Fleet Right-Sizing, Staffing & Replacement: Q&A with Marc Canton & Tony Yankovich
This article is based on a recent episode of The Fleet Success Show podcast. Watch the episode below:
What are the 3Ws of fleet management?
The 3Ws are a framework used to evaluate fleet performance holistically:
- Workload – The total amount of service, maintenance, inspections, and repair your fleet requires.
- Workforce – The staff (technicians, clerks, managers, parts personnel) who perform or support that work.
- Workplace – The physical space, shop infrastructure, tools, admin areas, and exterior yards used to complete the work.
“If one of the Ws is off, your whole operation suffers. It’s all interconnected.” – Tony Yankovich
What does “fleet right-sizing” mean?
Fleet right-sizing is the process of aligning your fleet size, staff, and facility to your actual operational needs.
It doesn’t always mean reducing. Tt could mean:
- Downsizing underutilized assets
- Adding spares to offset poor availability
- Adjusting technician staffing or shift coverage
- Reconfiguring shop space based on workload
How does replacement planning affect fleet performance?
Replacement planning is often the most critical (but overlooked) part of fleet success.
Aging fleets cause:
- More breakdowns and unscheduled repairs
- Increased downtime
- More spare vehicles needed
- Burnout among technicians
- Greater pressure on shop infrastructure
“When your fleet is falling apart, nothing else you do will move the needle until you fix that.” – Marc Canton
A strong replacement program improves availability, lowers workload, and reduces the need for overstaffing or facility expansion.
What’s the difference between headcount (FTs) and FTEs?
- FTs (Full-Timers) = Number of technicians on your roster
- FTEs (Full-Time Equivalents) = Actual wrench time after accounting for non-maintenance duties (fueling, parts, admin tasks, etc.)
Most fleets overestimate technician availability because they use headcount, not FTEs.
“You might think you have 10 techs, but if two of them spend 25% of their time doing non-wrenching work, you really have 8.5 FTEs.” – Tony Yankovich
Why does the FTE gap matter?
Because FTEs = available labor hours.
If you base your staffing, scheduling, or KPI benchmarks on headcount, you’ll overestimate your capacity—and underdeliver on availability.
Start by:
- Auditing technician time (how much is truly wrench time?)
- Identifying outside tasks stealing their hours
- Using FTEs for accurate workload and staffing models
What’s the best way to present staffing needs to leadership?
Don’t just ask for headcount. Model scenarios based on data.
Example:
- “At 10 FTEs, we hit 95% fleet availability.”
- “At 8 FTEs, we can only hit 85%.”
- “To maintain availability, we need X more techs or Y fewer assets.”
Also show the impact of:
- Deferred replacement
- Outsourcing vs. in-house labor
- Insufficient shop space or equipment
“The key is to show leadership the tradeoffs. If they say no to CAPEX, they’re also saying yes to increased downtime, labor needs, or outsourcing.” – Tony Yankovich
How do I calculate how many techs I really need?
Use this formula:
Total Workload Hours ÷ FTE Direct Labor Hours per Tech = Number of Techs Needed
Adjust direct labor hours based on:
- Absenteeism
- Non-wrenching duties
- Facility limitations
- Multi-shift or seasonal coverage
General benchmarks (gov’t fleets):
- 1,450–1,600 direct labor hours per tech annually
But your facility, vehicle mix, and policies (union rules, breaks, etc.) all matter.
How does shop space impact productivity?
Even the best technicians can’t hit benchmarks if the shop setup is wrong.
Examples:
- Not enough bays = wait time
- Shared tools = delays
- Deadline yard overflow = chaos
- No lift capacity for newer equipment = safety risks
The workplace must support the workforce to meet the workload.
What happens if fleet availability drops?
Low fleet availability (below 90%) triggers a chain reaction:
- More spares are needed
- Technicians are overworked
- More breakdowns lead to more unplanned work
- Facility space becomes overloaded
- Customer departments lose trust
- Outsourcing increases
Fleets often compensate by adding underutilized vehicles, and this leads to fleet creep, higher costs, and even lower efficiency.
Where should I start?
If you’re overwhelmed, start here:
- Audit your technician FTEs
- Analyze your replacement backlog
- Measure true fleet availability
- Identify shop limitations
- Model “what if” staffing scenarios using real data
From there, you can build a stronger case for the resources you actually need.
Related Questions
What’s the 3Ws fleet model?
→ It’s a framework focused on balancing workload, workforce, and workplace to right-size your fleet operations.
What is FTE in fleet staffing?
→ FTE = Full-Time Equivalent. It’s the amount of actual maintenance labor available after removing non-wrenching tasks.
How do I right-size a fleet?
→ Analyze asset utilization, technician capacity (FTEs), and shop limitations to optimize vehicle count, labor, and infrastructure.
Why is fleet replacement planning important?
→ Because aging fleets increase downtime, labor needs, parts spend, and vehicle spares, leading to bloated budgets and poor performance.
How do I calculate technician needs?
→ Total Workload Hours ÷ Available Wrenching Hours per Tech (FTE) = Number of Techs Required
Final Takeaway
Fleet performance isn't just about having enough vehicles, it's about aligning every part of your operation:
The workload you’re responsible for
The workforce you have available
The workplace you use to get the job done
Use the 3Ws framework to diagnose what’s working, what’s not, and where to start. Whether you’re fighting for more budget, planning a facility redesign, or just trying to hit your availability target, you need to get the balance right.