TL;DR
Driving costs have transformed dramatically since 1957, but the need for fair, accurate reimbursement has not. Runzheimer pioneered that standard nearly 70 years ago. Motus continues that legacy today with data-driven automation, local cost intelligence, IRS-compliant processes, and safety insights that help companies optimize spend, reduce risk, and support a more productive, satisfied mobile workforce.
Then: The Birth of Fair and Accurate Reimbursement
In 1957, the American Automobile Association and a small Wisconsin-based firm called Runzheimer published a study that changed how businesses thought about employee driving costs.
The study introduced a new idea, one that would shape decades of workforce mobility strategy: companies should reimburse employees based on the real cost of driving, not flat allowances or guesswork.
At the time, most employers either provided company cars (expensive and asset-heavy) or paid a flat monthly allowance (unfair to drivers in higher-cost regions). Runzheimer’s approach (what would later become known as Fixed and Variable Rate (FAVR) reimbursement) used data to calculate a fair, regionally adjusted rate for each driver.
It was a breakthrough in cost management, compliance, and employee equity, and it became the foundation for what the IRS still recognizes today as the gold standard for vehicle reimbursement.
Now: From Runzheimer to Motus
Fast forward nearly seven decades.
In 2018, Motus and Runzheimer merged under Thoma Bravo ownership, combining Runzheimer’s unmatched history in workforce mobility with Motus’ modern, technology-driven platform.
That merger created the industry leader in mileage reimbursement and mobile workforce management — a company that carries forward Runzheimer’s legacy of accuracy, fairness, and compliance while leveraging automation, analytics, and AI to meet today’s mobility challenges.
In other words: what Runzheimer started in 1957, Motus is continuing and accelerating in 2025.
From Then to Now: The Road Ahead
| 1957 Insight | 2025 Reality | Motus Today |
| Rising cost of vehicle ownership. Gas, maintenance, and depreciation were major business expenses. | Fleet TCO is at record highs due to inflation, interest rates, and insurance costs. | Motus FAVR programs use real-time data to reflect true operating costs, reducing spend by up to 40%. |
| Fair reimbursement for drivers. Companies struggled to balance fairness with financial control. | Flat allowances and standard IRS rates create inequities across markets. | Motus ensures reimbursement accuracy for every driver: fair, defensible, and compliant. |
| Tax compliance challenges. Even in the 1950s, companies faced confusion around tax-exempt reimbursement. | Multi-state tax laws have made compliance exponentially harder. | Motus automates IRS-compliant reporting and substantiation, reducing audit risk and admin burden. |
| Driver safety concerns. Businesses were already aware that accidents cost time and money. | Corporate auto liability is one of the fastest-growing business risks. | Motus Protect + Road Smart integrate safety training directly into the reimbursement experience. |
| Manual recordkeeping. Paper mileage logs, maps, and calculators ruled the day. | Manual mileage tracking still wastes time and introduces errors. | Motus Smart Trip and Insights Pro automate trip classification and turn data into business intelligence. |
Driving Smarter, for 70 Years
Runzheimer’s original 1957 article could have been written for today’s CFOs.
Economic uncertainty. Rising costs. Pressure to improve efficiency while taking care of employees on the road.
The questions haven’t changed, but the answers have.
Today, Motus delivers the tools and data businesses need to:
- Optimize spend with precision-built reimbursement programs
- Reduce risk through integrated compliance and safety
- Increase productivity with automation and insights
- Improve employee satisfaction through fairness and transparency
Motus is proud to carry forward Runzheimer’s legacy of innovation, transforming a once-paper-based process into a powerful, intelligent platform that drives smarter business decisions.
Because while the road keeps changing, one thing hasn’t:
Our commitment to making every mile matter.
Want to learn more? Reach out to a Motus advisor.
