All Your Questions about Fleet – Answered

It depends on the number of vehicles and which types of upfits you’ve chosen.  Contact Merchants to discuss your upfit needs, and our team can provide more detailed information about potential costs and timeframe.

We understand the importance of safety and accessibility when it comes to residential care vehicle. Common upfits include rear and side wheelchair lifts, ramps, safety lights, partitions, alarm system, brandings and decals and upfits for facility work trucks, such as plows.

If you are looking to sell buses or non-traditional/specialty vehicles you already own, consider our GuaranteeBUY program. Similar to fleet lease disposal, this program will offer you a guaranteed price up front for your vehicles. We assess your vehicles, and then our remarketing experts determine the appropriate value. From there, we handle the entire fleet remarketing process, including any inspections and fees associated with selling.

It depends on your needs, but our most popular vehicles for residential care include the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Voyager, and passenger buses.

We provide a variety of leasing and funding to meet your needs. Closed-end leases offer a fixed monthly payment, which is important for budget planning, while also offering mileages and terms to fit your specific program needs. An open-end lease gives you complete leasing structure flexibility, which is ideal if you want a plan that is as close to vehicle ownership as possible but with all the benefits of leasing. If you’ve purchased your own vehicles, we can add fleet management services, and for a full service option we have our FleetAssist program.

A fleet management solution will help keep you and your residential care community running safely and efficiently. Benefits include: reducing operational costs, reducing administrative burden, lowering fleet repair costs, and ensuring the highest level of safety for you, your employees, and your residents. Plus, even if you own your own vehicles, we can help! Merchant Fleet can add fleet management services to help with administration time and manage operational costs. With FleetAssist and our administered maintenance program, our experts take on the day-to-day administration of your fleet, which frees up more of your time.

We offer a GuaranteeBUY program, where we offer you a guaranteed price up front for your vehicles and handle the entire process for you, including market research and outreach, resale strategies, pricing, and transfer of ownership. We also offer our OpenTRAC option where we remarket your vehicles on your behalf using multiple sales avenues, including closed auction sales, physical and online auctions, specialty auctions, and retail and wholesale.

Discounts and benefits include low, guaranteed fixed rates, tax-exempt leasing and registration, and unique lease structure. There are also options for flexible payment terms.

With a closed-end lease, you control your costs and minimize risks. You never have to worry about market price volatility, rate fluctuations, or seasonal resale influences. At the end of your closed-end lease, you will only be responsible for excess mileage and damages.

An open-end lease give you complete leasing structure flexibility. This is ideal if you want a plan that’s as close to vehicle ownership as possible, but with all the benefits of leasing. You retain the equity in your vehicle, with a long-term structure to pay for your fleet.

Our fuel card can be used at most national and regional fuel retailers where MasterCard® is accepted. You can put rules in place and lock down your cards so that drivers can only use them at  more secure fueling stations that will always require driver ID and odometers to be entered.

Driver support is just a phone call away. A Merchants Fleet representative who understands your fleet practices and services will work to address issues quickly and efficiently. If more support is needed, your representative will collaborate with internal and external resources. Even if you aren’t enrolled in our extended services program, we’ll do our best to give the drivers the help they need, especially when it comes to accidents and urgent situations. We also provide 24/7 responses to just about any situation that arises on the road.

All vehicles and fuel spending are managed within the TotalView platform, which allows full visibility into your employee fuel spend so you can prevent fraud and identify areas for cost savings.

A fleet fuel card is a credit card specialized for fuel purchases that allows you to monitor costs, determine each driver’s fuel usage, capture odometer readings and more. It also allows you to limit and verify purchases and ensure only authorized employees are using the fuel card.

Yes. We offer month-to-month options for short-term extensions or you can realize additional cost savings by converting to a long-term lease.

Merchants Fleet will cover all maintenance over the life of the vehicle. We have vehicle repair partners throughout the country and will be able to recommend one near you.

No.

It is the renter’s responsibility to insure the vehicles.

Delivery to your location is included.

Yes. Our team will arrange the pickup and transportation of your vehicles.

We take over all risk and handle the entire process for you, including, market research and outreach, resale strategies, pricing and transfer of ownership.

There are certain fees associated with our OpenTrac third-party remarketing option. Under GuaranteeBUY, all fees are covered by Merchants Fleet.

With our GuaranteeBUY fleet remarketing program, you can receive payment for your vehicles in less than one business week. Our OpenTRAC program can take a few extra days (vehicles sell in an average of 18 days), but will give you the highest return for your vehicles.

If you need to extend the term on your vehicle, you have options! We offer month-to-month terms if you need to extend for a short period, or you also have the option to change your vehicle over to a long-term lease if you need a more permanent arrangement.

Yes. Our vehicles are insured by the renter. You should have insurance to cover $1,000,000 liability policy for each vehicle.

We will arrange for the transportation of your vehicle when you are ready to return them. When you are approaching the end of your contract, please notify your Merchants account manager via phone or email correspondence at least 7 days prior to your anticipated end date. This allows our logistics team to arrange and schedule the pickup, and transport of your vans from where they are located.

You will need to remove all magnets, stickers, or other cosmetic changes made to the vehicle, sweep the cargo area and cabin, and clean out any trash from the inside of the van. You will also need to complete a digital condition report prior to releasing your vehicles to the transporter.

Yes, we will cover all maintenance over the life of the vehicle. Our maintenance team will track and approve maintenance items. All manufacturer warranty items need to be brought to the appropriate dealership. Any maintenance or repairs that are a result of driver error or negligence fall under the renter’s responsibility.

In most cases, deposits are not required.

We will deliver your vehicles to you. Complimentary delivery is included with our program.

Yes. Our short-term vehicles are insured by the renter. You should have insurance to cover $1,000,000 liability policy for each vehicle.

The number of vehicles your company is able to rent will be subject to credit approval.

Most commercial umbrella insurance policies will suffice. We do require our clients to have automobile liability insurance at a minimum of $1 million combined single limit per occurrence, as well as comprehensive and collision insurance.

Yes. We have options to structure your rental terms so that you can convert to a long-term lease or buy out your vehicles.

We only rent vehicles for commercial use.

Yes. We have a full team of upfitting experts that can add vehicle wraps and logos to your rental vehicles. With our short-term rentals, these upfitting services are performed at the clients’ expense, and the upfits cannot affect the condition of the vehicle. At the end of the rental terms, the vehicle must be returned to its original condition.

Yes. Our fleet rental programs can include custom mileage options so that you can travel to and from wherever you need.

Our pickup truck rentals can be used for off-road use. However, our car and van rentals are not available for off-road use.

Once the contract is signed, you will receive your vehicles within 5 to 7 business days.

Our process takes an average of 3 to 5 days, which includes performing a credit check.

The shortest fleet rental program we offer is 1 month. However, our clients will be responsible for transportation fees for rentals that are less than 90 days.

Merchants Fleet is flexible and works with fleets of all sizes. We have worked with large enterprises that need nationwide coverage, small and medium-sized businesses that need a turnkey solution, and businesses that need short-term and seasonal options. We have also worked with a wide variety of industries, including specialized programs for government, academic institutions, summer camps, work trucks, and hospitality transportation.

Merchants Fleet believes in a tailored approach and understands leases are not a one-size-fits-all product. We will work with you to determine exactly what you need for lease funding. Some of our options include open-end, close-end, short-term leasing, re-leasing, and value leasing. We also offer fleet buyback and vehicle acquisition programs. Learn more here.

Merchants Fleet offers leases as short as a few months, up to traditional leases. Our team can help you determine what the optimal lease length is for your situation.

Merchants Fleet works with manufacturers and dealers nationwide. Your sales executive will work with you to determine your needs and get your vehicles as soon as possible. However, timeframes may vary according to the type of vehicle you need, your specifications, and manufacturer timelines.

Telematics uses GPS and integrated telecommunications to give you real-time snapshots of your fleet operations. The system sends, receives and stores information about each vehicle so you can get detailed information about speed, idle times, overall vehicle health, and driver behavior. Learn more about how telematics works and how it provides insights into your fleet.

There are many ways to reduce your total cost of ownership. Examining fuel costs, idling, driver behavior, maintenance patterns, and vehicle lifecycle can all lead to opportunities for improvements. Merchants Fleet strategic consulting has a team of analytics-minded experts who can examine your fleet data to identify ways to make meaningful changes to your fleet operations. Learn more about fleet consulting.

FleetShare is the Merchants Fleet car sharing technology solution. Drivers utilize wireless card access and online reservations, so they just activate their card, reserve a vehicle, unlock it, and go. By empowering drivers to book vehicles for only the time they’re needed, you can reduce idle time and right-size your fleet. Learn more.

TotalView is a Merchants Fleet-exclusive software platform that gives you detailed, up-to-the-minute data about your fleet. It offers over 500 pieces of vehicle-specific information, a vehicle model analyzer, and customizable dashboards. Designed to give you the information you need to lower your cost of ownership and make informed decisions, you can access key information quickly. Learn how TotalView combines with our consulting to help you optimize your fleet.

Determining the optimum time to replace your fleet vehicles can help you avoid costly maintenance, keep your drivers happy, and preserve remarketing value. When to replace your vehicles depends on a variety of factors, such as maintenance, mileage, utilization, and more. Merchants Fleet strategic consulting can examine your company’s unique data to identify opportunities and make a recommendation. Learn more about fleet consulting.

Merchants Fleet offers several maintenance programs. This includes a full-service program where Merchants Fleet is in charge of all your fleet maintenance; administered maintenance, where you are billed back for repairs; and reserve maintenance, where you pay a fixed price every month. Drivers have access to a network of 40,000+ preferred vendors that offer account negotiated pricing, and independent shops can be added to the network as well. Talk to your sales executive to determine the right level of coverage for your fleet.

Merchants Fleet has extensive experience working with franchises, hotels, resorts, and other businesses that require specific standards for their fleet branding. We will deliver a wrap that is both high-quality and compliant with your standards.

Merchants Fleet has an in-house upfit engineering group. We act as a single point of contact among you, your drivers, and the OEM so you can get the upfit you need, when you need it. Whatever your criteria may be, we will make it happen.

Merchants Fleet has an in-house team dedicated to managing licenses, titles and registrations. We work in all 50 states, and license and title staff are assigned to specific states so the proper documentation can be processed efficiently. Learn more here.

Call or email your customer service representative if you have questions about any of your programs or services. Merchants Fleet customer service representatives are highly experienced and will quickly connect you with the information you need.

Merchants Fleet offers two different remarketing options: GuaranteeTRAC®, which gives you a guaranteed price up front, or OpenTRAC®, where Merchants Fleet remarkets your vehicles on your behalf. Depending on your lease, you may also be able to use our fleet buyback program or extend your terms.

We provide a variety of leasing and funding to meet your needs. Closed-end leases offer a fixed monthly payment, which is important for budget planning, while also offering mileages and terms to fit your specific program needs. An open-end lease gives you complete leasing structure flexibility, which is ideal if you want a plan that is as close to vehicle ownership as possible but with all the benefits of leasing. If you’ve purchased your own vehicles, we can add fleet management services, and for a full service option we have our FleetAssist program.

With a closed-end lease, you control your costs and minimize risks. You never have to worry about market price volatility, rate fluctuations, or seasonal resale influences. At the end of your closed-end lease, you will only be responsible for excess mileage and damages.

An open-end lease give you complete leasing structure flexibility. This is ideal if you want a plan that’s as close to vehicle ownership as possible, but with all the benefits of leasing. You retain the equity in your vehicle, with a long-term structure to pay for your fleet.

If you need to extend the term on your vehicle, you have options! We offer month-to-month terms if you need to extend for a short period, or you also have the option to change your vehicle over to a long-term lease if you need a more permanent arrangement.

Yes. Our vehicles are insured by the renter. You should have insurance to cover $1,000,000 liability policy for each vehicle.

We will arrange for the transportation of your vehicle when you are ready to return them. When you are approaching the end of your contract, please notify your Merchants account manager via phone or email correspondence at least 7 days prior to your anticipated end date. This allows our logistics team to arrange and schedule the pickup, and transport of your vans from where they are located.

You will need to remove all magnets, stickers, or other cosmetic changes made to the vehicle, sweep the cargo area and cabin, and clean out any trash from the inside of the van. You will also need to complete a digital condition report prior to releasing your vehicles to the transporter.

Yes, we will cover all maintenance over the life of the vehicle. Our maintenance team will track and approve maintenance items. All manufacturer warranty items need to be brought to the appropriate dealership. Any maintenance or repairs that are a result of driver error or negligence fall under the renter’s responsibility.

In most cases, deposits are not required.

We will deliver your vehicles to you. Complimentary delivery is included with our program.

Yes. Our short-term vehicles are insured by the renter. You should have insurance to cover $1,000,000 liability policy for each vehicle.

The number of vehicles your company is able to rent will be subject to credit approval.

Most commercial umbrella insurance policies will suffice. We do require our clients to have automobile liability insurance at a minimum of $1 million combined single limit per occurrence, as well as comprehensive and collision insurance.

Yes. We have options to structure your rental terms so that you can convert to a long-term lease or buy out your vehicles.

Yes. We have a full team of upfitting experts that can add vehicle wraps and logos to your rental vehicles. With our short-term rentals, these upfitting services are performed at the clients’ expense, and the upfits cannot affect the condition of the vehicle. At the end of the rental terms, the vehicle must be returned to its original condition.

Yes. Our fleet rental programs can include custom mileage options so that you can travel to and from wherever you need.

Once the contract is signed, you will receive your vehicles within 5 to 7 business days.

Our process takes an average of 3 to 5 days, which includes performing a credit check.

The shortest fleet rental program we offer is 1 month. However, our clients will be responsible for transportation fees for rentals that are less than 90 days.

Merchants Fleet is flexible and works with fleets of all sizes. We have worked with large enterprises that need nationwide coverage, small and medium-sized businesses that need a turnkey solution, and businesses that need short-term and seasonal options. We have also worked with a wide variety of industries, including specialized programs for government, academic institutions, summer camps, work trucks, and hospitality transportation.

Merchants Fleet believes in a tailored approach and understands leases are not a one-size-fits-all product. We will work with you to determine exactly what you need for lease funding. Some of our options include open-end, close-end, short-term leasing, re-leasing, and value leasing. We also offer fleet buyback and vehicle acquisition programs. Learn more here.

Merchants Fleet offers leases as short as a few months, up to traditional leases. Our team can help you determine what the optimal lease length is for your situation.

Merchants Fleet works with manufacturers and dealers nationwide. Your sales executive will work with you to determine your needs and get your vehicles as soon as possible. However, timeframes may vary according to the type of vehicle you need, your specifications, and manufacturer timelines.

Merchants Fleet offers two different remarketing options: GuaranteeTRAC®, which gives you a guaranteed price up front, or OpenTRAC®, where Merchants Fleet remarkets your vehicles on your behalf. Depending on your lease, you may also be able to use our fleet buyback program or extend your terms.

A fleet management solution will help keep you and your residential care community running safely and efficiently. Benefits include: reducing operational costs, reducing administrative burden, lowering fleet repair costs, and ensuring the highest level of safety for you, your employees, and your residents. Plus, even if you own your own vehicles, we can help! Merchant Fleet can add fleet management services to help with administration time and manage operational costs. With FleetAssist and our administered maintenance program, our experts take on the day-to-day administration of your fleet, which frees up more of your time.

Yes. We have a full team of upfitting experts that can add vehicle wraps and logos to your rental vehicles. With our short-term rentals, these upfitting services are performed at the clients’ expense, and the upfits cannot affect the condition of the vehicle. At the end of the rental terms, the vehicle must be returned to its original condition.

Merchants Fleet offers two different remarketing options: GuaranteeTRAC®, which gives you a guaranteed price up front, or OpenTRAC®, where Merchants Fleet remarkets your vehicles on your behalf. Depending on your lease, you may also be able to use our fleet buyback program or extend your terms.

Discounts and benefits include low, guaranteed fixed rates, tax-exempt leasing and registration, and unique lease structure. There are also options for flexible payment terms.

If you need to extend the term on your vehicle, you have options! We offer month-to-month terms if you need to extend for a short period, or you also have the option to change your vehicle over to a long-term lease if you need a more permanent arrangement.

Yes. Our vehicles are insured by the renter. You should have insurance to cover $1,000,000 liability policy for each vehicle.

Merchants Fleet offers several maintenance programs. This includes a full-service program where Merchants Fleet is in charge of all your fleet maintenance; administered maintenance, where you are billed back for repairs; and reserve maintenance, where you pay a fixed price every month. Drivers have access to a network of 40,000+ preferred vendors that offer account negotiated pricing, and independent shops can be added to the network as well. Talk to your sales executive to determine the right level of coverage for your fleet.

Merchants Fleet has extensive experience working with franchises, hotels, resorts, and other businesses that require specific standards for their fleet branding. We will deliver a wrap that is both high-quality and compliant with your standards.

Merchants Fleet has an in-house upfit engineering group. We act as a single point of contact among you, your drivers, and the OEM so you can get the upfit you need, when you need it. Whatever your criteria may be, we will make it happen.

Merchants Fleet has an in-house team dedicated to managing licenses, titles and registrations. We work in all 50 states, and license and title staff are assigned to specific states so the proper documentation can be processed efficiently. Learn more here.

We understand the importance of safety and accessibility when it comes to residential care vehicle. Common upfits include rear and side wheelchair lifts, ramps, safety lights, partitions, alarm system, brandings and decals and upfits for facility work trucks, such as plows.

It depends on your needs, but our most popular vehicles for residential care include the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Voyager, and passenger buses.

A fleet management solution will help keep you and your residential care community running safely and efficiently. Benefits include: reducing operational costs, reducing administrative burden, lowering fleet repair costs, and ensuring the highest level of safety for you, your employees, and your residents. Plus, even if you own your own vehicles, we can help! Merchant Fleet can add fleet management services to help with administration time and manage operational costs. With FleetAssist and our administered maintenance program, our experts take on the day-to-day administration of your fleet, which frees up more of your time.

Yes. We have options to structure your rental terms so that you can convert to a long-term lease or buy out your vehicles.

Yes. We have a full team of upfitting experts that can add vehicle wraps and logos to your rental vehicles. With our short-term rentals, these upfitting services are performed at the clients’ expense, and the upfits cannot affect the condition of the vehicle. At the end of the rental terms, the vehicle must be returned to its original condition.

Telematics uses GPS and integrated telecommunications to give you real-time snapshots of your fleet operations. The system sends, receives and stores information about each vehicle so you can get detailed information about speed, idle times, overall vehicle health, and driver behavior. Learn more about how telematics works and how it provides insights into your fleet.

There are many ways to reduce your total cost of ownership. Examining fuel costs, idling, driver behavior, maintenance patterns, and vehicle lifecycle can all lead to opportunities for improvements. Merchants Fleet strategic consulting has a team of analytics-minded experts who can examine your fleet data to identify ways to make meaningful changes to your fleet operations. Learn more about fleet consulting.

FleetShare is the Merchants Fleet car sharing technology solution. Drivers utilize wireless card access and online reservations, so they just activate their card, reserve a vehicle, unlock it, and go. By empowering drivers to book vehicles for only the time they’re needed, you can reduce idle time and right-size your fleet. Learn more.

TotalView is a Merchants Fleet-exclusive software platform that gives you detailed, up-to-the-minute data about your fleet. It offers over 500 pieces of vehicle-specific information, a vehicle model analyzer, and customizable dashboards. Designed to give you the information you need to lower your cost of ownership and make informed decisions, you can access key information quickly. Learn how TotalView combines with our consulting to help you optimize your fleet.

Determining the optimum time to replace your fleet vehicles can help you avoid costly maintenance, keep your drivers happy, and preserve remarketing value. When to replace your vehicles depends on a variety of factors, such as maintenance, mileage, utilization, and more. Merchants Fleet strategic consulting can examine your company’s unique data to identify opportunities and make a recommendation. Learn more about fleet consulting.

It depends on the number of vehicles and which types of upfits you’ve chosen.  Contact Merchants to discuss your upfit needs, and our team can provide more detailed information about potential costs and timeframe.

We understand the importance of safety and accessibility when it comes to residential care vehicle. Common upfits include rear and side wheelchair lifts, ramps, safety lights, partitions, alarm system, brandings and decals and upfits for facility work trucks, such as plows.

If you are looking to sell buses or non-traditional/specialty vehicles you already own, consider our GuaranteeBUY program. Similar to fleet lease disposal, this program will offer you a guaranteed price up front for your vehicles. We assess your vehicles, and then our remarketing experts determine the appropriate value. From there, we handle the entire fleet remarketing process, including any inspections and fees associated with selling.

It depends on your needs, but our most popular vehicles for residential care include the Ford Transit, Mercedes Sprinter, Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Voyager, and passenger buses.

We offer a GuaranteeBUY program, where we offer you a guaranteed price up front for your vehicles and handle the entire process for you, including market research and outreach, resale strategies, pricing, and transfer of ownership. We also offer our OpenTRAC option where we remarket your vehicles on your behalf using multiple sales avenues, including closed auction sales, physical and online auctions, specialty auctions, and retail and wholesale.

Yes. Our team will arrange the pickup and transportation of your vehicles.

We take over all risk and handle the entire process for you, including, market research and outreach, resale strategies, pricing and transfer of ownership.

There are certain fees associated with our OpenTrac third-party remarketing option. Under GuaranteeBUY, all fees are covered by Merchants Fleet.

With our GuaranteeBUY fleet remarketing program, you can receive payment for your vehicles in less than one business week. Our OpenTRAC program can take a few extra days (vehicles sell in an average of 18 days), but will give you the highest return for your vehicles.

If you need to extend the term on your vehicle, you have options! We offer month-to-month terms if you need to extend for a short period, or you also have the option to change your vehicle over to a long-term lease if you need a more permanent arrangement.

Yes. Our vehicles are insured by the renter. You should have insurance to cover $1,000,000 liability policy for each vehicle.

We will arrange for the transportation of your vehicle when you are ready to return them. When you are approaching the end of your contract, please notify your Merchants account manager via phone or email correspondence at least 7 days prior to your anticipated end date. This allows our logistics team to arrange and schedule the pickup, and transport of your vans from where they are located.

You will need to remove all magnets, stickers, or other cosmetic changes made to the vehicle, sweep the cargo area and cabin, and clean out any trash from the inside of the van. You will also need to complete a digital condition report prior to releasing your vehicles to the transporter.

Yes, we will cover all maintenance over the life of the vehicle. Our maintenance team will track and approve maintenance items. All manufacturer warranty items need to be brought to the appropriate dealership. Any maintenance or repairs that are a result of driver error or negligence fall under the renter’s responsibility.

Most commercial umbrella insurance policies will suffice. We do require our clients to have automobile liability insurance at a minimum of $1 million combined single limit per occurrence, as well as comprehensive and collision insurance.

Yes. We have options to structure your rental terms so that you can convert to a long-term lease or buy out your vehicles.

We only rent vehicles for commercial use.

Yes. Our fleet rental programs can include custom mileage options so that you can travel to and from wherever you need.

Our pickup truck rentals can be used for off-road use. However, our car and van rentals are not available for off-road use.

Once the contract is signed, you will receive your vehicles within 5 to 7 business days.

Our process takes an average of 3 to 5 days, which includes performing a credit check.

Call or email your customer service representative if you have questions about any of your programs or services. Merchants Fleet customer service representatives are highly experienced and will quickly connect you with the information you need.