Chris Brown

Associate Publisher

As associate publisher of Automotive Fleet, Auto Rental News, and Fleet Forward, Chris Brown covers all aspects of fleets, transportation, and mobility. Chris produces and emcees the annual International Car Rental Show, the largest event serving the auto rental industry worldwide. Chris also created and produces the Fleet Forward Conference.

Chris has won publishing awards for editorial excellence, including a Jesse H. Neal Award, three Folio: Eddie Awards, and three Maggie Awards. As an internationally recognized expert on fleets, auto rental, and mobility, Chris has spoken at industry events in the U.S., Brazil, Ireland, and China. Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and National Public Radio.

van driver conversing with AI assistant over phone

Articles•by Chris Brown•August 7, 2026

How Conversational AI Can Make Fleet Tasks Easier for Drivers

While most generative AI tools help fleet managers interpret data at their desks, Connex2X is applying voice interaction to tasks behind the wheel.

finger touching digital assets with photos of maintenance repairs

Articles•by Chris Brown•August 6, 2026

How Element Uses AI to Streamline Fleet Maintenance Decisions

AI-powered decision support helps Element maintenance advisors reduce research time, improve repair consistency, and potentially speed vehicle uptime for fleet clients.

NETS crash statistics overlaying an accident photo

Articles•by Chris Brown•August 5, 2026

Off-the-Job Crashes Account for 43% of Employers’ $61.7 Billion Crash Burden

NETS quantifies costs dispersed across fleet, risk, HR, and other departments while providing new per-crash benchmarks for employers.

Videos•by Chris Brown•August 4, 2026

First Look at the Returning 2027 Ram ProMaster City

The Ram ProMaster City returns for 2027 as a midsize cargo and passenger van with a 2,175-pound payload, 2,000-pound towing capacity, and more than 9 feet of cargo-floor length.

Speaker card for vibe code session at Fleet Forward Conference

News•by Chris Brown•August 3, 2026

Fleet Managers Take the Lead in Hands-On AI Workshop at FFC

The fleet manager-led session will show how to use “vibe coding” to build practical fleet tools without a traditional programming background.

A mechanic repairs a car made out of money.

Digital Cover Features•by Chris Brown•August 1, 2026

How Maintenance Costs Compare Across 27 Fleet Vehicles

Vincentric’s three-year, 60,000-mile projections reveal wide differences for both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance among selected vehicle categories. Projected maintenance visits also play a factor.

FleetTakes•by Chris Brown•July 29, 2026

What Does It Mean to Embody the Spirit of Fleet?

Presented alongside Fleet Manager of the Year, Fleet Visionary, and Fleet Hall of Fame at AFLA, the new Mike Antich Spirit of Fleet Award is unique in that it recognizes service to the overall profession. Just like Mike.

Articles•by Chris Brown•July 28, 2026

Welcome to the New Fleet 500

Using vehicle registration data for the first time, the 2026 Fleet 500 offers a clear view of the evolving commercial fleet landscape.

Videos•by Chris Brown•July 23, 2026

How Stellantis Plans to Get Ahead of Fleet Downtime

Keeping fleet vehicles on the road has become as important as buying them. Darren Bradshaw of Mopar North America explains how connected vehicle data, AI, and proactive service strategies are helping Stellantis reduce downtime and move closer to predictive maintenance.

title card with Ramel Lindsay, US Bank, and Chris Brown

Sponsored•by Chris Brown•July 22, 2026

Turning Fleet Payment Data into Executive Insights

Ramel Lindsay of U.S. Bank Voyager discusses how fleets can transform payment and transaction data into actionable intelligence to reduce costs, improve oversight, and support executive decision-making.

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