The Fleet

Autonomous trucks mean so much more than driverless.Nick Elder, VP of Commercialization at Torc Robotics, joins The Fleet to explain what has to be true before autonomy becomes something fleets can actually use. He breaks down why Level 4 requires a fundamentally different safety architecture, what happens when sensors and autonomous systems need repair or recalibration, and why removing the driver does not remove all the work a driver was doingThe conversation also explores how autonomy could fit into existing freight networks, where it may not make economic or operational sense, and what new opportunities could emerge once fleets begin operating autonomous assets at scale. What you'll learnWhy “first to market” isn’t the real win in autonomous Class 8, and what fleets will actually care about insteadWhy Level 4 autonomy is a complete redesign, not just an upgrade from Level 3What has to happen when there’s no human fallback for braking, steering, service or failureWhy removing the driver doesn’t remove all the work the driver was doingWhat Torc’s fleet advisory council keeps pushing hardest on, from TCO to operational fitWhy the original hub-to-hub model had to evolve to fit existing freight networks betterWhat fleet managers should start auditing now to understand where autonomy could actually workWhy autonomy may improve more than utilization, including cleaner data for maintenance and operational optimizationWhy autonomous trucking still won’t make sense for every route, facility or fleetWhy truck driving can remain a long-term career even as autonomous freight expands ConnectNick Elder on LinkedInTorc RoboticsThe Fleet Podcast SponsorThis episode is sponsored by Element Fleet Management.If your organization depends on a fleet of vehicles, it's time to think about your fleet as a strategic asset. Chapters0:00 Why Driverless Trucks Change More Than Driving1:27 Meet Nick Elder and Torc Robotics2:41 Why Torc Isn’t Racing to Be First4:05 From DARPA to Autonomous Class 8 Trucks7:50 What Level 4 Autonomy Means23:03 Why Level 4 Requires a Different System25:42 The Safety Promise of Autonomous Trucks27:55 Why Class 8 Long-Haul Comes First29:06 The Business Case for Autonomous Trucking31:17 Will Autonomous Trucks Replace Drivers?34:29 What Fleets Actually Want From Autonomy36:59 Why the Hub-to-Hub Model Changed40:28 Where Autonomous Trucking Actually Fits45:31 What Truck Drivers Do Besides Driving49:34 How Fleets Should Prepare for Autonomy51:47 New Fleet Models Autonomy Could Enable54:44 What’s Next for Torc Robotics Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your service vehicle may be built around assumptions that stopped being true years ago.At Siemens, Adam Orth and his team went into the field to see how technicians were actually using their vehicles—and found vans carrying more empty space than equipment, underused shelving, and jobs that no longer required the same setups they once did.In this episode, Adam explains how Siemens rethought parts of its service fleet around the work itself, from moving some roles into SUVs to redesigning upfits around what technicians actually need. He also shares why fleet leaders should question one-for-one replacement, get closer to the field, and be willing to change the vehicle when the job has already changed.ConnectAdam Orth on LinkedInSiemens U.S.The Fleet on LinkedInSponsorThis episode is sponsored by Element Fleet Management.If your organization depends on a fleet of vehicles, it's time to think about your fleet as a strategic asset. Learn more at elementfleet.com.Chapters0:00 What Kind of Service Vehicle?2:12 Why Siemens is one of GM's largest EV commercial customers5:39 What Germany's EV sales numbers reveal about US infrastructure7:59 The question that should come before 'which EV'10:45 Throwing out the fleet playbook — and why it wasn't just about EV14:12 'The scroll of excuses' Adam hears every day16:28 The revelation: from vans to Equinox21:31 One ladder nearly killed the whole plan23:09 The upfit rebuild — killing cookie-cutter shelving26:56 'Hauling air' — what the field study actually found29:00 How Siemens thought about the SUV strategy across states32:05 What field feedback surfaced about charging speed37:34 Wind, hills, cold, towing — the range argument fact-checked51:19 The four things that quietly stacked in EV's favor53:19 Advice for fleets early in the EV transition Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fleet costs money. Trying to minimize those expenses can cost far more.Jennifer Pemberton, Senior Manager of Fleet and Routing at Alsco Uniforms, explains why the cheapest decision in the short term is not always the least expensive one in the long term.From maintaining aging fleets to making the case for better tools and resources, Jennifer shares what it takes to keep costs under control without creating bigger problems down the road.ConnectJennifer Pemberton on LinkedInAlsco UniformsThe Fleet PodcastSponsorThis episode is sponsored by Element Fleet Management.If your organization depends on a fleet of vehicles, it's time to think about your fleet as a strategic asset. Learn more at elementfleet.com.Chapters0:00 Two people running 2,500 trucks — meet Jen Pemberton1:21 Inside Alsco: dirty laundry, step vans, and a global operation3:19 Why every branch runs a slightly different truck5:17 The cost center trap: how fleet gets labeled 'the department that just spends money'6:02 Selling maintenance up the chain in dollars and cents9:37 The 6 branches with on-site fleet shops — and why they cost the least11:43 Two people, 3,500 vehicles, zero FMC: what running lean actually looks like16:15 The 2028 vehicle cost wave nobody's ready for17:58 Fuel up 30% since March: the real cost pressure fleet leaders are facing19:07 The business case for adding a maintenance management role22:53 The dash cam rollout that changed everything25:51 40% idling — the reveal that proved the value of fleet data29:17 Why minor accidents went UP after dash cams (and why that's good news)32:40 The one dash cam feature every fleet leader should look for34:45 Where EVs actually make sense in a fleet40:29 What's next for Alsco's fleet Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Robert Braswell has spent 33 years at the neutral technical seat of the trucking industry as Executive Director of the Technology and Maintenance Council. He sees what's actually working across fleets — and what's being abandoned. In this conversation, he breaks down what fleets are betting on for 2027. How leaders can balance immediate savings with smarter investments in drivers, technicians, maintenance data and emerging technology.This episode is sponsored by Element Fleet Management.If your organization depends on a fleet of vehicles, it's time to think about your fleet as a strategic asset. Learn more at elementfleet.com.ConnectRobert Braswell on LinkedInTechnology & Maintenance Council (TMC)American Trucking AssociationsChapters0:00 The Decisions Fleets Are Making in 20261:29 How TMC Sets Technical Standards for Fleets2:22 What’s Keeping Fleet Managers Up at Night in 20265:05 The 35% Fuel-Economy Gap Between Drivers5:44 Why Fleets Chase 1-2% Fuel-Economy Gains9:31 Aftertreatment and the Uncertainty Around 2027 Trucks11:00 Why Fleets Are Pre-Buying the Vehicles They Know14:12 Where Electric Trucks Fit Today15:54 Why Better Fleet Decisions Depend on Better Data20:24 The Headlights Were Never the Problem27:17 The Technician Shortage Isn’t About Applicants33:32 Are You Managing for Uptime or the Quarterly Bonus?34:04 The KPIs That Actually Matter for Fleet Uptime37:47 What the National Technician Skills Competition Reveals46:15 What AI Is for Fleets52:44 How Autonomous Trucks Could Reshape Fleet Maintenance Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this special look back at The Fleet, industry leaders explore how mobility, infrastructure, technology, economics, data, and driver experience are becoming part of one connected system.Featuring Sampo Hietanen, Mobility as a Service pioneer; Sven Beiker of Silicon Valley Mobility; Philipp Kampshoff of McKinsey & Company; Dor Shay of Element Mobility and AutoFleet; Will Graylin of Indigo Technologies; Professor Shauna Brail of the University of Toronto; Dr. Sheldon Williamson of Ontario Tech University; Jen VrMeer of BD; Brian Kinniry of Element Fleet Management; and Alejandra Torres of AstraZeneca.This episode is brought to you by Element Fleet Management.If your organization depends on a fleet of vehicles, it's time to think about your fleet as a strategic asset. Learn more at elementfleet.com.Chapters0:00 Fleet Is Becoming More Than the Vehicle1:26 What Is Transportation Really Delivering?5:28 Building the System Around the Vehicle8:20 Designing the Right Vehicle for the Job10:23 Where Fleet Technology Creates Value12:38 Inside the Real Fleet Operation15:04 Bringing Drivers Through Change18:45 Targeting the Real Safety Risk21:21 Pilot, Measure, Scale24:54 Everything Connected Around the Vehicle Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.