Author: Faith Howell

Dominika Leja, associate director of fleet at AstraZeneca, has been named the 2026 Edward J. Bobit Fleet Manager of the 12 months.The annual and prestigious award recognizes a fleet manager who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and measurable leads to the management of a industrial fleet. Leja was chosen from 4 finalists for the 2026 award.“I’m truly honored to receive this award,” said Leja. “Fleet has been such a very important a part of my profession and receiving this recognition from an industry that I respect so deeply, incredibly meaningful to me.”Leja has greater than 20 years of fleet leadership…

Advanced driver assistance systems are making vehicles safer, but they’re also changing the economics of collision repair.An IIHS Highway Loss Data Institute evaluation compared similar 2017-2022 model-year vehicles with and with no bundle of driver-assistance technologies. Collision claim severity was about 10% higher for ADAS-equipped vehicles, reflecting the added complexity of repairing cameras, sensors, wiring, and other technology.But looking only on the repair bill misses a vital a part of the equation. ADAS-equipped vehicles also had about 10% fewer collision claims and nearly 40% fewer property damage liability claims. Once frequency and severity were combined, overall losses were about 5%…

For Suicide Prevention Month, we checked out why mental health deserves a spot alongside more traditional fleet safety priorities. Long hours, isolation, demanding schedules, stress, and burnout can affect an worker’s focus, judgment, and decision-making. and people challenges don’t disappear when someone gets behind the wheel.There’s also a major change for Holman’s North American fleet operations. Holman has acquired full ownership of ARIZA, its 50/50 fleet management three way partnership with Corporación Zapata in Mexico. The partnership dates back to 1995 and has supported multinational fleets operating within the country for greater than 30 years.ARIZA will now transition to the…

This week’s fleet headlines raise an even bigger query than what’s happening with vehicles or technology: How does the industry develop, recognize, and prepare the individuals who will lead it next?Fleet could have a talent pipeline problem somewhat than a talent problem. Young professionals studying business, operations, data analytics, and other relevant disciplines often aren’t introduced to fleet as a profession option. Many established professionals stumbled into the industry from some place else, but counting on that very same path might not be enough to develop the following generation.Once someone enters the occupation, certification may help broaden that foundation. The…

AI could also be getting more capable, but this week’s fleet headlines show that knowing the right way to use it—and when to depend on human judgment—still matters.First up, higher fleet evaluation may start with higher AI prompts. Simply uploading data and asking AI to seek out something interesting isn’t enough. Fleet managers can improve the standard of the response by providing context about vehicle application, duty cycle, geography, mileage, payload, and business priorities. A powerful prompt must also tell AI what decision must be made, how the reply ought to be presented, and the right way to handle assumptions…

Joe Lewis turned a pre-trip inspection lesson into an AI-assisted song, then 4 safety albums. The experiment also revealed why human oversight matters when AI enters driver training.There are only so some ways to remind drivers to finish a pre-trip inspection before one other safety presentation starts to feel familiar.For Joe Lewis, transportation manager at Marimor Industries, the reply was to try something completely different: turn the lesson right into a song.The concept began while preparing for a staff in-service focused on the importance of pre-tripping a van. Relatively than deliver one other traditional presentation, Lewis wanted something intentionally cheesy,…

Uncertainty would be the word of the week for fleet, but these headlines also highlight how professionals and firms are preparing for what comes next.First up, tariff concerns are back. President Trump has threatened to lift tariffs on Canadian vehicles and auto parts to 50% starting Jan. 1, 2027. That doesn’t mean automakers can simply move production overnight, and it doesn’t necessarily mean fleets need to alter their plans today. But uncertainty itself can influence pricing, ordering, allocation, and vehicle availability. Fleet managers considering certification must weigh the investment of money and time against what they’ll actually gain from it.…

4 fleet leaders have been named finalists for the 2026 Edward J. Bobit Fleet Manager of the 12 months award: Dominika Leja, Jen VrMeer, Linda Ellis, and Ron McGuigan.The annual award recognizes a fleet manager who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and measurable ends in the management of a industrial fleet. The winner will likely be announced throughout the 2026 Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA) conference.Dominika Leja, AstraZenecaDominika Leja, associate director, fleet at AstraZeneca, has greater than 20 years of fleet leadership experience spanning fleet management firms, procurement, supplier management, and company fleet operations.Since returning to AstraZeneca in 2023,…

This week’s fleet stories have one thing in common: technology can provide you with more information, but people and strategy still determine what happens next.For brand new fleet managers, that lesson starts on day one. The primary 90 days shouldn’t be spent attempting to fix every problem without delay. As a substitute, industry experts recommend learning the operation, establishing measurable processes and KPIs, constructing cross-functional relationships, and developing a roadmap that may produce visible progress. Safety programs face the same challenge. Fleets have invested heavily in cameras, telematics, sensors, and driver data, but technology alone doesn’t change behavior. The strongest…

First up on this week’s news recap is a recall fleet managers will want on their radar. Greater than 1.27 million Ram 1500 pickups are being recalled over a seat belt anchor issue.Cost can be in focus. A brand new evaluation compares maintenance expenses across 27 fleet vehicles, giving managers a more in-depth take a look at how vehicle selection can affect expenses long after acquisition. Maintenance and repair develop into increasingly necessary variables as vehicles age.We’re also recognizing a well-recognized name in industrial fleet. Gary Van Orden is retiring after nearly 4 many years within the industry. His profession…