AF's Top 100 Commercial Fleets for 1978
Our annual Top Fleets ranking represent more than 272,000 vehicles.
AF Fleet Rank | Company & Headquarters | Fleet Contact | Co. Owned | Lessor (s) | # Cars | # Lt. Trucks & Vans | Total |
1 | Xerox Rochester, NY | - | Gelco, Hertz , Leaseway | 8,250 | 1,750 | 10,000 | |
2 | Frito-Lay Dallas, TX | Joe Wilson Pete Philip | ´ | - | 300 | 8,300 | 8,600 |
3 | Tupperware Orlando, FL | Bernie Janis | - | "In-House" Leasing | 7,300 | - | 7,800 |
4 | 3-M St. Paul, MN | Floyd Piper | ´ | - | 5,469 | 1,614 | 7,083 |
5 | Honeywell Minneapolis, MN | Doug McLeod | - | Gelco PH&H | 5,000 | 2,000 | 7,000 |
6 | Orkin Atlanta, GA | Porter Thompson | ´ | Chrysler B&M (Beaudry) | 3,200 | 3,100 | 6,300 |
7 | Goodyear Akron, OH | Jay Furbay | ´ | Only 250 Cars Leased | 1,840 | 4,440 | 6,280 |
8 | Westinghouse Pittsburgh, PA | Lou Dobak | - | "In-House" Leasing | 4,000 | 2,000 | 6,000 |
9 | Union Carbide New York, NY | Walt Dzitko | - | Wheels, Gelco Hertz | 3,500 | 2,000 | 5,500 |
10 | Tenneco Houston, TX | John Gudelman | ´ | Fleet Services | 3,457 | 1,972 | 5,429 |
11 | Digit Equipment Maynard, MA | Steve Bury | ´ | PH&H | 5,000 | 200 | 5,200 |
12 | Exxon Houston, TX | ´ | - | 2,580 | 2,400 | 4,980 | |
13 | Dow Chemical Midland, MI | Dwight Olsen Pamela Pfuehler | - | CCEC/ McCullagh | 2,900 | 2,100 | 5,000 |
14 | Allstate Northbrook, IL | Bob Peluso "Bud" Fenger | ´ | - | 4,300 | 50 | 4,350 |
15 | Shaklee Emeryville, CA | Pete Wood | ´ | - | 4,200 | 25 | 4,225 |
16 | Motorola Schaumburg, IL | Rudy Diblik | ´ | - | 3,800 | 400 | 4,200 |
17 | Montgomery Ward Chicago, IL | Roseann Neveitt | - | Gelco | 400 | 3,500 | 3,900 |
18 | Nabisco E. Hanover, NJ | John Mihalker | ´ | - | 3,500 | 360 | 3,860 |
19 | Shell Houston, TX | L.J Boudreax | ´ | - | 2,300 | 1,400 | 3,700 |
20 | U.S Steel Pittsburgh, PA | "Mac" Wilson | ´ | - | 1,600 | 2,000 | 3,600 |
21 | Georgia Pacific Portland, OR | Robert Sumner | ´ | - | 2,000 | 1,600 | 3,600 |
22 | Canteen Corp. Chicago, IL | Tom Gredlics | ´ | - | 1,000 | 2,500 | 3,500 |
23 | Eastman Kodak Rochester, NY | Scott Thomas | ´ | - | 3,500 | 30 | 3,530 |
24 | Brown & Root Houston, TX | Roger Ivey | ´ | - | 1,450 | 2,050 | 3,500 |
25 | Continental Insurance New York, NY | R. Gray Woolsey | ´ | - | 3,487 | 6 | 3,493 |
26 | Weyerhaueser Tacoma, WA | John Peterson | - | "In-House" Leasing | 1,119 | 2,296 | 3,415 |
27 | Phillips Bartlesville, OK | E.R. Ewing | ´ | Major Enterprise | 1,303 | 2,110 | 3,413 |
28 | W.R Grace New York, NY | Edward Boehme | ´ | PH&H Hertz | 2,039 | 1,302 | 3,341 |
29 | Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Salt Lake City, UT | Don Benson | ´ | - | 3,100 | - | 3,100 |
30 | Purolator New Hyde Park, NY | Bob Fritts | ´ | - | 200 | 2,800 | 3,000 |
31 | Borg-Warner Palatine, Il | Tom Poland | - | "In House" Leasing | 2,600 | 400 | 3,000 |
32 | Dresser Ind. Houston, TX | Jo Barr | - | Dresser | 2,000 | 1,000 | 3,000 |
33 | Burlington Northern St. Paul, MN | Lauren Elverhoy | - | Gelco | 700 | 2,200 | 2,900 |
34 | Liberty Mutual Boston, MA | Jim Force | ´ | - | 2,800 | 23 | 2,823 |
35 | Revlon New York, NY | - | Gelco Hertz | 2,800 | - | 2,800 | |
36 | State Farm Insurance Bloomington, IL | Tom Costigan | ´ | - | 5,700 | - | 5,700 |
37 | Crawford Atlanta, GA | B.L. Garrett Wanda Ellison | - | Colesco "In-House" | 2,750 | - | 2,750 |
38 | Avon Products New York, NY | Doreen Woodrum | - | Gelco Gamble | 2,600 | - | 2,600 |
39 | Transamerica Los Angeles, CA | Bill Slathour | - | "In-House" Leasing | 2,500 | 100 | 2,600 |
40 | Hartford Insurance Hartford, CT | Ralph Radant | ´ | - | 2,600 | - | 2,600 |
41 | FMC Corp. Chicago, IL | Kate Schneider | ´ | - | 1,670 | 830 | 2,500 |
42 | Kraft Chicago, IL | Ed Jackstis | ´ | - | 2,400 | 45 | 2,445 |
43 | Procter & Gamble Cincinnati, OH | Clarence O'Dell | N.A | N.A | 2,400 | - | 2,400 |
44 | IC Industries Chicago, IL | Jeff Grade | - | Gelco | 2,000 | 400 | 2,400 |
45 | Upjohn Kalamazoo, MI | Judy Rafferty | - | Wheels Leaseway | 2,150 | 250 | 2,400 |
46 | Getty Refining Tulsa, OK | Bob Scott | ´ | - | 300 | 2,000 | 2,300 |
47 | Philip Morris New York, NY | Greg Tarring | - | PH&H | 2,200 | 2 | 2,202 |
48 | American Cyanamid Wayne, NJ | Chuck Woehrle | - | ARI, PH&H Allstate | 2,125 | 75 | 2,200 |
49 | INA Philadelphia, PA | Charles Krewson | ´ | - | 2,108 | 6 | 2,114 |
50 | Federal Express Memphis, TN | Ron Pruitt | - | HLR Corp. | - | 2,069 | 2,069 |
51 | General Foots White Plains, NY | Christ Pollard | ´ | - | 1,950 | 80 | 2,030 |
52 | Household Finance Chicago, IL | Mary Kowalski | - | Lend Lease | 2,000 | 7 | 2,007 |
53 | Greyhound Phoenix, AZ | Ed Bloomfield | ´ | - | 1,900 | 100 | 2,000 |
54 | Pfizer New York, NY | Sara Shannon | - | Wheels PH&H | 1,950 | 50 | 2,000 |
55 | Pepsi Cola Chicago, IL | Walt Miller | - | Gelco | 200 | 1,800 | 2,000 |
56 | Cities Service Tulsa, OK | Mr. Williams | ´ | - | 750 | 1,200 | 1,950 |
57 | N.L McCullough/ NL Ind. Houston, TX | Earl Reeves | - | PH&H | 1,252 | 681 | 1,933 |
58 | Allstate Insurance Northbrook, IL | "Bud" Fenger | - | Allstate | 1,900 | - | 1,900 |
59 | Economics Labs St. Paul, MN | Mr. Itel Pete Schnidg | ´ | - | 1,780 | 70 | 1,850 |
60 | Merck Rahway, NJ | Alma Cristauro | - | PH&H | 1,735 | 85 | 1,820 |
61 | Fireman's Fund San Francisco, CA | Dan Townsend | Both | U.S Fleet | 1,800 | 10 | 1,810 |
62 | General Mills Minneapolis, MN | Jim Rowe | ´ | - | 1,600 | 200 | 1,800 |
63 | Amoco Oil Chicago, IL | Tom Buckley | ´ | - | 1,800 | - | 1,800 |
64 | Ashland Oil Ashland, KY | Mary Lou Dougherty | ´ | Cancelling Lessors | 1,600 | 150 | 1,750 |
65 | Marathon Oil Findlay, OH | Lois Smith | ´ | Gelco | 725 | 1,000 | 1,725 |
66 | Wausau Insurance Co. Wausau, WI | Dorothy Elliot | ´ | Consolidated Gelco | 1,700 | 12 | 1,712 |
67 | Ingersoll-Rand Los Angeles, CA | Terry Felicia | - | Wheels Gambles | 1,225 | 475 | 1,700 |
68 | Johnson & Johnson New Brunswick, NJ | - | "In-House" Leasing | 1,600 | 100 | 1,700 | |
69 | Farmers Insurance Group Pasadena, CA | Willis Wheeler | - | "In-House" Leasing | 1,700 | - | 1,700 |
70 | U.S. Fidelity & Guaranty Baltimore, MD | Jack Sibley | ´ | - | 1,650 | - | 1,650 |
71 | Moore Business Forms Glenview, IL | Greg Furch | - | ARI Gambles | 1,600 | 8 | 1,608 |
72 | Jewell Companies Chicago, IL | Bill Thomas | ´ | - | 400 | 1,200 | 1,600 |
73 | Back of America San Francisco, CA | Don Dennler | ´ | - | 1,500 | 100 | 1,600 |
74 | McDonald's Oak Brook, IL | Don Kolb | - | PH&H | 1,500 | 50 | 1,550 |
75 | Searle Skokie, IL | Ilene Mann | - | ARI | 1,500 | 50 | 1,550 |
76 | Brown & Williamson Louisville, KY | Bob Whitfield | ´ | - | 1,450 | 50 | 1,500 |
77 | Gulf Oil Houston, TX | R. Sowickie J.E. Cumming | - | Gelco ARI | 1,300 | 170 | 1,470 |
78 | Sherwin Cleveland, OH | G.N. Hickey | - | N.A | 650 | 750 | 1,400 |
79 | Eli Lilly Indianapolis, IN | Vic Hassler Sue Webster | - | Wheels Lend Lease | 1,400 | - | 1,400 |
80 | Smith Kline Corp. Philadelphia, PA | John Mahony Bill Haney | - | ARI, Wheels | 1,310 | 49 | 1,359 |
81 | Thomas J. Lipton Englewood Cliffs, NJ | ´ | - | 750 | 600 | 1,350 | |
82 | American Tobacco New York, NY | Harold Powers | ´ | - | 1,190 | 125 | 1,315 |
83 | Owens Illinois Toledo, OH | Mary Johnson | - | PH&H McCullagh | 1,170 | 130 | 1,300 |
84 | Lorillard New York, NY | George Klock | ´ | PH&H Gambles | 1,300 | - | 1,300 |
85 | Pepsico, Inc. Purchase, NY | S. Levy Barbara Gunport | ´ | Mission Leasing, Gelco | 400 | 900 | 1,300 |
86 | Abbott Labs No. Chicago, IL | Mack Taylor | - | PH&H, Wheels | 1,300 | - | 1,300 |
87 | Hallmark Cards Kansas City, MO | ´ | - | 1,250 | - | 1,250 | |
88 | American Greetings Cleveland, OH | Pat Percival | - | PH&H McCullagh | 1,250 | - | 1,250 |
89 | Owens/Corning Toledo, OH | Earl Mitchell Bev Decello | - | PH&H | 1,100 | 100 | 1,200 |
90 | Hoffman Laroche Nutley, NJ | Roy Ingalls | ´ | PH&H | 1,050 | 150 | 1,200 |
91 | American Can Greenwich, CT | Eileen Samia | - | PH&H | 1,100 | 100 | 1,200 |
92 | Johns Manville Denver, CO | A.R. Holden | ´ | Kerr | 1,000 | 200 | 1,200 |
93 | American Home Products New York, NY | Elizabeth Witkowski | - | Wheels | 1,200 | - | 1,200 |
94 | Colgate Palmolive New York, NY | Francis Kelly | - | PH&H | 1,150 | 2 | 1,152 |
95 | GAF Corp. Wayne, NJ | - | Genway, Hertz, Sentinal | 1,125 | - | 1,125 | |
96 | Gerber Products Fremont, MI | Pat Sheehan | ´ | Wheels, ARI | 950 | 150 | 1,100 |
97 | Baxter-Travenol Deerfield, IL | Pat Sheehan | ´ | Wheels, ARI | 950 | 150 | 1,100 |
98 | L'eggs Winston-Salem, NC | Bob Morris | - | Hollister, Wheels | 100 | 1,000 | 1,100 |
99 | Continental Oil Houston, TX | Leon Nierman | ´ | - | 851 | 187 | 1,038 |
100 | Coca Cola Atlanta, GA | Carol Hunerwadel | ´ | - | 1,000 | 30 | 1,030 |
TOTAL | 199,007 | 73,918 | 272,925 |
In May 1980, AF updated the original listing with the information below.
The last seven of the fleets listed in this update are new to the list, thus changing the ranking of many of the fleets published in March. The numbers shown to the left of each listing are the new fleets' ranks in the updated charts.
AF Fleet Rank | Company & Headquarters | Fleet Contact | Co. Owned | Lessor (s) | # Cars | # Lt. Trucks & Vans | Total |
3 | Tupperware Orlando, FL | Bernie Janis | - | "In-House" | 7,800 | - | 7,800 |
9 | State Farm Insurance Bloomington, IL | Tom Sours | - | Colesco "In-House" | 5,700 | - | 5,700 |
13 | Dow Chemical Midland, MI | Dwight Olsen Pamela Pfuehler | - | CCEC/ McCullagh | 2,900 | 2,100 | 5,000 |
23 | Johnson Controls Milwaukee, WI | R.M. Borchert | - | Gelco Wheels Southgate | 1,300 | 2,260 | 3,560 |
38 | GAB Business Services New York, NY | G.J. Keenan | ´ | PHH | 2,800 | - | 2,800 |
39 | Travelers Insurance Hartford, CT | Art Derdarian | - | PHH | 2,800 | - | 2,800 |
49 | Diebold, Inc. Canton, OH | Dave Allton | - | PHH Leaseway Gambles Guardsman | 900 | 1,500 | 2,400 |
50 | Chessie System Baltimore, MD | P.C. McNulty | ´ | PHH ARI | 800 | 1,600 | 2,400 |
82 | St. Regis Paper Co. New York, NY | R.G. McCarthy | - | ARI Gambles Associates Consultants, Inc. | 800 | 700 | 1,500 |
93 | Bell & Howell Chicago, IL | Kathleen M. Rodig | - | ARI Wheels Leaseway | 1,100 | 200 | 1,300 |
More Operations

Managing Fleet Costs in an Era of Permanent Volatility
Fleet operating costs have risen more than 20% since 2020, raising a key question: When does extending a vehicle's service life stop making financial sense?
Read More →
The Next Evolution of Fleet Management: Autonomous Operations
This opening keynote session at the Fleet Forward Conference highlights the future of autonomous driving for fleets.
Read More →
How to Reduce the Total Cost of Risk From Catalytic Converter Theft
A stolen catalytic converter can cost fleets far more in downtime and lost productivity than in repairs. A total-cost-of-risk approach can help fleet managers quantify their exposure and prioritize theft prevention.
Read More →
Personal-Use Charges Rise as Vehicle Values Fall | AF News Recap
Personal-use charges are climbing, wholesale used-vehicle values are declining, and commercial fleet sales growth is slowing. This week, we're breaking down the latest fleet data, plus how Element Fleet Management is helping Waymo prepare for its first Canadian robotaxi market.
Read More →
Here's When You Should Make an Exception to Fleet Policy
Fleet policies are designed to create consistency, but not every driver or situation fits neatly within standard rules.
Read More →
AI-Native or AI-Acquired: What Should Fleet Managers Look for in an AI Platform?
Six questions can help fleet managers look beyond AI marketing claims to evaluate integration, data access, and real-world operational performance.
Read More →
A buyer's guide to fleet management software in 2027
Buying fleet management software in 2027 means looking beyond features and price. As fleet operations, technology and expectations evolve, this guide explores what today’s fleet professionals should consider when choosing a system that can deliver value now and adapt to what comes next.
Read More →
What Will Shape the Next Era of Fleet Management?
EVs, AI, and autonomous vehicles are reshaping fleet management. Discover what’s ahead—and how fleet leaders can prepare for the next era.
Read More →
How Fleets Can Recruit and Train Veterans for Technician Roles
Here's how the technician shortage has affected uptime for fleets, and what to do about it.
Read More →
Avis Budget Group Deploys Neology Toll Management Technology Across Major Brands
Neology’s neoFleet platform will manage toll transactions and toll-authority operations for vehicles across Avis, Budget, Payless, Budget Truck and Zipcar.
Read More →
