The Fleet Lead

What has kept the Chevrolet Express driving strong for nearly three decades? In this episode of The Fleet Lead, Jade Brasher and Jeremy Wolfe dive into a hands-on review of GM's iconic commercial van after an unexpected rental car test drive.
The van is certainly unique in the U.S., from its analog interior to its body-on-frame construction. Here's why this workhorse is still a top seller for commercial fleets—and what might be next for the platform in 2027.

John Hitch hosts Kristy Coffman, director of Mitchell 1’s commercial vehicle group, about the 20-year evolution of multi-brand truck repair software like TruckSeries.
John and Kristy explore how modern diagnostic tools and interactive wiring diagrams help bridge the technician training gap, the responsible integration of emerging AI and what wearable tech in repair shops  means for the future of commercial maintenance.
 
Timestamps:
0:28 — Mitchell 1's 1946 origin and 20 years of TruckSeries
5:08 — Dave Costantino’s nationwide road trip
6:06 — Challenges in solving multi-brand repair data
9:59 — The evolution of wiring diagrams
15:14 — Turning TMC Recommended Practices directly into repair software
17:39 — The impact of AI on shop management
24:32 — Technician training gaps and how diagnostic tools help bridge the gap
27:18 — Wearable technology, smart glasses, and hands-free AI in the shop
34:15 — Updates on acquisition of Diesel Laptops

Can AI predict a vehicle breakdown 10 days before it happens?
John Hitch welcomes Shiva Bhardwaj, SVP of product at Fullbay and former founder of Pitstop, to discuss how machine learning and telematics are changing fleet maintenance.
FullBay is combining predictive algorithms with shop management software to streamline remote diagnostics, pre-order parts, and minimize downtime. Plus, Fullbay is building an AI agent Claudia, designed to handle shop calls and capture lost revenue.

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of August 13:
FMCSA is pursuing an English Language Proficiency rulemaking
Proficient Auto Logistics is acquiring Hansen & Adkins for $130 million
Trimble is considering selling its transportation unit
Spot market rates keep falling
Diesel fell 9 cents

Autonomous truck developer Kodiak AI is expanding its partnership with its milestone partner Atlas Energy Solutions.
Atlas was one of the nation's first commercial autonomous deployments, where Atlas ran its own fleet of Kodiak-powered Peterbilts to haul frac sand in the Permian Basin.
This year, Kodiak has already scaled Atlas’s fully autonomous fleet to 35 trucks running 24/7 without a driver in the cab—and the companies plan to scale that fleet to 100 trucks in 2027.
Michael Wiesinger, COO of Kodiak AI, joins The Fleet Lead to explain how autonomous trucks continue moving into commercial deployments.

In this roundtable episode, the Fleet Lead's editors break down the latest ATRI report on the rising operational costs in trucking.
From equipment pre-buys to AI in the shop and driver retention strategies, here is where operational costs are headed and what fleets can anticipate next.
Timestamps:
01:33 - Driver quality and fleet retention
03:43 - Rising maintenance expenses
05:35 - Tanker carrier margins are doing good
07:14 - Equipment cost increases and the prebuy
10:08 - EPA's regulations
13:43 - Material tariffs and antidumping 
14:57 - Freight rate fluctuations
16:08 - Fleet age averages are up
20:50 - Tech and AI adoption
26:34 - What’s next / Alt fuels

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of August 6:
New trailer import antidumping duties are on the way
Kodiak AI expanded its driverless truck partnership with Atlas Energy
Daimler Truck is building a new domestic manufacturing facility
For-hire rates decreased again
Diesel went up by 4 cents

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of July 30:
C.H. Robinson lost a lawsuit with a nuclear verdict
Mack and Volvo are softening their trucks’ DEF derates
Averitt announced a driver pay increase
Senators proposed a bill to crack down on chameleon carriers
Spot market rates decreased
Diesel prices went up by 18 cents

Here are the headlines from this week in trucking as of July 13:
Trump administration tariffs are back in the news cycle
Some California CDL holders must retake their written exams
Pennsylvania passed a law discouraging CDL mills
Aurora announced second-generation autonomous truck
Einride acquired Flipturn for as much as $73 million
ArcBest is cutting back on its footprint
Samsara gotrebrand
Diesel jumped 34 cents, Houthi troubles raised oil prices

The economies of truck purchasing, buying, and maintaining can be messy—especially after EPA once again changed OEMs' outlook for equipment regulations over the next few years. 
In this episode, The Fleet Lead's Jeremy Wolfe and John Hitch join Fleet Advantage experts Brian Antonellis and Mac Hudson for a roundtable discussion on truck lifecycle management. The panel looks at the regulatory rollback on EPA warranty mandates, the post-COVID used truck market, and why the 500,000-mile mark remains critical to vehicle replacement strategy.