In the next 10 years, the fleet industry is forecast change more than it has in the past 15 years. These changes will mirror the broader transformation percolating throughout the global economy.
How will fleet management change in the next 10-plus years? In the following five articles, we have assembled a stellar ensemble of leading subject-matter experts who present wide-ranging forecasts about an array of fleet issues from both a service and product perspective. They include forecasts on:
Faster, better, and more sophisticated productivity tools.
An explosion of driver apps and the entrenchment of mobile technology as the primary medium for driver interaction.
Fleet maintenance transition from reactive to proactive practices using remote diagnostics tools.
The fleet impact of the larger societal migration to the “Internet of Everything” and the use of Big Data to drive fleet data analytics.
The impact of CAFE regulations on new-vehicle selection and purchasing.
Fleet taxation trends and the desire of some legislators to tax Web-based services.
Technological changes to license & title services.
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In most cases, these fleet trends will be manifestations of a broader macro transformation that is percolating throughout the global economy. These changes will impact many different industry segments, with fleet representing only one offshoot of this multi-pronged, multi-faceted change.
Historically, fleet has proven to be an early adopter of new technologies and business practices; therefore it is important to watch how technology and business practices are evolving outside of fleet. How will these innovations be incorporated into fleet management? The greatest catalyst for fleet management change in the next 10-15 years will be technology-driven, and it will be driven by technology developed outside of the fleet management that will be customized to our business practices. This will result in a myriad of fleet functions redefined by technology.
Generational Upheaval
The other major change that will transform fleet management will be driven by demographics. The majority of people in this industry occupy a narrow demographic band, primarily Baby Boomers. In the next 10-15 years, there will be a dramatic generational change as Baby Boomers retire.
A new generation of thought-leaders will emerge, who will have never have known life without the Internet, social media, and on-demand connectivity. They will be comfortable working in a fleet environment increasingly governed by technology and will be receptive to adopting new technologies. I predict this new tech-savvy workforce (and management) will demand and even accelerate the adoption of technological solutions in fleet operations.
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In the next 14 pages, this special report will offer a detailed exploration of how the fleet industry will change in the next decade. Let us know if we missed anything.
AI is no longer a future concept for fleets—it’s already embedded in the tools, data, and decisions that operators rely on every day. In this episode of the Fleet Forward Podcast, recorded live at Fleet Forward, industry leaders take the conversation beyond hype to examine what responsible AI adoption really looks like in fleet operations.
As fleets rethink how they capture, manage, and act on vehicle data, telematics is at a major inflection point. In this episode of the Fleet Forward Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most pressing questions facing fleet leaders today: Should you rely on OEM factory-installed connectivity, aftermarket devices, or a hybrid of both?
Experts from telematics analytics, fleet-as-a-service operations, and national EV benchmarking share how real-time data is reshaping fleet strategy—dispelling assumptions, validating best practices, and exposing costly missteps.
A powerhouse panel featuring experts from the American Automotive Leasing Association, CalSTART, and municipal fleet leadership dives into the realities of navigating shifting emissions rules, regulatory waivers, federal agency actions, the future of the EPA’s endangerment finding, and the push for unified standards. They also examine the impacts of tariffs, autonomous vehicle policy, battery innovation, and the accelerating global EV market.
This episode kicks off with a deep dive into the technologies and market forces reshaping today’s fleet landscape. Host Chris Brown is joined by Laolu Adeola (Leke Services), Tyson Jomini (J.D. Power), and Richard Hall (ZappiRide) to break down real-world data, shifting incentives, and practical strategies fleet leaders can use right now.
In the middle of natural disasters fleet managers must shift priorities to protect people and assets. What policy items should be loosened, and when should the line be held?
In this episode, fleet leaders from municipal, university, and private-sector organizations share a candid EV reality check. From infrastructure setbacks and policy whiplash to grant funding, total cost of ownership, and charging resiliency, this conversation dives into what it actually takes to scale electrification in the real world.
After a decade of lagging compensation, fleet manager pay is climbing. But expanding responsibilities, larger fleets, and growing complexity continue to redefine the role.
