Executives from several fleet management companies discussed their vision for the future of fleet management at NAFA I&E 2019, and detailed why it's an exciting time to be part of the industry.

Fleet managements executives who spoke during the panel included Dan Frank, CEO and president, Wheels, Inc.; Tom Callahan, president, Donlen; Jay Forbes, CEO, Element Fleet Management; Bob White, president, ARI; and Matt Dyer, CEO and president, LeasePlan USA. Moderating the panel was Mike Joyce, executive director, American Automotive Leasing Association (AALA).

They stressed the importance of fleets looking to leverage the assistance of existing fleet technologies, suppliers, and other industry partners to be better prepared for the gradual changes that will be happening in the industry.

"This is a great opportunity for all of us, to be agile enough to stay up to speed, but I think we'll look back on this time and reflect on really how innovative it was," said Dyer.

Other topics addressed during the panel included the growing risk of distracted driving and how safety initiatives can help curb this, and learning to have a better understanding of who has ownership of the data that is collected by fleets, fleet management companies, and other industry suppliers.