I recently joined several industry peers for a Fleet Trends panel discussion at AFLA 2026. Our conversation touched on everything from connected vehicle technology and AI to electrification, utilization, rising operating costs, and the evolving role of fleet management.
While the topics varied, I was struck by how often the conversation returned to several common themes. Here are the five takeaways that stood out most to me.
Data Has Become Abundant. Turning It into Action Is the Challenge.
Fleet leaders have more access to data than ever before. Connected vehicles, telematics platforms, maintenance systems, and other technologies are generating vast amounts of information.
The discussion repeatedly returned to a simple reality: collecting data is no longer the hard part. The opportunity lies in connecting that information, extracting meaningful insights, and using those insights to make better decisions. Whether the topic was utilization, maintenance, lifecycle management, or electrification, success increasingly depends on turning data into action.
That lines up perfectly with the outcomes we drive in partnership with our clients. For example, we helped one client analyze its fleet data, including data from telematics, to identify aging and underutilized vehicles. By connecting those insights to a clear action plan, they were able to reduce their fleet size by 8% and achieve more than $4.6 million in savings.
Connected Vehicle Technology Is a Strategic Asset
Connected vehicle technology is not just about visibility.
Many of the best-in-class fleets use connected vehicle data to improve utilization, reduce downtime, support maintenance planning, and make more informed replacement decisions. As connectivity becomes more widespread, the conversation is shifting from access to information toward the outcomes that information can help achieve.
I was encouraged to hear this theme emerge during the discussion. At Wheels, we’ve long believed that access to Connected Vehicle data is just the beginning. Its real value comes when those insights are integrated into operational processes that help organizations make better decisions and improve fleet performance.
AI Is Moving from Hype to Practical Application
Artificial intelligence was one of the most discussed topics on the panel. What stood out to me was how pragmatic the conversation was.
At Wheels, we’ve been leveraging AI and advanced analytics for years, so the question isn’t whether AI will impact fleet management. It already does. The more important question is how organizations can apply AI to simplify analysis, identify opportunities more quickly, and support better decision-making.
Like any technology, its value ultimately depends on how effectively it is applied to real business challenges.
Electrification Is Becoming More Targeted
Electrification remains an important priority for many organizations, but rather than treating it as a broad initiative, organizations are focusing on where EVs make the most operational and financial sense.
Fleet leaders are increasingly using data to evaluate utilization patterns, route requirements, charging considerations, and total cost of ownership before making deployment decisions.
This shift is supported in our annual Environmental Sustainability Benchmark Report. Fleets are moving beyond the question of whether sustainability is feasible and focusing instead on how to implement it effectively. There is greater emphasis on measurable outcomes, stronger emissions reporting, and making sustainability a more meaningful factor in procurement and fleet strategy decisions.”
The Role of the Fleet Manager Continues to Expand
If there was one theme that seemed to connect nearly every part of the conversation, it was the continued evolution of the fleet profession.
Today’s fleet leaders are expected to do much more than manage vehicles. They are helping organizations control costs, improve efficiency, support sustainability initiatives, enhance driver safety, and contribute to broader business goals.
Likewise, many of our clients at Wheels are being asked to take on expanded responsibilities. We’re helping them meet those demands through an expanding menu of technologies, analytics, and services that are designed around the outcomes they want to achieve. Some recent examples include streamlining maintenance scheduling, streamlining the process of capturing and updating vehicle information, and improving visibility into driver behavior and vehicle health.
Why I Chose the Word “Excitement”
During the panel, I was asked to describe the fleet industry in a single word.
My answer was “excitement.”
Not because the industry is free from challenges. Rising costs, evolving technologies, and economic uncertainty remain very real concerns. But the opportunities are equally real. Fleet leaders have access to more information, more sophisticated tools, and more ways to influence business outcomes than ever before.
If there was one conclusion I took away from the discussion, it’s that the future of fleet management will be defined not just by new technologies, but by how effectively organizations use them to drive results.
