Whether they're in the bay or on the road, veterans have both tangible and intangible skills for success in the transportation industry. After all, from stress management to leadership and technical skills, veterans bring plenty of unique offerings to their civilian employment with fleets. But to find and keep these invaluable workers, carriers and shops need to be ready to receive them with structure and empathy. In this episode of The Fleet Lead, Fleet Maintenance's Editor-in-Chief John Hitch sat down with Nick Smith, media relations manager at International and former marine, to discuss some of the strengths veterans bring to their work after their service, the struggles they may face, and how fleets can better support the vets in their ranks.

Chapters:

Introduction - 00:40

Smith's role at International - 02:47

How veteran's experiences prepare them for work - 05:15

Smith's role and mentorship in the marines - 08:09

On leadership - 11:04

Support after service - 15:28

Veteran stigma - 25:15

How to prepare for discharge - 31:26

Fleets have been working in challenging conditions for the past two years, from a long-running freight recession to swiftly shifting regulations. But while fleets can't control today's economic volatility, they can strategically manage their fleets by paying attention to the data they're getting from their vehicles and considering how to spend their capital, whether that's on strategic repairs or carefully planned procurement. In this episode, Fleet Maintenance's Editor-in-Chief, John Hitch, sat down with Fleet Advantage's senior vice president of fleet operations, Brian Antonellis, to discuss how fleets can balance extending their trucks' lifespans with increased maintenance costs, if electric vehicles are still viable, and how fleets can manage today's trucking environment.

While fleets must often focus on a top-down view of the trucking industry, sometimes it helps to get back in the driver's seat to appreciate the finer details and challenges on today's roads. In this episode, Jason McDaniel, senior editor at Bulk Transporter, caught up with Dennis Duran, a driver with Jade Transport, to talk the care and keeping of his Kenworth truck and stainless-steel chemical tank trailer from Tremcar, as well as how the industry has changed over the years.

Chapters:

00:58 - Duran's truck and trailer

2:46 - Industry developments

3:27 - Dashcams in the truck

3:49 - Looking ahead for the tank truck world

The economy is a chief concern for fleets during an ongoing freight recession, and nowhere is this more apparent than at the American Transportation Associations' annual management conference. In this episode, Josh Fisher of FleetOwner sat down with Rebecca Brewster, president of the American Transportation Research Institute, and Andy Owens, president of A&M Transport, to discuss ATRI's recent report on the top 10 concerns fleets have heading into 2026, from the economy to driver qualifications and AI.

Read more about the top 10 issues at FleetOwner.

Success comes from focusing on outcomes, maintaining a positive mindset, and taking personal responsibility for daily progress.

That’s the takeaway from this conversation hosted by Chris Messer, executive vice president of the transportation group at EndeavorB2B—The Fleet Lead’s parent company. He’s joined by Mike Jones, president and master trainer at Discover Leadership Training, and Randy O’Connor, owner/principal of Dealer to Dealer Development Group serving the auto and tire service industry.

Leadership is about enrolling others in a shared vision and personal accountability—not just giving orders.

In the age of convenience where everything is delivered, even commercial vehicle maintenance comes on wheels. But why would a shop decide to go mobile? In this episode John Hitch interviews Kevin and Kyle Coltrain, who just launched Coltrain Onsite Fleet Care earlier this year. The brothers are drawing on their family's maintenance and football roots to run their company like a winning team.

To reach 125 years, trailer manufacturer Great Dane continually adapted and innovated to remain a leader in the transportation space—and kept focused “on the right thing,” as its leaders would say.

In this episode, President and COO Rick Mullininx and EVP of Sales Chris Hammond highlight the company's history, key milestones, and future vision.

Listen to the interview on this week's episode of The Fleet Lead podcast below or search for The Fleet Lead on your favorite podcast app.

00:45 - From blow pipes to trailer manufacturing

01:53 - The pivotal 1997 Crown family acquisition

02:32 - Challenging times in the 1980s

03:11 - During COVID, drawing inspiration from World War II efforts

05:33 - Safety as a core company value

06:44 - The Fourth Industrial Revolution, future innovations

The Fleet Lead’s team of transportation experts break down some of the industry’s hottest topics today: re-shoring manufacturing, trucking’s overcapacity problem, English proficiency requirements, and emissions regulations.

The roundtable hosted five editors from major trucking brands:

• Josh Fisher, Editor-in-Chief, FleetOwner
• Jason McDaniel, Editor, Bulk Transporter
• Jeremy Wolfe, Editor, FleetOwner
• Kevin Jones, Editorial Director, Trailer Body Builders
• John Hitch, Editor-in-Chief, Fleet Maintenance