Spirit Week at RTA: Your Top Questions, Answered

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

At RTA: The Fleet Success Company, Spirit Week is more than a tradition ... it’s a culture-building powerhouse. After sharing the behind-the-scenes in Episode 178 of The Fleet Success Show, we received questions from fleet leaders across the industry wanting to know: How do you make something like this work in a busy, budget-conscious fleet environment?

Below, we answer those questions directly based on the real talk between RTA CEO Josh Turley and Head of Product & Consulting Marc Canton

Q: What exactly is Spirit Week?

Josh: It started as a tribute to my dad’s birthday and grew into a full-on celebration of our team and our culture. Think high school Spirit Week—but with more brisket, more laughter, and way better leadership impact.

Marc: Everyone from the company, including remote employees, flies into Phoenix. For a full week, we eat together, play games, laugh, and most importantly—connect.

Q: Doesn’t that cost a lot? How do you justify the investment?

Josh: Oh, it’s an investment for sure. Flights, food, hotels, even a productivity dip. But ask anyone here if it’s worth it? 100% yes. The goodwill and bonding we create—you can’t put a dollar value on that.

“The goodwill it generates… you can’t overstate it.”

Marc: If you’re concerned about cost, start small. Potlucks. Cornhole in the shop. Use what you’ve got. Pizza goes a long way when it’s paired with intention.

Q: What happens during the week?

Josh: We theme each day—costumes, competitions, you name it. There are Mario Kart battles, escape rooms, cornhole tournaments. And then there’s the food. I cook brisket and ribs. Others bring carne asada, chili, desserts. It becomes a week-long feast.

Marc: It’s not just fun and games. It’s strategic. We’re building relationships. We’re reinforcing values. We’re reminding everyone why we do what we do.

Q: Don’t you lose productivity?

Josh: Sure. We're not as productive that week, and that's okay. The trade-off? Long-term gains in trust, morale, and engagement.

Marc: We still answer the phones. We still meet with customers. But the truth is, culture is productivity. A team that bonds is a team that performs.

Q: What’s this “BHAG Party” you mentioned?

Josh: Our BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) was helping customers save $100 million using our fleet maintenance management system. We hit it. So we shut down the office for an afternoon and took everyone to Topgolf.

Marc: It wasn’t about golf. It was about celebration, recognition, and making our people feel seen. That’s how you make milestones stick.

“It was surreal. This is the kind of stuff you see in movies.”

Q: I want to do this in my fleet. Where do I start?

Josh: Don’t try—do it. Start with a single day. Block off a Friday afternoon. Communicate clearly with your customers. Get buy-in or beg forgiveness later.

Marc: Look for your “slow season.” Every fleet has one. Use it to run a pilot version. You don’t need big dollars. You need big heart.

Josh: Put it on the calendar months in advance. Make attendance an expectation, not an option. This is an investment in your people.

Q: Got any low-cost ideas?

Absolutely. Here are a few Spirit Week starter ideas:

• 🎯 Cornhole tournament in the yard or shop.

• 🍕 Pizza party sponsored by leadership (or potluck style).

• 🏓 Ping pong or dodgeball match in the warehouse.

• 🎭 Costume/theme day (e.g., 80s day, sports team day).

• 🚚 Food trucks with team members paying their own way.

Josh: One team brought in a few local food trucks, let everyone grab lunch, and just made it an event. Zero cost to the company. Maximum impact.

Final Word

Spirit Week isn’t about ping pong. It’s about people.
It's a reminder that fleet success is built not just with software—but with soul.

Want help launching your own version?
Email Josh & Marc at podcast@rtafleet.com. They’d love to share more ideas.