The Fleet Success Show

In this episode of the Fleet Success Show: Fleet Management 101 Series, Fleet Success Ambassador Facundo Tassara sits down with Bill Griffiths, Fleet Administrator for the District of Columbia, to unpack the essentials every fleet professional needs to succeed. With over 30 years in the game, managing fleets from the Smithsonian to Montgomery County to the nation's capital, Bill reveals how he transformed underperforming fleets with one radical principle: get the fundamentals right.

From crafting a killer elevator pitch to navigating NTSB investigations, from PM compliance to creating scorecards that drive accountability—this episode is an unfiltered masterclass in fleet management done right. Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned veteran, this conversation will challenge your thinking and upgrade your strategy.

• Fleet Fundamentals: Why missing the basics—like asset classifications, accounting codes, or PMs—can cripple your operation.
• The Power of Metrics: How to choose the right KPIs (and what 5 Bill thinks are non-negotiable).
• Elevator Pitch Mastery: Why every fleet leader should be ready to present fleet value in 30 seconds or less.
• Customer Service as a Fleet Strategy: How proactive service communication builds internal trust and budget support.
• Scorecards That Drive Culture: How Bill uses shop-level scorecards to increase ownership, technician efficiency, and fleet availability.
• Working On the Business: The difference between reacting to problems and planning for a future with EVs, telematics, and shifting tech.
  
   

Fleet Success Ambassador, RTA
With 25 years of experience across government and private fleets, Facundo is a champion of operational excellence. As RTA's Fleet Success Ambassador, he brings a unique blend of hands-on experience and tech innovation to help fleets run smarter, leaner, and more effectively.

Fleet Administrator, District of Columbia
A fleet industry veteran with 34 years of experience, Bill has led transformative fleet initiatives at Montgomery County, the Smithsonian Institution, the MBTA, and now Washington D.C. He’s known for his strategic mindset, obsession with data-driven decisions, and no-BS approach to leadership and fleet accountability.

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

Live from the RTA Connect 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Marc Canton interviews Drew Morrow, a seasoned fleet manager from Cambridge, Massachusetts, who operates a private ambulance fleet. With just one and a half techs to maintain 34 vehicles, Drew is living proof of the technician shortage crisis. But instead of giving in to chaos, he shares how he uses structured calendar blocks and smart prioritization to manage both strategic planning and daily shop operations.

This candid conversation dives deep into the balancing act of wrench time vs. leadership, the challenge of telling your fleet's story to executives, and why you need to be your fleet's biggest advocate. Drew also opens up about the emotional toll of trying to do it all, the importance of industry collaboration, and how to make a compelling case for hiring help or replacing aging vehicles.

Whether you're running an EMS fleet or a government operation, this episode delivers actionable insights for any fleet leader struggling with time, staffing, or executive buy-in.

Key Takeaways:

• You can’t lead strategically if you’re buried in the shop.
• Structured calendar time (like blocking hours in Outlook) helps combat chaos.
• Telling your story through the lens of risk and mission execution resonates with leadership.
• You must track KPIs like missed PMs due to poor communication.
• Early vehicle replacement can reduce wrench time and total cost of ownership.
• Peer collaboration is critical—even in competitive industries like private EMS.

Speakers: 

Marc Canton – VP of Product & Consulting at RTA: The Fleet Success Company. With decades of fleet experience, Marc helps fleets turn performance data into action and leads RTA's consulting arm to drive meaningful success across operations.

Drew Morrow – Fleet Manager for a private ambulance company in Cambridge, MA. With over 25 years in the industry, Drew brings a technician’s expertise and a leader’s mindset to one of the most mission-critical fleet sectors: EMS.

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 special 200th episode of The Fleet Success Show, hosts Josh Turley, Steve Saltzgiver, and Marc Canton take the stage live to celebrate the journey so far. They look back on four years of weekly episodes, share hard-earned lessons on leadership and culture, and take real-time questions from an audience of fleet professionals.

You’ll hear how the podcast started, what keeps it going, and what the hosts have learned about consistency, trust, and creating impact through honest conversations. Whether you're a long-time listener or brand new to the show, this episode offers valuable insights on starting strong, staying accountable, and building a culture where people thrive—no matter your title.

• Start now. You don’t need to be ready—you just need to start.
• Consistency is everything. Schedule it, prioritize it, and stick with it.
• Trust comes first. People will only hear tough truths when they know you care.
• You can lead from the middle. Culture change isn’t just top-down.
• Yes, public fleets can change. Intentional culture is possible in any environment—with the right mindset and commitment.
• Measure what matters. Data and accountability drive results—and buy-in.
  
   

Josh Turley – CEO, RTA
Josh is a fleet leadership advocate, people-first executive, and the driving force behind RTA's mission to help fleets succeed. With a passion for culture and clarity, he uses his platform to guide fleet leaders through growth and transformation.

Steve Saltzgiver – Fleet Hall of Famer & RTA Fleet Success Consultant
With over four decades of experience in both government and private-sector fleets, Steve brings unmatched insight and humor to every conversation. A true coach at heart, he helps fleet managers build trust, boost performance, and lead with purpose.

Marc Canton – VP of Product & Consulting, RTA

Marc is a former fleet leader and higher-ed fleet director who knows what it takes to build a strong culture from the ground up. His leadership style is rooted in honesty, accountability, and servant leadership—and it shows in how he supports teams and customers alike.

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, Josh Turley and Marc Canton break down the real reasons behind the fleet technician shortage. Spoiler: it's not just about pay, and it’s not just about competition with dealerships anymore. Today, fleets are fighting a war on two fronts—against white-collar careers and blue-collar trades that offer higher pay, lower complexity, and better mobility.

Josh and Marc explore:

• Why techs are avoiding the automotive space and opting for HVAC, electrical, and plumbing.
• The psychology of Gen Z (aka the Toolbelt Generation).
• How lack of exposure and outdated compensation models are killing technician pipelines.
• The missed recruiting opportunities fleets ignore at trade schools and even 4-year universities.

You’ll also learn how to rethink recruiting, reposition your fleet, and make technician roles more appealing—without waiting for "the industry" to save you.

Key Takeaways

• The technician shortage is not unique to fleet—dealerships and private shops are hurting, too.
• Gen Z is entering the trades, just not yours. Plumbers, HVAC techs, and electricians are winning the war for talent.
• Fleets struggle to recruit because they don't market themselves well and they lack a clear career path for techs.
• Dealerships have visibility and recruiting power. Fleets often hide behind HR processes and outdated comp studies.
• Competing requires intentional culture, real wage strategy, and recruiting at high schools and community colleges.
• Fleet managers must think like marketers—position your brand, tell a compelling story, and offer a growth path.

Speaker Bios

Josh Turley
CEO of RTA, Josh brings a practical, strategic mindset to modern fleet challenges. With deep industry experience and a passion for technician development, he champions data-driven fleet management and sustainable recruiting.

Marc Canton
Fleet consultant and workforce strategist, Marc works with fleets to improve operational efficiency and tackle workforce shortages head-on. A master storyteller, Marc connects cultural trends with actionable steps for 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

“You can’t fix technician staffing without fixing the replacement plan first—and rightsizing without replacement is just rearranging the deck chairs.”

Fleet managers face an ongoing puzzle: should you prioritize asset replacement, rightsize your fleet, or hire more technicians? In this episode, Josh Turley and Marc Canton dive deep into how each of these levers impacts the others—and why trying to solve them in isolation might be the biggest mistake of all.

Marc argues that a strong replacement plan is the keystone to improving both righttyping and technician capacity. You'll hear how poor replacement drives reactive maintenance, higher costs, and staffing overload—while proactive planning can improve PM compliance, reduce downtime, and unlock righttyping conversations that lead to major cost savings.

The episode also explores how rightsizing (and righttyping) can expose hidden inefficiencies and open the door to smarter technician resource planning. The hosts walk through real-world examples of strategic replacements leading to reductions in spare ratios, better technician alignment, and enhanced fleet availability.

Finally, they show how to build compelling data-driven models for stakeholders to weigh tradeoffs across capital spending, operational costs, and technician resources. You'll walk away understanding why doing all three—replacement, rightsizing, and staffing—at the same time is not only possible, but essential for true fleet success.

• A solid replacement plan is the foundation—it improves availability, reduces reactive maintenance, and helps rightsize your fleet.
   
• Righttyping vehicles can reduce technician burden and operating costs, even if asset counts increase.
   
• Technician staffing must be based on AU workload—not arbitrary tech-to-vehicle ratios.
   
• Use scenario modeling to present stakeholders with capital vs. OPEX trade-offs and drive better decisions.
   
• Present options—not ultimatums—to leadership. Blended approaches are more successful than single-threaded strategies.
   
• Your goal isn’t just better utilization—it’s higher availability that enables mission success.
  
   

Josh Turley
CEO of RTA and host of the Fleet Success Show, Josh brings decades of experience in helping government and enterprise fleets increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve availability through smarter maintenance systems and consulting.

Marc Canton
Fleet management consultant and co-host, Marc is a seasoned strategist who helps fleets across North America rightsize their assets, optimize replacement plans, and navigate tough staffing challenges. Known for data-driven storytelling and hands-on problem-solving.

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 Canton is joined by fleet industry leader and Boynton Beach Fleet Director Dave Persad for a raw, heartfelt conversation about leadership, legacy, and transforming public sector fleets.

From his humble beginnings on a farm in Trinidad to managing award-winning fleets in Florida, Dave shares his journey through construction, hardship, and passion-led transformation. You'll hear about how he led West Palm Beach and Boynton Beach to Top 100 Fleet rankings, his strategies for stakeholder engagement, and the power of intentional culture. This episode is packed with real talk on managing resources, securing buy-in, and building a team that believes in the mission.

Whether you’re struggling to get budget approvals or dealing with bad apples on your team, this episode is a playbook for turning frustration into progress. Dave's story is a must-listen for fleet managers trying to prove their value, protect in-house maintenance, and build a team people want to follow.

• Intentional Culture: Leadership isn't an accident. Dave shows how intentional values, love, and high expectations shape teams that succeed.
• Data + Emotion = Influence: Learn how Dave tells a compelling fleet story using performance metrics tied directly to stakeholder needs.
• Stakeholder Satisfaction is Everything: Dave runs quarterly fleet meetings with all departments to align goals, manage replacements, and improve availability.
• Recruitment Through Leadership: Treat people right, and they follow you. Half of Dave's team followed him from West Palm Beach to Boynton Beach.
• You Can't Tolerate Bad Apples: One negative tech can tank a culture. Learn how Dave documents and leads through tough conversations.
• Food, Family, and Follow-Through: Sometimes, building culture means breaking bread. Literally.

Marc Canton is the VP of Product and Consulting at RTA: The Fleet Success Company. With nearly 30 years in fleet, he brings a blend of tech expertise and hands-on experience to help fleets succeed.

Dave Persad is the Fleet Director for the City of Boynton Beach, FL. With a background in construction and public works, Dave has led multiple fleets to Top 100 status using a culture-first, data-driven approach.

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, host Nathan Schafer sits down with Brent Messner from the City of Las Vegas to explore a topic that's essential for every fleet professional: how to build a successful and lasting career in the fleet industry.

Starting from their humble beginnings as technicians, both Nathan and Brent share real, relatable stories of navigating the fleet world, embracing continuous education, and the pivotal moments that shifted their mindsets from "turning wrenches" to leading teams. Brent reflects on the moment his supervisor told him he was destined to run the place one day—a comment that sparked his journey toward leadership.

The duo dive into the importance of ongoing training, why technicians need to understand more than just tools, and how building strong vendor and peer relationships accelerates career growth. Whether you're just starting your fleet journey or you're a fleet manager looking to elevate your team, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

Key Takeaways:

• Invest in Yourself: Don’t wait for your employer to offer training—seek it out and fund it if you have to. It pays off.
• Mentorship Starts Early: One comment from a supervisor can completely change a technician’s trajectory.
• Training Isn't Optional: Even if you're in government and budgets are tight, training can (and should) be baked into vendor contracts.
• Relationships Are Everything: Your network will help you solve the problems you haven’t even run into yet.
• Walk the Shop Floor: New fleet managers should spend time learning from their technicians and operators.
• Certifications Matter: Whether it’s ASEs, CAFM, or CPFP, showing you're an active participant in the field builds credibility.

Speaker Bios:

Nathan Schafer is a Fleet Success Manager at RTA: The Fleet Success Company, with over 25 years of experience in the fleet industry. From technician to manager to consultant, Nathan brings a real-world, no-fluff perspective to helping fleets succeed.

Brent Messner is the Fleet and Fuel Operations Manager for the City of Las Vegas and a co-host of the Not Just Fleet podcast. With a background in government fleet operations and a passion for technician training, Brent shares his journey from shop floor to leadership.

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

“By the time we figured it out, we had to replace 110 engines—10% of the fleet. All because of bad fuel.” – Dave Persad

What happens when your vehicles are running perfectly one week—and the next, you’re replacing 110 engines?

In this gripping episode of The Fleet Success Show, host Marc Canton sits down with award-winning fleet manager Dave Persad to uncover one of the most catastrophic fuel contamination events in fleet history. Dave walks us through a nightmare scenario that began with a few strange service calls and escalated into a full-blown crisis affecting hundreds of vehicles.

This isn’t just a horror story—it’s a masterclass in leadership, diagnostics, resilience, and how to turn chaos into a controlled comeback.

Fleet managers, buckle up—this episode is a must-listen if you want to protect your team, your equipment, and your reputation from unexpected disasters.

• Bad fuel can destroy your fleet – Learn how fuel contamination silently compromised engines before anyone knew what was happening.
• Relationships are critical in a crisis – Strong dealership and vendor relationships can be the difference between weeks and months of downtime.
• Documentation is your legal shield – Dave shares how detailed work orders and PM records saved his team from blame and supported insurance/legal claims.
• Fleet success relies on preparation – Discover how Dave’s team managed to keep operations going with backup vehicles, leases, and strategic planning.
• Testing your fuel isn't optional – Implement rolling 30-day sampling to avoid hidden contamination disasters.
  
   

🎤 Dave Persad
Fleet Manager, City of Boynton Beach
With over a decade of award-winning fleet leadership, Dave has led multiple programs to national recognition, including five consecutive placements on the “100 Best Fleets” list. He’s also a Leading Fleets recipient and has overseen crisis-level repairs with incredible finesse. Dave currently manages the Boynton Beach fleet and is known for his practical expertise, operational discipline, and collaborative leadership style.

🎤 Marc Canton

VP of Product & Consulting, RTA: The Fleet Success Company

Marc brings extensive experience in fleet operations and a sharp strategic lens to every conversation. As the host of The Fleet Success Show, he digs into the realities of fleet leadership and pulls out actionable insights for RTA customers and the wider fleet community.

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 strength of any relationship is the speed of repair. In fleet leadership, trust isn’t optional—it’s the operating system."

📄 Episode Summary

In this raw and insightful solo episode, The Fleet Success Show host and RTA CEO Josh Turley shares a behind-the-scenes look into RTA’s latest executive planning offsite—and the deep leadership lessons that emerged.

Josh walks listeners through the three powerful trust-building exercises used during the session, all rooted in Patrick Lencioni’s framework from The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. These are not fluffy icebreakers—these are intentional, sometimes uncomfortable, but deeply transformative exercises that strengthen trust, foster accountability, and eliminate dysfunction from leadership teams.

Fleet managers, especially those leading multi-department teams or navigating difficult internal dynamics, will gain practical insight into how to build psychological safety, align on purpose, and create a culture where candid feedback is not only welcome—but expected.

Whether you’re dealing with drama in the shop, silos across departments, or a lack of accountability from your leadership team, this episode is packed with real-world, repeatable tactics to build cohesion from the inside out.

✅ Key Takeaways

• Why trust in motives is more foundational than trust in competence
• How to use a Team Health Assessment to reveal hidden dysfunction
• The impact of personal history storytelling on team cohesion
• How the Helps/Hurts feedback loop drives accountability and growth
• Why emotional regulation is a leadership superpower
• Why dysfunction at the top trickles down—and how to fix it

👤 Speaker Bio

Josh Turley

CEO, RTA: The Fleet Success Company

With over 20 years supporting fleets across North America, Josh is a fleet culture evangelist and systems thinker. As CEO of RTA, he’s passionate about helping fleet managers evolve into true leaders—by eliminating internal dysfunction, building trust, and creating healthy teams that drive long-term operational 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

In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, Josh Turley (CEO, RTA) and fleet veteran Nathan Schafer dive deep into the not-so-sexy—but absolutely critical—topic of vehicle inventory. If you've ever assumed that what's in your fleet maintenance management software matches what’s on your lot… think again. 

From rogue departments buying vehicles under the radar to liabilities that could land you in legal hot water, this episode breaks down why accurate, hands-on inventory is non-negotiable. Nathan shares real stories from public sector and construction fleet life, including equipment that literally vanished and a catastrophic fire that made insurance records the only thing standing between chaos and coverage. 

You’ll also get practical advice on how to conduct a modern vehicle inventory using today’s tools—plus why photos, odometer updates, and walkarounds could save you millions (or your job). 

✅ Key Takeaways 

• Inventory isn't optional—it's a legal, financial, and operational necessity. 
• What’s not in your FMIS can hurt you. 
• Assets missing from your fleet maintenance software = massive liability. 
• Photos are proof. Capture and attach them to records to avoid insurance nightmares. 
• Rogue departments = rogue liabilities. 
• Centralized oversight is critical. 
• Annual walkarounds uncover the truth. From ghost assets to forgotten equipment, nothing beats boots on the ground. 
• Digital tools like RTA Fleet360’s mobile app simplify the process with photo capture, odometer updates, and record linking. 

Speaker Bios 

Josh Turley, CEO of RTA: The Fleet Success Company. With two decades of experience supporting fleets, Josh is passionate about helping fleet managers lead with intention and build cultures of excellence. He’s a vocal advocate for using data and modern fleet management systems to drive measurable success. 

Nathan Schafer, Fleet management expert with 25+ years in both public sector and private construction fleets. At RTA, he supports implementation, training, and product design. Known for his hands-on approach and deep operational knowledge, Nathan’s stories always come with a lesson (and sometimes a laugh). 

#FleetMaintenance #FleetManagement #FleetSuccess #VehicleInventory #FleetSafety #FleetCompliance #FleetMaintenanceSoftware #FleetManagementSoftware #GovernmentFleet #RTAFleet #AssetManagement #FleetLiability

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