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How and why can pipe welding pay $1,000 a day?

Can any welder weld pipe? No. Pipe welding is extremely critical because if the weld is not done correctly lives and land and the environment are at stake. Find out more about 6G welding and why it pays so well. And why the welding school industry lies prevent most welders from learning to do it.

How can a pipe welder make $1,000 a day?

A very experienced pipe weld who can weld pipe using stick (SMAW) and TIG (GTAW) and who owns and operates his own welding rig (a truck with a motor-generator portable welder) can earn up to $150 an hour. If a Combination Pipe Rig Welder works 14 hours and is paid $71.42 an hour – 14 x $71.42 = $1,000. And yes, these rare welders can make up to $300,000 a year.

The other side of that coin is another welder.

Consider the welder who has slugged his or her way through 6 months to two years in a junior college welding lab – and now finds himself (or herself) slugging through days of robotic-like welding in a factory for as little as $80 a DAY. Both are welders. What is the big difference?

The mystery and myth about welding:

Both examples of accomplished welders (above) have worked hard for their skills. The mystery is why one makes up to $1,000 a day while the other makes as little as $80 a day.

The myth is this: “Go to welding school and you’ll make a good living.” This myth is perpetuated by an industry that has not kept up with the times. There are many reasons for this.

Welding Industry Myth Perpetuation Reason # 1:

Welding schools and instructors know that by keeping a traditional “learning chain” in place, students must spend more time in school. To become a pipe welder requires learning basic welding in at least one process. To be a “Master Welder” requires much more schooling because the student must master several processes. Typically, these include MIG, Stick, TIG, brazing, torch cutting. In addition (and along the path) welders are taught at least the basics of metal fabrication, metallurgy and often plasma cutting.

All this learning takes time and money – it is the “payday” for the welding instruction industry. Any short cuts are frowned upon as “cheating.” Yet, this “chain of learning is theft – stealing from welding students – and it has been going on for decades.

Welding Industry Myth Perpetuation Reason # 2:

The welding education industry does not want you to know how low the wages are for the skills they are teaching because they will lose students. The best aircraft TIG welders do make good money. These are structural TIG welders at a level that is difficult to achieve. However, few of these “cream of the crop” TIG welders make what an average pipe welder (a single hander – a pipe welder without a truck and welder) makes.

And the average TIG welder (who must still be an awesome TIG welder) will be offered $15 an hour in a factory… a very sad situation. The welding schools will point to pipe welding and say, “As soon as you have structural certifications, you can go to pipe school, graduate and make the big bucks.”

What they don’t tell you – you’ll be so worn out with welding school – all the time and effort and money to get structural certifications – you will give up and go get a $10 to $20 job. Often, there is no choice – students just hit the end of their money and they MUST go to work.

Now, the above starting wages for welders just out of school apply to welders who have had a “master welders” education! All that learning of all those processes and other skills still results in sickening low wages!

Welding Industry Myth Perpetuation Reason # 3:

“You must obtain your structural certifications before you can attend pipe welding school.” This myth is partially true just because the welding school industry conspires for it to be true. If you don’t have your structural certifications and you try to enroll in pipe welder’s school, you will be rejected. There may be a few exceptions in the U.S. but not many. In other words the basic structural welding schools conspire with the pipe welding schools to make this LIE a fabricated reality.

What they are NOT telling you:

There is NO LAW that says you cannot learn to weld by simply welding pipe! Imagine a school where you would be taught welding safety first. Next, you would learn to correctly strike an arc. After that, you would master stringer beads on the flat. Immediately after that, you would master stringer beads in the 6G position on pipe (the pipe is mounted in a fixed 45 degree position).

From that point forward, you would ONLY lay down stringer beads on pipe set at a 45 degree angle.

Next, you would practice open root welding on the flat. As soon as you got that down, you would practice open root welding on pipe in the 6G position. Never again would you weld anything on the flat…

Once you mastered 6G root passes, you would learn 6G hot passes. After that, 6G filler passes and after that, 6G cap passes.

Lastly the school would provide a Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) to test your best joint. If you passed, you would be ready to enter the high demand and high pay world of pipe welding.

What would be the total elapsed time – non welding to pipe welder? About 3 months! Just think about it – you could go from non-welder to pipe welder in a few months… NOT years!

Conclusion:

The USA may be the only country that does not have a structure of laws regarding pipe welding. In other words, if you can do it, you can do it – and that’s all there is to it.

In most other countries (including Canada) you must successfully complete a long chain of classes and certifications BEFORE you can become a pipe welder.

In the USA, if you can successfully pass a 6G welding test, you can find work as a pipe welder. Your first employer will require you to work as a helper to a pipe welder so they can watch you by slowly letting you weld more and more.

The reason for this is to be sure you are going to not blow joints in pipe lines – it just cost too much to rework the joints. Your time as a helper may be short or long – depending on you do – it could be a matter of weeks or a matter of months – but NOT years!

What should you do next?

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Source by Scott R. Linden

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Many states and counties require your vehicle to pass an emissions test every couple of years. Your car, truck or van cannot be driven or sold without a clean bill of health. Here are ten top tips to make sure your vehicle will pass the inspection.

1. If the “check engine” light is on, you will not pass the emissions test.

If it just recently came on, maybe the problem is something short-term and will go away after several driving trips. But if not, you will have to take care of whatever is causing the problem (see below).

2. Get an oil change if you haven’t got one in the past couple of months.

Sometimes gasoline can contaminate your oil in the crankcase which increases carbon monoxide emissions.

3. Change the air filter while you’re at it.

A dirty air filter can also increase carbon monoxide emissions and you can fail the emissions test.

4. Put in new spark plugs, properly gapped.

5. Check your gas cap to make sure it has no cracks, and that it fits and closes tight.

If there’s any problem with it, get a new one. Make sure the gas cap is tightly closed with three clicks before you go for the test.

6. Fill the tank with premium gasoline.

You don’t want unburned gas anywhere but in the gas tank. Higher octane gas will burn better. You can go back to the “cheap stuff” after the inspection.

7. Add some “dry gas” or other gas additive to your tank.

When you drive the car to warm it up for the test, the additive should help clean the catalytic converter and exhaust system.

Note: Be sure to read the labels for the right additive and follow the instructions.

8. Make sure your tires are at their full air pressure.

The emissions test may include putting your car on the dynamometer. The tester will check it for emissions while driving your car on a spinning cylinder at various speeds. Properly-filled tires will help maintain a more even performance and lower the risk of failure.

9. Arrive at the inspection site with half a tank or less of gasoline.

This can also help prevent any gas getting in places you don’t want it during the emissions inspection. You may want to keep this point in mind when you “gas up” according to tip number six.

10. Drive the car for about half an hour before the test and idle the engine while waiting in line.

The idea is to have the engine warm and operating at its peak fuel-burning efficiency. This will also help mix your additive and get it into the fuel system.

If the “check engine” light stays on, or if following these tips doesn’t get you through the emissions inspection, there are still a couple of things you can do.

A handheld diagnostic scanner can easily turn off the check engine light. Even if the light is off, your vehicle’s computer may still hold diagnostic trouble codes. A decent scanner will also be able to reset these codes.

However, your vehicle may trigger those same codes on the way to the inspection site. Even if it does not trigger the check engine light, you will fail the emissions test when they hook up their scanner to your car’s computer. Your scanner can detect and read trouble codes whether the check engine light is on or not.

The scanner tool can tell you where to look for emissions and engine-performance problems. With it you can check your car engine’s oxygen sensors and many other parameters to find the system and sub-system where the problem lies. Fix the problem and you will be sure to clear the emissions test.

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Source by Mike McArno

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Most of us don’t buy new cars all that often, so it’s no surprise that some people get confused over the descriptions of the various types of cars that are available on the market. Most of the terms used to describe a type of car refer to its body shape, rather than its performance, or other features. If you are thinking of buying a new car, then arm yourself with the facts before you hit the showrooms with this simple and easy to follow guide to the various types of cars and their body shapes.

Sedan

A sedan, which is sometimes called a saloon, is the standard passenger car that has a bonnet at the front, a boot for luggage in the back, and usually four doors. This is one of the most popular types of car and they are ideal for families, as they usually seat four or five people comfortably.

Hatch-back

Hatch-backs are the types of cars that have no rear boot, but they have a rear compartment that can be accessed via a door that swings open at the back. The other feature of this type of car is that rear luggage compartment is not sealed off from the passenger compartment. Hatch-backs are usually smaller cars and they often have only three doors, including the swing door at the back.

Estate

Estate cars, or wagons, are like a larger version of a hatchback with an extended rear compartment for storing luggage. Like a hatchback, this type of cars luggage area is not separated from the passenger compartment and, usually, the rear seats can be folded down to accommodate a greater amount of luggage when it is required. Due to the extended rear compartment, estate cars are normally quite long.

Coupe

A coupe will be quite a small, two door car, and they are usually quite sporty in style too. They will normally only seat two people comfortably, but they might have two very small seats in the rear, but with very limited leg room.

Convertible

Convertibles, sometimes called cabriolets, are the types of cars where the roof can be removed so that it can be driven with the roof open in the summer. They are usually a similar sized car to a coupe style car and they too generally have limited room inside and are not suitable for any more than two people. The roof is often made of soft fabric; hence the term soft top, but more expensive convertibles might have hard tops that are folded back by hydraulics.

M.P.V

The term M.P.V, or multi-purpose vehicle, is usually applied to vehicles that have large bodies, like a van, but it still has both rear and side doors. Examples of M.P.V’s are people carriers, minivans, and multi utility vehicles (M.U.V’s). They can often seat as many as seven people and they are also characterised by being higher off the ground than a saloon type of car.

Pickup

Pickup trucks are the type of vehicle that has a flat-bed open space at the rear of the vehicle for carrying luggage and equipment. They are usually large vehicles, often 4×4, and they are designed to carry heavy loads, as well as people.

Off-Road

An off-road vehicle, such as a Land Rover, or a Jeep, will have been designed to be driven on the roads as well as off them. Typically, they will have a 4×4 drive, and the ability to be driven in very low gears, so that they can cope with muddy and difficult terrain.

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Source by Neil Savin

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For many, contacting a junk car removal service is the best car disposal solution. You can contact a local towing company but you’ll have better results using a nationwide car removal service. Not only is it fast and hassle free this way, but they buy junk cars and pay top dollar for them. Even car scrap yards will not pay as much.

Most local car towing companies are picky and may not accept vehicles in any condition or every make and model. A national service is also more able to help you through the process. They have arrangements with towing companies throughout the United States and Canada. They will buy any vehicle, in absolutely any condition at any location no questions asked.

The main benefit of going with a national car removal company is their ability to pay top dollar for your junk vehicle. Not only do they buy cars and pay well, but you’ll receive a quote for your car over the phone before a car pick up is even scheduled. They’ll line up a buyer for your vehicle, line up vehicle towing to meet your schedule, then pay you.

Here are the main benefits of a national car removal service.

• Fast and reliable service. You know they’re not too busy to pickup your vehicle.
• Any condition, year, make and model are accepted and paid for.
• A title is not required before 1995.
• There’s no charge for pickup or disposal, you actually get paid well.

Here’s how it works. First you have a problem and need to arrange some form of car disposal to get rid of your junk or used car that won’t work, or won’t sell. Next you’re going to look for a junk car removal company that pays cash for junk cars such as the one at the bottom of this article. Once you contact them they’ll ask you a few questions about your car or truck and give you a quote right over the phone. If you accept the quote they’ll send over a car towing company to tow your car and you’ll get paid.

Now that you know how it works, don’t worry about how to get your car to the vehicle salvage yard. Contact the Junk Car Removal service below today and get paid for your car that doesn’t work or won’t sell in any condition.

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Source by Adam D Roy

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The thrill of getting a new car, especially if it is your first one, is definitely incomparable and inexplicable. But the burden of paying for the car is not. This is why many people rely on car financing. Car financing or car loans are perhaps the most common kind of loan today. But despite this, many people still do not know how to shop for these types of loan plans. Here are some ways to get great auto financing plans to help you enjoy your car even more, knowing that you bought your car getting the best deal available.

Know where to shop:

In order to get the lowest interest rates, you need a good credit history. But what if you do not have the best credit history? Worse, what if your credit history is actually bad? Fortunately, there are car financing plans for people with bad credit or no credit history at all. The interest rates may be higher than the standard plans, and the financing plan may require a down payment, but it is definitely better than nothing. Of course, not all dealers allow people with bad credit to get this type of car finance plan, so it is best to look around. The best place to shop for bad credit car financing plans is on the Internet, where you can easily compare prices. Even if your car dealer has an in-house financing department that can accommodate your needs, it is best to search before you settle.

Foresee future cost

Many buyers choose cheap car financing plans upfront, without checking if the plan is indeed cheap. This is because the total cost of the plan may be more than the actual worth of the car, even if you consider interest rates. When shopping for auto financing plans, it is best to go for loans that may not seem so cheap now but can actually help you save money in the long run.

Know your limits

Of course, since we are talking about car financing plans you are not going to pay for the car in full. However, are you sure you can really pay for the car in the long run? It is always best to know your limits financially. Track your budget to see if how much your car finance plan payments would be for the car you would purchase. In a way, this tip compliments the previous one. You should know your financial limits for the long run, possibly until you are done paying for the car loan.

Avoid penalties

Some car financing plans have penalties, but they are often not called “penalties” in the fine print. To understand the contract better, employ the help of a legal expert. Also, choose plans that give you the option to pay extra payments, or pay the entire loan without any penalties of any sort. When choosing a car financing deal, go for the most flexible plans. Your budget is not static, and your financial status can change, for better or worse. You need the flexibility to keep up with your payments.

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Source by Robert Worley

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Market Overview

The car rental industry is a multi-billion dollar sector of the US economy. The US segment of the industry averages about $18.5 billion in revenue a year. Today, there are approximately 1.9 million rental vehicles that service the US segment of the market. In addition, there are many rental agencies besides the industry leaders that subdivide the total revenue, namely Dollar Thrifty, Budget and Vanguard. Unlike other mature service industries, the rental car industry is highly consolidated which naturally puts potential new comers at a cost-disadvantage since they face high input costs with reduced possibility of economies of scale. Moreover, most of the profit is generated by a few firms including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis. For the fiscal year of 2004, Enterprise generated $7.4 billion in total revenue. Hertz came in second position with about $5.2 billion and Avis with $2.97 in revenue.

Level of Integration

The rental car industry faces a completely different environment than it did five years ago. According to Business Travel News, vehicles are being rented until they have accumulated 20,000 to 30,000 miles until they are relegated to the used car industry whereas the turn-around mileage was 12,000 to 15,000 miles five years ago. Because of slow industry growth and narrow profit margin, there is no imminent threat to backward integration within the industry. In fact, among the industry players only Hertz is vertically integrated through Ford.

Scope of Competition

There are many factors that shape the competitive landscape of the car rental industry. Competition comes from two main sources throughout the chain. On the vacation consumer’s end of the spectrum, competition is fierce not only because the market is saturated and well guarded by industry leader Enterprise, but competitors operate at a cost disadvantage along with smaller market shares since Enterprise has established a network of dealers over 90 percent the leisure segment. On the corporate segment, on the other hand, competition is very strong at the airports since that segment is under tight supervision by Hertz. Because the industry underwent a massive economic downfall in recent years, it has upgraded the scale of competition within most of the companies that survived. Competitively speaking, the rental car industry is a war-zone as most rental agencies including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis among the major players engage in a battle of the fittest.

Growth

Over the past five years, most firms have been working towards enhancing their fleet sizes and increasing the level of profitability. Enterprise currently the company with the largest fleet in the US has added 75,000 vehicles to its fleet since 2002 which help increase its number of facilities to 170 at the airports. Hertz, on the other hand, has added 25,000 vehicles and broadened its international presence in 150 counties as opposed to 140 in 2002. In addition, Avis has increased its fleet from 210,000 in 2002 to 220,000 despite recent economic adversities. Over the years following the economic downturn, although most companies throughout the industry were struggling, Enterprise among the industry leaders had been growing steadily. For example, annual sales reached $6.3 in 2001, $6.5 in 2002, $6.9 in 2003 and $7.4 billion in 2004 which translated into a growth rate of 7.2 percent a year for the past four years. Since 2002, the industry has started to regain its footing in the sector as overall sales grew from $17.9 billion to $18.2 billion in 2003. According to industry analysts, the better days of the rental car industry have yet to come. Over the course of the next several years, the industry is expected to experience accelerated growth valued at $20.89 billion each year following 2008 “which equates to a CAGR of 2.7 % [increase] in the 2003-2008 period.”

Distribution

Over the past few years the rental car industry has made a great deal of progress to facilitate it distribution processes. Today, there are approximately 19,000 rental locations yielding about 1.9 million rental cars in the US. Because of the increasingly abundant number of car rental locations in the US, strategic and tactical approaches are taken into account in order to insure proper distribution throughout the industry. Distribution takes place within two interrelated segments. On the corporate market, the cars are distributed to airports and hotel surroundings. On the leisure segment, on the other hand, cars are distributed to agency owned facilities that are conveniently located within most major roads and metropolitan areas.

In the past, managers of rental car companies used to rely on gut-feelings or intuitive guesses to make decisions about how many cars to have in a particular fleet or the utilization level and performance standards of keeping certain cars in one fleet. With that methodology, it was very difficult to maintain a level of balance that would satisfy consumer demand and the desired level of profitability. The distribution process is fairly simple throughout the industry. To begin with, managers must determine the number of cars that must be on inventory on a daily basis. Because a very noticeable problem arises when too many or not enough cars are available, most car rental companies including Hertz, Enterprise and Avis, use a “pool” which is a group of independent rental facilities that share a fleet of vehicles. Basically, with the pools in place, rental locations operate more efficiently since they reduce the risk of low inventory if not eliminate rental car shortages.

Market Segmentation

Most companies throughout the chain make a profit based of the type of cars that are rented. The rental cars are categorized into economy, compact, intermediate, premium and luxury. Among the five categories, the economy sector yields the most profit. For instance, the economy segment by itself is responsible for 37.7 percent of the total market revenue in 2004. In addition, the compact segment accounted for 32.3 percent of overall revenue. The rest of the other categories covers the remaining 30 percent for the US segment.

Historical Levels of Profitability

The overall profitability of the car rental industry has been shrinking in recent years. Over the past five years, the industry has been struggling just like the rest of the travel industry. In fact, between the years 2001 and 2003 the US market has experienced a moderate reduction in the level of profitability. Specifically, revenue fell from $19.4 billion in 2000 to $18.2 billion in 2001. Subsequently, the overall industry revenue eroded further to $17.9 billion in 2002; an amount that is minimally higher than $17.7 billion which is the overall revenue for the year 1999. In 2003, the industry experienced a barely noticeable increase which brought profit to $18.2 billion. As a result of the economic downturn in recent years, some of the smaller players that were highly dependent on the airline industry have done a great deal of strategy realignments as a way of preparing their companies to cope with eventual economic adversities that may surround the industry. For the year 2004, on the other hand, the economic situation of most firms have gradually improved throughout the industry since most rental agencies have returned far greater profits relative to the anterior years. For instance, Enterprise realized revenues of $7.4 billion; Hertz returned revenues of $5.2 billion and Avis with $2.9 billion in revenue for the fiscal year of 2004. According to industry analysts, the rental car industry is expected to experience steady growth of 2.6 percent in revenue over the next several years which translates into an increase in profit.

Competitive Rivalry Among Sellers

There are many factors that drive competition within the car rental industry. Over the past few years, broadening fleet sizes and increasing profitability has been the focus of most companies within the car rental industry. Enterprise, Hertz and Avis among the leaders have been growing both in sales and fleet sizes. In addition, competition intensifies as firms are constantly trying to improve their current conditions and offer more to consumers. Enterprise has nearly doubled its fleet size since 1993 to approximately 600,000 cars today. Because the industry operates on such narrow profit margins, price competition is not a factor; however, most companies are actively involved in creating values and providing a range of amenities from technological gadgets to even free rental to satisfy customers. Hertz, for example, integrates its Never-Lost GPS system within its cars. Enterprise, on the other hand, uses sophisticated yield management software to manage its fleets.

Finally, Avis uses its OnStar and Skynet system to better serve the consumer base and offers free weekend rental if a customer rents a car for five consecutive days Moreover, the consumer base of the rental car industry has relatively low to no switching cost. Conversely, rental agencies face high fixed operating costs including property rental, insurance and maintenance. Consequently, rental agencies are sensitively pricing there rental cars just to recover operating costs and adequately meet their customers demands. Furthermore, because the industry experienced slow growth in recent years due to economic stagnation that resulted in a massive decline in both corporate travel and the leisure sector, most companies including the industry leaders are aggressively trying to reposition their firms by gradually lessening the dependency level on the airline industry and regaining their footing in the leisure competitive arena.

The Potential Entry of new Competitors

Entering the car rental industry puts new comers at a serious disadvantage. Over the past few years following the economic downturn of 2001, most major rental companies have started increasing their market shares in the vacation sector of the industry as a way of insuring stability and lowering the level of dependency between the airline and the car rental industry. While this trend has engendered long term success for the existing firms, it has heightened the competitive landscape for new comers. Because of the severity of competition, existing firms such as Enterprise, Hertz and Avis carefully monitor their competitive radars to anticipate Sharpe retaliatory strikes against new entrants. Another barrier to entry is created because of the saturation level of the industry.

For example, Enterprise has taken the first mover advantage with its 6000 facilities by saturating the leisure segment thereby placing not only high restrictions on the most common distribution channels, but also high resource requirements for new firms. Today, Enterprise has a rental location within 15 miles of 90 percent of the US population. Because of the network of dealers Enterprise has established around the nation, it has become relatively stable, more recession proof and most importantly, less reliant on the airline industry compared to its competitors. Hertz, on the other hand, is utilizing the full spectrum of its 7200 stores to secure its position in the marketplace. Basically, the emergence of most of the industry leaders into the leisure market not only drives rivalry, but also it varies directly with the level of complexity of entering the car rental industry.

The Threat of Substitute

There are many substitutes available for the car rental industry. From a technological standpoint, renting a car to go the distance for a meeting is a less attractive alternative as opposed to video conferencing, virtual teams and collaboration software with which a company can immediately setup a meeting with its employees from anywhere around the world at a cheaper cost. In addition, there are other alternatives including taking a cab which is a satisfactory substitute relative to quality and switching cost, but it may not be as attractively priced as a rental car for the course of a day or more. While public transportation is the most cost efficient of the alternatives, it is more costly in terms of the process and time it takes to reach one’s destination. Finally, because flying offers convenience, speed and performance, it is a very enticing substitute; however, it is an unattractive alternative in terms of price relative to renting a car. On the business segment, car rental agencies have more protection against substitutes since many companies have implemented travel policies that establish the parameters of when renting a car or using a substitute is the best course of action.

According to Tracy Esch, an Advantage director of marketing operations, her company rents cars up to a 200-mile trip before considering an alternative. Basically, the threat of substitute is reasonably low in the car rental industry since the effects the substitute products have do not pose a significant threat of profit erosion throughout the industry.

The Bargaining Power of Suppliers

Supplier power is low in the car rental industry. Because of the availability of substitutes and the level of competition, suppliers do not have a great deal of influence in the terms and conditions of supplying the rental cars. Because the rental cars are usually purchased in bulk, rental car agents have significant influence over the terms of the sale since they possess the ability to play one supplier against another to lower the sales price. Another factor that reduces supplier power is the absence of switching cost. That is, buyers are not affected from purchasing from one supplier over another and most importantly, changing to different supplier’s products is barely noticeable and does not affect consumer’s rental choices.

The Bargaining Power of Buyers

While the leisure sector has little or no power, the business segment possesses a significant amount of influence in the car rental industry. An interesting trend that is currently underway throughout the industry is forcing car rental companies to adapt to the needs of corporate travelers. This trend significantly reduces supplier power or the rental firms’ power and increases corporate buyer power since the business segment is excruciatingly price sensitive, well informed about the industry’s price structure, purchase in larger quantities and they use the internet to force lower prices. Vacation buyers, on the other hand, have less influence over the rental terms. Because vacationers are usually less price sensitive, purchase in lesser amounts or purchase more infrequently, they have weak bargaining power.

Five Forces

Today the car rental industry is facing a completely different environment than it did five years ago. Competitively speaking, the revolution of the five forces around the car rental industry exerts some strong economic pressure that has significantly tarnished the competitive attractiveness of the industry. As a result of the economic downturn in recent years, many companies went under namely Budget and the Vanguard Group because their business infrastructure succumbed to the untenability of the competitive environment. Today, very few firms including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis return a slightly above-average revenue compared to the rest of the industry. Realistically speaking, the car rental sector is not a very attractive industry because of the level of competition, the barriers to entry and the competitive pressure from the substitute firms.

Strategic Group Mapping

As a moderately concentrated sector, there is a clear hierarchy in the car rental industry. From an economic standpoint, disparities exist from a number of dimensions including revenue, fleet size and the market size each firm holds in the market place. For instance, Enterprise dominates the industry with a fleet size of approximately 600,000 vehicles along with its market size and its level of profitability. Hertz comes in second position with its number of market shares and fleet volume. In addition, Avis ranks third on the map. Avis is among one of the companies that is having issues recovering its revenue margins from prior to the economic downturn. For instance, in 2000 Avis returned revenues of approximately $4.23 billion. Over the course of the next several years following 2000, the revenue of Avis has been significantly lower than that of 2000. As a way of reducing uncertainty most companies are gradually lessening the level of dependency on the airline industry and emerging the leisure market. This trend may not be in the best interest of Hertz since its business strategy is intricately linked to the airports.

Key Success Factors

There are many key success factors that drive profitability throughout the car rental industry. Capacity utilization is one of the factors that determines success in the industry. Because rental firms experience loss of revenue when there are either too few or too many cars sitting in their lots, it is of paramount importance to efficiently manage the fleets. This success factor represents a big strength for the industry since it lowers if not completely eliminates the possibly of running short on rental cars. Efficient distribution is another factor that keeps the industry profitable. Despite the positive relationship between fleet sizes and the level of profitability, firms are constantly growing their fleet sizes because of the competitive forces that surround the industry. In addition, convenience is one of the crucial attributes by which consumers select rental firms. That is, car rental consumers are more prone to renting cars from firms that have convenient rental and drop off locations. Another key success factor that is common among competing firms is the integration of technology in their business processes. Through technology, for instance, the car rental companies create ways to meet consumer demand by making renting a car a very agreeable ordeal by adding the convenience of online rental among other alternatives. Furthermore, firms have integrated navigation systems along with roadside assistance to offer customers the piece of mind when renting cars.

Industry Attractiveness

There are many factors that impact the attractiveness of the car rental industry. Because the industry is moderately concentrated, it puts new market entrants at a disadvantage. That is, its low concentration represents a natural barrier to entering the industry as it allows existing firm to anticipate sharp retaliations against new entrants. Because of the risks associated with entering the industry among other factors, it is not a very attractive sector of the marketplace. From a competitive standpoint, the leisure market is 90 percent saturated because of the active efforts of Enterprise to dominate this sector of the market. On the other hand, the airport terminals are heavily guarded by Hertz. Realistically speaking, entry in the industry offers low profitability relative to the costs and risks associated. For most consumers, the main determining factors of choosing one company over another are price and convenience. Because of this reason, rental firms are very circumspect about setting their rates and that generally force even the industry major players in the position of offering more to the consumers for less just to remain competitive. Hertz, for example, offers wireless internet to its customers just to add more convenience to their travel plans. Avis on the other hand, offers free weekend specials if a customer rents a car for five consecutive weekdays. Based on the impact of the five forces, the car rental sector is not a very attractive industry to potential new market entrants.

Conclusion

The rental car industry is in a state of recovery. Although it may seem like the industry is performing well financially, it is nonetheless gradually regaining its footing relative to its actual economic position within the last five years. As a way of insuring profitability, besides seeking market shares and stability, most companies throughout the chain have a common goal that deals with lowering the level of dependency on the airline industry and moving toward the leisure segment. This state of motion has engendered some fierce competition among industry competitors as they attempt to defend their market shares. From a futuristic perspective, the better days of the car rental industry have yet to come. As the level of profitability increases, I believe that most of the industry leaders including Enterprise, Hertz and Avis will be bounded by the economic and competitive barriers of mobility of their strategic groups and new comers will have a better chance of infiltrating and realizing success in the car rental industry.

Sources

“Passenger Car Rental.” Encyclopedia of Global Industries. Dec. 2004. Gale group. 02 Feb 2005. http://galenet.galegroup.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/servlet/BCRC.

“Car & Truck Rental.” Hoover’s AB&D Company. Jan. 2005 . Hoovers. 04 Feb 2005. http://premium.hoovers.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/subscribe/ind/factsheet.xhtm. “

Rental car foes war on each other’s turf.” The Associate Press. Fall 2004. The Enquirer. 08 March 2005. http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/10/11/biz_rentalcars111.html.

“United States – Car Rental.” Data Monitor Industry Market Research. Nov. 2004. Gale. 12 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/sessions?products=BNI.

“A synthesis of tactical fleet planning models for the car rental industry.” IIE Transactions. Sept. 2003. Gale. 12 March 2005. [http://www.fleet-central.com/arn/01stat3.cfm].

“Corporate travel plans moving to Web.” Crain’s Chicago Business. Apr. 2001. ProQuest. 12 March 2005. http://www.proquest.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Tracy Esch.” “Car rental market leaders make rebound .” Business Travel News. May 2002. Gale. 12 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Avis Equips Rental Car with Satcomms 1999.” Newsbytes News Network. Oct. 1999. Gale. 12 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Car Rental In the United States.” Data Monitor Industry Market Research. Nov. 2004 . Gale. 13 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Global – Car Rental.” Data Monitor Industry Market Research. Nov. 2004 . Gale. 13 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Corporate and Travel Trends.” Travel Trade Gazette. Nov. 2003 . ProQuest. 14 March 2005. http://www.proquest.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Car rental market leaders make rebound.” Business Travel News. May. 2002 . Gale. 14 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Car rental market leaders make rebound.” Business Travel News. May. 2002 . Gale. 14 March 2005. http://search.rdsinc.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu.

“Ovation Travel.” Wall Street Transcript. May. 2002 . LexisNexis. 14 March 2004. http://www.lexisnexis.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/cis.

“Avis Offers New Deal for Free Weekends.” Newswire. Feb. 2004 . LexisNexis. 15 March 2004. http://www.lexisnexis.com.ucfproxy.fcla.edu/cis.

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Source by Rodrigue Monestime

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If you are planning to buy a new car, you can either go to your friends who can recommend a good car company or just do it yourself. Nowadays, there is a new trend with regard to buying cars-and that is buying them online. This is the fastest way of buying a car. You do not need to go to the car stores yourself. Buying online only needs a little time surfing the Internet. Plus, you will not have to leave the comforts of your home.

However, just like any other venture, buying a car online has its advantages and disadvantages. It is important that you be aware with regard to this matter. Having the right knowledge with regard to this will guarantee a quality choice of buying a car.

Advantages of Buying a Car Online

*It saves you time and money

Yes, online buying of cars will save you money. You do not need to go to nearby car outlets. All you need to do is to open your computer and surf the Internet. It requires less time and less effort and means lesser money spent. The lesser the money you spend, the better. You can instead invest you money on some other expenses like the maintenance of your car.

*Wide choice of cars styles

Online purchasing offers you a wide array of options to choose from. Different styles of cars are offered even just on one site. A site contains almost all the new and unique models of the time. It always has the trendiest options. Online purchasing provides you with a wide range of choices with just a click of a button.

Disadvantages of buying car online

*You can’t test drive the car or check its exterior and interior parts

This the major disadvantage of buying a car online. You can’t hold or test the car yourself. Testing is a very important because it will determine if the car is at par with other when it comes to performance. If you cannot test it, how sure are you that it will work well? You also can’t examine by the quality of the car parts firsthand as compared to going to nearby car outlets and examining the car of your choice.

*Risks of not knowing the supplier

This is also one of the dangers of buying a car online. You have to be sure that the company or site isn’t into fraud. Online buying includes widespread swindling that victimizes thousands of people around the world. Check the site for authenticity before buying anything.

*Spending more money in shipping fees

Shipping fees and taxes are sometimes not included in the prices that are posted on the website. This is a risk in buying online. Instead of saving money, you may end up spending more.

Put the aforementioned into consideration before purchasing online and you can be sure to have a well-thought decision.

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Source by Richard Dean Basa

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Generally, the colour of the car a motorist chooses to buy is either down to personal preference, or has had no bearing on the purchase at all.

Many people are prepared to sacrifice their favourite colour for a cheaper and more economical vehicle, or one for which they can get a lower cost car insurance quote.

However, various studies, such as one undertaken by a research team from the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands in 2010, show that some colour vehicles are stolen less often (brighter colours like pink and orange), so this might be something which drivers take into account when browsing used car websites or showroom forecourts.

Another colour-related study of vehicles by researchers from Monash University in Australia in 2007 showed that some drivers apparently put themselves at greater risk of suffering an accident due to the colour of their car’s paintwork.

Police data collected on 850,000 traffic accidents showed that black, grey, silver, red and blue vehicles were involved in a greater number of crashes on average than white or orange cars. This was possibly due to how much, or how little, the colour of the car stood out from the surrounding road.

Furthermore, one car insurance website states that because many individuals are conservative when it comes to their car colour choices, manufacturers are too. Whereas a motorist may only have to wait a week for their brand new silver or black vehicle, the waiting period for something more unusual such as yellow or turquoise may be significantly longer.

Many people don’t want to wait too long for their car to be delivered, so they’ll choose one of the more popular colours to speed up the process.

Resale value might also influence a driver’s automobile colour choice. When it comes to selling a vehicle on, some colours might be snapped up at a better price than others. For instance, one company noted that upon the release of its Colour Popularity Report for 2011, white or ‘pearl’ coloured vehicles had topped the resell price charts in North America for four years running.

In August 2011, a car insurance price comparison site stated, “You might fancy an offbeat colour like purple or orange but will potential buyers be queuing up to take it off your hands in a few years time?”

And a used car website spokesperson added, “[5% off a vehicle’s value] might not sound like very much but on a used car worth £20,000, an undesirable shade would cut £1,000 off the value.

“It also makes the car harder to sell as you could have to wait some time for the right buyer, during which you’ll lose money through depreciation and additional advertising costs.”

Whether people are influenced by this data or not, some motorists take car colour very seriously because they believe that it may influence their life in a negative or positive way.

In India, many drivers choose the colour of their vehicle using astrology. Similarly to how some people in Britain look at their star sign to find a compatible partner, depending on when they were born and the position of the planets at the time, some Indians feel that certain car colours will be more suitable for them than others.

Individuals who have the zodiac sign Aries will find a good vehicle match with a red, yellow or orange car. Those under the sign of Taurus should purchase a vehicle which is white, green or black. Geminis are most suited to red, green or grey. Cancerians should buy white, red or yellow cars. Leos would do well to purchase a car with red, yellow, orange or white paintwork, while Virgos should buy red, green or grey vehicles.

A Libra may enhance their life with a white, green or black vehicle. Scorpio, Sagittarius and Pisces should purchase a car in red, yellow or orange. Bronze is another option for Sagittarius and Pisces. And lastly Capricorn and Aquarius may want to buy vehicles which are blue, green or yellow to match their birth dates.

By choosing a car in a colour which matches their zodiac sign, these drivers believe that they can bring good luck upon themselves.

Which ever way a person chooses their vehicle’s colour, it is important for them to check that they can afford the insurance and fuel costs which come hand in hand with car types. Moreover, they should perform an HPI check if they are buying second-hand.

It’s important for people to remember not to get too caught up in the colour of their vehicle. It’s the vehicle type they should choose the most carefully, and, when the time comes, the tyres and any other replacement parts. These could help reduce the driver’s risk of suffering an accident or increase them if they are of poor quality or meant for a different vehicle.

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Source by Alicia Denny

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So, you’ve loved food all your life, and have finally come to the conclusion that you want to have a job that includes food. You’re interested in becoming a caterer, but aren’t sure of the details, the benefits, nor the negative aspects. Becoming a professional caterer, while exciting and enjoyable for those who have a creative eye and a love for food, can prove to include working long hours and having excellent customer service and math skills.

While no training is necessarily needed, having an Associates or Bachelor of Arts degree in Culinary Arts would definitely improve your skills, as well as any restaurant experience as a server or manager. As a caterer, you can often work from home; it’s a great job for those who want to be self-employed, but keep in mind, the start-up fee is often $10,000+.

For those whom don’t want to start their own business, there are catering businesses that require both experience in the food industry as well as some type of culinary training, usually in the form of a B.A. or Associate’s degree. As a catering manager, you would oversee the entire facility, as well as work with each customer, planning their entire event, and contributing the best of customer service.

A caterer has to make sure that he or she works well with people and has great interpersonal communication skills because it’s imperative to the job. As a catering manager, you might also be asked to have computer experience, team-building skills, as well as distinct attention to detail. Especially if you own your own business, you must have an eye for detail, in terms of bookkeeping, new ideas for party theme, and scheduling of events.

There are actually different types of caterers, and pros and cons come with each specialty.

1. Mobile Catering – This type of catering is the newest trend; food trucks are the latest trend in party catering. While being a mobile caterer has low start-up fees, this can be challenging, considering your limited space and lack of brand awareness. One must be sure to do plenty of social media advertising and marketing for the city (or cities) which the truck covers.
2. Business Catering – This is popular due to the fact that it’s year-round, versus special event and mobile catering, which is limited to warmer months. Also, if you get in with a corporate giant, they usually stay with who they like, and you’ll have a consistent flow of income.
3. Special Events Catering – This form of catering is for the creative type of caterer; you get to show off your artistic skills. They provide food for weddings, anniversaries, and any type of event in which you can show off your innovative culinary abilities. However, you must be able to be laid-back and accept constructive criticism.

When it comes to entering the catering industry there are pros and cons, but if you have the right skills and abilities, and the love for event planning, becoming a caterer is just the right niche for you.

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Source by Cindy Messing

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Technology and Industrialism

1. A phone system that works virtually all of the time

2. Electricity and running water

3. Toilets and toilet paper

4. Easy access to the Internet

5. Email

6. Instant messaging

7. Skype and video chat services for long-distance communication

8. Social networking sites

9. Cell phones and text messaging

10. Shops with free Wi-Fi

11. Digital cameras

12. Central heating and cooling

13. ATMs

14. Washing machines and dryers

15. Food blenders

16. Microwaves

17. Target and Wal-Mart

18. Coffeemakers

19. TiVo and DVR

20. Ability to pay bills online

21. Google

22. YouTube

23. Digital cameras

Capitalism (In flux)

24. The stability of currency

25. The entrepreneurial spirit

26. The stock market, yes, even now

27. Self-employment opportunities galore

28. A diverse job market

29. Mail and delivery services

30. Free interstate commerce

Transportation

31. Airports that are usually well-functioning

32. The interstate highway system

33. Highway rest areas

34. Low gasoline prices (compared to Europe)

35. Public transportation

36. U.S. passports

37. Car and truck dealerships

38. Taxis

Health and Diet

39. The variety of foods available

40. Availability of locally grown produce

41. Foods from all around the world

42. Farmers’ Markets

43. Health clubs, gyms, and exercise equipment

44. The vitamin industry

45. WebMD (www.WebMD.com)

46. Organic supermarkets

47. Increasing crop yields

48. Cookbooks

49. DVDs and TV channels dedicated to health, diet, and exercise

50. Availability of flu shots

51. Standards for immunizations

52. Dental and orthodontic care

53. Variety of specialized care available

54. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities

Freedom and Equality

55. The Constitution and its amendments

56. The peaceful transference of power

57. Religious freedom

58. The right to peaceful assembly

59. Freedom of expression

60. Traditional presidential pardons

61. Freedom of speech

62. Freedom of the press

63. Democracy and the right to vote

64. Accessible polls for voting

65. Diversity

66. Social mobility

Access to Information and Education

67. Elementary, middle, and high schools

68. The variety of DVDs, CDs, digital programs, and books available

69. CSPAN

70. Debates on live television

71. Public libraries

72. Business, law, and medical schools, etc.

73. Endowments and scholarship programs

74. Major daily newspapers

75. Live television news

76. Instantly up-to-date online news

77. How-to and do-it-yourself blogs and websites

78. Wikipedia

79. Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and reference books on all topics

80. The community college system

81. Online higher education programs

82. A&E, TLC, and History Channel productions

83. PTA

84. Public museums

85. Standards for literacy

Charity

86. The Red Cross

87. Telethons

88. Per capita contributions to charity organizations

89. The United Way

90. Relief organizations

91. Civic participation and volunteerism

92. Homeless shelters

93. Big brother/big sister programs

94. Goodwill, thrift stores, and consignment shops

95. Senior discounts

96. Foster homes

97. Adoption agencies

98. Meals on Wheels

99. Foundations for cancer research

100. National months of awareness for a variety of issues

101. YMCA and YWCA

102. Salvation Army

Safety and Protection

103. Emergency operating rooms

104. Clean water

105. Air that’s safe to breathe

106. Maternity wards

107. Emergency response systems

108. Ambulances and emergency rooms

109. Free clinics

110. Urgent care centers

111. The U.S. Department of Defense

112. Clean, safe streets and highways

113. Traffic lights, well-marked road signs and lanes

114. Copyright laws

115. Restaurant and food sanitation standards

116. The FDA

117. Free public restrooms

118. The watchdog aspect of the press

119. The system of juris prudence (usually)

120. Daycare centers

121. Seatbelts and airbags

122. The Armed Forces

123. The police force

124. The fire department

125. Neighborhood watch programs

126. Adopt-a-street and adopt-a-waterway programs

127. Pets on leashes (usually)

128. Trash and recycling pick-up

Traditions and Ceremonies

129. Cookouts and barbecues

130. Graduation ceremonies

131. Family farms

132. Family reunions

133. Baby and wedding showers

134. Easter egg hunts

135. Trick or treat-ing

136. Exchanging Christmas gifts

137. Memorial Day, Labor Day

138. Thanksgiving

139. 4th of July celebrations and fireworks

140. The Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration and ball drop

Entertainment

141. Theme parks

142. State fairs

143. Rock and roll music

144. Country music

145. Disney World, Disney Land

146. Universal Studios

147. Sea World

148. Variety in music

149. Magazines for every interest

150. Mp3 players

151. Little Leagues

152. Talk Radio

153. Award shows

154. Major League Baseball

155. National Football League

156. National Hockey League

157. Major League Soccer

158. Professional golf, tennis, and other sports

159. College sports

160. Comedians

161. Public recreation facilities

162. Hiking, walking, and biking trails

163. Zoos

164. Aviaries

165. Aquariums

166. Sport camps

167. Podcasts and webcasts

168. Venues for music and the dramatic arts

169. Cultural festivals

170. Arts festivals, music festivals

171. Ski resorts

Sites and Attractions

172. The national park system

173. The reclamation of lakes and waterways

174. Safe campgrounds

175. The beaches

176. The mountain ranges

177. Varied geography, even within states

178. Variety of sizes of towns and cities

179. The Grand Canyon

180. Mt. Rushmore

181. Nashville, Tennessee

182. Chicago

183. Hawaii

184. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

185. Niagra Falls, New York

Organizations and Institutions

186. The American Dental Association

187. Senior communities

188. Scouting organizations

189. Colleges and universities

190. American Association of Retired Persons

191. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

192. American Medical Association

193. American Bar Association

Historical Landmarks

194. Washington, D.C.

195. Jamestown

196. Alaska

197. New York City

198. Boston

199. College towns

200. Gettysburg

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Source by Christie Ray Harrison