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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 along with regional Tour stops, the Fleet Safety Conference, and DeliveryCon, for the last-mile delivery fleet market. 

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. He has appeared on Good Morning America and has been sourced and quoted in national media such as Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and National Public Radio.

Articlesby Chris BrownApril 20, 2026

2026 Salary Survey: Six-Figure Fleet Manager Salaries Become the Norm

After a decade of lagging compensation, fleet manager pay is climbing. But expanding responsibilities, larger fleets, and growing complexity continue to redefine the role.

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Waymo minivan in front of a theater.
Articlesby Chris BrownApril 9, 2026

2026 Is an Inflection Point for Autonomy, If Policy Keeps Pace

After years of hype and setbacks, autonomy is back on track. But policy, not technology, will determine how fast fleets can deploy them.

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Photo of Matt Dyer
Articlesby Chris BrownApril 8, 2026

These Edges Are Measured in Inches — Matt Dyer on Fleet’s New Normal

The Merchants Fleet CEO contends that fleets that drive the business win the inches. In 2026, every one of them counts.

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Chris Brown and O'Connell Landscape Maintenance rep sit across from each other during an interview at Geotab Connect 2026.
Videosby Chris BrownApril 2, 2026

From Marine Corps Motor Pool to Managing 460 Fleet Vehicles

Cesar Ayala of O’Connell Landscape Maintenance shares how he transitioned from the Marine Corps to managing a 460-vehicle fleet—and the real-world challenges of maintenance, compliance, and driver management in California.

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Graphic with text and a border of mechanics tools and car parts.
Digital Cover Featuresby Chris BrownApril 1, 2026

If Repair Delays Are the New Normal, How Should Fleets Respond?

The repair crisis gets blamed on technician shortages and parts delays. But a big part of the problem is what's happening before the vehicle even reaches the shop, and that's within your control.

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Graphic promoting CAR 2026 roundtables featuring headshots of five speakers and topics including Wall Street trends, fleet data, upfits, fair market value, and AI in remarketing.
Newsby Chris BrownMarch 31, 2026

CAR 2026: Get the Wall Street Update on the Key Players in Remarketing

From a Wall Street analyst's take on remarketing's key players to whether fleets need their own version of Carfax, CAR 2026's afternoon roundtables will answer key operational and industry questions.

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Promotional graphic for CAR 2026 panel on data-driven value in commercial vehicles, featuring five industry experts and session details for April 16 in Cleveland.
Newsby Chris BrownMarch 31, 2026

CAR 2026 Session to Uncover the Missing Data That's Costing Fleets at Disposal

Work trucks lose value at remarketing, not because they aren't worth more, but because the data to prove it rarely makes it to the auction.

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two-shot of Mark Hazel and Chris Brown doing interview.
Videosby Chris BrownMarch 30, 2026

Fleet Registration Trends: Will Light-Duty Keep Outpacing Medium- and Heavy-Duty?

S&P Global Mobility’s Mark Hazel breaks down the latest commercial vehicle trends — from light-duty growth and tariff-driven declines to the real story behind EV adoption, hybrid potential, and fleet consolidation.

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Kara Roche demonstrates Ford Pro AI telematics platform at Work Truck Week 2026, showing conversational dashboard for real-time fleet data analysis on screen.
Videosby Chris BrownMarch 26, 2026

Watch: Inside Ford Pro’s AI Tool for Faster Fleet Data Analysis

This on-the-ground demo of Ford Pro AI shows how fleet managers can query telematics data in real time to get conversational insights and move beyond traditional reports.

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Montage of old photos of Chris Brown
Videosby Chris BrownMarch 25, 2026

Meet the Editor: The Story Behind My Byline

A writer at heart, Chris Brown shares his unexpected path into fleet — and why, more than 20 years later, the people and the work still keep him here.

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