When we kicked off 2025, fleet professionals across industries embraced a fresh set of safety resolutions focused on accountability, efficiency, and resilience. Six months in, the momentum continues, but so do the challenges. In this mid-year check-in, we review how our industry is progressing, what new trends are shaping operations, and how organizations like ours are adapting. particularly across the U.S. and in our Canadian chapter.

Revisiting Our Resolutions: What’s Working, What’s Evolving

Live Safety Training on the Rise
One of the most promising shifts we’ve seen in 2025 is the continued return and expansion of live, behind-the-wheel safety training. Across our programs, in-person sessions are up 27% year-over-year, with our Canada chapter accounting for nearly one-third of that growth. Driver feedback confirms what we’ve long believed, coached, real-world practice builds confidence and reinforces safe behaviors better than virtual modules alone.

“Seeing an uptick in real-time scoring gives us a real motivation boost, plus we can coach quickly where it counts.” Driver, Mid-Atlantic Region

In Canada, participation in the Canada Safety Council’s Defensive Driving Course has helped standardize our approach to collision avoidance and hazard perception across provinces.

Driver Scoring and Performance Metrics Expand
Back in January, we encouraged fleets to track crash rates, repair costs, and maintenance compliance. Today, most fleets are going further, leveraging AI-powered driver scoring systems that analyze speeding, harsh braking, tailgating, drowsiness detection, and more.

• As of June, 95% of our active drivers are now monitored using a scoring system (up from 68% in January).
• These scores are not just dashboards, they are tools used to fuel coaching conversations and driver development.

Policy Enhancements That Make an Impact
Several fleets have updated internal policies to reflect emerging risks and reinforce accountability. Key mid-year additions include:

• Crash Reporting: Drivers must call a supervisor within 30 minutes of any incident.
• No Safety Feature Tampering: Disconnecting ADAS systems, seatbelt sensors, or in-cab coaching tools is now a policy violation.
• Post-Crash Protocols: Drivers must activate hazard lights, document damage with photos, and allow a telematics/system check before the vehicle is cleared for return to service.

“We’ve clarified that disconnecting ADAS or airbags is a serious violation, no gray area. It helps reinforce that pre-inspection is mandatory.” Fleet Supervisor, Western U.S.

Repair Delays and Vehicle Availability
Fleet managers continue to navigate repair backlogs and inflated parts costs.

• Windshield replacement delays are up 25%, now averaging 5.2 days due to ADAS calibration and supply chain issues.
• Overall repair-related downtime has increased to 3.7 days per incident (vs. 2.9 in January).
• Unexpected costs, such as replacement of embedded sensors and lane assist tech, are pushing budgets beyond Q2 projections. Repair costs climbing from ~$250 to ~$300 means even minor cracks can affect maintenance budgets.
• Replacement of ADAS-equipped vehicles now routinely exceeds $1,000, parts and calibration are major drivers of cost.
• When fleets include EVs or high-tech vehicles, budget planners should anticipate higher-than-average repair expenses.

Suggested action: Update financial forecasts to incorporate a 20–25% hike in glass repair and replacement costs and evaluate insurance deductibles versus self-funded repairs based on fleet vehicle mix.

Retention and Recruitment Pressures
While applicant volume remains flat, driver retention is improving in fleets offering clear safety incentives.

• Internal reports show 12% better retention in companies that offer driver recognition programs tied to performance scores.
• Still, turnover increased slightly (by 4 percentage points) in areas where onboarding was minimal or coaching support was lacking.

“We’re finding drivers appreciate coached training and recognition; it makes safety feel like real career care.” HR Manager, Canadian Chapter

To combat these trends, many fleets have doubled down on engagement strategies: structured onboarding, transparent performance reviews, and a consistent safety culture that starts at the leadership level.

Canadian Chapter Spotlight: Aligning with National Standards in Canada
Canadian operations remain aligned with Transport Canada, particularly around the enforcement of in-vehicle tech integrity and distracted driving mitigation.

• This spring, the agency rolled out guidelines enforcing mandatory recall compliance for failed safety systems, including lane departure warnings and camera calibrations.
• Canada also engaged with the Transportation Association of Canada (TAC) and the Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals (CARSP), both of which offer peer learning, risk analysis tools, and leadership training for fleet practitioners.

“Participation in CARSP keeps our teams informed on cutting-edge safety solutions that we can actually apply across borders.” —Canada Chapter Lead

Looking Ahead: New Mid-Year Goals
With the second half of 2025 ahead, now is the time to:

1. Recheck your crash protocols and escalation contacts.
2. Audit your live training program, especially for new hires.
3. Review your vehicle repair vendors for turnaround time and sensor calibration support.
4. Incentivize driver safety scores with rewards that matter.
5. Engage your Canadian or international chapters to align with local safety mandates.

Final Thoughts
At the halfway mark of 2025, it’s clear that fleet management is evolving on multiple fronts, from safety practices and training enhancements to operational challenges and workforce dynamics. We’ve seen a measurable increase in live behind-the-wheel training, a broader adoption of driver scoring tools, and updated policies that reinforce accountability and proper post-incident protocols. At the same time, managers are navigating new pressures, including extended repair times, rising costs (especially windshield replacements), and a competitive hiring landscape. Encouragingly, data-driven insights, cross-border collaboration (as seen Canada), and a renewed focus on driver development are helping many organizations stay ahead. Whether you’ve made great strides or still have resolutions to revisit, the second half of the year offers a valuable opportunity to refine, refocus, and reengage.

From improving vehicle uptime to cultivating safety-first mindsets and retaining talent, every area of fleet management has room to grow. Let’s use this momentum to close out 2025 stronger, smarter, and more connected than ever.

Vehicle Prices

Tariffs on foreign made vehicles and components--like steel, aluminum, batteries, and microchips-- are driving up acquisition costs, even for North American assembled models.

Impacts:

• Expect higher upfront pricing across all brands.
• Budgets set a year ago may no longer stretch as far.
• Fleets may need to extend lifecycles or adjust order volumes.

Resale Values

Tariffs create instability in the used market. Higher new vehicle prices can boost used demand, but broader economic strain could weaken resale, especially for less popular models.

What to Watch:

• Pickup trucks and vans remain strong due to ongoing shortages.
• Imported sedans and luxury fleet units may dip in value if brand perception or parts costs are affected.
• EVs and hybrids could fluctuate more if battery tariffs escalate.

Parts and Maintenance

Tariffs on replacement parts are delaying repairs, driving up costs, and increasing downtime. Supply chain challenges make this even tougher.

Strategic Tips for Managing Tariff Impact

Track resale trends and adjust timing. Use multiple resale channels like auctions, employee sales, and online platforms to boost returns.

• Review maintenance by auditing high cost repairs. Work with vendors on alternative parts sourcing.
• Increase preventive maintenance to minimize unexpected downtime.
• Partner closely with upfitters and suppliers for better lead times and pricing.
• Secure vehicle allocations early and explore multiyear purchase agreements.
• A higher upfront cost may pay off if domestic parts reduce long term maintenance.
• Leverage telematics to reassign underused vehicles and justify budget shifts.
• Work with finance teams to translate tariff impacts into numbers leadership understands.
• Engage with AFLA, NAFA, NTEA and other fleet associations to stay ahead of trade policy changes.

Tariffs might feel distant, but their effects hit close to home from higher prices to delayed repairs. By staying informed and proactive, fleet managers can protect both uptime and the bottom line.

Written By:
Judie Nuskey, ADTS
Carlos Oropeza, Wheels

AFLA proudly recognizes June as Men’s Health Month, a national initiative dedicated to raising awareness around preventable health issues affecting men and boys. As mobility and fleet professionals, our work impacts thousands of employees and their families. This month is a timely reminder that when men thrive—at work, at home, and on the road—we all benefit.

The 2025 Men’s Health Month theme, "Bring Empathy Back: Men Fight Battles We Can’t Always See," highlights the critical need to close the Empathy Gap—a term that underscores the lack of attention, care, and funding men’s health issues often receive. Men are statistically more likely to die younger than women, experience higher rates of suicide, and face greater challenges accessing preventive care. According to Men’s Health Network:

• Men die on average six years earlier than women.
• 1 in 2 men will develop cancer in their lifetime.
• Men are less likely to seek preventive medical care—making half as many visits to physicians as women.

Let’s change that.   As AFLA members let’s support the mission by raising awareness, promoting empathy, and prioritizing preventive care within your organizations and networks.

As Men, Many Carry a Quiet Burden

Set the Example and Take Action

When we begin caring for ourselves and consider how our health impacts those around us, we create change. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step—and that step is action.

That first step can be as simple as reaching out. Finding support is essential—whether that's a friend, church group, therapist, or a health professional. We don't need to tough it out, we need to express it out. Talk about what you're feeling. Be aware of what's going on inside. Self-awareness is when real change can start.

You can do several things to feel better, and here are a few tips that can make a big difference.

• Stand and move more often. Don't sit all day, but get up regularly.
• Take short walks outside. Even just 15 minutes of fresh air can reset your mind.
• Join a local gym or fitness class. A little exercise can improve your mood.
• Use technology to your advantage. A smartwatch can help track your health and alert you to changes and with reminder apps, you can keep up with annual appointment alerts.
• Talk to someone going through something similar. Sharing your story can be healing.

Pay Attention to Your Health

You wouldn't ignore a check engine light in your car. Your body works the same way. Listen to the warning signs. Know your family history. Be alert if something feels off, and don't push through it, but get checked out. Do what you can to care for yourself because your loved ones depend on you. Let's continue to look out for one another and offer a helping hand if we see someone struggling.

Join the Movement: Wear BLUE Day – Friday, June 13, 2025

One simple yet powerful way to participate is by taking part in Wear BLUE Day on Friday, June 13, 2025. Whether you’re in the office, on-site, or remote, wear blue to spark conversation and show your support for the men and boys in your life.

Use hashtags #WearBlue and #ShowUsYourBlue on social media to spread the word—and consider organizing a fundraiser or health awareness activity at your workplace. Proceeds can support the Men’s Health Network’s efforts to improve education, outreach, and health equity.

📘 Learn more about Wear BLUE Day and download resources here: https://wearblueformenshealth.com

Resources to Share and Use

Take advantage of these curated tools to promote Men’s Health Month in your workplace or fleet organization:

1. Men's Health Network – www.menshealthnetwork.org
2. YouTube: MHN Media – youtube.com/user/MHNMedia
3. Men’s Health Resource Center – menshealthresourcecenter.com
4. Prostate Health Guide – prostatehealthguide.com
5. Men’s Health Month Website – menshealthmonth.org

As industry leaders, let’s lead by example. Incorporate men’s health awareness into your corporate wellness programs, encourage routine checkups, and create a culture where empathy drives action. Because when men are healthy, our teams, families, and communities are stronger.

By the time you read this, the tariff situation likely will have already changed. That’s the level of volatility as the U.S. auto industry reacts to sweeping new tariffs on imported vehicles and parts.

While the Trump administration announced a 90-day pause on some reciprocal tariffs, the 25% duties on automotive imports remain in place. The latest round of automotive tariffs has begun to impact new-vehicle pricing, used-vehicle demand, and supply chain operations.

Key Developments:

Tariffs in Effect: As of April 3, a 25% tariff now applies to imported vehicles and will extend to imported automotive parts by May 3. Safety-critical components, including airbags, windshields, mirrors, and seat belts, are among the targeted items.

Parts Tariffs Coming: Safety-critical components like airbags, mirrors, seats, and batteries will be subject to the same 25% tariff starting May 3. The parts tariffs also apply to derivative products containing steel and aluminum, which are proving difficult to trace and calculate accurately, especially for smaller suppliers.

Untangling the 90-Day Pause: On April 9, President Trump announced a 90-day suspension of reciprocal tariffs on general imports from certain countries, but it does not apply to the 25% tariffs on imported vehicles or auto parts. Moreover, any automotive-related product not explicitly covered by the 25% tariffs may still be subject to the default 10% tariff during this pause window.

Price Impacts Incoming: Automakers such as Ford, Nissan, and Mitsubishi have warned of potential vehicle price increases. Ford has stated it may raise prices on vehicles built in May. J.D. Power expects average new-vehicle prices to increase by 5% by year-end, potentially reducing retail sales by up to 1.1 million units.

OEM Production Adjustments: Nissan is ramping up production at underutilized U.S. plants, while Honda announced a plan to relocate some hybrid production from Japan to Indiana. Stellantis halted production at its Windsor Assembly Plant in Canada for two weeks and paused production at its Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico for the month of April. Meanwhile, GM has paused production of its BrightDrop electric vans in Ontario until October 2025, to retool in preparation for the 2026 BrightDrop model.

Shipment Pauses: Many manufacturers are holding already-built vehicles affected by tariffs at ports or pausing vehicle shipments altogether. This is a fluid situation but will begin to affect fleets’ 2026-MY orders.

Used-Vehicle Prices Jump: Anticipating tighter new-vehicle availability, demand — and pricing — for used vehicles are rising. Manheim wholesale prices increased in late March and early April and used days’ supply dropped three days quarter-over-quarter. Dealer groups are increasing reliance on trade-ins, lease buyouts, and service loaners to source inventory.

Dealer Strategy Shifts: Some retailers are using "tariff-free" messaging in marketing, while others are launching targeted service campaigns to help customers prepare for parts shortages and price hikes. The Chicago Auto Trade Association notes some dealers are already promoting pre-tariff parts and vehicles.

Supplier Strain and Compliance Challenges: Auto suppliers are sounding alarms over the 25% steel and aluminum derivative tariffs. Many suppliers say calculating the value of foreign metals within complex parts is extremely difficult, and non-compliance could result in steep penalties.

A Fleet Manager’s Perspective

SuYvonne Bell, associate director of sales operations for Gilead Sciences, discusses how tariff disruption can become an opportunity for smarter fleet management.

The past few years have trained fleet leaders to adapt quickly. Tariffs are just the latest challenge. This moment is another chance to demonstrate the value of proactive fleet management:

• Flexibility and clear communication remain essential.
• Stay focused on delivering what your drivers and business need.
• Evaluate creative strategies like advanced order planning and short cycling select units.

With rising used car values, you may see a welcome boost to your fleet budget and potentially fund future orders as vehicle costs continue to increase. Keep in regular contact with your OEM partners. They offer insights that can shape your strategy.

Explore new OEMs cautiously to test their fleet support capabilities before fully committing to adding multiple vehicles from their lineup. Most importantly, keep your internal stakeholders and drivers informed. While tariffs may dominate headlines, their impact on fleet operations can be overlooked by those outside the fleet industry. Bringing that awareness forward can strengthen alignment and support.

Every fleet is different with its own goals, challenges, and structure. The key message is don’t panic or chase headlines. Provide steady leadership and shift your view of fleet spend from a quarterly lens to a longer-term perspective. Doing so will give you the visibility needed to better optimize costs and operational performance.

In times of disruption, thoughtful planning keeps your fleet moving forward.

May is National Bike Month — a time to celebrate the power of pedals and embrace biking as a fun, healthy, and eco-friendly form of transportation and recreation. Initiated by The League of American Bicyclists, this annual event promotes the many benefits of bicycling and encourages more people to give biking a try. This year, special attention goes to May 4th—National Ride a Bike Day, a perfect opportunity to dust off your bike and hit the road. If you want to learn more about your state bicycling policies and efforts, check out this Bike Friendly State Guide.

Fun Facts About Biking in the U.S.

• Most Bike-Friendly States: According to the League of American Bicyclists, Oregon, Washington, and Minnesota top the list of bike-friendly states due to their robust infrastructure, safety measures, and cycling culture. Urban centers like Portland, Minneapolis, and Boulder offer extensive networks of protected bike lanes and suburban trail systems.
• Best Suburban Trails: Many suburbs are catching up, offering multi-use trails like the Katy Trail in Missouri, Silver Comet Trail in Georgia, and W&OD Trail in Virginia, which combine scenic views with safe, paved pathways.
• Recreational Riding Tips:
  • Choose designated bike paths for a stress-free ride.
  • Plan routes with minimal traffic.
  • Ride during daylight for optimal visibility.
  • Join a local cycling group to explore new areas and stay motivated.

Biking by the Numbers: Safety & Statistics

• Bicycle Fatalities: According to the NHTSA, over 1,100 bicyclists were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in 2022. The highest fatality rates occur in California, Florida, and Texas, where urban congestion and warm climates contribute to year-round cycling—and unfortunately, more crashes.
• Helmet Use: Studies show helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 60% and brain injury by 58%, yet only about 46% of cyclists report always wearing one.
• State Restrictions: While most states allow cyclists to share the road with vehicles, some states like Alabama and South Dakota have partial sidewalk or road restrictions depending on age or location. Always check local laws before riding.

For more stats on the National Pedal cyclist NHTSA data, click the image below.

The Rise of Electric Bikes

E-bikes are changing the way America rides. These pedal-assisted bikes allow riders to go farther and faster with less effort—perfect for commuting or longer recreational rides. As of 2024, sales of electric bikes in the U.S. have surpassed traditional bicycles in some regions. While they provide great mobility, e-bikes also require added caution:

• Be aware of higher speeds, especially in shared-use areas.
• Obey all local regulations, including where e-bikes are permitted.
• Always wear a helmet and use lights/reflectors.

From My Ride to Yours: Lessons Learned on the Bike Path

As an avid rider myself, I’ve had my fair share of experiences, some exhilarating, some cautionary:

• Dog Bite on the Trail: A peaceful ride turned painful when a leashed dog lunged at me unexpectedly. Lesson: never assume a walker has control of their dog—always slow down and announce your presence.
• Sun Safety Matters: After being diagnosed with melanoma, I never ride without SPF on all exposed areas, especially my lips. Sunblock isn’t just for beach days—apply it every time you ride.
• Pack Smart: I carry a small backpack with essentials: water bottle, snack, bike lock, a mini pump, sunscreen, and an electronic device in case of emergency.
• Stay Connected: Apps like Life360 can share your location with loved ones if you're riding solo—especially helpful in remote areas.
• Whistle While You Ride: If you’re in a secluded area or feel vulnerable, wearing a whistle gives you a quick way to call attention if needed.
• Silent Riders & Zoned-Out Walkers: One thing I’ve learned the hard way—many pedestrians and fellow bikers wear earbuds and can't hear you when you call out to pass. Just because you say "On your left!" doesn’t mean they hear it. Don’t treat the trail like the Indy 500—slow down, stay patient, and be ready to stop if needed.

Your Essential Bike Safety Checklist

Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or new to the ride, safety should always be your top gear:

• Always wear a helmet—non-negotiable.
• Check your brakes, tires, and chain before every ride.
• Wear bright or reflective clothing.
• Use front and rear lights if riding at dusk or dawn.
• Obey all traffic signs and signals.
• Signal when turning, and ride in the same direction as traffic.
• Stay alert—avoid headphones or distractions.

This May, make a pledge to ride more, share the road, and protect yourself and others. Whether you're riding for fun, fitness, or function, National Bike Month is a great reminder of how biking can make us healthier, happier, and more connected to our communities. Visit the League of American Bicyclists website to watch bicycling education videos with some tips that will help make your next bike commute safe and feasible.

So grab your helmet, check your tires, and join the movement—one ride at a time. 🚴‍♀️

Log-in to share your biking experience or tips to help others ensure their own bike safety measures in the comments section below

In this blog, I’ll break down the key business impacts and opportunities that AI and ML present so you can strategically prepare for the future.

The Business Impact of AI in Fleet

AI is helping businesses become more productive. When implemented effectively, it enhances decision-making, streamlines processes, and drives innovation. Let’s explore the core benefits AI brings to fleet management.

1. Empowering Business Leaders with Insights

AI/ML enables fleet leaders to make more informed strategic decisions. Companies leveraging AI gain a competitive edge through enhanced data-driven decision-making that goes beyond reactive measures to proactive strategies, ultimately leading to a more agile, cost-effective, and future-proof fleet operation.

2. Increasing Operational Efficiency

One of AI’s most immediate benefits is automation. Repetitive and time-consuming tasks where a human adds small value—such as data entry, simple decision making, and error detection—can be automated, allowing employees to focus on higher-value work. The result? Increased productivity, reduced re-work, and cost savings.

3. Driving Innovation and Unlocking New Opportunities

AI doesn’t just optimize existing processes—it sparks innovation. Focusing on operational efficiency can transform a process and result in competitive differentiation, however the possibility of AI to create new business models/products via dramatic alteration of core processes is exciting. However, this type of investment comes with substantial uncertainty — i.e. long-term strategic bets that must be planned as return on future instead of the usual return on investment (ROI).

4. Enhancing Customer Satisfaction

High quality products and efficient fleet management solutions, enhanced by AI’s ability to personalize customer interactions, anticipate client needs, and streamline communication will lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.

How AI is Helping Manage Big Data

In today's digital landscape, companies grapple with managing data at scale and the challenge of finding actionable insights within this "big data" is akin to searching for a data needle in a vast digital haystack. The new generation of fleet professionals, as digital natives, inherently expect instant access to information–a behavior deeply ingrained through daily interactions such as searching Google for answers or asking Siri for immediate assistance. This expectation for instant information access will fundamentally alter the way fleet professionals interact with the fleet management systems and necessitates a shift in how information is delivered and consumed.

How AI Helps Unlock Value from Data

Agentic AI, a form of artificial intelligence that operates independently, performing tasks and making decisions without human intervention, is emerging alongside digital assistants as powerful solutions for navigating this "digital haystack." These intelligent agents can autonomously sift through large, complex, and highly diverse fleet data, proactively identifying specific insights that human analysts might overlook, and act. With the right AI solutions, organizations can:

• Extract meaningful insights faster and more accurately.
• Improve response times through smart automation.
• Enable seamless access to data via multiple channels, including mobile apps, web portals and AI-assisted customer support.

The Power of Machine Learning

While the emergence of generative AI tools like Chat GPT have captured significant attention from the zeitgeist, it's crucial not to overlook the enduring importance of traditional machine learning. These established techniques are fundamental for tasks like classification, regression, and anomaly detection, providing critical capabilities for understanding existing data patterns and making predictions. Traditional machine learning excels at analyzing structured data to drive informed decision-making, optimize processes, and automate specific tasks with high accuracy. For fleet management, this means:

• Predictive Maintenance – Identifying potential vehicle failures before they happen
• Fuel Fraud Detection – Analyzing data to identify potential fraudulent fuel transactions
• Conversational Analytics – Extracting insights from natural language conversations between customers and service and support channels
• Fuel Optimization – Analyzing driving patterns to reduce fuel consumption
• Dynamic Route Planning – Adjusting routes in real-time based on traffic and weather conditions

As Machine Learning models iteratively learn from more data, they continuously refine their accuracy over time, leading to smarter, more efficient fleet operations.

The AI Challenge: Security and Privacy Considerations

While AI offers transformative potential for businesses, a critical challenge lies in carefully navigating the complex landscape of data security and privacy. Companies must proactively address these concerns to foster trust and ensure responsible AI adoption. Fleet management companies are custodians of their clients’ data. As good data stewards, striking a balance between leveraging the power of AI for optimized fleet performance and rigorously protecting sensitive data is not merely a best practice, but an essential prerequisite for sustainable and ethical AI implementation.

Data Privacy

Prioritizing data privacy is paramount for safeguarding individuals' personal information from misuse and harm, fostering trust with customers and stakeholders, and ensuring compliance. Here are a few considerations:

• Take robust measures to ensure that proprietary or Personally Identifiable Information (PII) data is not exposed to public AI models.
• When building/training proprietary AI models ensure the data is anonymized.
• Consider building retrieval – Augmented Generation (RAG) AI models, which are designed with inherent data privacy safeguards. The data remains entirely separate and is exclusively utilized to provide relevant context during the AI generation process, ensuring that sensitive information is not integrated into the model itself, and its use is strictly controlled.

Data Security

Implementing various measures to protect information from unauthorized access, misuse, and loss is equally relevant in AI as well. Here are a few considerations:

• Meticulous Data Source Selection – Use only curated, reliable, and secure data sources for AI training and analysis.
• Data Minimization – Restrict data access strictly to what is absolutely necessary for the specific AI application.
• Robust Access Control Policies – Guarantee that only authorized users are permitted to interact with sensitive information, thereby mitigating the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches.

The Future Ahead

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are not just emerging technologies—they are redefining the way businesses operate. AI/ML is poised to transform fleet management by enhancing efficiency, driving innovation, and improving customer experiences.

For fleet professionals, the question is no longer if AI/ML will make an impact but how you will leverage it to stay competitive.

Beyond Mobile Phones: Other Major Distractions in Fleet Driving

·  Roadway Advertisement Signage – The Cognitive Overload Effect

• Digital billboards, LED signs, and even traditional roadside ads are designed to grab attention—which means they are inherently distracting.
• Challenge: Studies show that digital billboards can hold a driver’s gaze for longer than two seconds—the critical threshold where crash risk increases.
• Solution: Encourage drivers to use a "visual discipline" technique—keep their eyes moving, scan intersections early, and limit unnecessary glances at distractions.

·  Eating & Grooming – The Physical & Cognitive Double Threat

• Eating while driving is one of the most overlooked distractions.
• It involves all three types of distraction:
• Visual – Looking down to unwrap a sandwich.
• Manual – Holding food or a drink instead of keeping two hands on the wheel.
• Cognitive – Thinking about spilling rather than the road.
• Grooming: Drivers often think they can multitask—applying makeup, fix a tie, or adjusting hair. These micro-movements can delay reaction time in critical situations.
• Solution: Reinforce that quick stops to eat or freshen up are far safer than trying to do it while driving. Fleet policies should discourage eating/grooming behind the wheel, especially in high-traffic or delivery-based roles.

·  Passenger Conversations – A Silent Risk in Fleet Driving

• Unlike hands-free phone conversations, passengers in the car can create unique distractions:
• Emotional Conversations – A stressful or heated discussion can take a driver’s mind off the road.
• Loud or Engaging Talk – Drivers may turn their heads or make hand gestures, breaking focus.
• Children or Pets in the Vehicle – Fleet drivers with personal use vehicles (PUVs) may have family or pets in the car, increasing distraction.
• Solution: Encourage fleet drivers to set communication boundaries—such as limiting non-essential conversations in high-traffic areas or unfamiliar roads.

Why Is There an Entire Month Dedicated to Distracted Driving?

Each April, Distracted Driving Awareness Month serves as a national call to action to combat one of the most persistent and preventable causes of road crashes. But why is an entire month needed to highlight this issue? The answer lies in the alarming statistics, evolving risks, and the need for sustained awareness to drive cultural change.

The Alarming Reality

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving was responsible for over 3,000 fatalities and hundreds of thousands of injuries in recent years.
• Nine people die every day in the U.S. due to a distracted driving-related crash.
• Despite laws banning texting and handheld phone use, nearly half of drivers admit to using their phones while driving.
• The financial impact is staggering—distracted driving costs businesses billions annually in liability, insurance claims, and productivity loss.

Raising Awareness to Drive Change

The idea behind dedicating an entire month to distracted driving is not just about statistics—it’s about changing behaviors. Many drivers acknowledge the risks but still engage in distractions because they believe "it won’t happen to me." A month-long campaign gives organizations, fleets, and safety advocates the opportunity to:

1. Reinforce the Dangers – Highlight real-life stories, case studies, and legal consequences to drive home the message that distraction kills.
2. Encourage Policy Review & Training – Companies can re-evaluate their fleet safety policies and introduce Instructor-Led Training (ILT) to tackle distraction at its root cause.
3. Engage Employees & the Public – Through company-wide initiatives, social media campaigns, and interactive workshops, organizations can turn awareness into action.
4. Promote Technology & Safer Driving Habits – Distracted Driving Month is a time to educate drivers on the effective use of safety technologies, such as AI-driven dashcams and telematics, while reinforcing personal responsibility behind the wheel.

Why It’s More Relevant Than Ever

While distracted driving has been a concern for decades, today’s environment makes it even more critical:

• More Digital Distractions: Infotainment systems, notifications, and hands-free tech create a false sense of security.
• Post-Pandemic Driving Habits: With more people returning to roads, risky behaviors like speeding and distracted driving have surged.
• Rising Legal & Liability Risks: Nuclear verdicts against fleets make it essential for businesses to take a proactive approach in preventing distractions.

Join Us in the Fight Against Distracted Driving – Take the Pledge Today!

As fleet professionals, we know that safety starts with us. Distracted driving remains one of the biggest risks on our roads, and it's time to take action.

This April, during Distracted Driving Awareness Month, we challenge every AFLA member to make a personal commitment to drive phone-free and encourage others to do the same.

✅ Never text or talk on the phone while driving
✅ Speak up if you're a passenger and the driver is distracted
✅ Encourage your colleagues, family, and friends to drive distraction-free

The safety of our fleets, employees, and communities depends on the choices we make every day. Join us in leading by example, take the pledge and make distraction-free driving a priority.

Fleets are essential to the U.S. economy, providing public services like emergency response and transit, delivering goods, and supporting businesses. And the associations involved in fleets have weighed in on the new tariff threats.

Fleets represent 25% of vehicles on the road — 60 million cars, trucks, and equipment — and account for 20% of all vehicle purchases, move $10 trillion in goods annually, and contribute $800 billion to the economy.

“Widespread application of tariffs, particularly on our largest North American trading partners, has the potential to raise costs broadly for fleets in ways that would flow through to America’s consumers and taxpayers,” said NAFA, the fleet management association, in a statement.

A statement from AFLA’s Board of Directors warns that impending tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China could majorly impact the fleet industry.

As the industry was recovering from pandemic-related challenges, new uncertainties around supply chain disruptions emerged.

Key concerns include:

• Delivery delays for vehicles and parts sourced internationally.
• Rising vehicle and operational costs due to import tariffs and demand-driven pricing.
• Budget constraints and extended vehicle lifespans (requiring fleet managers to adjust their strategies).

Given the interconnected nature of the U.S., Canadian, Mexican, and Chinese trade partnerships, AFLA is closely monitoring the situation and its potential effects on its members.

However, MEMA, The Vehicle Suppliers Association, supports the U.S. agreements with Mexico and Canada to delay proposed tariffs and continue trade discussions.

According to the company, this negotiation period offers a chance to find solutions that maintain North American trade stability and protect the vehicle supplier industry, which is a significant source of U.S. manufacturing jobs.

MEMA acknowledges President Trump’s priorities on border security and fentanyl trafficking but emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach that avoids disrupting the integrated North American supply chain.

“The unique partnership between the United States, Canada, and Mexico has enabled the creation, over many decades, of a robust automotive and commercial vehicle industry and strengthened US manufacturing competitiveness globally,” MEMA said in a company statement.

February 25 Update: Tariffs to Proceed as Scheduled

President Donald Trump said Monday, February 24, that sweeping U.S. tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico “will go forward” when a 30-day delay on their implementation expires next week.

“The tariffs are going forward on time, on schedule,” Trump said when asked at a White House press conference if the postponed tariffs on the two U.S. trading partners will go back into effect after the pause.

According to S&P Global, the potential for a prolonged 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, along with recently announced updates to tariffs on steel and aluminum, could have a multi-billion-dollar impact on Ford’s and GM’s profitability metrics.

“Such tariffs would slash billions from automakers’ profits, triggering ripple effects across the broader supply chain due to potential production disruption and driving up costs for the end consumer,” said Nishit Madlani, autos managing director at S&P Global Ratings.

The company forecasts that most tier 1 suppliers will pass a substantial burden of higher costs on to automakers, who would eventually have to pass it on to consumers through higher prices.

Aftermarket suppliers have greater pricing power and less production in Mexico, but tariffs on China could hurt some aftermarket suppliers. However, dealers would experience fewer impacts overall and have a greater cushion on their credit metrics.

HEART. It was missing heart. (I've been told on many occasions that I tend to wear mine fashionably on my sleeve). So many "self-help" type writers and speakers like Brene Brown tell us to lean into our empathy and use it as a power and not a weakness. Our hearts are powerful and certainly the women who have mentored me and inspired me have big hearts, along with brilliant minds.

From a friend's mom who had five children and told me (as a terrified first time mom many years ago) the simple words "you can only do your best and choose to be at peace with the rest".  When my life is chaotic, this centers me and helps me let go.

Or women in leadership positions who have clawed their way up with an unapologetic scrappiness and grit but used their opportunity to encourage others up with them instead of pushing them down during the climb. They remind me you can never tire from pulling others up any chance you get. Don't just see the goodness in others but take the time to look for it.

Or my 96 year old meemaw who grew up in poverty and faced adversity that I can never imagine to become the toughest and most selfless person I’ve ever known. To this day she cooks meals for her neighbors. She reminds me that the hard times mold us and teach us. We are all made strong and we are all made to take care of the people around us.

With all my heart I want to thank all of the women who continue to mentor me, lead me, and inspire me each day. I hope you can all take a moment on International Women's Day, Saturday, March 8, or during Women's History Month this March, to reflect and thank the ones who have made your heart grow.

• 5-Yr TCO average: $71,654
• Average CO2 output (metric tons): 8.68

ICE TCO standouts in the compact SUV category:
Make/Model/Configuration TCO Annual CO2
Subaru Crosstrek Base $52,151 7.29
Chevrolet Trax 1LS $56,646 7.31
Subaru Forester 2.5i $57,938 7.55
VolkswagenTaos S $58,639 6.98
Buick Envista Preferred $59,396 7.31

The ICE category is the biggest by far and offers the most choice of vehicle configurations.

BEVs: 55 configurations

•  5-Yr TCO average: $80,953
• Average CO2 output (metric tons): 2.72
• Average CO2 savings by switching from ICE to BEV: 69%

Electric TCO standouts in the compact SUV category:
Make/Model/Configuration TCO Annual CO2
Nissan Ariya Engage $69,992 2.74
Volkswagen ID.4 Standard $71,751 2.62
Ford Mustang Mach-E Select $72,875 2.74
Toyota bZ4X XLE $74,621 2.34
Kia EV6 Light $74,673 2.38

Note that Nissan Ariya, in various configurations, dominated the top five. We only included one configuration to be able to include other top performers.

HEVs: 24 Configurations

•  5-Yr TCO average: $64,469
• Average CO2 output (metric tons): 5.63
• Average CO2 savings by switching from ICE to BEV: 35%

Hybrid TCO standouts in the compact SUV category:
Make/Model/Configuration TCO Annual CO2
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid LE $56,055 5.48
Kia Sportage Hybrid LX $62,212 5.06
Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Blue $62,429 5.71
Ford Escape Hybrid ST-Line $63,788 5.55
Honda CR-V Hybrid Sport $64,506 5.49

In this category, versions of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid took all five top spots. Again, we only included one configuration to show the other top performers.

PHEVs: 16 Configurations

• 5-Yr TCO average: $81,205
• Average CO2 output (metric tons): 5.73
• Average CO2 savings by switching from ICE to BEV: 34%

PHEV TCO standouts in the compact SUV category:
Make/Model/Configuration TCO Annual CO2
Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid $66,788 3.64
Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Limited $75,435 4.58
Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid X-Line $72,276 4.38
Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid ES $81,415 5.59
Toyota RAV4 Prime SE $68,054 3.61

Note that Vincentric calculates data for only five vehicles in the relatively small PHEV category.

Key Takeaways
Electric vehicles have the lowest carbon output of any powerplant category while offering an average 69% reduction in carbon emissions when transitioning from ICE compact SUVs. That benefit comes at a price — an average of $9,299 per vehicle over five years and 100,000 miles.

PHEVs produce a higher average TCO than any other powerplant category while offering a 34% reduction in carbon emissions. Note that Vincentric assumes 100% battery use for all trips with its PHEVs — real-world use is often half.

Our assumption, at least for compact SUVs, proves correct with hybrids. They offer the best TCO of any powerplant and a 35% carbon reduction, surprisingly more than PHEVs.

While BEVs offer almost double the carbon savings, the strong TCO offered by hybrids provides an incremental yet meaningful path toward sustainability targets while keeping the fleet budget in line.

Setting Resolutions for Fleet Safety

• Why It Matters: Setting resolutions not only provides a clear roadmap for improvement but also fosters accountability and measurable progress.
• Call to Action: We encourage fleet managers to adopt these resolutions or create their own tailored to their operations. By committing to actionable goals, managers can address current challenges and prepare for future demands.
• Follow-Up: This is just the beginning! In June, we will follow up with fleet managers to review the progress and status of their 2025 resolutions. Stay tuned for insights and success stories from the mid-year check-in.
  

Keep Insurance Information Up to Date

• Resolution: Regularly review and update your fleet insurance policies to ensure comprehensive coverage.
• Action Steps:
  • Partner with an insurance broker who can assist with distributing up-to-date insurance cards to all drivers promptly.
  • Conduct periodic audits to ensure all vehicles—including rentals and personal-use vehicles—are accounted for in the policy.

Streamline Rental and Fuel Card Processes

• Resolution: Simplify and clarify policies for rental car usage, fuel cards, and personal car reimbursements.
• Action Steps:
  • Establish separate processes for tracking rental cars and personal-use vehicles, ensuring transparency and accountability.
  • Communicate clear guidelines for fuel card use, tailored to each type of vehicle.
  • Regularly review transactions to identify discrepancies or misuse.
    

Improve Vehicle Repair and Approval Protocols

• Resolution: Ensure vehicle repairs are managed efficiently, with clear approval processes to minimize downtime and costs.
• Action Steps:
  • Require drivers to obtain pre-approvals for repairs, specifying whether repairs must be performed in-network or if out-of-network options are permissible.
  • Collaborate with repair shops to establish trusted networks and negotiate favorable terms for fleet vehicles.
  • Implement technology solutions to track repair requests, approvals, and completions.
    

Enhance Driver Communication Channels

• Resolution: Encourage drivers to reach out to the appropriate department for issues, ensuring faster resolutions and less confusion.
• Action Steps:
  • Develop a comprehensive communication directory, specifying points of contact for insurance, maintenance, Fleet Management Company contacts, fuel cards, and general inquiries.
  • Leverage mobile apps or fleet management software to create easy, on-the-go access to department contacts.
  • Conduct training sessions to familiarize drivers with escalation protocols.
    

Promote Driver Accountability

• Resolution: Foster a culture of accountability among drivers, emphasizing safety and responsibility.
• Action Steps:
  • Implement regular check-ins to address driver concerns and reinforce safety policies.
  • Use telematics to monitor driver behavior, providing coaching for improvement where needed.
  • Recognize and reward drivers who consistently follow safety and operational guidelines.

Regularly Update Policies and Training Materials

• Resolution: Ensure all safety and operational policies are up to date and accessible to drivers.
• Action Steps:
  • Review and revise policies quarterly to reflect changes in regulations, insurance terms, or company objectives.
  • Provide ongoing training to educate drivers on the latest safety practices, compliance requirements, and company policies.
    

Track Performance Metrics and Adjust

• Resolution: Use data to guide improvements in fleet operations and safety.
• Action Steps:
  • Track key metrics such as crash rates, repair costs, and compliance with maintenance schedules.
  • Conduct regular reviews to identify trends and implement corrective measures proactively. Share performance insights with drivers to encourage engagement and participation in safety initiatives.
    

  
  By focusing on these resolutions, fleet managers can tackle common challenges while building a safer, more efficient fleet operation. From keeping insurance up to date to improving communication and repair protocols, each step contributes to a culture of safety and operational excellence. Here’s to a productive and safety-focused 2025!

Does generative AI scare you, excite you, or a little of both? There’s been a ton of talk about it already. AI wove its way through many of the sessions at AFLA, including Mike Branch of Geotab’s excellent presentation.

Fleet managers are beginning to dabble in it, asking for performance metrics sliced and diced by vehicle type, duty cycle, driving style, region, and safety scores.

Generative AI’s appeal lies in its ability to create. While predictive AI tells us what might happen based on existing data, generative AI can develop entirely new solutions, models, or content.

Through conversations with a program, generative AI can pull data from multiple sources — maintenance records, fuel prices, vehicle depreciation rates — and generate comprehensive cost analyses. Yes, you could do that before, but the time to completion will shrink from hours to minutes.

However, while generative AI will be able to do even more amazing things in the future, there’s a risk of overreliance and the temptation to trust its outputs too much.

I’ll give you a small personal example: I’ve found Grammarly to be one of the best work tools I’ve used in many years. Grammarly has essentially taken the place of a human copy editor that requires elongated back-and-forth exchanges. Grammarly really does fix my grammar and sentences. It does not, however, make the text clearer or more engaging.

Here’s another thing: Grammarly will make AI suggestions for sentence corrections, and I accept the corrections. What Grammarly says seems right. Am I actually going to do the work to challenge the corrections? Admittedly, no.

But when should we start caring about how an AI program gathers data and generates its responses? Grammarly is a benign enough example. But we’re already seeing different AI programs tilt toward results of a certain political stripe based on the data they're trained on.

We can’t let AI run the show unchecked. If the input data is biased, incomplete, or inaccurate, the AI’s outputs can be equally flawed. Here’s an example based on the article you’re reading:

I asked Chat GPT to write an article as an opinion piece for fleet managers on the benefits and potential pitfalls of AI based on my own writing. It spit out this:

“In one of my articles, I explored how generative AI is being used to dynamically generate the most efficient routes for drivers. These tools don’t just rely on historical data; they actively generate new routing models in response to live traffic patterns, weather conditions, and other variables.”

This is not exactly true. While generative AI is mentioned in that article, the above statement makes it seem like generative AI creates routes. Really, dynamic routing based on traffic and weather is a function of machine learning and first-level predictive AI, not generative AI. If I put that statement in this article, I’d look dumb to readers in the know.

As I’m hearing more and more, “AI is the dumbest it’ll ever be.” In one sense, that’s an exciting statement, meaning we have so many more benefits to reap as AI gets smarter. But getting from 85% to 99.9% smart will take a long time, while that potential error gap of 14.9% will be a big management issue.

This ability to generate insights from vast, disparate data sources is powerful, saving fleets time and resources. But it isn’t plug-and-play. Are organizations ready to invest in the requisite training and infrastructure to make it work, so fleet staff will be prepared to use it effectively?

We’ll be getting answers to this question quicker than we think.

By Craig Cheatle, Discount Tire

National Tire Safety Week (NTSW), which ran June 24-July 3, is an annual initiative of the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) that aims to educate motorists about simple yet essential steps for proper tire care, safety and maintenance as an essential part of road safety. The initiative is supported by the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) members and acknowledged by The National Lieutenant Governors Association.

Tires are one of the most important safety components of the car and the only part that touches the road and, as such, critical to road safety. That’s why tire care and maintenance should be a top priority for all fleets. Here are a few key takeaways we should all keep in mind:

• Safety – Tires in good shape provide improved traction and handling therefore reducing the risks of accidents and improves stopping distance in wet conditions.
• Fuel Efficiency – Properly inflated and maintained tires improves fuel economy which reduces TCO.
• Longevity & Maintenance Expense – high quality tires reduce the frequency of replacement, reducing downtime and lowers your maintenance expenses.
• Operational Efficiency – Reliable tires minimize downtime due to failures, ensuring vehicles stay in service, keeping your drivers productive on the road.
• Compliance – Adhering to regulations of tire size and fitment is essential to avoid fines and legal issues.
  

As a Best Practice, have a written company car policy that requires routine scheduled tire inspections by your driver and/or an authorized service provider.

1. Inspect your tires for irregular wear and tread depth (4/32” is time to replace) A popular method to check tread depth is called the penny test: Stick a penny with Lincoln's head upside-down in a tread groove. If you can see his head, it's time to replace your tire!
2. Check your tire pressure regularly at least one a month and again before long trips. Running on a tire that’s under-inflated by as little as 10% can reduce fuel economy by 1.5%. At 20% under-inflation, in addition to those lost miles per gallon, the effects include a roughly 30% reduction in tire life. And about 90% of tire blowouts are the result of under-inflation, according to industry studies, owing to the increased stress and higher running temperatures experienced by an under-inflated tire.
3. Get Alignment checked by an authorized service provider.
4. Rotate your tires every 6,000 or earlier. Frequent rotations help prevent uneven tread wear.

The crash last October involving a driverless vehicle from Cruise and a pedestrian in San Francisco caused General Motors’ robotaxi unit to shutter operations nationwide. It also shined a white-hot spotlight on autonomous transport, with investors and regulators reevaluating costs, benefits, and risks.

However, the autonomous transportation industry has quietly made progress in other areas since then. Robotaxis never went away. In fact, they’re expanding operations — but without the fanfare of two years ago.

Autonomous Progress in Other Verticals
The delivery market is fertile ground for autonomy. Deliveries generally consist of short trips and involve hauling goods, not people, so they’re insulated from driver pay and heightened regulations. They also reduce road congestion and carbon intensity.

Starship Technologies’ delivery operations are now running over 2,000 bots at 30 U.S. universities. Cartken operates a similar sidewalk delivery business through partnerships with Grubhub and Uber Eats. Both Starship and Cartken are expanding their delivery services to automotive, biotech, and pharmaceutical campuses.

However, two high-profile bot delivery operations from FedEx and Amazon have ceased operations.

Ground bots might be usurped soon by drone deliveries. Since launching its service in 2021, Walmart has made over 10,000 drone deliveries from stores in seven states. The retailer is now able to make drone deliveries to 75% of the Dallas-Ft. Worth population.

The turning point for drone deliveries is the FAA’s approval of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). These are flights without a dedicated observer who previously had to witness the drone at all times.

A car rental startup, Halo.car, is remotely delivering EVs to renters’ doorsteps in Las Vegas. (From there, renters drive the vehicles normally). Halo.car is quick to point out that remote piloting is not “autonomous,” but the service is able to conserve the expense of hiring delivery drivers.

In June, Uber Freight and Aurora Innovation launched Premier Autonomy, a new program for heavy-duty trucking that deploys autonomous trucks on the Uber Freight network. Driverless hauls for shippers are expected to commence at the end of 2024.

Back to Robotaxis
Cruise has settled its case with California regulators, paving the way to resume driverless operations in the state.

In June, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) reaffirmed its earlier decision to allow Waymo to expand its robotaxi service from existing operations in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Waymo also operates in Phoenix and will soon operate in Austin, Texas. The company is cleared to finally offer a paid, fully autonomous ride-hailing service.

And then there’s Tesla — which is intent on more fanfare, not less — for its pending service called Robotaxi.

Elon Musk announced the service in April, which will operate Teslas from the corporation and those owned by individuals, who can put their cars onto the platform to generate extra income.

However, the original August rollout has been pushed back to October, with no firm date announced.

A Realistic Perspective
Is the industry truly accelerating? Where to from here?

It’s hard to imagine anything but an incremental rollout of autonomous services in the near future. Regulators were forced to step up and act after the high-profile Cruise crash. Any large-scale deployment with other non-tested autonomous players would be met with considerable scrutiny.

As services grow, public acceptance grows, but backlash grows too. The CPUC is fighting a lawsuit from the San Francisco City Attorney over Waymo's original introduction into the city, along with protests from various city organizations.

The industry may look to China to see how it manages driverless growing pains. Apollo Go, which operates in the megacity of Wuhan, could double its fleet of 500 robotaxis to 1,000 by the end of this year, even as the company manages high-profile crashes and increasing public criticism.

Before widespread robotaxi use, autonomy will likely flourish in controlled environments that don’t involve human transportation, such as delivering goods or renting a car.

Tesla’s Robotaxi initiative will be a good test case for how quickly driverless cars can get off the ground, though the service’s delay will likely extend well into next year. There is still no accepted regulatory framework for autonomy that beyond the confines of geofenced areas.

If and when Elon Musk is able to get Robotaxi off the ground, we’ll be able to see, in full public transparency, the process of rolling out a wide-scale autonomous service.

Image credit: Chris Brown

When it comes to a work environment, those skilled in understanding the different types of inclusion are better able to support and develop personnel.

Founder and CEO of Black Fleet Network, Exavious Farley, weighs in with his thoughts:

Cultural literacy is a prerequisite of effective leadership, and its best version is empathy. Translating inclusion from concept to practice requires more than words of idealism and a promotion-friendly program hire. For companies seeking to actualize a sustainable work environment where psychological safety is the norm and the strength of personal difference is recognized, they must commit to developing culturally adept leadership.

Like any literacy type (linguistic, financial, etc.) the acquisition of cultural insight is the result of consistent interaction with the deeper realities of people groups. Be it related to gender, religion, recreational preference, socio-economic background, racial identity, food, music, geography, or any facet of the human community experience, understanding a person requires a comprehension of who they are beyond their employment function.

Business leaders who are optimizing productivity embrace the differences that individuals bring to the organization and empower them in ways that result in getting the job done. Structuring teams based on complementary skillsets and keeping associates in their “zone of genius” fosters employment satisfaction that yields increased retention and lowers recruitment costs.

It’s like figuring out the most sustainable fuel management approach for a complex fleet. You know the spread of vehicle classes and the upfits needed to handle the tasks. But to achieve maximum lifecycle, right size, and lowest TCO, you need an intimate knowledge of what fuel types makes each vehicle run at peak. We all know one size doesn’t fit all when managing a diverse fleet. So, why should we assume otherwise when managing a team of people?

Cultural literacy is the immeasurably nuanced soft skill that AI can never generate which may pose challenges for the company whose inclusionary intentions have yet to be met with a data-driven people strategy. So, what is best practice in addressing this burgeoning behemoth? Well, we do that one thing that has always been foundational to long-term business success - diversify.

Does the collective life experience of your management team reflect the spectrum of daily realities represented by your workforce? If not, it’s time to begin onboarding leaders who bring the highly desirable blend of skilled expertise and varied perspective that can effectively support and develop personnel. Age ranges, educational levels, nor political affiliations are monoliths.

Hence, the need for culturally cognizant management is growing; especially for industries that are historically homogenous and where institutional knowledge is becoming less prevalent due to factors such as the silver tsunami.

Exavious (Zā) Farley
Black Fleet Network™

Extra 30 Minutes in the Morning
Are you the type to get out of bed when the alarm rings, or do you hit the snooze button repeatedly? Many of us rush from one task to another, barely making it on time. But imagine having extra time by waking up 30 minutes earlier. What can you do with that time? You can reflect, meditate, and think clearly. I use this time to read my daily devotional and reflect on how I can improve myself. I also read my Bible to apply its teachings to my daily routine. A quiet walk without distractions helps me think through challenges and make rational decisions. An extra 30 minutes can be valuable.

The Power of Affirmations
Affirmations are powerful statements that you tell yourself to reinforce positive beliefs. If you are a learner, remind yourself, “I am a life-long learner, and I will find solutions to my challenges.” Affirmations like “I am here because I invested in myself, and I will continue to invest in myself, and I will overcome” can boost your confidence. Even when facing obstacles, reciting these affirmations daily can be incredibly empowering. Keep a list of affirmations that you can recite daily.

Mindset Shifts
I’ve recently been listening to recordings of world-renowned motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, whom I affectionately call "Uncle Zig." His motivational talks have changed my way of thinking. One of my favorite quotes from him is, "Failure is not a person; it is an event." Remembering that failures or challenges do not define us helps maintain a clear head. By focusing on long-term goals and viewing failures as temporary setbacks, you can keep moving forward. This quote is especially powerful when you feel stuck because of a recent failure is holding you back.

Be Grateful and Thankful
Taking a step back to think about what you are grateful for can put things into perspective. It might be supportive friends, your pet, your family, or being able to watch your kids at their events. Expressing gratitude for these things can shift your outlook on life. For example:

• "I am grateful that my kids are involved in activities, and I can watch them develop."
• "I am grateful for my home that is full of precious moments."
• "I am grateful for my family that is supportive and always close by."

Acknowledging these positives can help maintain a balanced perspective.

Sustaining Progress
Maintaining a routine is essential for your mental health. Focus on helping yourself and don’t get weighed down by challenges. Commit to a plan and a routine to stay focused and on the road to success. As a community of fleet professionals, our job is to ensure our teams reach their final destinations safely. I hope these tips help you achieve a positive outlook on life, find balance and help you navigate your way safely. May your journey always take you to your final destination—and remember, none of us needs to travel alone.

This recognition started in 1977 with the passing of a resolution to establish Asian Pacific Heritage Week to be celebrated each year at the beginning of May.

May was chosen to mark the anniversary of the first Japanese emigration to the U.S. on May 7, 1843, and the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. Most of the workers who laid the railroad tracks were Chinese immigrants.

In 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a resolution to establish the annual event, and the first celebration took place in May 1979. In 1992, President George H. W. Bush designated May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

The contributions of Asian and Pacific Americans extend to the fleet and automotive industries as well. In recognition of the month, we connected with two fleet industry veterans to learn about their heritage and journeys.

Aileen Sato Hogenauer, National Fleet Sales & Operations Manager at Mazda North American Operations

Q. Can you share a bit of your heritage and your career journey?

A. I am of Japanese descent: Japanese American, second generation or “Nisei.”
Early on in life, I did not wish to identify with my Japanese heritage as I may not have known how to incorporate it into my life. It was not until I was older that I understood how to appreciate it and how it has helped make me who I am today.

Q. Can you share a personal story or experience highlighting the importance of your heritage in your personal or professional life?

A. Learning and practicing “monozukuri,” the pursuit of perfection and steadfast dedication to quality. And to never give-up, attempting a challenger spirit in any situation with internal and external teams. Third, this is not necessarily a business term, to “gambatte.” They call it gambatte, never give up, to persevere in business and life’s situations.

Q. Have you encountered any specific challenges in the workplace related to your heritage/identity? If so, how did you address them?

A. Not from a Japanese heritage but being a minority as a woman starting in the automotive industry 25+ years ago. It is quite different now from before that there are many more qualified, vibrant women that are leading the way and contributing in the workplace. It’s pleasant to see women being recognized.

Q. Are there any community organizations or professional networks for your heritage/identity in the industry that you recommend or are involved in?

A. We just renewed our Japanese American museum membership for the year. Their art exhibitions rotate throughout the year and represent the national repository of Japanese American history. The museum does a great job in crafting educational public programs that highlight the stories of people of Japanese ancestry.

In college, I was involved in the Nikkei Student Union, but really did not do anything beyond college to support the group. I felt a disconnection in my Twenties, so I became involved in our local Japanese community center and later represented the center at the Nisei Week Queen coronation, a week-long festival and events to celebrate the Japanese and Japanese American heritage and culture. This was my way of being involved, contributing, and giving back.

Clay Okabayashi, Commercial Account Director at Mullen Automotive

Q. Can you share a bit of your heritage and your career journey?

A. I am a third-generation Japanese American (Sansei) born in Jackson, Miss. My father was a second-generation Japanese American (Nisei), and my mother was a first-generation (Issei) born in Japan. My father served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.

My 40-plus years in the auto industry began early in my career in sales positions in the high-performance auto industry, where I found a love of the automotive sector. Working at Toyota Racing Development sparked my interest in cars and motorsports. I transitioned to alternative fuels and the clean fuels industry, working at several equipment manufacturers and developing automotive technology targeted at fleets. Developing an expertise in alternative fuel vehicles for fleets created an opportunity at General Motors in their Advanced Technology Vehicle group, working on early EV platforms such as the GM EV1 and supporting fleet sales of electric vehicles.

My last years at GM focused entirely on the commercial and government fleet market. After leaving GM, I transitioned to the dealer side of the business briefly and the upfitter segment of the industry. I missed the EV side of the fleet business and have moved into current roles within this automotive industry segment.

Q. Can you share a personal story or experience highlighting the importance of your heritage in your personal or professional life?

A. Very early in my professional career, I have had the privilege of working for a couple of Japanese companies. I believe some of the values I learned early on have stayed with me to this day. Japan is a very proud country, and the work culture emphasizes extreme dedication to one’s work. Japan’s work culture also builds a work environment built on respect and harmony.

Q. Have you encountered any specific challenges in the workplace related to your heritage/identity? If so, how did you address them?

A. I do not feel that I have encountered challenges due to my heritage. Perhaps I experienced this early in my career, but any challenges encountered I have always attributed to the experience required and not due to my heritage.

Q. Are there any community organizations or professional networks for your heritage/identity in the industry that you recommend or are involved in?

A. There are many Japanese American and Asian American community organizations; however, sadly, none that I am aware of are specific to the automotive fleet industry.

The history of Black Americans is an unparalleled one-of-one. No facet of societal movement, daily living, nor business progress exists without the direct influence of Black men and women. From the inception of European conquests of the western hemisphere, the role of diasporic Africans was perfectly integral to the full spectrum of the American experience. From simple survival to development of an economic machine that would alter the world forever, the Black contribution was one without which this nation would not fare - well. Under systemic duress specifically designed to suppress and oppress the very spirit of Black people, an undying hope and forged tenacity resulted in recurring ingenuity that would transform an abysmal plight into a standard for perseverance [the marathon continues].

The shoulders of these Black forefathers and foremothers will always inspire the present and expectant future of our community. At Black Fleet Network™ (BFN), community is our existence. It’s the day-in-day-out truth of getting the job done; parenting; self-improvement; failure; celebrating incremental wins. And in what world would these life-defining actions be relegated to a single month of the year? Therefore, we recognize Black History Month (BHM) by de-romanticizing it. Recognition is polite, but reality is a continuum.

So, we celebrate the now and the pending that’s evident in the current journeys of patent-wielding technologists like Bill Pugh; award-winning mobility professionals like Al Curtis, Cedric Roberts, and Tim Fitzgerald - who keep American cities safely moving forward; pioneering companies like J3 Management Group, SHZoom, and ChargerHelp!; along with cultural heroines like André 3000, Beyoncé, and the Obamas, who are vibrant reminders of recognized potential and the power of unhinged expression. The beauty of these examples is that they’re here with us now, serving as intergenerational bridges of progress and imagination.

But as is normative to the Black life, we can’t afford to revel in the achievement. We’re living another pivotal point in time where we’re, again, contending with government-sponsored attempts to eradicate our unique narrative. From textbooks to town halls, fear mongers are investing dollar, rhetoric, and votes for hopes of a Black-less return. This assault isn’t merely about textbooks and leveling emotions within the academic context. Its intent is the erasure of truths that reveal a gross lack of responsibility: the horrors historically unleashed from one group upon all the others - with Black people being the constant reminder of those ills. But no amount of legislation nor political pandering can muzzle the countless cries from centuries of staring terror in the face and telling it to get behind us.

So, this day, this month, BFN celebrates the fullness of Black history: a variegated series of lived experiences that have opened the eyes of the world - extracting tears of joy while calling out injustice and championing its antithesis. Our recognition spans 365 days of the calendar, in the spirit of lifting all limits and claiming the fullness of who we are. Everyday.

Written by Exavious (Zā) Farley, Founder and CEO at Black Fleet Network

Originally published in the February 2024 Issue of Fleet Insight. 

I felt the excitement of being in my soon-to-be college dorm. Walking the campus with my family, meeting the different college groups, and looking at my schedule was proof that my lifelong goal would happen. All the hard work through high school was worth it, and because I would be only about an 8-hour drive from Lawrence, Kansas, to my home in Illinois, I felt it was close enough to be near my family. 

Those initial plans to start college out of state quickly detoured when my dad gave me some stomach-turning news a week later. He told me that my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, and as someone who has had several relatives lose their battle with this disease, I did not want to be away from my mom during this time. It’s a time of uncertainty when facing a loved one’s illness. I chose not to attend that college to be close to my mom. I recall being in a daze when I started learning about the process she needed to endure. I became my mom’s translator as she made many doctor visits, and I quickly learned much more than any 17-year-old should know. A support group of cancer survivors showed up at the hospital and met with us. They had each fought and overcame this horrible disease, and they were a blessing. 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, this month is more than awareness. For 31 days, pink ribbons appear as the impact of breast cancer is brought to the forefront of national conversations. According to the American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer is one of the most common cancers in women in the United States. Overall, the average risk of a woman in the US developing breast cancer is about 13%--a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer. There are support groups throughout the US that help people face their challenges. We were fortunate enough to have a support group reach out and help us in our time of need. 

Support was critical during this time of confusion and doubt. I was not prepared for what we were dealing with. My mom was there for me as a child to help me learn, grow, and flourish. She worked hard to ensure I had what I needed and could become the young man I wanted to be. She was there to help me face every battle, and now, as she faced the battle of her life, I could not jump in to help her with her fight, or so I thought. 

The support group was there to listen to our questions. To be a calming person to talk to. To give my mom hope and to listen to anything she was worried about regarding her cancer. After each visit, they always gave her a big hug, as if we were family. Those comforting moments were crucial to our well-being. I sat through each procedure, each appointment and each hospital overnight stay, sleeping there whenever I could. I didn’t realize that I was supporting her just by being there. Honestly, I was just afraid I would lose her, so being there was more about me and not wanting to be away if she suddenly left us. My mom was a strong mom who told me not to worry. “Your fears and tears are not going to cure my cancer, so don’t worry” is what I remember her telling me. I learned a new perspective: sometimes you don’t know how to act, or what to say, but that’s okay. Being there when someone needs you is power. It’s the power of support. 

As my mom recovered and fought hard with all of her chemotherapy and doctor visits, we were on the road to recovery. I am thankful for that support group, which just showed up and then played a crucial role during times of uncertainty. The simple act of being present or just giving a hug is encouraging. What we think are small acts of kindness can make a big difference. 

There are many ways you can help during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Reach out to someone you know is impacted and offer to help no matter how small you think the act is. You would be amazed how far that simple support goes. I never returned to that college since life’s detour took me on a different path, but I am grateful that the detour took me to a better place—a place of compassion, a place of support, a place of empathy. This month and every month let’s continue to look out for each other. May your journey always take you where you need to go. 

Written by Carlos Oropeza, Director of Marketing at Wheels

Originally published in the October 2023 Issue of Fleet Insight. 

The starting line for this alone has my mind reeling with the many ways I could finish that sentence. I am sometimes defined by my relationship to others. I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend. I am sometimes defined by my demographics. I am middle aged, middle class, middle America. I am sometimes defined by my job. I am a fleet professional, a Marketing writer, a manager of strategic communication projects. I am sometimes defined by my personality traits or my hobbies. I am witty, a loyal friend, a cat-lover, a true crime junkie.

All of these are facets of who I am—none independently defining me, and only a few are identifiable just by looking at me. And while they’re all more or less important parts of me along with a dozen other adjectives, I’m not writing this to talk about my education or job or love of cats and serial killer documentaries. I’m open for a lunchtime coffee run to talk about any of these things with any of you! Instead, I’m writing to share my personal experience with racial and ethnic identity and belonging. It’s a big part of what has fostered and fueled my love of diversity, my passion for human rights, and my belief in equality. So on that note, let’s start again.

Soy Puertorriqueña.

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, which is a time to celebrate my background. I am Puerto Rican. Swedish Puerto Rican to be specific. Or should it be Puerto Rican Swedish? My mother told me when I was little that I was a Swederican. My abuela was from Jayuya, Puerto Rico. She grew up on a farm in the mountains and was one of 16 children. My abuelo was an only child from Caguas. I don’t know how they met, but they fell in love, were married, and my grandmother gave birth to my aunts Luzbelen and Migdalia in San Juan. In the 1950s, many US businesses recruited on the island. Opportunities abounded state-side—and Puerto Ricans, born US citizens, were a great source of labor. One day a man handed my grandfather a flier for Inland Steel, and leaving my grandmother and aunts behind, my grandfather headed to the States to setup a home for his young family.

Adjusting to life in the Harbor (East Chicago, IN) was tough. My grandfather spoke no English. As a child I was told that the only words he knew were “banana split.” It made for a wonderful story of my grandfather eating nothing but banana splits for days until the other Puerto Rican families in the community helped him. I didn’t hear many stories about the “No Puerto Rican” signs posted on restaurants at that time or the overt bigotry he faced. Most of the stories were the kind of stories you’d tell a child—banana split stomach aches and how he learned English by watching Mr. Rogers.

It took about a year for my grandfather to get setup before he sent for my grandmother and aunts to join him. My mother was born 9 months later. Loving his new life so much, he wanted to name her America. They settled on Nancy. My aunts became Lucy and Midge. American life was on a roll! My grandmother went on to have four sons. Times were tough, but as more of our family came to the states, there was an entire apartment building of Puerto Rican aunts, uncles, and cousins. My mother remembers many of the hardships, but also a sense of family and community and belonging that, at times, I envied. I have many memories of visiting the apartment building in the Harbor, going from apartment to apartment to visit my tias and tios, eating plates of arroz con gandules, and shooting BB guns in the alleys.

I know far less about my paternal grandparents. My grandmother was the first generation only child born to Swedish immigrants. Her mother raised my father while my grandmother worked as a teacher. My grandfather was strained from his family, and I know very little about their past. The few stories I heard as a child about my father’s childhood were like tales from an unimaginable time of history. He listened to radio programs growing up—they didn’t have a television! I couldn’t imagine. My great-grandfather was a successful gardener who had his own nursery, and my great-grandmother told my father stories about the boat she took to America while taking on trips downtown for Cubs games or shopping at Marshall Fields. My father was older than my mother—7 years older. Most of the stories I heard painted a picture of a very typical 1950s middle-class life. Sock hops, roller skating, slicked back hair, record players—growing up I imagined his early life to be a lot like Happy Days.

My parents met in college in a Spanish class. My father was impressed by my mother’s ability to speak Spanish so well, not realizing that Spanish was actually her first language! They dated, fell in love, and got married. While my father was a long-haired hippie at this time, growing up I pictured it like West Side Story. Nothing quite so dramatic happened, of course. My mother’s family took no issue with my father being white. My father’s family had reservations—but they were far too proper to say much of anything.

When my older brother was born, he had a mop of curly blond hair. Curls aside, my mother thought he was certainly more Swedish than Puerto Rican. I’m convinced that comments on this were frequently made around my brother from a very young age. When he was a toddler, my mother tried teaching him Spanish. He resisted, stating outright that he was not Puerto Rican—he was Swedish! My mother told me this story many times growing up when I asked her why we didn’t speak Spanish. She said hearing her son say this broke her heart, and she decided to not push any sense of being Puerto Rican with him.

When I was born, I was dark-haired and looked to have darker skin. My father commented on my skin tone immediately, noting that I looked a bit dark. My mother simply replied, “No—she looks Puerto Rican!” This was not the case, though, and my parents would soon be alerted by doctors that I was having apneic seizures and the darkness of my skin and lips was caused by a lack of oxygen. My parents were sent home with the caution to keep me awake during car rides and use a heart monitor when I slept. Of course I don’t remember these times, but I’m told that I was always treated differently by my mother’s family because of this. My cousins tell me that I was never to be left alone, always paraded around like a baby doll while everyone watched very closely to make sure I was breathing.

Being carted around like a doll is something I do remember. I was my mother’s constant companion as a child, often dressed in matching outfits that my grandmother would sew. Whether fueled by my health or by my gender, I believe that this is why I had such a different concept of my identity compared to my older brother. He was, after all, a boy—and he loved my father deeply. My mother talks about the early times with my brother as being mixed with feelings of rejection—for her culture and for her personally. She tells me how when I was born, she felt she finally had a baby who looked like her and wanted to be by her side.

I was by her side often, and this meant a lot of time immersed in Puerto Rican culture. While my family always loved and accepted me, I remember very early on having a sense that I didn’t quite fit in. First, it was the names and nicknames. I imagine in any Puerto Rican family there are an assortment of nicknames, and my family is no exception. I grew up with cousins Papo, Tata, Teeta, Chilito, Bebe, Suki, Yayi, Tito, Tiny—there are probably a half-a-dozen more that I can’t remember. I had a nickname too, given to me by my grandfather—La Nena. But this was only used by my mother and grandfather. To everyone else, I was Kimberly. Kimberly has such blue eyes—it’s because she’s Swedish. (My mother has blue eyes that are quite similar to mine.) Kimberly has such porcelain skin—it must be the Swedish. (My mother is light skinned as well, with only a slight olive undertone). Kimberly doesn’t speak Spanish—her dad is Swedish. (This one was painfully true. Despite begging to be taught Spanish, my brother’s early rejection of Spanish combined with my father not speaking Spanish led my mother to refuse.)

Despite the slightly out of place feelings, I knew I was Puerto Rican. I was proud of this. And admittedly, I felt more out of place on the rare occasions we visited my paternal grandparents. It was starkly different from one culture to the other. Holidays with my mother’s family were loud and fun, full of music, dancing, the food I knew and loved, and a steady flow of cousins to play with. In contrast, visits with my gringo family were quiet and, frankly, boring. We weren’t allowed to run in the house, there were no other children around, the food was bland and somewhat unfamiliar, and there was no music and certainly no dancing. I grew up truly believing that this was the way that Swedish people were. Quiet, conservative, boring. For the bulk of my childhood, this perception of gringo culture heavily fueled a resentment toward this part of my identity. I hated that I couldn’t speak Spanish with my family, that comments were made about how Swedish I was, and that some part of me was made up of these boring people who I barely knew who always smelled of boiled cauliflower.

It wasn’t until my brother and I were school aged that how we identify became a more public and pressing issue—and my brother and I adjusted and responded to this in different ways. We grew up in a very white community with very little diversity of any kind. For me, I loudly broadcast that I was Puerto Rican every chance I got. This was partially fueled by pride, but mostly by a need to clarify who I am—to reaffirm, to qualify, to define, to…be seen. And there was a strong element of rejection. I was not white. I was not like my father’s family. I knew that when people looked at me, they saw me as white, and I hated it! I did everything I could to make a clear distinction—to stand out.

My brother’s experience and motivations were very different. He wanted to fit in. I asked him once when we were adults why he never told people he was Puerto Rican until he was in his 20s. He told me that when he was in grade school, they had a family tree project they were working on in class. As he was filling out the template with my maternal grandparents—Pablo Solano and Antonia Rivera—a classmate called out to the teacher: “Paul is cheating on his family tree and he’s making them Mexican!” It made a strong impression on him, and after that, only those close friends who would visit our house knew that we were Puerto Rican.

I didn’t receive that type of reaction as I loudly proclaimed that I was Puerto Rican at every possible moment. My school troubles with my identity came later, after I made my first Latina friend in middle school. She was Mexican and had beautiful long dark hair and brown skin. I was beyond excited to have a classmate who reminded me of the cousins I visited growing up. I was bound and determined to make her my new friend. I quickly succeeded in that front, until more of her family moved into the neighborhood and her cousin joined our class. My initial excitement over yet another Latina friend quickly transformed to a sad angry rejection. I tried desperately to keep up with the Spanish my new friends would speak. Having shadowed my mother and spent my early life listening intently to Spanish, I understood a great deal—but I was very self-conscious about my accent, a mix of American and Puerto Rican, both of which were different from the Spanish my new friends spoke. I became a subject of jokes and ridicule, in Spanish primarily, with the assumption that I couldn’t understand. As quickly as I had made my first Latina friend, I lost my first Latina friend. And once again I hated the part of me that caused this—the whiteness that I couldn’t deny that made me not quite Latina enough.

I imagine teenage years are times of self-discovery for most people. You’re coming into your body, your interests, developing new friendships, and figuring out who you are at your core. For me, I was realizing and feeling how much I didn’t belong. While I certainly had the fair skin and blue eyes that would help me fit in with the popular girls in school, I had a mop of unruly curly hair that I couldn’t figure out how to straighten into the cute styles girls wore at the time and couldn’t stomach the bigoted comments I would hear. To fit in was to hide—hide my hair, hide my family, hide my very self. It was even more difficult to fit in with the growing Latino population at my school. I couldn’t hide my skin or my name or ever speak Spanish in the way a native speaker would. It was less of an effort to hide and more of an effort to be enough, which just didn’t seem possible. When I finally found my place, it was with the other “weird” alternative kids—an assortment of punks, goths, emo, and other social misfits. We formed our own group that allowed us to fit in by not fitting in. This is when I learned the most about acceptance and belonging, and about the struggles we all had in common while being so uniquely ourselves. This is where I felt I most belonged—with a group bonded not by ethnicity or race or culture or gender or sexual orientation or any other single definition. We were an assortment of individuals, each with our own experiences that shaped us and made us interesting to one another.

College was where I found an even greater sense of belonging in the activist groups working for social justice and equality. It was there that I learned the power that each of us has to challenge status quo assumptions on identity. I learned how change can happen through many channels, and I seized the opportunity to fight for every cause I could. I was certain that this was my path—a warrior for social justice! I had felt the pain of my identity being assumed based on my appearance. I felt both empathy and solidarity with those who defied categorization—who fought to show that we are so much more than a singular definition. This is the fundamental core of my passion for diversity—belonging within a system so heavily built on singularity requires uniformity and conformity, a polarizing stance of you are this or you are that. All I wanted was to challenge the assumptions we make and use to devalue certain groups in our world. I wanted to build a society where belonging didn’t require restrictive labels. I left school convinced that I would be a professional activist, fighting the good fight with my shaved head through clouds of tear gas. Instead, life would get in the way. I would marry, have a child, divorce, remarry, and build a family of my own. I had to put aside my dreams of professional activism to find a way to support my child.

Slowly I came to appreciate that social change comes from both marching in the streets and changing the way it looks in a corporate boardroom.

Only in recent years, as my father’s health declined, did I begin to learn more about his experiences growing up. It was only after his death that I truly embraced being Swedish. In the first weeks and months surrounded by grief, I was seemingly obsessed with Scandinavian culture—it made me feel close to him somehow, though I could count on one hand the number of times we talked about his background. I still have pain when I think of how rejecting and resenting this part of my identity dishonored my father and the reality of who I truly am. This is worth noting because it shows the complexity of identity—and the forced dichotomy that I believe many from a mixed background experience. Swederican aside, I felt that I had to choose—because I never met (and still haven’t!) another Swederican to reaffirm that it was ok to embrace both. This grief-fueled shift in my perception of my ethnic identity rippled through my life, to the extent that I no longer feel the strong pull to explain who I am. Realizing the irony in this statement as I write this, the reality is I’ve become more quiet and pulled back. Not from shame or any negative feelings—more from a mixture of contentment and exhaustion. My focus is far more external these days, having a solid understanding of myself and that there are far greater struggles than my own.

If you’ve made it here—to the end of this long-winded and perhaps self-indulgent essay—I trust something has resonated. And while this feels a bit like the broadcasting of myself that I did in my younger days, if I’ve accomplished what I hoped with all these words, you can see the reality here: it’s complicated! Identity is complex because we’re more than one thing, and yet to belong often requires focusing on one thing.

The truth is, we all have bits and pieces of our lives that are remarkably similar—and some that may be drastically different. If we can see and truly accept this reality, then we can all see that we all belong in a rich, vibrant, and diverse world. If you can see it—see yourselves in it—I hope you are inspired to help us all create it. During Hispanic Heritage Month, I embrace my Puerto Rican heritage, and also reflect on my Swedish side which makes it a month of fully embracing who I am.

See me.

Written by Kimberly Magruder, Senior Product Marketing Strategist at Wheels

Originally published in the September 2023 Issue of Fleet Insight. 

“I am honored to be elected to the AFLA board,” Rajapakse said. “I am committed to serving the AFLA community and excited to listen, learn, and do my part to continue to provide the best in-person and virtual forums for corporate fleet professionals to network with industry leaders. To the entire AFLA community – thank you all for this fantastic opportunity!” Rajapakse is Vice President, Client Management at Wheels.

Don Wright, was re-elected to the position of Director, Dealers. Erin Gilchrist was elected to serve as Director, Allied Service Providers. Dan Fierro will hold the office of Director, Remarketers.

“I am honored to serve AFLA as Director of Dealers,” Wright said. “Thanks so much for the opportunity. I look forward to doing my best to help AFLA be the best. Hope to see you in October.” Wright is Commercial Sales Director at Five Star Ford.

“To the entire AFLA member community, I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks for your faith in me to serve you on the AFLA Board of Directors,” Gilchrist said. “I greatly look forward to giving back to the association that has helped me build and enhance my career over these many years and mentor others as well. I promise to actively, humbly and creatively serve.” Gilchrist is Vice President of Fleet Evangelism at IntelliShift.

“I am thrilled and honored to be Director, Remarketers on the AFLA Board of Directors,” Fierro said. “It is a privilege to be part of such a distinguished association. I am eager to collaborate with this exceptional group and contribute my expertise to serve wherever I can make a meaningful impact.” Fierro is Senior Account Executive with Flexco Remarketing Services.

AFLA’s new leaders will officially begin their terms at the close of the AFLA 2023 Corporate Fleet Conference, Best is Yet to Come, which will be held October 2-5, 2023 in Palm Springs, CA.

It all makes sense now when I look back on the pictures of my loved one and see the drastic change over the past few years. That young, optimistic little girl who had an enormous smile with a wrinkled nose, stopped smiling a few years ago—and that should have tipped me off that she was facing a real challenge. It breaks my heart to know she was dealing with these challenges, and I only learned about it within the past year.

Mental Health Month
May is Mental Health Month. Forbes Health reports that millions of Americans experience symptoms of a mental health condition and that people seeking treatment have been trending upward. Today I would like to share three tactics that helped us get our loved one back to grounding herself in reality and allowing her to cope with her challenges. I hope they can help any of you traveling this journey.


Three Tactics to Help You Manage When Your Mind Gets Stuck

1: Writing down irrational thoughts vs. rational thoughts. When any of us gets that little voice in our heads asserting that we may not be good enough, or if we are filled with negative emotions and make assumptions about an outcome—write down that thought. Next to that thought, write down a rational thought from a different point of view. Look at it from a different perspective and write down what a rational person would see in that situation. When you go back to these handwritten notes the next day, you will see that the rational thought was correct most of the time. If the same negative thought returns, refer back to the rational thoughts you wrote down.

2: The Pomodoro Technique. When you can't focus on your work, this time-management tactic allows progress to be made in small increments, helps with procrastination, and is effective when any of us need to get work done. The Pomodoro Technique breaks down work sessions with frequent breaks. Using a timer, you work on a task without interruption for twenty-five minutes. When the timer goes off, take a five-minute break focusing on anything other than the work of the past twenty-five minutes. Return to another timed twenty-five-minute focus session followed by another break. After finishing four twenty-five-minute working sessions, take a 15 to 30-minute break to do something fun. The Pomodoro Technique helps to keep activities moving forward when you’re mentally stuck.

3: 5-4-3-2-1 Method. This method lets you clear your head and momentarily remove anxiety and nagging doubts by grounding yourself. When you have a situation where you are mentally struggling, stop the negative thoughts and start using your senses:

• Recognize five things you see around you and acknowledge or describe them out loud.
• Find four things you can feel with your hands, touch, and describe the texture.
• Listen to three things you can hear and describe the sound.
• Find two things you can smell and describe what you are smelling.
• Find one thing you can taste and describe that taste.

Using your senses allows you to focus on the here and now and relaxes the tension you feel.

Take Action to Support Each Other
I don’t need to tell you that being a fleet professional is stressful. We face numerous challenges that keep us up at night, such as cost reduction, driver safety, doing more with less, staying up to date with data for strategic decisions, and staying on top of the latest fleet trends. There are so many mental health resources available, but the first step is to acknowledge your situation. If you feel stressed or overwhelmed, try one of the recommended tactics. Should you feel the need for more help, don't hesitate to contact your health professional to begin the process of receiving professional support.

It's been almost a year since my loved one started receiving professional support. While we still have our good and bad days, she has made significant progress. She turned from failing grades to a place on the honor roll in her high school freshman year. Seeing her recent pictures with that beautiful smile again fills me with joy. It serves as a reminder that we can overcome whatever life throws our way. It's crucial to get the support you need to triumph.

As a fleet family, let's continue to look out for one another and offer a helping hand if we see someone struggling because they are stranded on the side of the emotional road. May your journey always take you to your final destination—and remember that none of us needs to travel alone.

Written by Carlos Oropeza

Janice Sutton, CEO, Editor in Chief, Fleet Management Weekly

Patsy Brownson, CAFM, Retired Fleet, Travel & Relocation Consultant
2014 Hall of Fame Inductee, 2001 Fleet Manager of the Year, AFLA Past President and honored with the Distinguished Service award from NAFA.

Patsy blazed an amazing personal path for her career in fleet. She started her work career in the 1970’s as an administrative assistant to the President and VP of a rental company. Part of her role was all the “fleet work” - which became so much that they asked her to take it over full time. During this period she joined NAFA and became very involved at the chapter level, holding all the chapter leadership positions and managing committees. 

Patsy joined Cox Communications in 1987 and took her local NAFA experience to the national level. Patsy held every leadership role up to, and within the NAFA Board (except for Treasurer) before being elected in 1993 to President of NAFA; only the second woman to hold that office since its inception in 1957.   

She then served 2 terms with a strong focus on education for the chapters, and changed the conference to an annual Institute to emphasize the professional development and learning components of fleet management. 

During her 1993-1995 term as NAFA President, Patsy was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Federal Fleet Fuel Task Force. Patsy recalls Patrick O’Connor, then Legislative Counsel for NAFA, as being invaluable during that time. She worked with the Dept. of Energy, the EPA, members of Congress and the Policy Dialogue Advisory Committee to discuss options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It was through this work that the Alternative Fuels Task Force and the Clean Cities Program were developed and are still active today. 

Patsy was also an AFLA member during this time. When her commitment to NAFA was completed, she became involved in various AFLA committees and the board leading to her AFLA Presidency in 2005-2006. It was during her time on the board that AFLA moved to a professional event management company which broadened and extended the breadth of the association. 

The main thing Patsy cherishes is the friendships and the camaraderie availed to her by our associations.   

As author of this article, I completely agree with both Janice and Patsy that without our associations and networking, we would not know, or have known, the people that enriched our lives and careers.  Thank you Janice and Patsy for your contributions to our fleet industry, past and present!

Written by Susan Miller, Broadcast Producer, at GEOTAB

Originally published in the March 2023 Edition of Fleet Insight

Exavious (Za) Farley, Founder and CEO, officially introduced BFN to the industry at the end of 2022, but the idea for the Network is one he was contemplating for a while. Over the years, Farley noticed a theme emerging from conversations with Black colleagues. They wanted to talk about their experiences and issues that were meaningful to them, so he set out to create a space for raw and unfiltered conversations and from there, the BFN was born. 
 
On top of creating an open dialogue for Black fleet professionals, BFN aims to foster greater equity across the industry by providing channels of opportunity for its members that haven’t existed before. Their vision includes outreach to all ages and career levels to allow for Black people to have increased access and ownership within the fleet industry. The Network will not only become a collective of established and aspiring fleet professionals but will provide value to the industry at large through awareness and by cultivating subject matter experts.
 
BFN is mindfully building their team, which already includes the impressive roster of Karla Jackson (J3 Management Group) as COO; Dr. Tyra Jones (JA Consulting and Corporate Tax Solutions) as CFO; Makela Owens (City of Stockton, CA) as CCO, and Al Curtis (Cobb County, GA) as Peer Advisory Chair. 
 
Later in 2023, Black Fleet Network plans to share details on membership, DEI consultation, sponsorship and collaboration. In the meantime, the BFN team will be attending a number of upcoming industry events and I hope you connect with them to learn more and see how you can get involved.

Written by Brett Ashley Bridges, Director, Communications & client Services at BBL Fleet

Originally published in the February 2023 Edition of Fleet Insight