Betonova-Stresni-Krytina

One of the best parts of the industry, as most involved would agree, is the people.

In an industry like fleet, it’s easy to get lost in all of the tech, numbers, and operations. We forget to stop and admire those who keep it all running.

The Fleet Meets series attempts to eradicate that and get to know the humans behind it.

In this edition, meet Brett Ashley Bridges of BBL Fleet. She has more than 15 years of experience in project management and is currently the vice president of communications and client services. Automotive Fleet connected with Bridges on her career, AFLA, advice, and what animal she’d be if she had to choose.

Yes, that’s right. And her answer to that one was gold.

Looking back at when you first entered the fleet industry, what did you think your career would look like and how does that compare with where you are today?

Bridges: When I first entered the fleet industry, I didn’t have a clear picture of what my trajectory would look like, and I expected my path to be focused primarily on learning the sales and services side of the business. My goal was simply to dive in and become as knowledgeable as I could.

As my career progressed, I came to understand BBL Fleet’s approach to fleet management overall, the role each team member plays, and got a comprehensive understanding of the services we provide and the results driven from it all. I had opportunities to grow that I never anticipated and as I became increasingly involved, I eventually evolved from a sales and projects role up to where I am now.

Looking at where I am today, the biggest difference is that my career has become much more relationship-driven than I originally thought. While the destination is different from what I imagined when I started, it’s been far more rewarding because it combines industry expertise and meaningful connections that positively impact others.

You came into fleet without a traditional fleet background. What initially surprised you most about the industry, and what ultimately made you want to build your career in it?

Bridges: The answer is the same for both questions: the people.

Fleet came along unexpectedly, so I was starting from scratch from a technical and relationship standpoint. However, I was immediately embraced by both my team at BBL Fleet and countless members of the industry who made introductions, imparted wisdom and advice and even let me tag along until I forged my own network. (Special thanks to Pam Hackett and Debbie Struna on that last point.)

I’ve been part of different industries from nonprofits and education to banking and govcon but have never witnessed the level of comradery I have within fleet. In the past I was used to seeing competition amongst colleagues, but now I find myself in spaces where people freely exchange ideas, collaboratively solve problems and challenge for growth. That, in combination with continuous learning and ways to make my own impact, is what made fleet feel less like an industry I joined and more like a community where I wanted to grow my career.

How has your understanding of what fleet clients need changed as you’ve moved through different roles and into communications and client services?

Bridges: My understanding of fleet clients’ needs has become much stronger. From an outside perspective it’s easy to think fleet is simply about operating vehicles day-to-day, but I quickly realized it’s connected to nearly every part of a business, from safety and compliance to finance, operations, sustainability, and employee experience.

Over time, I’ve learned that clients are really looking for a strategic partner who can help them improve efficiency, control costs, support drivers, navigate change and communicate effectively. Being closer to clients has shown me that success isn’t just about providing solutions, it is about listening and understanding their challenges so we can solve problems together.

What does stepping into the vice president of communications and client services role mean to you, and what are you most excited to take on in this next chapter?

Bridges: BBL Fleet has an outstanding culture rooted in best-in-class service and innovation. In this next phase, we will continue evolving the client experience through enhanced processes and stronger partnerships that create greater alignment from onboarding through ongoing account management. Our clients are at the heart of everything we do, and I’m excited to help ensure a smooth and consistent experience throughout every stage of the relationship.

You’ve become increasingly involved with AFLA and industry leadership. How has that involvement influenced the way you approach your own career and leadership style?

Bridges: Being around AFLA members opened my eyes to what is possible career-wise because of the exposure to different organizations and the background each person comes from. Where my initial perspective started in the FMC space, I learned more about service providers, creative ways to analyze and present data and identify developing trends and topics that help me be more thoughtful and curious in my own roles. I also get to see best practices and leadership styles in various forms which allows me to take the best of the best back to my own team.

What is your biggest piece of career advice?

Bridges: Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and take on projects, even when impostor syndrome tries to kick in. This can help you build new skills, expand your network across teams and accelerate your professional growth while showing eagerness to learn and contribute,

If you could be any animal for a day, what would you choose… and why?

I’d choose a dolphin. They’re intelligent, highly collaborative and like to have fun. Dolphins remind me of the positive motives from the book Prime to Perform by Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor where play, purpose and potential have the biggest impact on performance and culture. And, if I was a dolphin then I would finally be able to swim!

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Here’s how the technician shortage has affected uptime for fleets, and what to do about it.

by David Green, General Manager at Cox Fleet

October 8, 2026

Editor’s Note: This article is a contributed piece and the views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Automotive Fleet or Bobit Business Media.

The technician shortage is hitting fleets where it hurts most: uptime. When shops are short-staffed, repairs take longer, preventative maintenance gets harder to schedule, and vehicles spend more time waiting instead of working. For fleets already under pressure to keep assets moving, the labor shortage has become much more than a hiring problem.

At the same time, thousands of service members transition from their military service to civilian careers each year with experience maintaining tactical vehicles, aviation systems, heavy equipment, and other mission-critical machinery. Many already know how to diagnose mechanical problems, work under pressure, follow strict safety procedures, and keep equipment ready when failure is not an option.

So why aren’t more of them entering fleet maintenance and how can fleets and maintenance service providers solve the disconnect of matching a rich talent pool and easing one of the industry’s biggest workforce challenges?

Why Military Experience Translates to the Shop

Technical experience is only part of what veterans can bring to fleet maintenance. The discipline, accountability and adaptability developed through military service can be equally valuable, particularly as fleets look not only to recruit technicians, but build a workforce that stays for the long term.

Those skills matter in a fleet environment. Technicians rarely work in isolation, their decisions affect drivers, maintenance teams, customers and ultimately whether a vehicle gets back on the road. Being able to communicate, problem-solve, take ownership of a job and work effectively with others can be just as important as knowing how to complete the repair itself.

Additionally, fleets shouldn’t necessarily limit veteran recruiting to candidates with a mechanical military background.

Some veterans may need more technical training when they enter the industry, but still bring the discipline, adaptability, and willingness to learn that can make them successful technicians. With technician demand continuing to outpace supply, looking at aptitude alongside existing experience can help fleets expand the potential talent pool.

There are signs this approach can pay off in retention, too. Data from groups like Fastport shows that veteran retention rates in apprenticeship programs reach up to 94%, pointing to the potential value of veteran recruiting beyond simply filling an immediate opening.

Bridging the Military-to-Civilian Gap

One of the biggest challenges is that military experience doesn’t always translate cleanly on paper.

Military occupational specialties may not match civilian job titles, making it difficult for hiring managers to understand how a veteran’s experience applies to an open technician position. Veterans may face the same challenge when trying to explain years of military training and responsibilities on a civilian resume.

Having recruiters who understand military culture can make the transition easier from the first conversation. Veterans often benefit from working with someone who can interpret military experience, understand the transition process, and remain a point of contact throughout recruiting and onboarding rather than handing the candidate off at each stage.

Hiring managers can get a better understanding by looking beyond the title. Ask what equipment the candidate maintained, which systems they worked on, how they diagnosed problems, what safety processes they followed, and what responsibilities they had for keeping equipment operational.

There can also be an adjustment to the civilian workplace itself. Veterans are coming from a highly structured environment with clear expectations and accountability. Civilian fleet operations still require structure, but employees typically have more flexibility and choice in how they work and build their careers.

That makes support during the transition particularly important. As we’ve seen through veteran recruiting, empathy, trust, and having someone available to help navigate that adjustment can make the transition into civilian work much smoother.

Building a Path into the Industry

Recruiting veterans is only one part of the equation. Fleets also need programs that help service members translate their existing skills and build the ones they may be missing.

The Department of Defense SkillBridge program is one example. It allows eligible transitioning service members to spend up to 180 days gaining civilian work experience before leaving the military. During that period, veterans can learn the skills and processes specific to a fleet operation while employers have an opportunity to develop potential long-term employees.

Fleets also need to consider the practical costs of entering the industry. Technicians are typically required to have their own tools, and that upfront expense can be a barrier for veterans starting a civilian career. Tool programs that cover those costs or provide tools at no cost after an employee stays for a set period can help remove that barrier and make the transition into the industry more accessible.

Training programs can also create opportunities for veterans who didn’t serve in technical roles. Through Cox Fleet’s Internal Technician Training Academy, which has graduated over 40 veteran technicians in the last 3 years, participants can learn foundational skills such as preventative maintenance and basic vehicle service, gain field experience, and continue developing their capabilities through additional training.

This approach expands the potential hiring pool. Instead of looking exclusively for someone who arrives with every technical qualification, fleets can also identify candidates who have the right foundation and invest in developing the rest.

Continuity throughout recruiting and onboarding is another important piece. Having recruiters who understand military culture and who remain involved throughout the process, gives transitioning veterans a consistent person to turn to when questions or challenges come up.

Once technicians enter the field, that development should continue through mentorship, regular check-ins, and opportunities to take on increasingly complex work.

Creating Careers, Not Just Filling Openings

Veteran hiring can also become a long-term retention strategy when employees can see where their careers can go.

Raul Zepeda was recruited out of Fort Campbell with experience as a wheeled vehicle technician. He entered Cox Fleet’s Internal Technician Training Academy, moved into an apprentice role, and progressed through multiple technician levels before becoming a senior mobile diesel tech. Over five years, he gained experience across several different roles, including invoicing and estimating, before moving into leadership. His progression also reflects the earning potential that can come with building a career in the field: senior diesel technicians earn an average of approximately $34-$40, per hour nationally.

Nicholas Brown came from a different background. He served as a medic rather than a vehicle technician, but his military experience still aligned with the skills and mindset needed to build a career within the organization. Today, he is a senior purchasing coordinator. Nationally, senior purchasing coordinators earn an average base salary of approximately $64,000 annually, according to Indeed Data.

Zepeda and Brown’s paths show why veteran hiring shouldn’t be viewed simply as a way to fill today’s technician openings. For some employees, the next step may be becoming a more advanced technician. Others may move into management, operations, purchasing, training, or another area of the business.

Building the Technician Workforce of the Future

The technician shortage isn’t likely to disappear in the near term, and neither is competition for experienced talent. Fleets need to think more broadly about where their next generation of technicians will come from.

Veteran recruiting can be one piece of that strategy alongside technical schools, apprenticeships, training programs, and other workforce partnerships. At the same time, fleets will need to continue investing in the technicians they already have as technology changes the skills required in the shop.

Diagnostics, connected vehicle technology, and AI are becoming a larger part of vehicle maintenance. Technical skills will continue to matter, but so will the ability to learn, adapt, and work with new tools.

For fleets facing an ongoing technician shortage, veterans represent a talent pool with many of those qualities already in place. Creating clearer pathways into the industry can help service members translate their experience into long-term civilian careers while giving fleets another way to build the skilled workforce they’ll need for the future.

About the Author

David Green is a General Manager for Cox Fleet, leading the Tennessee market. A seasoned trucking industry leader with more than 41 years of progressive, hands‑on leadership experience across the commercial transportation and fleet‑service sector. Beginning his career as a Preventive Maintenance and Tire Repair Technician, David built a deep technical foundation that shaped his operational expertise and leadership style as he advanced through increasingly complex management roles.

Over the course of his career, David has led large teams, managed multi-state operations, and driven disciplined financial management, strategic planning, and strong organizational development. His strengths include P&L oversight, operational analysis, inventory management, staff recruitment, and mentoring leaders to elevate performance.

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The index fell to 205.9 in September, down 0.6% from a year earlier and 1.1% from August after adjustments for vehicle mix, mileage, and seasonality. Non-adjusted wholesale prices declined 1.2% year over year and 1.3% month over month.

Cox Automotive also lowered its year-end forecast, now expecting the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index to finish 2026 up approximately 0.2% year over year, compared with the 2% increase projected in July.

“We are in the weakest season for wholesale valuations, and as September closed, depreciation was steeper than we typically see this time of year,” said Jeremy Robb, chief economist at Cox Automotive.

Fuel Costs and Interest Rates Pressure Vehicle Values

Following stronger-than-normal appreciation during the first half of 2026, wholesale values weakened in the third quarter amid higher fuel costs, rising interest rates, and broader economic pressures.

Diesel-powered vehicles accounted for just over 3% of wholesale inventory, but days’ supply climbed to 39 days, 27% higher than a year ago. Cox Automotive reported that record-high diesel prices contributed to weaker valuations.

Large pickups and SUVs also experienced declining demand and values as fuel costs increased. Meanwhile, older, more affordable vehicles showed greater resilience, with smaller declines in value.

Electric vehicles moved in the opposite direction. The Manheim EV Index increased 4.3% year over year and 0.6% from August, while the non-EV index declined 1.6% year over year.

Off-Lease Supply and EV Remarketing Volumes Increase

Wholesale EV sales at Manheim increased 22% from the second quarter and 45% from a year earlier. EVs represented a record 4.9% of Manheim transactions during the third quarter, compared with 3.9% in the second quarter.

Off-lease EV supply is also increasing. EVs accounted for approximately 10% of off-lease supply during the first half of 2026 and are expected to represent about 16% during the second half, potentially reaching 19% by summer 2027.

Overall off-lease vehicle supply is recovering from its first-quarter low. Monthly volumes are increasing from approximately 190,000 units in the first half of 2026 to an estimated 220,000 units in the second half.

Cox Automotive expects the continued increase in off-lease supply to contribute to approximately 3% growth in wholesale volume in 2027.

Cox Automotive Updates Used-Vehicle Market Forecast

Cox Automotive raised its 2026 total used-vehicle sales forecast slightly to 38.5 million units, up from its previous estimate of 38.4 million. Retail used-vehicle sales are expected to reach 20.5 million units, while certified pre-owned sales are projected to total 2.6 million units, down 1.8% year over year.

Total wholesale volume is forecast at approximately 11.8 million units in 2026, an increase of less than 1% from 2025. A projected 23% increase in off-lease volume and 5% increase in rental volume are expected to be partially offset by a 3% decline in dealer-sourced units.

Looking ahead, Cox Automotive is monitoring rising interest rates, declining consumer sentiment, and fuel costs as potential pressures on wholesale values. Recovering fleet demand and an aging U.S. vehicle population could provide some support.

For additional data and analysis, see the Q3 2026 Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index Report.

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FLD has announced three executive promotions, including the appointment of a new CEO and president, as part of a series of leadership changes that took effect Oct. 1.

The vehicle remarketing company named Ron Sanders managing partner, Gary Mott chief executive officer, and Richard Mallek president. Mallek succeeds Mott as president and also becomes a partner in the company.

Mallek joins existing partners Mott, Sanders, and Chief Technology Officer Santiago Ramirez.

The three executives have a combined 86 years of experience with FLD.

Sanders Moves Into Managing Partner Role

Sanders joined FLD shortly after the company was founded in 1979 and has been part of its leadership team for decades. He helped develop the company’s direct-purchase model and will continue to serve in an advisory capacity.

“Personally, I’ve always said every 50 years is a good timeframe to change things up and we’re only a few years around the corner, right,” Sanders said. “Until then, I’m truly looking forward to working with my fellow partners over the coming years to take FLD in new and exciting directions that make our customers’ lives easier while helping them eliminate risk.”

Mott Named CEO

Mott has spent approximately three decades with FLD, holding several positions during his tenure with the company.

He has also received the International Automotive Remarketers Alliance’s Samuel J. Lee Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes contributions to the vehicle remarketing industry.

“I’m incredibly humbled for this opportunity and looking forward to continuing our legacy of eliminating risk and simplifying the remarketing process for our customers,” Mott said.

Mallek Becomes President and Partner

Mallek has held a senior sales role with FLD for the past decade and has also been involved in the company’s marketing efforts.

As part of the leadership transition, he becomes president and joins the company’s ownership group.

“I will always be grateful to our current senior leaders for giving me the opportunity,” Mallek said. “As someone who loved cars but knew nothing about remarketing, it’s been the dream of my professional life to grow with this company, and I’m excited to help write the next chapter in FLD’s history.”

FLD was founded in 1979 and provides vehicle remarketing and direct-purchase services for commercial fleet vehicles.

September commercial fleet sales were essentially unchanged from a year earlier, slowing year-to-date growth while keeping volume ahead of 2025.

Commercial fleet sales increased 5.8% through September 2026 on a same-automaker basis, according to fleet sales data collected by Bobit Business Media.

Comparable commercial fleet sales totaled 637,127 during the first nine months of 2026, up from 601,926 during the same period in 2025.

The comparison excludes Volkswagen and Honda from both years to maintain consistency with Automotive Fleet’s previous updates. Including those automakers, reported commercial fleet sales totaled 641,738 through September.

The commercial category encompasses vehicles purchased for business use, including passenger cars, crossovers, SUVs, vans, and trucks through Class 7.

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September Sales Hold Steady

Comparable commercial fleet sales totaled 62,035 vehicles in September, nearly identical to the 62,059 sold in September 2025.

The flat result followed a 2.3% year-over-year increase in August and a 9.6% increase in July. Year-to-date growth consequently moderated from 7.1% through July to 6.5% through August and 5.8% through September.

Commercial fleets purchased fewer vehicles in September than in July or August, when comparable sales totaled 75,795 and 71,048, respectively. However, the September year-over-year comparison shows volume holding steady against the same month in 2025.

Monthly fleet sales can vary with production schedules, vehicle availability, replacement cycles, and the timing of large orders. These results should not be interpreted as a direct measure of underlying fleet demand.

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Commercial Gains Lead Year-to-Date Growth

Commercial fleet sales remained the largest source of year-to-date growth among the commercial, rental, and government fleet segments, adding 35,201 vehicles compared with the first nine months of 2025.

Comparable rental fleet sales increased 22.5% in September, narrowing their year-to-date decline to 1.8%. Through September, rental volume totaled 903,069 vehicles, down from 919,945 a year earlier.

Government fleet sales increased 2.2% year to date to 184,860 vehicles, despite a 4.5% decline in September.

Together, the three segments totaled 1,725,056 vehicles through September on a comparable basis, up 1.3% from 1,702,838 during the same period in 2025.

Previous Updates:

August Growth Slows After Stronger July

Commercial fleet sales increased 2.3% in August on a comparable basis, with 71,048 vehicles sold compared with 69,434 in August 2025.

That represented a slower year-over-year increase than July, when comparable commercial fleet sales rose 9.6%.

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Commercial fleet sales have shown uneven growth in 2026. Sales increased 9.1% during the first quarter before growth moderated to 4.7% in the second quarter. July volume then increased 9.6% year over year before the smaller gain in August.

The year-to-date increase consequently moderated from 7.1% through July to 6.5% through August.

Monthly fleet sales can fluctuate based on factors including automaker production and delivery schedules, business replacement cycles, vehicle availability, and the timing of large fleet orders. As a result, monthly sales results should not necessarily be viewed as a direct measure of underlying fleet demand.

Commercial Sales Continue to Offset Rental Decline

Commercial fleet sales continue to drive the largest growth among the commercial, rental, and government fleet segments in 2026.

Through August, comparable commercial sales increased by 35,225 vehicles from the same period in 2025. That gain almost exactly offset a 34,312-unit decline in comparable rental fleet sales.

Government fleet sales also remained above 2025 levels through August.

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Previous Updates:

Commercial Fleet Sales Rise 7.1% Through July 2026

According to fleet sales data collected by Bobit Business Media, commercial fleet sales increased 7.1% on a same-automaker basis and were the primary source of growth across the commercial, government, and rental fleet segments.

Reported commercial fleet sales totaled 508,155 through July 2026, up 8% from the same period in 2025, according to sales data collected by Bobit Business Media. The reported 2026 total includes 4,111 sales from two automakers without corresponding 2025 volume in the reports.

Excluding those sales provides a same-automaker comparison of 504,044 commercial fleet sales in 2026, up 7.1% from 470,433 in 2025.

Commercial fleet sales totaled 75,795 in July 2026 on a comparable reporting basis, up 9.6% from 69,165 in July 2025.

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Commercial Sales Drive Overall Fleet Growth

Commercial fleet sales were the primary source of growth across the commercial, government and rental segments during the first seven months of 2026.

The commercial category covers vehicles purchased for business use, ranging from passenger cars and SUVs to trucks through Class 7.

On a comparable basis, commercial volume increased by 33,611 vehicles. That gain more than offset a 32,025-unit decline in rental fleet sales. Government fleet sales also increased, adding 5,959 vehicles.

Combined sales across the three segments totaled 1,380,314 through July on a same-automaker basis, up 7,545 vehicles, or 0.5%, from 1,372,769 during the same period last year.

Commercial fleet growth moderated as the year progressed before strengthening again in July. Comparable sales increased 9.1% during the first quarter and 4.7% in the second quarter. July volume was 9.6% above July 2025.

These results do not represent continuous month-to-month growth. Commercial fleet deliveries can fluctuate based on automaker production schedules, business replacement cycles, vehicle availability and the timing of large orders.

Commercial fleet’s year-over-year progression was:

• First quarter: up 9.1%
• Second quarter: up 4.7%
• July: up 9.6%
• January through July: up 7.1%

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General Motors has launched OnStar Fleet Intelligence, a new fleet management platform that combines connected vehicle data, fleet operations tools and AI-powered analytics within a single system.

The platform is designed to give fleet managers one location to track orders, manage vehicles, access diagnostic information and monitor areas such as fuel efficiency, range, geofencing and vehicle protection. Users can also renew OnStar software and services and connect vehicles through the platform.

Select GM Fleet customers can access OnStar Fleet Intelligence now, with additional customers expected to receive access through a phased rollout.

“Our fleet customers need simple, intuitive tools to manage their vehicles and efficiently manage operating costs,” said Ian Hucker, global vice president of GM Fleet. “The OnStar Fleet Intelligence platform meets this need head-on, streamlining complex data into one accessible dashboard so business owners can focus less on administrative hurdles and more on efficiently scaling their operations.”

One Platform for Fleet Data and Management

OnStar Fleet Intelligence uses vehicle data and GM’s connected services to bring information related to asset productivity, efficiency, risk management and operating costs into one platform.

Fleet customers with a Fleet Account Number (FAN) can link it to their account and manage all vehicles associated with that FAN through one login, regardless of vehicle make, equipment or OnStar plan, according to GM.

The platform also includes Fleet Insights, which analyzes data across vehicles to identify patterns that may not be apparent when reviewing individual vehicles or reports.

For example, a fleet manager investigating higher fuel costs could use Fleet Insights to examine trends across vehicles, routes and drivers.

AI Assistant Lets Fleet Managers Query Their Data

GM has also introduced the OnStar Fleet AI Assistant, which is built directly into the Fleet Intelligence platform.

Rather than manually sorting through reports, fleet managers can use natural-language questions to retrieve information about their operations.

GM provided examples including, “show total idling time for each vehicle this month” and “show which are my most utilized vehicles and which are my least.” The system then displays information relevant to the query.

The capability is intended to reduce manual analysis and reporting while helping fleet managers identify utilization and operating trends.

“More than 30 years ago OnStar revolutionized the connected vehicle; combining human support with tech to deliver real-world impact,” said Arnie Magnotta, vice president of OnStar Services & Digital Commerce. “This new platform builds on that legacy of innovation to transform fleet management, turn data into insights, and help our customers grow and scale their businesses.”

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Seven fleet professionals have been selected as finalists for the 2026 Fleet Visionary Award, which recognizes emerging leaders who are helping shape the future of fleet through innovation, operational excellence, and forward-thinking leadership.

Presented by Automotive Fleet and sponsored by Merchants Fleet, the Fleet Visionary Award honors fleet professionals with 10 years or less of fleet industry experience who have demonstrated measurable results, introduced new ideas, and made meaningful contributions to their organizations and the fleet profession.

This year’s finalists represent organizations across transportation, healthcare, manufacturing, field service, pharmaceuticals, and commercial fleet operations. Their accomplishments include improving fleet safety, advancing electrification, modernizing operations, expanding fleet capacity, and developing innovative approaches to driver engagement and workforce development.

Joseph Lewis, Marimor Industries

Joseph Lewis, CAFM, is transportation manager for Marimor Industries, where he oversees transportation and fleet operations supporting employment and community services for individuals with developmental disabilities. During his eight years in fleet management, Lewis has implemented telematics-based safety initiatives that contributed to significant reductions in at-fault and overall vehicle accidents. He also developed an AI-assisted fleet safety music project designed to reinforce defensive driving concepts and has focused on expanding telematics, performance analytics, and standardized fleet processes to improve operational performance.

Kyler Vargas, Premier Truck Rental

Kyler Vargas serves as director of logistics for Premier Truck Rental, where he leads transportation, safety, compliance, and logistics operations. Since joining the company, he has overseen the implementation of its first transportation management system, improving routing, shipment visibility, and on-time delivery performance. Vargas has also introduced initiatives focused on safety training, regulatory compliance, equipment utilization, and workforce development, including the company’s first fleet and logistics internship program.

Matt Bolf, Siemens Corporation

Matt Bolf is U.S. fleet program manager for mobility services at Siemens Corporation, where he supports the company’s goal of transitioning its U.S. fleet to 100% electric vehicles by 2030. Before joining Siemens, he managed fleet operations for Rentokil North America, overseeing a 20,000-vehicle fleet across multiple vehicle classes. Bolf brings experience in fleet operations, compliance, capital planning, and process improvement while helping develop strategies to support large-scale fleet electrification.

Tyler Teter, Safelite

Tyler Teter is assistant vice president of fleet at Safelite, overseeing a fleet of more than 7,000 vehicles. During his six years in fleet, he has led initiatives that integrate telematics, camera technology, and operational analytics to improve fleet utilization and productivity. His work has helped identify opportunities to reduce idle time, improve vehicle utilization, address fuel fraud, and redesign mobile service vehicle upfits. These efforts have supported Safelite’s ability to expand mobile service capacity while improving operational efficiency.

Meghan Murray, Teva Pharmaceuticals

Meghan Murray is North America fleet operations senior analyst at Teva Pharmaceuticals, where she has supported significant fleet growth during her first three years in the industry. She has helped redesign onboarding and offboarding processes, improve fleet administration, and support the company’s transition to a new fleet management provider. Murray is pursuing her Certified Automotive Fleet Manager designation and participates in industry mentorship and professional development programs while helping strengthen operational processes and driver support across Teva’s expanding North American fleet.

MacKenzie Mones

MacKenzie Mones, Fleet, Travel & Expense Business Partner at ITG Brands, has helped transform the company’s fleet into a nationally recognized program in fewer than five years. She led a fleet management company transition while overseeing 30% fleet growth, implementing analytics-driven processes that achieved 95-99% compliance across key fleet metrics. Under her leadership, ITG Brands transitioned 70% of its fleet to hybrid vehicles, improving fuel efficiency by 18% and reducing emissions per mile by 14.8%. Her focus on safety, sustainability, driver engagement, and operational discipline earned ITG Brands a No. 6 ranking on NAFA’s 2026 100 Best Fleets.

Jamie McKay, Aptive Pest Control

Jamie McKay is senior manager of fleet at Aptive Pest Control and became the company’s first in-house fleet manager in 2020. Since then, she has led the expansion of the fleet from approximately 600 to more than 2,400 vehicles while implementing initiatives focused on deployment speed, fleet optimization, telematics, vehicle standardization, and supplier partnerships. Her efforts have helped modernize fleet operations, improve vehicle readiness, and align fleet strategy with the company’s continued growth.

The recipient of the 2026 Fleet Visionary Award will be announced during the AFLA Corporate Fleet Conference, taking place Sept. 27-30 in Las Vegas.

The Fleet Visionary name, logo, brand, and all associated branding materials are legally owned and operated by Bobit Business Media Inc. (BBM), and BBM’s wholly owned Automotive Fleet brand. Permission for any commercial use must be obtained in writing by Bobit Business Media Inc. For further information, please refer to BBM’s Terms of Use which can be found at: http://www.bobit.com/terms-of-use

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A look at how a 2007 enforcement initiative became one of the most consequential weeks on the fleet safety calendar, and what it means for your drivers in 2026.

Every July, thousands of fleet drivers across the United States, Canada and Mexico find themselves under a slightly brighter spotlight. It’s not a new regulation. It’s not a DOT audit. It’s Operation Safe Driver Week, a campaign that’s been quietly shaping driver behavior, and fleet safety culture along with it, for nearly two decades.

For 2026, the week runs July 12–18, and this year’s focus area is reckless, careless or dangerous driving, a deliberately broad category that gives officers latitude to cite everything from aggressive lane changes to inattentive driving, in addition to the usual suspects of speeding, distraction and following distance.

For fleet managers, understanding where this campaign came from, and why it still matters, is as important as knowing the dates.

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How It Started

Operation Safe Driver Week traces back to 2007, when the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) launched the broader Operation Safe Driver Program in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The reasoning behind it was vehicles don’t cause most crashes. People do.

CVSA data attributes roughly 94% of crashes to driver behavior, not mechanical failure or road conditions. That number is the entire premise of the program. While CVSA’s other flagship initiatives, International Roadcheck and Brake Safety Week, are built around inspecting the vehicle, Operation Safe Driver was built around watching the human behind the wheel.

The annual “Week” component became the visible, public-facing centerpiece of that year-round program: a concentrated stretch where law enforcement agencies across three countries coordinate enforcement and outreach around a shared theme, then report the results back to CVSA for analysis.

Why the Numbers Keep the Campaign Relevant

The case for taking this week seriously isn’t abstract. In 2025, officers issued more than 5,000 warnings and nearly 2,500 tickets across commercial and passenger vehicles during the campaign, and speeding was, once again, the single most cited violation.

That tracks with the broader national picture. Speeding has been a factor in roughly 29% of all U.S. traffic fatalities in recent years, and CVSA points to it as the most frequent driver-related crash factor for both commercial and passenger vehicle operators. Distracted driving isn’t far behind: NHTSA attributed over 3,200 U.S. deaths to distraction in a recent year alone.

For a fleet, those aren’t just safety statistics, they’re the exact violations that show up on a driver’s CSA score and a carrier’s Safety Measurement System data. A citation issued during Operation Safe Driver Week doesn’t disappear when the campaign ends; it follows the driver, and the fleet, well past July.

What This Means for Fleet Drivers — Not Just Truckers

One detail fleet managers sometimes miss: this campaign was never built exclusively for commercial drivers. Unlike Roadcheck or Brake Safety Week, Operation Safe Driver Week targets all drivers on the road, company cars, service vans, pickup trucks and passenger fleet vehicles included. If your fleet includes anything beyond Class 8 trucks, this week applies to every one of those drivers too.

That’s a useful message for drivers who might assume enforcement campaigns are “a trucking thing.” It isn’t. It’s a roadway thing.

Four Habits Worth Reinforcing This Week — and Every Week

1. Obey posted speed limits. Speeding remains the most frequently cited violation during safety blitzes, and it’s also the most preventable. A few minutes saved rarely justifies the risk, or the citation.

2. Eliminate distractions before you start driving. Set the GPS, adjust the climate controls and put the phone on Do Not Disturb before the vehicle is in motion. For CMV drivers, FMCSA regulations already prohibit texting and require hands-free phone use, Operation Safe Driver Week just increases the odds that violation gets caught.

3. Buckle up, every time. Seat belt compliance is one of the most heavily tracked metrics during the campaign, for both commercial and passenger vehicle drivers. It’s also one of the simplest habits to get right.

4. Give yourself room. Following distance recommendations scale with vehicle size and conditions, commercial vehicles need significantly more stopping distance, especially in wet weather or around construction zones. A few extra car-lengths of space is a small price for a much larger margin of safety.

The Bigger Picture

CVSA has been clear that the goal of Operation Safe Driver Week isn’t to catch drivers off guard, it’s to create enough visible enforcement, in a concentrated window, that safer habits start to stick year-round. Research cited by the Alliance suggests that direct interactions with law enforcement measurably shift driver behavior, which is the entire logic behind running this as an annual event rather than a one-time push.

For fleets, that’s the real opportunity in Operation Safe Driver Week: not just avoiding a citation during one particular week, but using the campaign as a natural, recurring checkpoint to reinforce the habits, speed discipline, distraction management, seat belt use, safe following distance, that protect drivers, the public and the company’s safety record all year long.

Telematics, ADAS and enforcement campaigns all play a role in reducing crashes, but they work best alongside sound judgment behind the wheel, not in place of it. The most important safety feature in the vehicle is the driver.

Sources: Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

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Inspiration Mobility Group announced the acquisition of select assets of Electrada, a fuel solutions provider for commercial fleet electrification, which has operated since 2021. Electrada’s team, project pipeline, charging depot development, intellectual property assets, and energy management software will become part of Inspiration Energy, which is Inspiration’s charging infrastructure and energy management business.

Over the past six years, Electrada has built and operated fleet electrification infrastructure across the United States, serving public agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and institutions through its 360 CaaS, FleetFlex, and FleetFlip models. Across more than 375 depots, the company has delivered more than 99% electric fuel uptime and powered more than 10 million clean miles annually, enabling commercial fleets ranging from passenger vehicles to Class 8 tractor-trailers to exit fossil fuel dependency.

Related: Get 388win app, and claim daily bonus now!

“Inspiration is the natural home for what Electrada has built,” said Kevin Kushman, CEO of Electrada. “We’ve always measured success by customer outcomes, not infrastructure deployed, and Inspiration holds that same standard. Electrada’s depth in utility coordination, distributed power, and depot energy management means fleet operators aren’t just getting charging infrastructure; they’re getting an energy program architected to structurally reduce and stabilize their fuel costs. The acquisition brings together Electrada’s proven team, processes, and technology with Inspiration Energy’s ability to build, own, and manage depot real estate and charging infrastructure, giving fleet operators a fully capitalized, site-to-socket solution from the decision to electrify through daily electric fuel operations.”

The acquisition reinforces the full electric fuel lifecycle: precision depot design and utility coordination, distributed power, optimized energy management, and ongoing operations, offered as a CaaS program to eliminate upfront infrastructure risk. Leasing vehicles and providing fleet services to corporate fleets across the U.S., Inspiration will leverage Electrada’s capabilities to further grow its presence with heavy-duty commercial vehicles, distribution fleets, and the autonomous vehicle market.

“At a moment when fuel price spikes have already disrupted fleet budgets and operational planning, the value proposition for electrification has never been clearer,” said Josh Green, founder and CEO of Inspiration Mobility Group. “Electrada has excelled at doing something genuinely difficult: delivering reliable electric fuel at optimized, predictable cost across millions of fleet miles for some of the most operationally complex fleets in the country. Inspiration’s mission has always been to make electric transportation the obvious economic choice for commercial fleets, not just the responsible one. This acquisition strengthens our ability to deliver that outcome, at scale, giving customers one turnkey partner from the decision about where, when, and how to electrify, to the deployment of vehicles and charging, and lastly to daily fleet and electric fuel operations.”

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A conversation with a maintenance expert reveals the two most common summer maintenance pains and how to prevent them.

The summer months and their humid temperatures are officially in full swing, which means summer maintenance is, too. Vehicle heat failures are predictable, and yet many fleets still suffer from preventable downtime. The most commonly overlooked vulnerability, according to maintenance manager Jenny Baker from Mike Albert, is cooling systems and “Batteries! Summer heat is extremely hard on batteries, so they should be inspected before the hot weather hits.”

Heat accelerates battery degradation, increasing the likelihood of no-start situations that can take vehicles out of service unexpectedly. Testing batteries before temperatures rise can help fleets avoid costly roadside service calls.

Cooling and AC Systems

Beyond batteries, two vehicle systems are particularly vulnerable during the summer months: the air conditioning and engine cooling systems.

“Two vehicle systems that take a hard hit in the summer are the AC system and the engine cooling system,” Baker said. 

Spring preventative maintenance can help address both of these issues before they occur.

“AC systems should be checked in the spring for both overall performance and freon levels, so that any issues are caught well before the heat of summer creates an urgent problem.”

Cooling systems deserve the same level of attention.

Vehicle coolant should also be checked in the spring, with particular attention to leaks and to verifying that the thermostat is operating correctly.

Neglecting these inspections can lead to one of the most common summer-related breakdowns: overheating. Combined with battery failures, overheating events account for many of the service disruptions fleets experience during hot weather.

“The two most common summer breakdowns that could have been prevented are no-starts caused by battery failure and overheating from neglected cooling systems,” she said. 

The Small Maintenance Investments that Deliver

When it comes to preventive maintenance, fleets often focus on inspections, but other practices can also play an important role in reducing downtime.

More frequent oil changes can deliver some of the greatest ROI for fleets during the summer season because oil breaks down faster in warmer weather, Baker said. 

More frequent service intervals also create opportunities to identify developing issues before they become costly repairs.

“By getting oil changes more often during the warmer months and pairing them with the proper inspections each time, fleet managers can reduce unplanned downtime,” she said. 

Telematics’ Role in Preventing Summer Breakdowns

Technology can help fleets move beyond scheduled maintenance and toward a more proactive approach. Telematics and maintenance platforms provide valuable insight into vehicle health and performance trends, particularly during periods of extreme heat.

“Telematics and maintenance data are powerful tools for getting ahead of summer-related vehicle issues before they result in a breakdown.”

By monitoring key indicators, fleet managers can identify problems before drivers become stranded.

Staying Consistent

Ultimately, the fleets that avoid recurring summer downtime tend to share one characteristic: consistency.

When asked to give fleet managers one piece of advice to improve summer fleet readiness this year, she was direct. 

Baker’s response: “Be consistent and formalize that consistency into a weather readiness policy.”

That policy should outline the preventive measures needed to keep vehicles operating reliably throughout the season. The policy should specifically include more frequent oil changes during summer months, scheduled inspections for AC systems, battery testing, and cooling system checks.

The payoff extends beyond reliability.

“Lower overall costs are both the goal and the result of doing summer readiness the right way,” Baker said.

For fleet managers, summer maintenance is less about reacting to heat-related failures and more about preventing them through planning and inspection.,

About Jenny Baker: With over 30 years of dedicated experience in the automotive industry, Jenny Baker-Ford brings expertise to her role as Maintenance Manager at Mike Albert. Since joining the company in April 2019, she has leveraged her extensive knowledge of vehicle service requirements across multiple manufacturers to develop tailored maintenance strategies that minimize downtime and optimize fleet performance.

Throughout her career, Jenny has maintained a commitment to professional development and industry certifications. As an ASE Certified professional, she brings technical credibility to her leadership role. Her skill set encompasses project management, continuous improvement methodologies, and comprehensive knowledge of automotive products and services.

Prior to joining Mike Albert, Jenny held service and warranty roles at Lexus and Toyota dealerships and at Busam Automotive.

Related: Spring Cleaning: 5 Tips to Prep Your Fleet for Warmer Weather