The Fleet Success Show Podcast

Episode 227: The Hidden Costs Killing Fleet Operations (It’s NOT What You Think)

Written by Facundo Tassara | May 7, 2026 11:30:00 AM

Episode Summary

Most fleets only account for 30–40% of their true repair costs. Learn the hidden costs of outsourced repairs, including downtime, inefficiencies, and lack of visibility.

Fleet repairs don’t cost what you think they cost.

In this episode of the Fleet Success Show, Facundo Tassara sits down with Brett Dashe (Co-Founder of ServiceUp) to break down the hidden costs of outsourced repairs, and why most fleets are only seeing 30–40% of the true expense.

From technician time and towing to downtime, missed communication, and overspending on unnecessary repairs, the real cost of sending work out goes far beyond the invoice.

You’ll learn:

  • Why only 30–40% of repair cost is visible
  • The real impact of downtime on operations and service delivery
  • How fleets accidentally overspend on repairs without realizing it
  • The risks of relying on third-party vendors without visibility
  • Why “cheaper” vendors often cost more in the long run

This episode is essential for fleet leaders who want to:

  • Reduce downtime
  • Improve vendor strategy
  • Make data-driven decisions
  • Defend budgets with real numbers

Speaker Bios

Facundo Tassara
Fleet Success Ambassador | RTA Fleet
Facundo Tassara is the Fleet Success Ambassador at RTA, where he works directly with fleet professionals across North America to help them improve operations, reduce downtime, and lead with confidence. With hands-on experience in public sector fleet management, Facundo brings a practical, real-world perspective to the challenges fleet leaders face every day, from technician shortages to operational inefficiencies.

Through the Fleet Success Show, industry events, and direct engagement with fleets, he focuses on helping organizations eliminate blind spots, strengthen accountability, and build fleets they’re proud to lead.

Brett Dashe
Co-Founder & Head of Partnerships | ServiceUp
Brett Dashe is the Co-Founder of ServiceUp, a fleet repair management platform designed to streamline how fleets manage outsourced maintenance and repairs. With a background in enterprise software and technology, Brett brings a data-driven approach to solving one of the fleet industry’s biggest challenges: lack of visibility in third-party repairs.

At ServiceUp, he leads partnerships and platform strategy, helping fleets better understand repair workflows, reduce downtime, and uncover the hidden costs impacting their operations. His work focuses on increasing transparency, improving decision-making, and enabling fleets to scale efficiently across complex, multi-location environments.

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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