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.

rows of vehicles at port with Canadian flag and tariffs stamp over the image

FleetTakes•by Chris Brown•August 26, 2026

The Only Certainty with the New Tariff Threat Is Uncertainty

Trump’s Canadian tariff threat will not move production overnight, but the uncertainty could influence ordering and pricing now. Longer term, forces beyond tariffs may determine which North American plants survive.

Videos•by Chris Brown•August 17, 2026

How Can Fleet Managers Tell Which Repairs Require Closer Review?

Fleetio’s Brianna Perry demonstrates how Service Advisor evaluates maintenance requests, identifies pricing anomalies, and provides the context fleet managers need to focus their attention on potential problems.

2026 Subaru Outback against a Love mural

Driving Notes•by Chris Brown•August 13, 2026

Fleet Review: 2026 Outback Is More SUV, Still an Outback

The redesigned Outback trades its station-wagon profile for a roomier, more conventional SUV shape while retaining the comfort and safety technology that give it fleet appeal.

From Our Partners

Why Reactive Fleet Management Is Becoming Too Expensive to Sustain

Commercial Fleet Sales Rise 7.1% Through July 2026

Commercial fleet sales were the primary source of growth across the commercial, government and rental segments during the first seven months of 2026.

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.

Prev Next