The Fleet Success Show

Episode 203: Fleet Leader AMA: What Top Fleets Do Differently (Live from Connect 2025)

Episode Summary

Learn what it takes to build a top-performing fleet from award-winning leaders in this live panel from Connect 2025. Topics include technician training, PM compliance, stakeholder satisfaction, and fleet data strategies.

Episode Notes

In this special live panel episode of The Fleet Success Show, recorded at Connect 2025 in Las Vegas, award-winning fleet leaders Sara Burnam, Jesse Ostovich, Jake Johnson, and Chuck Cramer field unscripted questions from fleet managers around North America.

From winning “100 Best Fleets” to improving PM compliance and building data-driven fleet replacement plans, this no-holds-barred Q&A dives deep into the real-world challenges fleet leaders face—and what separates the great from the average.

You’ll learn how to convince senior leadership to invest in technician training, how to tackle resistance from departments that don’t bring vehicles in for service, and why stakeholder satisfaction should be your top KPI. Whether you're rebuilding your fleet program from scratch or trying to fine-tune a high-performing operation, this is a must-listen masterclass in practical fleet leadership.

 

 

🔑 Key Takeaways:

👤 Speaker Bios:

Sara Burnam – 2023 Public Fleet Manager of the Year and veteran government fleet leader with 27+ years of experience. Known for her innovative approach to performance measurement and team culture.

Jesse Ostovich – Former RTA customer turned RTA team member, with 10+ years of fleet experience across government, private sector, and military operations. Passionate about technician training and operational excellence.

Jake Johnson – Heavy-duty commercial fleet expert with over 20 years in the industry. Known for leading complex system transitions and building high-performing teams from the ground up.

Chuck Cramer – RTA Fleet Consultant with deep experience in both dealership and private fleet environments. Focused on helping fleets use data to drive outcomes and build scalable processes.