Best of LinkedIn: Commercial Fleet Insights CW 44/ 45

00:00:00: brought to you by Thomas Allgeier and Frennus.

00:00:02: This edition highlights key LinkedIn posts on commercial fleets in weeks forty-four and forty-five.

00:00:07: Frennus supports automotive enterprises and consultancies with market, customer, and competitive intelligence in the commercial fleet sector, with a strong focus on digital solutions and emerging technologies.

00:00:19: We'll send back everyone to the deep dive.

00:00:23: For this dive, we've sifted through a lot of insights on LinkedIn, really focusing on commercial fleets for calendar weeks, forty-four and forty-five.

00:00:30: We're aiming to pull out the, you know, the really significant trends and strategic shifts happening right now.

00:00:37: Yeah, it was quite a bit to go through.

00:00:38: And I think if you bore it all down, there are maybe three big fronts.

00:00:41: where things are moving.

00:00:43: First, there's this push towards, let's say, pragmatic electrification, making it actually profitable.

00:00:47: Remember,

00:00:47: pragmatic being the keyword there.

00:00:48: Exactly.

00:00:49: Then there's a definite pivot away from just gathering heaps of data towards creating real actionable risk intelligence.

00:00:56: And finally, underpinning all of that is this, well, absolute need for deep collaboration.

00:01:02: ecosystem partnerships.

00:01:04: That seems crucial for unlocking real operational gains.

00:01:07: Definitely.

00:01:07: So let's maybe dig into that actionable intelligence piece first.

00:01:10: We hear the phrase data is the new oil all the time, but Noem Semen had a better take, I thought.

00:01:16: He called data the new fuel for fleet operations.

00:01:19: I like that metaphor.

00:01:20: It really captures how data is now fundamentally driving strategy, not just sitting there.

00:01:25: Yeah.

00:01:25: And the conversation, it feels like it's moved way past basic telematics now.

00:01:29: Oh, absolutely.

00:01:30: We're talking prediction.

00:01:32: Juro-K laid out some key AI trends expected by like Q-Four twenty twenty-five.

00:01:37: Think proactive safety, automated compliance, even fusing IoT data with AI.

00:01:43: So the goal is safer miles basically.

00:01:45: Safer miles, cleaner audits.

00:01:46: Yeah.

00:01:47: And getting ahead of problems.

00:01:48: We're moving beyond just reacting to a check engine light, you know.

00:01:51: Yeah.

00:01:51: It's about knowing before it comes on.

00:01:52: Nah,

00:01:53: okay.

00:01:53: So the quick wins are things like scheduling predictive maintenance based on early signals from the ECM, the engine control module.

00:02:00: Precisely that.

00:02:01: And that connects directly to what Matt McGee at Mantis was talking about, echoing Steven Bloomer's view.

00:02:07: They're really pushing this idea of cutting through the data hype.

00:02:11: Right,

00:02:11: there's so much hype.

00:02:12: Exactly.

00:02:13: Focus instead on actual fleet risk intelligence.

00:02:16: The aim isn't to drown your team in data, it's to, well, augment them.

00:02:22: Filter the noise and spotlight the critical stuff, driver fatigue, maybe distraction.

00:02:26: And there's a real commercial payoff there, isn't there?

00:02:29: I saw the point about Mantis Collision Insights acting like a digital witness.

00:02:32: Yeah, that's powerful.

00:02:34: It instantly pulls together HD video, GeForce data, telematic speed, breaking all that plus GPS.

00:02:40: It creates a single comprehensive incident report right away.

00:02:43: The FNOL report.

00:02:45: First, notification of loss.

00:02:46: That's the one.

00:02:47: And getting that FNOL fast is where you make the money back.

00:02:50: It speeds up claims, helps prove you weren't at fault, and this is crucial.

00:02:54: It lowers your loss ratio.

00:02:55: directly impacts insurance premiums.

00:02:57: Massively.

00:02:59: Even a small reduction in that loss ratio, backed by solid digital proof, can mean serious savings on insurance.

00:03:06: We're talking potentially millions for large fleets.

00:03:08: That's tangible business value.

00:03:10: So the tech becomes less about just ticking compliance boxes and more about gaining a commercial edge.

00:03:15: Right.

00:03:16: And linking back to the human side, Heidi DiAngelo made a really good point.

00:03:21: Safety isn't just about checklists.

00:03:22: It's about building a positive culture where drivers feel supported.

00:03:26: Technology should enable better coaching, not just surveillance.

00:03:30: That makes sense.

00:03:30: So if we apply that same data precision thinking... Yeah.

00:03:34: It also fits perfectly with managing fuel costs, right?

00:03:37: Another huge variable.

00:03:38: Absolutely.

00:03:39: Me, some of us pointed out correctly, I think, that controlling costs often starts with the basics and solid fuel tracking.

00:03:45: It's just table stakes now for efficiency and crucially preventing misuse.

00:03:50: Yeah, and just looking at fuel card data isn't enough anymore, is it?

00:03:52: You need something smarter to catch fraud.

00:03:54: You really do.

00:03:55: Yeah.

00:03:55: Victor Gonzalez from Fleavos detailed some common red flags they look for.

00:04:00: Things like buying way more fuel than the tank can actually hold suggests siphoning, right?

00:04:05: Yeah, okay.

00:04:05: Or, you know, the same fuel card being used suddenly by several different vehicles.

00:04:09: Or the tank level changing in a way that just doesn't match the fuel purchase amount.

00:04:14: But how do you avoid flagging legitimate uses?

00:04:16: Like what if the fuel is for auxiliary equipment?

00:04:19: That's where the intelligence comes in.

00:04:20: Flevo's algorithms are designed to check for these patterns, but also to recognize legitimate exceptions, like fuel for a power takeoff unit, a PTO, running hydraulics or something.

00:04:30: Ah,

00:04:31: so it minimizes the manual auditing headache.

00:04:34: Exactly.

00:04:35: Cuts down on false positives.

00:04:36: And interestingly, that same logic, verifying consumption against the right asset applies directly to electric fleets too.

00:04:44: Making sure the kilowatts used match the specific vehicle and the charging session.

00:04:49: That's a perfect segue.

00:04:50: The lessons on data precision, verifying consumption, they seem even more critical for the electric transition.

00:04:56: Let's pivot to electrification.

00:04:57: It's still dominating discussions.

00:04:59: It really is.

00:05:00: Though Mike L injected some... necessary realism.

00:05:04: He mentioned that globally some countries are quietly pushing back those initial illusionary timelines, he called them, US, Canada, UK, EU.

00:05:14: So are these delays just strategic cold feet?

00:05:18: Or is it more like regulatory reality setting in?

00:05:20: I think it's more the latter, realism.

00:05:23: The future's still electric, definitely, but the conversation has shifted.

00:05:27: It's less hype, more about, okay, how do we make this practical and profitable?

00:05:31: And profitability isn't just about the truck itself.

00:05:33: Right.

00:05:34: Marcus Kroger made a critical point about charging, depot charging.

00:05:37: That's just the beginning.

00:05:38: Right.

00:05:39: He argued that strategic on-route charging is what unlocks profitability, especially for longer-haul electric trucking.

00:05:44: Makes sense.

00:05:45: You have to use those mandatory driver brakes anyway.

00:05:47: Exactly.

00:05:47: He gave the example of Asco.

00:05:49: Relying only on depot charging meant they literally had to turn down profitable rubs that went beyond the truck, say, a hundred and eighty kilometer range, especially in winter when range can drop, what, forty percent?

00:05:59: Forty percent is a huge hit.

00:06:00: It is.

00:06:01: So you need that flexibility.

00:06:02: That flexibility brings us to the, well, the elephant in the room.

00:06:06: infrastructure.

00:06:07: Oh

00:06:07: yeah.

00:06:08: Roby Moiano put some stark numbers on that.

00:06:11: Electrifying EU buses by twenty thirty.

00:06:14: He calculated it needs three gigawatts of simultaneous power demand.

00:06:18: Three gigawatts.

00:06:19: Yeah.

00:06:20: To put that in perspective for you, that's roughly the output of three nuclear power plants, just for charging buses every day.

00:06:27: Okay, that really friends it.

00:06:28: It's not just a fleet issue.

00:06:29: It's a massive grid and energy management challenge.

00:06:32: Totally.

00:06:32: And Aruna Nhan doubled down on that.

00:06:35: He basically said the biggest hurdle isn't even the charging hardware anymore.

00:06:39: It's managing the power, the costs, which are volatile, right?

00:06:43: are up like four hundred percent since twenty twenty one.

00:06:45: apparently four

00:06:46: hundred percent.

00:06:47: that's intense pressure

00:06:48: it really is.

00:06:49: so solutions are popping up to tackle this.

00:06:51: like a electric miles has something called the impact fleet module, it helps balance the load on site, manages peak demand automatically.

00:06:59: And they

00:06:59: have that smart flex system too, right?

00:07:01: Where fleets can actually make money from their idle batteries.

00:07:04: Exactly.

00:07:05: That's where it gets really interesting.

00:07:06: You can offer your parked vehicles back to the grid basically, help stabilize things during peak times.

00:07:12: And the grid operator pays the fleet for that capacity.

00:07:15: So your idle assets start generating revenue.

00:07:18: That's pretty clever.

00:07:18: Turning costs into potential income streams.

00:07:22: We're also seeing planning tools emerge specifically for this complexity.

00:07:26: Maggie Kobulus launched Revolve's EV savings calculator, helps model savings over five years.

00:07:33: And Daniel Hilsen's Betterfleet tool.

00:07:35: That one aims to cut infrastructure costs by, I think, up to thirty percent and energy costs by twenty-five percent.

00:07:41: Yeah, by basically running simulations.

00:07:44: Stress testing different charging strategies in a digital twin before you even break ground.

00:07:48: Smart planning up front.

00:07:49: Okay, so we've talked data value, energy value.

00:07:52: What about just maximizing the value of the physical assets themselves, especially crucial for, say, municipal fleets with tight budgets?

00:07:59: Good

00:08:00: point.

00:08:00: Budgets are always a construct there.

00:08:02: Well, Joshua Cumbie highlighted a pretty ingenious system, the switch and go interchangeable body system.

00:08:07: Ah, I saw that.

00:08:08: It's about flexibility.

00:08:09: Right.

00:08:10: One truck chassis, multiple bodies.

00:08:12: Exactly.

00:08:12: A single truck can swap between a dump body, a flatbed, maybe a chipper body, whatever is needed.

00:08:18: And the changeover It takes like three minutes.

00:08:20: That's a

00:08:20: massive saving on capital expenditure and less risk if your operational needs shift down the line.

00:08:26: Totally.

00:08:26: It really speaks to the need for careful planning, especially in the public sector.

00:08:31: Chris Davis actually laid out a strategic framework for municipal electrification.

00:08:35: What were the key points there?

00:08:37: Three main things, aligning with policy, talking to utilities early to check grid capacity and really analyzing vehicle use cases, duty cycles, to well times to pick the right charging level.

00:08:48: Level one, two, DC fast charging.

00:08:51: Makes sense.

00:08:52: You need the right tool for the job and when that strategy works.

00:08:56: The

00:08:56: results can be pretty impressive.

00:08:58: Panagiotis ZECOS shared a case study of municipality cut fuel use by twenty percent and boosted on-time deliveries by eighty percent.

00:09:05: Eighty percent.

00:09:06: Using iLinks power fleet system combined with AI for route optimization.

00:09:10: That's public service efficiency driven by tech.

00:09:12: But all that great strategic planning can fall apart if the basics are wrong,

00:09:16: right?

00:09:16: Oh, absolutely.

00:09:17: Leigh Ann Hansen shared a cautionary tale.

00:09:20: Painful, but important.

00:09:22: A fleet wasted seventy-four thousand dollars on dump bodies.

00:09:25: Why?

00:09:26: What happened?

00:09:26: Simple spec error.

00:09:28: They ordered bodies based on a sixty inch cab to axle measurement, but the trucks that showed up were eighty-four inch.

00:09:35: They just didn't fit.

00:09:35: Ouch!

00:09:36: Seventy-four grand on the drain for a measurement error?

00:09:38: That seems... preventable?

00:09:40: You think so, but it happens more often than you might like.

00:09:43: It's a stark reminder why digitalization isn't just about fancy algorithms.

00:09:47: It's about fundamental accuracy, especially in large procurements.

00:09:51: The smallest detail can cost big money.

00:09:53: Okay, so let's broaden the view a bit.

00:09:55: Thinking about the overall industry health competition.

00:09:58: Fleet Europe days, twenty twenty five just happened.

00:10:01: What was the vibe?

00:10:02: Very dynamic.

00:10:03: Frank Lavec summed it up by saying the whole fleet ecosystem is really becoming Europe's new engine for mobility transformation.

00:10:09: growth engine.

00:10:10: And Heidi DeAngelo stressed collaboration again, right?

00:10:13: That seems to be the recurring theme.

00:10:14: Absolutely.

00:10:14: Collaboration was central.

00:10:16: And that growth is definitely shaking up the competitive landscape.

00:10:20: Nick Britton pointed out a big shift, particularly in the UK.

00:10:22: What kind of shift?

00:10:23: Chinese manufacturers BYD, JKO, Milada, they're winning serious business.

00:10:28: Apparently, it's a mix of strong EV offerings, good tech, and really competitive pricing.

00:10:34: They're directly challenging the established players.

00:10:37: Interesting.

00:10:38: And Tarik Nogoto noted, fleets are adopting EVs faster than private buyers now.

00:10:43: Yeah, which is a sign the market's maturing, right?

00:10:45: Fleets see the TCO benefits.

00:10:47: And related to that, Bartek Hopp observed something interesting about the event itself.

00:10:52: What was that?

00:10:53: Connectivity solutions, data platforms, they were dominating the show floor.

00:10:58: Much more buzz around them than around traditional new vehicle launches.

00:11:02: The underlying tech is really driving the total cost of ownership.

00:11:05: conversation now.

00:11:06: That tracks.

00:11:07: We saw specific examples, too, right?

00:11:08: We did.

00:11:09: Jesper Lindberg mentioned Alphabet won an innovation award for their AI assistant.

00:11:14: And Benjamin Erfel presented Fleet Base, that's feed software integrated right into BCA Europe's auction platform.

00:11:20: Integration seems key, like Christie Manning Harrington reporting Service Titan Fleet Pro now works directly with Ford Pro.

00:11:27: Exactly.

00:11:28: Real-time AI-driven insights straight from the vehicle.

00:11:32: No extra hardware needed.

00:11:34: It's making data access seamless, almost invisible.

00:11:37: Which

00:11:37: brings us back to the human element, I guess.

00:11:39: It always does.

00:11:40: How do you do, Angelo had a great closing thought.

00:11:43: Leaders need to simplify things, keep safety human centric, and really focus on the people using the tech.

00:11:48: Ultimately, she said, collaboration and trust are the biggest difference makers.

00:11:52: That's what really moves the industry forward during these big shifts.

00:11:56: So, okay, synthesizing all this.

00:11:58: What should you, the listener, take away from these couple of weeks?

00:12:02: I think it boils down to managing three critical shifts at once.

00:12:05: First, moving beyond basic compliance to proactive, predictive risk intelligence, powered by AI.

00:12:11: Okay, shift one, proactive intelligence.

00:12:13: Second, evolving from just adopting EVs to mastering profitable sophisticated energy and grid management, it's about the whole energy ecosystem now.

00:12:21: Shift two, profitable energy management, got it.

00:12:24: And third, embracing deep collaboration across the entire value chain.

00:12:29: Lyle Cresswell actually framed this as moving beyond simple freight tech platforms to true logistics collaboration platforms.

00:12:39: Collaboration platforms, that's a good way to put it.

00:12:40: Yeah, because you're competitive advantage now.

00:12:43: It really hinges on how connected, how intelligent, and how collaborative your entire ecosystem is.

00:12:49: If you enjoyed this episode, new episodes drop every two weeks.

00:12:52: Also check out our other editions on electrification battery technology, future mobility and market evolution, and next-gen vehicle intelligence.

00:12:59: Thanks for joining us for this deep dive.

00:13:01: If that interconnectedness and collaboration really are the future, maybe the key question for you to ponder is, where are the biggest gaps in your own collaboration network right now?

00:13:10: Subscribe, stay informed, and we'll catch you next time.