Episode Summary
In this Fleet Management 101 edition of The Fleet Success Show, host Facundo Tassara sits down with Brendan Hunt, Assistant Fleet Service and Facility Manager for Fairfax County, Virginia, home to one of the largest and most diverse government fleets in the country.
Brendan shares the real, raw journey of his path from turning wrenches as a tech in a gas station to leading standardization, training, and quality assurance across a 6,000+ unit fleet. With humor and humility, Brendan recounts his early missteps as a new supervisor, the painful but necessary leadership lessons, and his passion for documenting processes to leave a legacy of systems over individuals.
This episode is a blueprint for new and aspiring fleet leaders who want to grow beyond the garage floor. Whether you're currently a tech or a new supervisor looking to get your bearings, Brendan's story offers both inspiration and practical takeaways.
Key Takeaways:
- Leadership is About People, Not Just Performance: Making the leap from tech to supervisor means learning to motivate, mentor, and communicate.
- Process Over Heroics: Brendan learned the hard way that success isn’t about being the hero, it’s about building repeatable systems.
- Document Everything: SOPs and written processes create stability, especially when team members move between facilities or roles.
- Standardization Matters: From fleet assets to shop equipment, reducing variability drives safety, efficiency, and faster training.
- Every Shop is a Classroom: Brendan used each role and shop as a learning opportunity, building a foundation that made him a better leader.
- Listen First, Lead Second: Real change happens when leaders stop talking and start observing and engaging.
Speaker Bios
Brendan Hunt
Assistant Fleet Service and Facility Manager, Fairfax County, VA
Brendan oversees training and quality assurance for Fairfax County’s 6,000+ unit fleet. He began his journey as a technician in 2007 and has worked in nearly every shop and section across the county, eventually rising into leadership roles where he now focuses on standardization and long-term fleet improvement.
Facundo Tassara
Fleet Success Ambassador, RTA: The Fleet Success Company
Facundo brings deep public fleet experience and a passion for coaching the next generation of fleet professionals. He leads RTA’s educational initiatives, including the Fleet Success Playbook, webinars, and Fleet Management 101 series.
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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