Episode Summary
In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, Marc Canton is joined by Lincey Araya, Fleet Services and Field Program Manager at the University of South Florida, to explore one of the most pressing challenges in university and government fleets: centralization.
Lincey shares her bold journey of transforming a fragmented, underperforming campus fleet operation into a unified and efficient service-based model. Facing pushback, budget turf wars, and deep-seated "we've always done it this way" culture, Lincey challenged the status quo and built a collaborative, data-driven operation that now services more than 25% of campus assets and continues to grow.
Through grit, relationship-building, and sharp analytical thinking, she reveals how she created a path for department-level fleets to "opt-in," developed a phased motor pool strategy, and partnered with procurement to prevent unnecessary purchases. If you're a fleet manager trying to justify your in-house shop, boost utilization, or prove ROI to leadership, this episode is packed with gold.
Speaker Bios
Lincey Araya is the Fleet Services and Field Program Manager at the University of South Florida. With a background in the collision repair industry and as a certified ASE and I-CAR mechanic, she brings over 20 years of technical and operational experience. Her leadership focuses on elevating fleet service delivery, data-driven management, and building a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement across campus operations.
Marc Canton is the VP of Product & Consulting at RTA: The Fleet Success Company and co-host of The Fleet Success Show. With two decades of university operations experience and deep expertise in fleet centralization, consulting, and operations strategy, Marc helps public sector fleets maximize performance, reduce cost, and improve stakeholder satisfaction.
Additional Resources
Looking to take the first step in your fleet career journey? Start by requesting your free copy of The Fleet Success Playbook. Written by fleet professionals for fleet professionals, the Playbook breaks down the four key pillars of fleet success, and gives you the tools you need to build a truly great fleet.
Request your free (yes, really, free!) copy here.
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