In Episode 177 of The Fleet Success Show, Marc Canton and Steve Saltzgiver unload a truth-packed conversation on the painful realities of outsourcing fleet maintenance. From horror stories about seven visits for the same repair to $3,500 upsell attempts during a routine oil change, this episode explores the downside of putting your fleet’s fate in the hands of external vendors — especially without tight service-level agreements (SLAs) in place.

Marc vents his real-world frustrations as a fleet leader turned vehicle caretaker for his entire family. Steve, bringing decades of fleet management and consulting experience, breaks down how fleets can build smarter, more accountable outsourcing relationships. Together, they unpack when outsourcing makes sense, how to hold vendors accountable, and why an in-house shop might still be your best line of defense against inefficiency, comebacks, and ballooning costs.

• You Need SLAs: Every outsourced service relationship should include documented expectations for turnaround time, comebacks, quality control, and performance-based penalties.
• Comeback Rates Must Be Measured: Don’t just fix the same issue over and over — track comebacks and hold vendors accountable.
• Relationships > Random Vendors: Choose trusted local partners and consolidate work volume to increase leverage and service priority.
• Standardization Still Matters: Fleets forced to mix makes/models due to supply shortages must prepare for increased training and parts complexity.
• The Case for In-House: In-house shops offer priority, control, and quality assurance that most outsourced solutions can’t consistently provide.
• Outsourcing Requires Oversight: Treat vendors like your own employees — ask about technician training, measure KPIs, and set clear expectations.

Marc Canton
Fleet expert, product leader at RTA, and longtime voice on The Fleet Success Show, Marc blends passion with firsthand frustration. With a career rooted in both fleet operations and vehicle procurement, he’s a fierce advocate for accountability in vendor relationships.

Steve Saltzgiver
Hall of Fame Fleet Manager and industry legend, Steve has held leadership positions across government and private fleets. His consulting expertise spans outsourcing strategies, in-house optimization, and SLA implementation. A trusted advisor, mentor, and “Fleet Whisperer.”

“Fleet management touches everything in the community. When a fire truck rolls out, we’re behind the scenes making sure it works — not just to get there, but to save lives.”

In this inspiring episode of The Fleet Success Show, hosts Sara Burnam and Facundo Tassara unpack a powerful new movement within the fleet industry: fleet coaching.

Drawing from their own paths from shop floors to leadership, Sara and Facundo explore how coaching can transform technicians into supervisors, fill critical knowledge gaps, and help fleets thrive in the face of industry-wide staffing and training shortages. This isn’t your traditional consulting or training—it’s personalized, ongoing mentorship for all levels of fleet operations.

You’ll hear how fleet coaching empowers future leaders, strengthens technical and soft skills, and builds a stronger sense of community connection. Whether you’re a fleet manager, technician, or just someone trying to figure out your next step in the industry, this episode shows why coaching might be the key to unlocking your team’s full potential.

• Fleet Coaching Fills the Post-Consulting Gap: Most consulting ends at the board presentation. Fleet coaching ensures support after the plan is made.
• Leadership Starts with Listening: Transitioning from technician to supervisor requires a shift from doing to listening—and that’s a teachable skill.
• Every Fleet Is Unique: There’s no “one-size-fits-all” curriculum. Coaching adapts to your team’s structure, challenges, and maturity level.
• Coaching Builds Community: Helping team members understand the why behind their work creates ownership, purpose, and pride.
• It’s Not Just for Managers: Coaching applies to entry-level techs, supervisors, middle managers, and even frontline admin staff.

Facundo Tassara
Fleet Success Manager at RTA, Facundo brings public and private sector experience from mechanic shops to government operations. He’s passionate about coaching the next generation of fleet leaders and designing data-driven processes that actually work.

Sara Burnam

2023 Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year and current RTA Fleet Success Manager, Sara knows what it means to grow from the ground up. From shop floor to director, she helps fleets build strong teams and meaningful impact through intentional leadership.

#FleetSuccess #FleetCoaching #FleetLeadership #FleetDevelopment #FleetMaintenanceSoftware #VehicleFleetMaintenance #FleetMentorship #FleetTraining #GovernmentFleetManagement #FleetManagementSystem

In this episode, The Fleet Success Show tackles one of the most underappreciated yet critical foundations of fleet operations: asset class coding.

Marc Canton and fleet consultant Scott Rood dive deep into why classifying vehicles and equipment correctly isn’t just a box-checking exercise—it’s essential for accurate lifecycle analysis, utilization tracking, budget forecasting, and replacement planning. Scott shares his decades of experience—from Air Force maintenance manager to fleet consultant—and breaks down how government, private, and utility fleets can create meaningful, data-driven class codes that drive real ROI.

They debunk common pitfalls like “over-granular” coding, explain the dangers of poor asset grouping, and explore real-world examples from excavators to electric vehicles. Whether you're a fleet veteran or new to the game, this episode gives you practical, actionable advice for transforming your fleet's data accuracy and long-term strategy.

📌 Key Takeaways:

• Proper Class Coding is Foundational: Without it, replacement planning, cost analysis, and utilization thresholds are fundamentally flawed.
• Avoid Both Over- and Under-Graining: Overcoding every asset is as bad as lumping too many together—find the “just right” level of detail.
• Fuel Type Matters: A gas-powered truck and its electric twin are not the same class. Different performance, costs, and data outputs demand different classifications.
• Use Available Systems: Tools like NAFA and APWA’s classification systems are free and highly effective.
• Context-Driven Coding: A landscaping fleet needs different granularity than a government fleet. Don’t copy-paste your structure—tailor it to your operation.
• It's Not One and Done: Class codes need to be reviewed and refined over time as your fleet and tech evolve.
  

Marc Canton
Head of Product at RTA, Mark brings over 30 years of fleet management experience across public and private sectors. Known for simplifying complex processes, he's passionate about helping fleets leverage software to drive better decisions.

Scott Rood
Fleet consultant and former USAF Vehicle Maintenance Manager, Scott has seen it all—from government agencies to utilities to international consulting. A go-to expert on class coding and lifecycle analysis, Scott brings clarity to complex fleet structures.

#FleetSuccess #FleetData #FleetMaintenanceSoftware #ClassCoding #FleetLifecycle #FleetManagementSoftware #VehicleFleetMaintenance #FleetUtilization #GovernmentFleetSoftware #FleetOperations