Debi McClendon walks through building a fleet policy from scratch, unifying vehicle practices across divisions, earning executive buy-in, and driving a major mindset shift: fleet vehicles aren’t a perk, they’re a tool. She also talks about the tough side of modernization, including outsourcing fleet management and learning to manage processes rather than just people.

In this episode of Fleet Legends, sponsored by Legend Fleet, we sit down with Debi, a recognizable name in fleet whose impact didn’t end when she retired in 2014. Hosted by Lauren Fletcher, your fleet industry storyteller, Debi shares her origin story from 2000, when she was “thrust into” fleet to replace someone who knew everything about cars… and she knew basically nothing beyond gas and oil changes.

What followed was a crash course in leadership, navigating multiple mergers, and transforming fleet from a manual, one-person operation into a real, scalable process. And when it comes to advice for newer fleet managers, Debi keeps it real: build your network, communicate up and down the org, stay open to change, and never operate like a one-person island.

WATCH NOW to learn:

• What it’s like to be dropped into fleet with zero vehicle knowledge and still succeed
• How Debi built a fleet policy and merged practices across divisions
• The mindset shift that changes everything: fleet vehicles as tools, not incentives
• Why networking (even with competitors) can accelerate your growth
• Rookie traps to avoid: thinking you can’t influence change, or thinking you’re the only one who can
• How Debi approached tech decisions like telematics and why “it depends on your fleet” is the truth
• Debi's advice for the next generation: keep learning, stay relevant, and fight for a seat at the table

Drop your favorite takeaway from Debi in the comments and tell me who you want to see on Fleet Legends next.

Ever had that moment where a driver doesn’t seem… right, and you’re thinking: Okay, what do I do next, and what does DOT actually require?In this video, Kathy Close from J. J. Keller & Associates walks through reasonable suspicion training for supervisors in plain English, including what applies to CDL fleets under DOT drug and alcohol testing rules.You’ll learn:- Who this training applies to (and who it doesn’t)- Who can be designated to make a reasonable suspicion decision- What DOT requires for supervisor training time and topics- Training format options (online, class, video kit) and what to keep for audit proof- The alcohol testing clock: what “2 hours” and “8 hours” really means- How to approach a driver with privacy, discretion, and respect- Why escorting a driver can be a smart risk-management move- How to recognize when a medical issue may look like impairmentIf you’re in safety, compliance, HR, ops, maintenance leadership, or you’re the “backup supervisor” on nights and weekends, this one’s for you.👍 If this helped, hit like and subscribe for more fleet compliance and safety explainers.Want more from Work Truck? Check us out here: https://www.worktruckonline.com/

Winter breakdowns aren’t usually caused by snow or cold weather alone. Most of the time, they’re the result of small maintenance issues fleets already knew about and didn’t act on.

In this episode of Truck Chat: Fleet FAQs from Work Truck, we break down what really causes winter breakdowns and why they show up at the worst possible time. You’ll hear from fleet and maintenance experts at Cox Fleet about the most common winter failure points they see every year, from batteries and air systems to tire pressure and overlooked spares. We cover:

• Why winter breakdowns are usually preventable
• The maintenance mistakes fleets repeat every year
• When winter prep should actually start
• How tires, air systems, and batteries fail in cold weather
• Why safety matters just as much as uptime
• How technology and vehicle data can help if fleets pay attention

Whether you manage a light-duty, medium-duty, or heavy-duty fleet, this conversation is about getting ahead of winter before it turns into roadside calls, downtime, and frustrated drivers. Because if fleets ignore small issues now, they don’t get smaller when temperatures drop.

Ever wonder what visibility in fleet actually looks like in real life, when it’s not a conference badge, a spotlight moment, or a shiny LinkedIn headline? In this episode of Shades of Fleet from Truck Chat, we go beyond Black History Month and get into the unwritten rules of fleet leadership, the ones that don’t show up in any job description but absolutely shape careers.We hear perspectives from leaders and organizations across the fleet industry, including @BlackFleetNetwork , @Decked , MeterFeeder, @J3ManagementGroup , and Cobb County Fleet Management (Georgia). This is a real conversation about access, advocacy, mentorship, and what it takes to build a leadership pipeline that actually works.

You’ll hear honest stories about:

• What real visibility looks like in fleet management
• Being invited to the table vs. actually being wanted there
• Mentorship vs sponsorship and why the difference matters
• How leaders can create access and opportunity for the next generation
• Why succession planning and development matter more than titles

Fleet moves the world. So who gets to lead it matters.

If you work in fleet management, transportation, public sector fleet, private fleet, supplier services, or mobility strategy, this one’s for you.👍 If this hit home, hit like and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next.

If you’ve ever approved a repair that looked affordable on paper and still watched your budget blow up later, you’re not alone. In this episode of Truck Chat, Fleet FAQs, we break down the hidden costs of fleet repairs that don’t show up on the invoice.

Downtime. Rentals. Administrative time. Lost revenue. The “cheap” repair often becomes the most expensive decision once you factor in everything around it.

Lauren Fletcher sits down with Demetra Markopoulos from @ServiceUpAuto‬ to discuss what fleet managers should actually be tracking to achieve real visibility into total repair spend, not just parts and labor.

You’ll learn:

• Why parts and labor are only part of the real repair cost
• How downtime quietly drains fleet budgets
• Why the same repair can cost wildly different amounts
• The difference between reactive and proactive repair strategies
• How AI, telematics, and better data improve oversight without replacing relationships

ServiceUp is an AI-powered vehicle repair platform focused on transparency, analytics, and smarter decision-making for fleet managers. By consolidating repair data and providing network visibility, tools like this help fleets reduce inefficiencies and gain better control over total repair spend.

If you manage fleet repairs, maintenance budgets, or vehicle uptime and you’re wondering where the money is really going, this one’s for you.

What does it take to grow a fleet-focused brand in a town with fewer than 300 people?In this episode of Faces of Fleet, Lauren Fletcher sits down with Sheldon Zitzmann of @TigerTough to talk about building tough, American-made seat protection from a tiny Minnesota town and scaling it to serve fleets nationwide.

Sheldon shares how his family took over TigerTough in 2016 with a simple but serious mission: make seat covers that actually hold up to real work, keep jobs local, and build a company people are proud to work for. From hand-inspected craftsmanship and fast decision-making to balancing durability with safety features like airbag compatibility, this conversation goes deep into what “built tough” really means.

You’ll also hear how TigerTough listens to fleet managers, adapts as trucks get more tech-heavy, and why sometimes the best innovation comes from being close to the people who use the product every day.

If you care about fleet durability, American manufacturing, or stories that start small and scale smart, this one’s for you.