The Fleet Success Show

Episode 201: From Wrenches to Strategy: Why Fleet Managers Need Out of the Bay

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, Marc Canton sits down with Drew Morrow, a private ambulance fleet manager, to discuss how stepping out of the garage and into leadership is the key to long-term fleet performance.

Episode Notes

Live from the RTA Connect 2025 conference in Las Vegas, Marc Canton interviews Drew Morrow, a seasoned fleet manager from Cambridge, Massachusetts, who operates a private ambulance fleet. With just one and a half techs to maintain 34 vehicles, Drew is living proof of the technician shortage crisis. But instead of giving in to chaos, he shares how he uses structured calendar blocks and smart prioritization to manage both strategic planning and daily shop operations.

This candid conversation dives deep into the balancing act of wrench time vs. leadership, the challenge of telling your fleet's story to executives, and why you need to be your fleet's biggest advocate. Drew also opens up about the emotional toll of trying to do it all, the importance of industry collaboration, and how to make a compelling case for hiring help or replacing aging vehicles.

Whether you're running an EMS fleet or a government operation, this episode delivers actionable insights for any fleet leader struggling with time, staffing, or executive buy-in.

Key Takeaways:

• You can’t lead strategically if you’re buried in the shop.
• Structured calendar time (like blocking hours in Outlook) helps combat chaos.
• Telling your story through the lens of risk and mission execution resonates with leadership.
• You must track KPIs like missed PMs due to poor communication.
• Early vehicle replacement can reduce wrench time and total cost of ownership.
• Peer collaboration is critical—even in competitive industries like private EMS.

Speakers: 

Marc Canton – VP of Product & Consulting at RTA: The Fleet Success Company. With decades of fleet experience, Marc helps fleets turn performance data into action and leads RTA's consulting arm to drive meaningful success across operations.

Drew Morrow – Fleet Manager for a private ambulance company in Cambridge, MA. With over 25 years in the industry, Drew brings a technician’s expertise and a leader’s mindset to one of the most mission-critical fleet sectors: EMS.