Should a public fleet report to Public Works, or operate as an independent department? Former fleet managers Marc Canton and Nathan Schafer argue that fleet independence can give public fleet leaders a stronger voice, clearer cost visibility, and greater objectivity when making decisions about budgets, vehicle replacement, maintenance priorities, and other resources.
In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, Marc, RTA’s VP of Fleet Strategy, puts Nathan’s 25 years of fleet experience to the test with a provocative question:
Should one of fleet’s biggest internal customers also be its boss?
Nathan spent years managing a city fleet that reported through Public Works. He had strong leadership and a positive working relationship—but still experienced some of the structural challenges that can come with the model.
Marc and Nathan explore how reporting through Public Works can create real or perceived conflicts of interest. If fleet is responsible for objectively serving police, fire, utilities, Public Works, and other departments, what happens when one of those customers also sits above fleet in the organizational chart?
That question can affect everything from budget allocation and vehicle replacement to maintenance priorities and fleet’s ability to advocate for resources with senior leadership.
The conversation also exposes another important distinction: Is your organization managing a fleet—or simply managing fleet maintenance?
Some public-sector organizations have a shop supervisor responsible for technicians and repairs but no dedicated fleet leader overseeing replacement planning, vehicle specifications, lifecycle management, budgeting, standardization, and overall fleet strategy. Without that function, major fleet decisions can become fragmented across departments—or turn into political negotiations rather than objective, data-driven decisions.
Marc and Nathan make the case that fleet may be better positioned as an independent internal service: serving every department objectively, providing leadership with a clearer picture of true fleet costs and performance, and giving fleet professionals the authority and access they need to lead with confidence.
But they also acknowledge that successful fleets do operate under Public Works—and they want to hear the other side.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Does your fleet report through Public Works? Listen to the full episode and join the conversation about where fleet belongs on the organizational chart.
Speaker Bios
Marc Canton is Vice President of Fleet Strategy at RTA Fleet, where he helps public-sector fleet leaders improve performance, strengthen decision-making, and build more effective fleet organizations. A recognized fleet strategist and industry thought leader, Marc brings a practical, data-driven perspective to the operational, financial, and organizational challenges facing today’s fleets.
As a host of The Fleet Success Show, Marc explores the strategies, processes, and leadership principles that help fleet professionals improve stakeholder satisfaction, resource efficiency, culture, and risk management, and ultimately build fleets they’re proud to lead.
Nathan Schafer is a Fleet Consultant at RTA Fleet with approximately 25 years of hands-on fleet experience. He began his career as a technician before advancing into fleet management, where he managed both private-sector and government fleets.
Nathan joined RTA in 2021, initially working in training before serving in several roles and ultimately moving into fleet consulting. His experience from the shop floor through fleet leadership gives him a practical understanding of the operational and organizational challenges fleet professionals face every day.
Today, Nathan works with fleet organizations to evaluate their operations, identify opportunities for improvement, and apply proven fleet management practices that help them operate more effectively and build sustainable long-term success.