Episode 249: AI, Change & the New Fleet Manager: How to Lead What’s Next

The role of the fleet manager is changing fast. Today’s fleet leaders aren’t just expected to understand vehicles and maintenance, they’re being asked to lead people, analyze data, adopt new technology, manage risk, communicate with stakeholders, and increasingly, understand how to put AI to work.

In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, RTA’s Marc Canton sits down with Vadim Rodin, Director of Technical Sales at Verizon Connect, to explore what this evolution means for fleet professionals, and how leaders can successfully guide their teams through what comes next.

Marc and Vadim dig into the human side of fleet technology and change management. They discuss how different generations learn, communicate, and respond to change; why explaining the “why” behind a new initiative matters; and how fleet leaders can build genuine adoption rather than simply introducing another piece of software or another process.

They also explore practical applications of AI for fleet leaders. From preparing for difficult employee conversations to pressure-testing an initiative before implementation, AI can serve as a thought partner that helps managers ask better questions, anticipate failure points, and approach decisions from new perspectives.

Vadim shares a four-stage approach to change management—education, encouragement, soft enforcement, and hard enforcement—and explains how peer influence, meaningful incentives, clear expectations, and accountability can help turn an organizational initiative into lasting behavior change.

The conversation also examines how the fleet manager’s job itself is evolving. Technical expertise remains important, but today’s leaders increasingly need to understand technology, finance, analytics, communication, customer service, culture, risk, and storytelling. With more data available than ever, success isn’t simply about collecting information—it’s about turning that information into action and being able to clearly communicate what the fleet needs and why.

Ultimately, technology alone won’t transform a fleet. The leaders who succeed will be those who can eliminate blind spots, bring order to change, engage their people, use data intelligently, and build a culture capable of adapting to what comes next.

Key Takeaways

• The fleet manager role is becoming multidisciplinary. Today’s leaders increasingly need skills across technology, data, finance, risk, communication, culture, customer service, and people leadership—not just vehicle and maintenance expertise.
• AI can be a practical leadership tool. Fleet managers can use AI to prepare for difficult conversations, adapt coaching to different employees, challenge their assumptions, develop ideas, and identify potential failure points before implementing a change.
• Use AI to pressure-test initiatives before they fail. Instead of only asking AI what could go wrong, Marc and Vadim discuss telling it to assume an initiative has already failed and asking it to diagnose why. That shift can uncover risks and adoption problems that might otherwise be missed.
• Technology adoption requires behavior change. Buying software or implementing a new system doesn't automatically create value. Leaders have to connect the technology to improved processes, outcomes, and everyday behaviors.
• Successful change starts with education and encouragement. Vadim outlines a progression of education, encouragement, soft enforcement, and hard enforcement. Explain what is changing and why, build support, and then create clear accountability around the new expectations.
• Peer champions can accelerate adoption. Employees who embrace a change early can become influential advocates and coaches for their coworkers—and may reveal themselves as future leaders in the process.
• Different generations may require different approaches to leadership and learning. Understanding how employees prefer to learn, communicate, experiment, and find meaning in their work can help fleet leaders improve training and change adoption.
• Data needs context to become useful. Fleet leaders shouldn't abandon experience in favor of data. Experience helps provide the context necessary to interpret information correctly and turn it into meaningful decisions.
• Fleet priorities continue to evolve. The Verizon Connect research discussed in the episode points to efficiency and productivity, cost reduction, and driver safety as major priorities, while the conversation explores changing attention around sustainability and fleet data.
• Expect more from technology partners. Fleet leaders should ask their software and service providers for expertise, resources, integrations, training, and continuous product improvement—not simply accept the technology they were initially given.

The views, opinions, and statements expressed here are solely that of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or views of Verizon Communications Inc., or its affiliates.

Speaker Bios

Marc Canton — VP, Fleet Strategy, RTA

Marc Canton is Vice President of Fleet Strategy at RTA Fleet and host of The Fleet Success Show. In this episode, Marc brings a fleet leadership perspective to the changing responsibilities of today’s fleet manager, exploring the intersection of technology, data, workforce management, organizational culture, and change.

He also connects these challenges to a larger question facing the profession: as fleet leaders are asked to do more with technology and data, how can they continue building safe, reliable, efficient operations while leading their people effectively?

Vadim Rodin— Director, Technical Sales, Verizon Connect

Vadim Rodin is Director within the Technical Sales organization at Verizon Connect. His work supports both internal teams and external customers across government, SMB, and enterprise organizations, helping them understand, implement, and get greater value from the Verizon Connect platform.

In the episode, Vadim draws on his experience helping organizations implement technology and improve adoption to discuss change management, workforce dynamics, AI, leadership, and the importance of ensuring technology produces meaningful business outcomes.

Additional Resources

Looking to take the first (or next) 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. 

Control fleet chaos with RTA Fleet360, proven software designed by fleet managers for fleet managers. Request a demo today. 

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