Fleet managers have plenty to keep up with, so this week’s Truck Chat Cheat Sheet cuts through some of the bigger stories shaping work truck operations right now.
We’re starting with something new from Work Truck: Fleet Guides built around the models fleet managers actually use. The first guides are focused on the Ram 1500, Ford F-150, and Chevrolet Silverado 1500, with key information including engines, towing and payload capability, configurations, pricing, technology, and model-year updates.
The goal is to create resources fleet managers can come back to as specifications, pricing, and vehicle details change, so bookmark these pages today!
Where AI Is Actually Saving Fleet Time
AI continues to show up in fleet technology conversations, but the more useful question is where it is actually making a difference today.
Fleetio’s Brianna Perry Lang shares where fleets are seeing practical time savings, including maintenance, data entry, repair decisions, safety, and compliance. The biggest opportunity may be using AI to reduce repetitive work so experienced fleet professionals can spend more time on higher-value decisions.
Why Truck Tariffs Get Complicated Fast
The U.S. and Canadian automotive industries have spent decades building an integrated supply chain, which makes moving truck production across the border much more complicated than it may sound.
Work Truck takes a closer look at Ford, GM, Canadian truck production, and what U.S. fleets could potentially lose if that North American manufacturing network starts getting pulled apart.
Mixed-Energy Fleets Don’t Have to Pick a Winner
Gas, diesel, electric, propane, and other energy sources can all have a place in fleet operations depending on the job.
Sarah Booth of WEX explains why duty cycle, vehicle data, charging strategy, and real-world operating costs should drive the decision. The question is less about which fuel wins and more about what works for each vehicle, route, and operation.
Quick Hits
Also this week, Truck Centers, Inc. is adding Battle Motors vocational truck sales and service support across parts of the Midwest, while one Maryland fleet is reporting an 8% to 10% fuel economy improvement with Peterbilt trucks equipped with Paccar TX-18 Pro transmissions, and Polyvance has introduced a new repair option for damaged Peterbilt 567 hood strut mounts.
Plus, the Soap Box Derby offers a reminder that building the next generation of automotive talent may start earlier than we think.
Watch the full Truck Chat Weekly Cheat Sheet for a quick rundown of the work truck stories worth knowing this week.