The Fleet Success Show

What happens when one fleet director is asked to unite four divisions that have never worked together? Live from Connect 2026, Marc Canton talks with Luke Conway, Fleet Director for Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County in Indianapolis, about building a fleet department from scratch.Luke’s fleet covers a county hospital, EMS, public health, and a brand-new police department: about 450 assets, 1,300 drivers, two independent garages, and nearly 40 locations. In under three years, he’s moved the organization off pen and paper and onto an FMIS, rolled out corporate-wide telematics, centralized fuel, and started writing the policies that turn separate shops into one fleet.In this episode:How Luke went from school bus mechanic to fleet directorWhy the fleet hit about 90% availability even when every record was on paperWhy they chose not to import old paper records into their new FMISMoving fuel cards from drivers to vehicles, and why it mattersTelematics as a utilization tracker and safety tool for a self-insured organizationWhat happens when 60% of your drivers use their own vehiclesWhy a 10-year, 100,000-mile replacement rule doesn’t work for every asset classThe three questions RTA asks in every fleet centralization studyWhy your FMIS should be the single source of truth for fuel, telematics, and everything elseHave a question for Luke or Marc? Email [email protected] or leave a comment below.Learn more about RTA Fleet360, the fleet management software built by fleet managers for fleet managers: https://www.rtafleet.com/solutionsSubscribe for new episodes of The Fleet Success Show, the podcast for public sector and enterprise fleet leaders.  Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

Almost every organization runs a personally owned vehicle (POV) program, even the ones that say they don’t. Someone drives to a conference. An inspector drives to a job site. A department decides it would rather not park a branded vehicle out front. Before long, there’s a fleet on the road that nobody is managing.In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, host Marc Canton, VP of Fleet Strategy at RTA, sits down with Tony Yankovich, RTA’s Director of Consulting, to dig into a topic that touches right-sizing, motor pools, vehicle assignment, and policy but rarely gets its own spotlight. They talk through why organizations lean on POVs (hint: avoiding capital spending), why the risk still lands on the employer, and what a well-run program actually requires, from proof of maintenance and business-use insurance to telematics-validated mileage.Marc shares what he’s seen as an expert witness in reimbursement cases, including how rates get built wrong and why one rate for every vehicle rarely holds up. Tony walks through a county study where POV reimbursements topped $2 million in a year, with some individual employees collecting $30,000 to $40,000. And both make the case for the simplest analysis most fleets never run: the break-even point where a fleet vehicle becomes cheaper than reimbursement.In this episode:Why POV programs are more common than most organizations realizeThe capital-cost logic behind POVs, and the risk it leaves behindWhat “standard of care” should look like for employee-owned vehiclesReimbursement options: IRS rate, monthly allowance, direct mileage, and a two-tiered approachHow reimbursement rates get calculated wrong, and why it invites litigationWho should be managing the “gray fleet”The break-even analysis every fleet should run every yearSpeakers:Marc CantonMarc Canton is VP of Fleet Strategy at RTA: The Fleet Success Company and host of The Fleet Success Show. A former transportation director with more than 20 years in the role, Marc serves on the NASUF Education Steering Committee and has served as an expert witness in vehicle reimbursement cases. He helps fleet leaders build programs that are efficient, defensible, and fair.Tony YankovichTony Yankovich is Director of Consulting at RTA: The Fleet Success Company, where he leads fleet utilization and right-sizing studies for public and private organizations. Tony previously worked in city government and brings that hands-on perspective to helping fleets reduce costs, manage risk, and make data-driven decisions about the vehicles they own and reimburse.  Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

Bob explains how the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) impacts state fleets, why hybrid vehicles receive different compliance treatment than certain alternative fuel vehicles, and why state fleet leaders are advocating for change. They also explore the hidden costs of alternative fuel adoption, the importance of total cost of ownership, and how telematics can strengthen driver accountability, improve fuel management, and support better decision-making.Beyond the regulations, Bob shares lessons from his 28-year fleet career, including how he uses operational data to build trust with agency leadership and advocate for practical improvements that help government fleets operate more efficiently.Key TakeawaysUnderstanding EPAct compliance: Learn how the Energy Policy Act affects state and covered fleets, including the differences between standard vehicle acquisition requirements and alternative compliance pathways.The hybrid vehicle credit debate: Explore why E85 flex-fuel vehicles can receive full acquisition credits while hybrids receive partial credits under the state fleet requirements discussed, and why Bob is advocating for a more consistent approach.Evaluating the true cost of alternative fuels: Understand how fueling infrastructure, maintenance support, vehicle availability, and resale value influence total cost of ownership.Using telematics to eliminate fleet blind spots: Discover how connecting vehicle data, asset management systems, and fuel card transactions can strengthen accountability, help prevent fraud, and improve operational visibility.Making data-driven decisions: Learn why even small changes in fleet policy and strategy can create meaningful financial impacts across large government fleets.Building credibility with leadership: Hear how fleet managers can use clear, defensible data to communicate operational needs, influence decision-makers, and advocate for practical policy changes.About the SpeakersBob Williams — Assistant Commissioner of Vehicle and Asset Management, State of TennesseeBob Williams oversees vehicle and asset management for the State of Tennessee, including approximately 10,000 fleet assets across state agencies, excluding the Department of Transportation. His responsibilities span vehicle acquisition, maintenance administration, fueling, asset disposal, and surplus property programs.With 28 years of fleet industry experience, including more than 12 years serving Tennessee state government, Bob brings a unique combination of private-sector operations, entrepreneurship, and public-sector leadership. His background includes commercial truck leasing, business ownership, and fleet operations management.Bob is passionate about leveraging technology, strengthening driver accountability, improving cost efficiency, and advocating for practical fleet policies that support responsible use of public resources.Marc Canton — VP of Fleet Strategy, RTA Fleet | Host, The Fleet Success ShowMarc Canton is the Vice President of Fleet Strategy at RTA Fleet and host of The Fleet Success Show. With experience in fleet operations and consulting, Marc brings a practical perspective to the challenges fleet leaders face, from managing costs and evaluating alternative fuel technologies to improving operational performance.Through his work at RTA, Marc helps fleet professionals navigate complex decisions, uncover opportunities for improvement, and develop strategies that support safer, more efficient, and more accountable fleet operations.About The Fleet Success ShowThe Fleet Success Show brings together experienced fleet professionals to share real-world insights, practical strategies, and lessons learned from across the industry. Hosted by RTA Fleet, the podcast helps fleet leaders eliminate blind spots, make better decisions, strengthen operations, and build safe, reliable fleets their communities can depend on.Build the fleet you're proud to lead.  Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

Marc, Nathan, and Scott explore why fleet metrics need context, how something as seemingly straightforward as PM compliance can tell different stories depending on how it’s measured, and why availability remains such an important indicator of operational performance.But the conversation goes beyond KPIs. Nathan makes the case that strong relationships with user departments, finance, HR, risk, and leadership can ultimately improve operational performance. Scott explains why fleet leaders need to become better storytellers if they want their organizations to understand the value fleet provides.Together, they explore how performance, stakeholder satisfaction, intentional culture, resource efficiency, and risk management reinforce one another, creating either a positive or negative feedback loop across the fleet organization.Key TakeawaysFleet data without context can be misleading. A KPI tells you what happened; understanding how the fleet operates helps explain why.PM compliance needs context. Differences in PM tolerances and measurement practices can dramatically affect the reported number.Availability is a critical outcome metric. PM compliance and other operational KPIs contribute to the larger goal of keeping assets ready for the people who depend on them.Relationships can drive better fleet performance. Strong relationships with user departments and organizational stakeholders make it easier to get vehicles into the shop, secure resources, and improve performance.Fleet leaders need to tell their story. Strong performance can go unnoticed when leaders don't communicate what fleet contributes to the organization.Culture makes performance durable. Processes and KPIs matter, but an intentional culture helps an organization continue performing when individual people come and go.The four pillars work as a system. Improvements in one area can reinforce improvements elsewhere and create a positive feedback loop.Applying for fleet awards can itself be valuable. The evaluation process forces fleet leaders to examine metrics, identify gaps, benchmark performance, and recognize their teams, even if they don't ultimately win.Speaker BiosMarc Canton — VP of Fleet Strategy, RTA FleetMarc Canton is Vice President of Fleet Strategy at RTA Fleet and host of The Fleet Success Show. He brings more than two decades of transportation, logistics, and government fleet-management experience, including serving as Transportation Director and Fleet Manager at Fordham University. Today, he helps fleet leaders improve performance and shape technology designed around real-world fleet operations.Nathan Schafer — Fleet Management Consultant, RTA FleetNathan Schafer, CAFM, CPFP, is a Fleet Management Consultant at RTA with approximately 25 years of fleet management and maintenance experience. A former technician and fleet manager, Nathan has led both private-sector and government fleets and brings hands-on experience across maintenance, replacement planning, customer service, shop management, and fleet operations. Scott Conlon — Fleet Management Consultant, RTA FleetScott Conlon is a Fleet Management Consultant at RTA with more than 25 years of fleet management and maintenance experience. As part of RTA's consulting team, Scott helps public-sector fleets evaluate performance and improve their operations through the pillars of Fleet Success.  Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

The role of the fleet manager is changing fast. Today’s fleet leaders aren’t just expected to understand vehicles and maintenance—they’re being asked to lead people, analyze data, adopt new technology, manage risk, communicate with stakeholders, and increasingly, understand how to put AI to work.In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, RTA’s Marc Canton sits down with Vadim Rodin, Director of Technical Sales at Verizon Connect, to explore what this evolution means for fleet professionals, and how leaders can successfully guide their teams through what comes next.Marc and Vadim dig into the human side of fleet technology and change management. They discuss how different generations learn, communicate, and respond to change; why explaining the “why” behind a new initiative matters; and how fleet leaders can build genuine adoption rather than simply introducing another piece of software or another process.They also explore practical applications of AI for fleet leaders. From preparing for difficult employee conversations to pressure-testing an initiative before implementation, AI can serve as a thought partner that helps managers ask better questions, anticipate failure points, and approach decisions from new perspectives.Vadim shares a four-stage approach to change management—education, encouragement, soft enforcement, and hard enforcement—and explains how peer influence, meaningful incentives, clear expectations, and accountability can help turn an organizational initiative into lasting behavior change.The conversation also examines how the fleet manager’s job itself is evolving. Technical expertise remains important, but today’s leaders increasingly need to understand technology, finance, analytics, communication, customer service, culture, risk, and storytelling. With more data available than ever, success isn’t simply about collecting information—it’s about turning that information into action and being able to clearly communicate what the fleet needs and why.Ultimately, technology alone won’t transform a fleet. The leaders who succeed will be those who can eliminate blind spots, bring order to change, engage their people, use data intelligently, and build a culture capable of adapting to what comes next.Key TakeawaysThe fleet manager role is becoming multidisciplinary. Today’s leaders increasingly need skills across technology, data, finance, risk, communication, culture, customer service, and people leadership—not just vehicle and maintenance expertise.AI can be a practical leadership tool. Fleet managers can use AI to prepare for difficult conversations, adapt coaching to different employees, challenge their assumptions, develop ideas, and identify potential failure points before implementing a change.Use AI to pressure-test initiatives before they fail. Instead of only asking AI what could go wrong, Marc and Vadim discuss telling it to assume an initiative has already failed and asking it to diagnose why. That shift can uncover risks and adoption problems that might otherwise be missed.Technology adoption requires behavior change. Buying software or implementing a new system doesn't automatically create value. Leaders have to connect the technology to improved processes, outcomes, and everyday behaviors.Successful change starts with education and encouragement. Vadim outlines a progression of education, encouragement, soft enforcement, and hard enforcement. Explain what is changing and why, build support, and then create clear accountability around the new expectations.Peer champions can accelerate adoption. Employees who embrace a change early can become influential advocates and coaches for their coworkers—and may reveal themselves as future leaders in the process.Different generations may require different approaches to leadership and learning. Understanding how employees prefer to learn, communicate, experiment, and find meaning in their work can help fleet leaders improve training and change adoption.Data needs context to become useful. Fleet leaders shouldn't abandon experience in favor of data. Experience helps provide the context necessary to interpret information correctly and turn it into meaningful decisions.Fleet priorities continue to evolve. The Verizon Connect research discussed in the episode points to efficiency and productivity, cost reduction, and driver safety as major priorities, while the conversation explores changing attention around sustainability and fleet data.Expect more from technology partners. Fleet leaders should ask their software and service providers for expertise, resources, integrations, training, and continuous product improvement—not simply accept the technology they were initially given.The views, opinions, and statements expressed here are solely that of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of Verizon Communications Inc., or its affiliates. Speaker BiosMarc CantonMarc Canton is Vice President of Fleet Strategy at RTA Fleet and host of The Fleet Success Show. In this episode, Marc brings a fleet leadership perspective to the changing responsibilities of today’s fleet manager, exploring the intersection of technology, data, workforce management, organizational culture, and change.He also connects these challenges to a larger question facing the profession: as fleet leaders are asked to do more with technology and data, how can they continue building safe, reliable, efficient operations while leading their people effectively?Vadim RodinVadim Rodin is Director within the Technical Sales organization at Verizon Connect. His work supports both internal teams and external customers across government, SMB, and enterprise organizations, helping them understand, implement, and get greater value from the Verizon Connect platform.In the episode, Vadim draws on his experience helping organizations implement technology and improve adoption to discuss change management, workforce dynamics, AI, leadership, and the importance of ensuring technology produces meaningful business outcomes.  Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

Vehicles are getting smarter, but what does that mean for the people driving and managing them?In Episode 248 of **The Fleet Success Show**, Marc Canton and Tony Yankovic talk about new and emerging vehicle technology, including fingerprint and retinal recognition, driver monitoring, connected diagnostics, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and remote vehicle controls.They look at both sides of the technology. Some of these features could improve safety, security, and maintenance. At the same time, they raise real questions about privacy, data ownership, cybersecurity, driver trust, and how much control a vehicle should have.For fleet leaders, these technologies are worth watching as they become more common in the vehicles entering their fleets.Key Takeaways- Biometric technology could change how drivers access and interact with vehicles.- Driver monitoring may help identify fatigue, distraction, and other safety concerns.- Connected vehicles could improve diagnostics, maintenance, and collision prevention.- More vehicle data raises questions about who owns it and who can access it.- Greater vehicle connectivity brings new cybersecurity risks for fleets.- Fleet leaders will need to balance safety and useful technology with privacy, trust, and control.SpeakersMarc Canton is VP of Fleet Strategy at RTA Fleet and host of *The Fleet Success Show*. He brings hands-on fleet and transportation experience to conversations about fleet operations, technology, leadership, and strategy.Tony Yankovic is a fleet management expert and regular contributor to *The Fleet Success Show*. He brings decades of practical experience in fleet operations, safety, maintenance, and performance. Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, Marc, RTA’s VP of Fleet Strategy, puts Nathan’s 25 years of fleet experience to the test with a provocative question:Should one of fleet’s biggest internal customers also be its boss?Nathan spent years managing a city fleet that reported through Public Works. He had strong leadership and a positive working relationship—but still experienced some of the structural challenges that can come with the model.Marc and Nathan explore how reporting through Public Works can create real or perceived conflicts of interest. If fleet is responsible for objectively serving police, fire, utilities, Public Works, and other departments, what happens when one of those customers also sits above fleet in the organizational chart?That question can affect everything from budget allocation and vehicle replacement to maintenance priorities and fleet’s ability to advocate for resources with senior leadership.The conversation also exposes another important distinction: Is your organization managing a fleet—or simply managing fleet maintenance?Some public-sector organizations have a shop supervisor responsible for technicians and repairs but no dedicated fleet leader overseeing replacement planning, vehicle specifications, lifecycle management, budgeting, standardization, and overall fleet strategy. Without that function, major fleet decisions can become fragmented across departments—or turn into political negotiations rather than objective, data-driven decisions.Marc and Nathan make the case that fleet may be better positioned as an independent internal service: serving every department objectively, providing leadership with a clearer picture of true fleet costs and performance, and giving fleet professionals the authority and access they need to lead with confidence.But they also acknowledge that successful fleets do operate under Public Works—and they want to hear the other side.In this episode, you'll learn:Why reporting to an internal fleet customer can create real or perceived conflicts of interestHow organizational structure can influence fleet budgets and resource allocationWhy vehicle replacement should be a data-driven economic exercise rather than a departmental negotiationThe difference between a fleet maintenance operation and a true fleet management organizationHow organizational independence can improve cost visibility and accountabilityWhy direct access to senior leadership can help fleet leaders advocate for their operationHow General Services, Finance, and independent fleet departments compare as potential organizational structuresDoes your fleet report through Public Works? Listen to the full episode and join the conversation about where fleet belongs on the organizational chart. Speaker BiosMarc Canton is Vice President of Fleet Strategy at RTA Fleet, where he helps public-sector fleet leaders improve performance, strengthen decision-making, and build more effective fleet organizations. A recognized fleet strategist and industry thought leader, Marc brings a practical, data-driven perspective to the operational, financial, and organizational challenges facing today’s fleets.As a host of The Fleet Success Show, Marc explores the strategies, processes, and leadership principles that help fleet professionals improve stakeholder satisfaction, resource efficiency, culture, and risk management, and ultimately build fleets they’re proud to lead. Nathan Schafer is a Fleet Consultant at RTA Fleet with approximately 25 years of hands-on fleet experience. He began his career as a technician before advancing into fleet management, where he managed both private-sector and government fleets.Nathan joined RTA in 2021, initially working in training before serving in several roles and ultimately moving into fleet consulting. His experience from the shop floor through fleet leadership gives him a practical understanding of the operational and organizational challenges fleet professionals face every day.Today, Nathan works with fleet organizations to evaluate their operations, identify opportunities for improvement, and apply proven fleet management practices that help them operate more effectively and build sustainable long-term success. Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

The answer can have significant implications for vehicle replacement planning, residual value, total cost of ownership, warranty coverage, fleet availability, and long-term capital planning.Marc Canton is joined by Sara Burnam, Scott Conlon, Drew Morrow, and Jake Johnson to examine the issue from public-sector, consulting, heavy-duty, emergency-management, and fleet-operations perspectives.The group explores why low-utilization vehicles can be just as important to identify as high-utilization assets; when reassigning vehicles can protect lifecycle economics; and why simply having two identical vehicles does not necessarily mean they belong in the same lifecycle or utilization class.They also examine the human side of utilization management. Drivers and departments can develop a sense of ownership over assigned vehicles, creating what the group calls “switching friction.” That means the mathematically optimal fleet decision may not always be the most practical one. Fleet leaders have to consider the time, political capital, operational disruption, and organizational culture required to make a change.The discussion gets especially interesting with specialized assets. Is it financially responsible to move a former patrol vehicle into an administrative role? When does the cost of removing specialized upfits outweigh the savings? Could cycling a heavy-duty truck from high-mileage highway service into lower-mileage city service extend its useful life? And should fleets deliberately maximize vehicle use while an asset is under warranty?The central takeaway is not that every fleet should constantly rotate vehicles. It’s that fleet utilization should be actively managed with data rather than allowed to become a blind spot.High-performing fleet leaders understand their expected utilization, identify meaningful outliers, evaluate the lifecycle and replacement implications, and then choose the intervention that produces the best outcome for their organization.Sometimes that means reassigning an asset. Sometimes it means creating a different utilization class or replacement cycle. And sometimes the operational friction means another strategy makes more sense.The important thing is being able to defend the decision with data.In This Episode, You'll LearnWhen vehicle reassignment can improve fleet utilizationHow utilization affects replacement timing and total cost of ownershipWhy high-mileage assets can negatively affect residual valueHow to identify and manage high- and low-utilization outliersWhen identical vehicles may require different lifecycle strategiesWhy organizational culture affects asset reassignmentHow “switching friction” should factor into utilization decisionsWhen specialized vehicles should—or shouldn't—be repurposedHow warranty periods can influence utilization strategyWhy replacement scoring can help prioritize assets within the same classHow better utilization data helps fleet leaders make defensible capital decisions Speaker BiosMarc Canton — VP of Fleet Strategy, RTAMarc Canton serves as VP of Fleet Strategy at RTA and hosts this episode of The Fleet Success Show. He works with RTA's fleet professionals to help fleet leaders examine the operational and financial decisions that affect fleet performance. In this discussion, Marc challenges the panel to move beyond “it depends” and address the economics of utilization, replacement timing, residual value, and total cost of ownership.Sara Burnam — Fleet Success Manager, RTASara is a Fleet Success Manager at RTA with approximately 27 years of fleet industry experience. Her perspective on utilization management is informed by firsthand experience identifying underutilized vehicles, repurposing assets, and avoiding unnecessary replacements. In this episode, she also explores the unique challenges associated with reassigning specialized vehicles such as marked police units.Scott Conlon — Fleet Consultant, RTAScott Conlon works on RTA's fleet consulting team and brings approximately 25 years of fleet industry experience to the discussion. He challenges fleets to consider not only the economics of vehicle utilization but also lifecycle classifications, replacement scoring, organizational culture, and the time and effort required to move assets between users.Drew Morrow — Fleet Success Manager, RTADrew Morrow is a Fleet Success Manager at RTA with 15 years of experience leading fleets. Drawing on his background in fleet operations and emergency management, Drew examines vehicle reassignment through the lenses of asset use case, operational requirements, remarketing, and the data fleet leaders need to justify utilization decisions.Jake Johnson — Fleet Success Manager, RTAJake Johnson is a Fleet Success Manager at RTA with more than 20 years of experience on the heavy-duty commercial side of the fleet industry. His perspective highlights how utilization strategies can differ dramatically by asset type, including situations where heavy-duty vehicles move from high-mileage applications to lower-mileage duty cycles later in their lives.CTAFleet leaders shouldn't have to make lifecycle and utilization decisions in the dark.RTA Fleet360 helps public fleet leaders bring asset, maintenance, utilization, lifecycle, and cost information together so they can identify fleet blind spots, make better decisions, and confidently stand behind those decisions.Build the fleet you're proud to lead.Learn more about RTA Fleet360 at rtafleet.com or explore RTA Fleet Consulting at fleetconsulting.com. Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, RTA Fleet’s Marc Canton and Marc Knight break down fleet cost allocation, chargebacks, and billing, and explain why these financial practices are about much more than moving money between accounts.A properly structured fleet chargeback system helps recover the full cost of operating the fleet, including costs that are easy to overlook. Fuel, for example, costs more than the price paid at the pump. Managing fuel sites, ordering fuel, maintaining infrastructure, and administering the program all contribute to its true cost. The same principle applies to parts, labor, administration, vehicle replacement, and other fleet services.But cost recovery is only part of the equation.Marc and Marc explain how chargebacks can create greater cost visibility, transparency, and accountability across an organization. When departments can see the financial impact of underutilized vehicles, preventable accidents, missed maintenance, and other operating decisions, fleet costs become a tool for changing behavior, not simply an accounting exercise.The conversation also explores the critical difference between cost allocation, chargebacks, and billing. You'll hear why traditional monthly reports can create financial blind spots, how a structured billing workflow creates a more traceable process, and why fleet and finance teams need to agree on customers, account structures, rates, transaction rules, and cost-recovery methodology.In this episode, you'll learn:What fleet cost allocation is and how it supports chargeback rate developmentWhy fleets need to understand both direct and indirect operating costsHow a chargeback system helps fleets recover the true cost of servicesWhy chargebacks can improve vehicle utilization and influence stakeholder behaviorHow to determine which costs should be fixed versus directly chargedWhy fleet billing requires more than running a month-end reportHow billing workflows can improve financial visibility and transaction traceabilityWhy fleet and finance teams should work together when designing a chargeback programWhat to consider when determining customers, account structures, rates, and billing frequencyHow stronger fleet financial data can help leaders make better decisions and confidently explain their operationWhether you're operating an internal service fund, enterprise fund, public-sector fleet, or another organization that needs to accurately recover fleet costs, this episode provides a practical framework for building a more transparent and defensible approach to fleet finance.About the SpeakersMarc Canton — VP of Fleet Strategy, RTA FleetMarc Canton is Vice President of Fleet Strategy at RTA Fleet and host of The Fleet Success Show. He helps fleet professionals apply proven fleet-management principles to improve operations, make better decisions, and build safe, reliable, and accountable fleets.Marc Knight — RTA FleetMarc Knight brings extensive experience in fleet cost allocation, chargeback methodology, billing, and fleet financial management. His work includes helping organizations translate fleet operating costs into practical rates and billing processes that support cost recovery, accountability, and better financial visibility.Build a Fleet You’re Proud to LeadFleet leaders shouldn't have to operate with financial blind spots. Clear, defensible fleet data makes it easier to understand where money is going, explain costs to stakeholders, make better budgeting decisions, and confidently stand behind your operation.RTA Fleet360 brings fleet operations, maintenance, budgeting, lifecycle planning, reporting, and accountability into a purpose-built fleet management system designed for public-sector and in-house fleets.Learn more about RTA Fleet360 at rtafleet.com. Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast

What happens when a guy who wanted to be a city planner ends up running a food distributor's delivery trucks, gets mentored by two of the most influential minds in fleet consulting, and spends the next three decades building the software that public fleets run on? You get this episode. Marc Canton sits down with Marc Knight, who works on RTA's product, roadmap, and enterprise team, for a career-spanning conversation that covers how AI is closing the fleet analyst gap, why dashboards only tell you what already happened, what managed competition actually means for public fleets, and how RTA's new billing module is taking manual ERP reconciliation off fleet managers' plates.  In this episode: How Marc Knight backed into fleet through a food distributor's delivery routing problem Getting mentored by fleet legends Paul Lauria and Chip Taggart at the start of managed competition consulting What "managed competition" means and why public fleets still use it today Why AI may finally solve the industry's toughest staffing gap: skilled fleet analysts Why dashboards are a rearview mirror and what a forward-looking alternative looks like The parallels between building RTA Fleet360 today and building the first web-based fleet system 20 years ago Why AI should be a tool that helps you decide, not the thing that decides for you A first look at how RTA's new billing module automates ERP chargebacks with an AI-supported rules engine Looking to take the next step to fleet success? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet. Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here: https://rtafleet.com/resources/fleet-success-playbook?utm_source=simplecast&utm_medium=footer_notes&utm_campaign=podcast