How Fleet Managers Can Tell Their Story and Win Influence, Funding, & Trust

This article is based on a recent episode of The Fleet Success Show podcast. Watch the full episode here: 

You’re Not Bragging. You’re Leading.

“If you don’t tell your story, someone else will—and they won’t get it right.”
—Facundo Tassara, RTA Fleet Success Strategist

Let’s face it: most fleet managers don’t like to brag. But staying silent about your team’s performance? That’s costing you budget, influence, and recognition.

In this must-read Q&A episode recap of the Fleet Success Show, RTA’s Facundo Tassara and Marc Canton break down how to tell your story in a way that’s authentic, data-driven, and leadership-ready.

Is it arrogant to talk about myself or my fleet’s wins?

Facundo:
No—but it’s arrogant to assume people know what your fleet is accomplishing. As a fleet leader, you represent your technicians, your operation, and the outcomes you're driving with your fleet maintenance management system. Tell the story as a team win and frame it in terms of value.

How do I actually start telling that story?

Facundo:
Start with your elevator pitch. I literally pitched my city manager during an elevator ride. Be ready with:

• PM compliance rates
  
  
• Vehicle availability metrics
  
  
• Budget savings
  
  
• How those wins tie to their priorities (safety, cost, uptime)
  
  

Your fleet maintenance software already tracks the metrics. You just need to learn how to speak their language.

What should I say in that elevator pitch?

Marc:
Tailor it. To a city manager? Talk cost and safety. To a sustainability officer? Focus on EV rollouts and emissions reductions. This is about translating fleet performance into business outcomes using the data you already have in your fleet maintenance system.

How can I get in front of decision-makers more often?

Facundo:
Create opportunities. I personally delivered and picked up vehicles for city leaders just to get face time. I grabbed coffee with finance. I ran races with the sustainability director. Trust is built outside the boardroom—start there.

Does appearance really make a difference?

Facundo:
Huge difference. When I started dressing like city leaders—business casual, not shop wear—I was taken more seriously. Suddenly, I was in meetings where funding decisions were made. You run a multimillion-dollar operation. Dress like it.

Will my shop crew think I’m selling out?

Facundo:
Only if you forget where you came from. I still walked the shop floor, joked with my techs, and showed up on Monday mornings. They knew I was advocating for them—not just myself. You're not leaving the crew behind—you’re amplifying them.

How do I ask for serious money without sounding desperate?

Facundo:
You don’t ask cold. You build trust first. One time I got a surprise $200K vehicle delivery. I made one call—and got it paid within a day. Why? Because I had years of trust already in the bank.

Final Advice?

Marc: Tell your story with data.
Facundo: Tell it often.
Both: Make sure the right people are listening.