The Straight Talk on Fleet

Episode 66 | Modern Fleet Management with Josh Zolin: Culture, Transparency, and Change

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In Episode 66, Erin sits down with Josh Zolin—CEO of Windy City Equipment, author, podcaster, and former technician turned modern blue-collar leader...

Episode 65 | Flipping the Script on Fleet Maintenance with Fleetio’s Stafano Denari

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin sits down with Stefano Denari, Fleet Ecosystem Strategist at Fleetio, to talk about a topic every flee...

Episode 64 | Fleet Pros Unfiltered: From the Floor at NAFA I&E

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Straight from the floor of NAFA I&E in Long Beach, Episode 64 brings you rapid-fire insights from some of the most dynamic voices in fleet. In thi...

Episode 63 | Smarter Fueling Starts Now: No-Nonsense Talk for Fleet Pros

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin Gilchrist sits down with Phil Mirisola from Coast to dig into one of the biggest headaches in fleet ma...

Episode 62 | Celebrating Women’s History Month with Inspiring Women in Fleet!

20 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Celebrate Women's History Month with our powerhouse panel of women in fleet! Join us as we dive into inspiring career journeys, from breaking into the...

Episode 61 | Fleet Metrics Unplugged: The KPI Conversation for Modern Managers

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Keeping our finger on the pulse of safe and efficient fleet operations takes a village. In this episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin digs into ...

Episode 60 | The Road Ahead: Using Inspections to Drive Fleet Success This Year

23 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kicking off a new year sometimes means we need to get back to the fundamentals. We often make resolutions about how we’re going to improve our healt...

Episode 59 | Organizational Safety Culture, A Chat with Brian Fielkow

12 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the 59th episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin chats with Brian Fielkow, Executive Vice President of Risk Resources at Acrisure and a powerho...

Episode 58 | Throwback: Analytics’ Role In Predictive Maintenance Success

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 57 | The Special Sauce: A Conversation with Thurman Register

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this 57th episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin interviews industry expert and change management guru Thurman Register. Thurman has been in ...

Episode 56 | Fleet Management in Construction with Erin Gilchrist on the Cashflow Contractor Podcast

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we share Erin's recent appearance on The Cash Flow Contractor Podcast, where she joins hosts Khalil Benalioulhaj and Martin Holland f...

Episode 55 | Insights into Fleet Management with Ernie Garcia

10 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this 55th episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin interviews Ernie Garcia. Ernie serves as Director of Fleet Management and Business Sy...

Episode 54 | The Evolution and Future of Fleet Management with Mike Antich

20 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this 54th episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin interviews Fleet Industry legend Mike Antich. Mike was the long-time editor in chief at Bobit...

Ep 53 | Artificial Intelligence and Its Role in Fleet Management with Ken Jack

04 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this 53rd episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin interviews industry expert and former fleet executive Ken Jack. Ken has been in the transport...

Ep 52 | Fleet Manager of the Year Finalist, Ted Chan of Schindler Elevator

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this 52nd episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin interviews industry expert and Fleet Manager of the Year Finalist, Ted Chan. Ted serves as t...

Ep 51 | Route Optimization Strategies for Today’s Fleets

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the latest episode of Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin Gilchrist Rugg welcomes Wise Systems’ Vice President of Global Partnerships, Erin Blair, to di...

Ep 50 | Building Community with the Straight Talk on Fleet Podcast

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this short but sweet episode of Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin celebrates 50 episodes and 11,000 followers on LinkedIn! Why is this important...

Ep 48 | Erin Joins the Pest Posse: Managing Your Most Dangerous Tool

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

EP49 | Uncensored Tips from the Trenches, Live from NAFA I&E 2024

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In this 49th episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin interviewed 5 seasoned fleet professionals from the NAFA booth at NAFA I&E 2024. ...

Digital Vehicle and Tire Inspection Solutions for Commercial Fleet Efficiency

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Host Marc Babin of The Auto Tech Show Podcast interviews Erin on his podcast hosted by Anyline. In this 47th episode of Straight Talk on Fleet Podcas...

EP46 | Erin Chats on All-Things Fleet Management and Supply Chain on the Speaking of Supply Chain Podcast

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It takes a lot of moving parts and careful maintenance for a vehicle to effectively run—and it takes as many moving parts and as much maintenance fo...

Ep44 | Automotive Fleet Safety Beyond the Driver / An Anyline Interview with Erin

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ep 45 | Paraco Gas Gains Efficiencies and Drives Safety with IntelliShift

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ep 41 | Erin with Bill Schankel on Unlocking Your Fleet Career Potential with Association Membership

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Erin switches it up in Episode 41 of Straight Talk on Fleet Podcast to talk about how association membership and involvement can boost career success....

EP39 | Interview Fleet Manager of the Year Finalist, Sharon Etherington of Roche

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this 39th episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin interviews industry expert and Fleet Manager of the Year Finalist, Sharon Etherington. Sharo...

Ep38 | Route Optimizations Impacts on Successful Fleet Management

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this 38th episode of the Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin hosts Matt Vesey, Director of Professional Services at Wise Systems. Wise Systems, a ...

Ep 37 | ROI Analyses; A Valuable Tool in Project Management and Measuring Ongoing Success

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this new episode of the Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin breaks down the what, why and how of using ROI analyses to improve project management ...

Ep36 | Exploring and Solving Payment Solutions Issues for Fleets

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this 36th episode of the Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin hosts a guest, Matt Glaser who is the VP of Product Management at Car IQ. Car IQ is a...

Ep35 | Celebrating 35 Episodes and How Far We’ve Come

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this 35th episode of the Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin celebrates how far she’s come in being a new podcaster and influencer in the fleet ...

Ep 34 | Interviewiew with a Recovering Distracted Driver

04 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Erin for the 34th episode of Straight Talk on Fleet. In this special episode, Erin hosts Steve Kiefer, Founder and President of The Kiefer Founda...

Ep 33 | 3 Mistakes Fleet Leaders Make That Could Increase Distracted Driving

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a fleet leader, a top concern is fighting distracted driving. You have all the right things in place, but it’s still an issue. You’re not alone...

Ep 32 | Let’s Tackle Distracted Driving with Shelley Forney

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Erin for the 32nd episode of Straight Talk on Fleet. In this special episode, Erin hosts Shelley Forney. Shelley is a Motivational Distracted Dri...

Ep 31. Live Podcast | Are Your KPIs on Track with Kimberly Fisher

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join Erin for the recorded version of her latest Straight Talk Live podcast episode! She interviews Kimberly Fisher, a longtime friend and fleet indus...

Ep30 | Erin Talks Fleet Safety with Fleet Safety Geeks at NAFA I & E 2023

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this podcast short, Erin records live from the NAFA I & E in Baltimore as a guest on the Fleet Safety Geeks podcast. Erin gives a short keynote...

Ep29 | From Rookie to Pro: 3 Tips to be an Innovative and Solution-Oriented Fleet Leader with David Hayward, Fleet Manager from ABM Industries

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this 29th episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin interviewed her long-time friend and fleet industry colleague David Hayward, live fro...

Ep28 | Live from NAFA with Wheels, Inc.’s Laura Jozwiak

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this 28th episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin interviewed her long-time friend and fleet industry colleague Laura Jozwiak, live fro...

Ep27 | Straight Talk on Maintenance: Futureproof Your Fleet

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin hosted Straight Talk Live with an audience of fleet professionals coming together on the topic of ...

Episode 26 Interview with Mike Camnetar at Work Truck Week 2023

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin comes to you from NTEA’s Work Truck Week 2023 in Indianapolis, one of the industry’s largest f...

Episode 25: Customer Experience, My Vision of a Successful Partnership

15 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Customer experience or “CX” as we like to call it these days, is crucial to successful relationships and partnerships in business. Statistics show...

Episode 24 Live Podcast Event | Simplify Fleet Management with Consolidated Data

01 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

No matter what your current tech stack is, pairing and surfacing the right data is essential to improving operational efficiency. In this recording fr...

Episode 23: The Fleet Community Pays it Forward; An Interview with Ryan Wilkins of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio

15 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin hosts esteemed guest Ryan Wilkins, CMO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio and the ...

Episode 22 Live Podcast | A Conversation on Building a Culture of Safety

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Join the conversation and bring your best practices around safety culture. Changing hearts and minds around safety in organizations can be complicated...

EP21 Interview with IntelliShift Customer Tommy Parker of Fox Electric

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin interviews IntelliShift customer Tommy Parker. Tommy is the operations manager and a ...

The 12 Days of Christmas with The Straight Talk on Fleet

25 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Be sure to subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts. Also, connect with Erin on LinkedIn. You’ll join a community of like-minded fleet l...

Ep 20 | Interview with Bob Martinez of the NYPD: Adapting According to Bob

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In episode 20 of The Straight Talk on Fleet, we have the privilege of hosting industry expert Bob Martinez, Deputy Chief of the Support Services Burea...

Ep 19 | Controlling the Uncontrollable: Mitigate the pain of market conditions with a sound approach

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our macro-economic conditions are an opportunity to reassess our people, processes, and technology to mitigate the pain. In this episode of The Straig...

Ep 17 | Interview with AFLA’s 2022 Fleet Manager of the Year, Jonathan Kamanns

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In episode 17 of The Straight Talk on Fleet, we have the privilege of hosting award-wining and experienced corporate fleet professional Jonathan Kaman...

Ep 16 | Interview: Fleet Manager deep dive with Danielle Wyres of Titan Solar Power

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In episode 16 we have a wonderful guest Danielle Wyres, Director of Fleet and Logistics at Titan Solar Power out of Mesa, Arizona. Titan Solar Power i...

Ep 15 | Eliminate swivel chair management with fleet analytics

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s podcast, Erin brings it full circle, digging into data stewardship by way of a single connected, integrated, powerful, easy-to-use fleet ...

Ep 14 | Fleet Management Metrics, KPIs all Fleet Managers Should be Tracking

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Keeping our finger on the pulse of safe and efficient fleet operations takes a village. In this episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet, Erin digs into ...

Ep 13 | Fuel Management Strategies in Volatile Times and For All Times

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At this stage of the game, organizations still allow fuel prices to dictate how focused they are on their fuel, and sustainability efforts are behind ...

Ep 12 | The First Steps in Developing a Fleet Safety Policy with the Fleet Safety Geeks

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Developing a fleet safety policy is a critical process and an integral part of managing a safe and efficient fleet. In this first of a three-part seri...

Ep 11 | Replacing Technology and Technology Providers, an Arduous but Critical Strategy

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's marketplace, there are many options for fleet and vehicle technology. Often providers in this space fail to provide a fully integrated and ...

Ep 10 | Building a Culture of Safety; Changing Hearts & Minds on Safety and People Leadership

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Changing hearts and minds around safety in organizations can be difficult. Building a culture of safety can be even harder because it means something ...

Ep 9 | Control the Uncontrollable with AI Video Dash Cameras

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today’s environment of distractions and instant gratification, there’s an even greater need for technology in fleet vehicles that can protect d...

Ep 8 | Inspections, A Foundational Step in Successful Fleet Management

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of the Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin discusses the value of performing consistent and accurate vehicle and equipment inspection...

Ep 7 | Fleet Management Fireside Chat with Bob Mossing

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet podcast, Erin hosts the Director of Global Fleet Administration at STERIS and Co-Host of The Fleet Safet...

Ep 6 | Analytics’ Role In Predictive Maintenance Success

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Almost everything that happens to your fleet and drivers can be prevented (or reduce the risk in a very meaningful way.) The keys to building a truly ...

Ep 5 | Partnering for Change Management Success

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fleet managers are often left wearing many hats – thought leader, change agent and project manager within their organizations. Solving fleet challen...

Ep 4 | Sustainability: Your Workforce, Drivers and You (The Fleet Manager)

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Taking steps to green your fleet is just one component of sustainability. Building a fleet that’s sustainable for the long run – one that’s safe...

Ep 3 | How To Build a Fleet Sustainability Plan

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fleet sustainability means different things to different people. On today’s show, Erin shares a holistic approach to sustainability that includes th...

Ep 2 | What You'll Get From The Straight Talk on Fleet

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Curious why you should subscribe and tune in to watch the latest episode of The Straight Talk on Fleet each week? Then you won’t want to miss this w...

Ep 1 | Join Us in Building a Fleet Community

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Straight Talk on Fleet is a brand new podcast hosted by award-winning fleet leader Erin Gilchrist. On each episode, Erin will break down fleet man...