to convert the Transit Connect to CNG is a big driving force for us," said J.J. Bell, vice president of Las Vegas-based Whittlesea Blue Cab, which has ordered Transit Connect Taxis powered by CNG. "We are converting more and more of our fleet to this alternative fuel."

Another benefit is cost. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, between September 2005 and January, the price per gallon equivalent of CNG peaked at $2.34 in the summer of 2008. The national average was $1.93 in January 2011, the same as it was in October 2010. That's important at a time when the price of gas is flirting with $4 per gallon.

"Every time fuel costs start climbing, the level of interest in alternative fuels increases," said Carla York, CEO of Reston, Va.-based Innovation Drive Inc., a company that manages alternative fuel-related projects.

She said her organization receives 12 to 20 percent more calls with every 50-cent increase at the pump.

Government incentive support
An additional benefit is the amount of funding available. Government incentives such as rebates or tax credits are prompting fleet owners such as Scalzi to buy or convert their vehicles to run on CNG at reduced rates.

For example, the federally funded Clean Cities Petroleum Reductions Program is providing $300 million in funding to regional projects across the United States. One project is the Connecticut Clean Cities Future Fuels Project, which partially covers the costs of converting a vehicle to CNG. That project alone plans to provide funding for a total of 264 alternative-fuel vehicles.

"Without the help of the government program I wouldn't have been able to purchase so many CNG-powered Transit Connect Taxis at one time," Scalzi said. "I like the Transit Connect Taxi for its spacious passenger area and cargo capacity, so the government assistance was timely."

The incentives also are helping fund construction of CNG fueling stations. Nearly 1,000 CNG fueling stations are now spread across the United States.

As a result, cities such as Tampa, Fla., and St. Louis soon will have their first public CNG stations.

Gerald Koss, marketing manager for Ford fleet operations, said Ford anticipated the infrastructure to support CNG vehicles would evolve and remained committed to its plans to bring CNG-powered commercial vehicles to market – even during economically challenged times.

"We took the chance that infrastructure would expand when we introduced our Transit Connect Taxi CNG capability in advance of any incentives for infrastructure or CNG conversions," said Koss. "It turns out our timing couldn't have been better."

Ford has invested billions in researching and developing new fuel-efficient engines, transmissions and electrified vehicles, even during the depths of the economic downturn when competitors dialed back product spending. Today Ford has 12 vehicles with best-in-class fuel economy and four models with at least 40 mpg – claims no other full-line automaker can match.

# # #

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visitwww.ford.com.

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Ralph Paglia
Vice President