Best of LinkedIn: Commercial Fleet Insights CW 10/ 11

00:00:00: brought to you by Thomas Allgaier and Frenus.

00:00:02: This edition highlights key LinkedIn posts on commercial fleets from weeks ten, and eleven.

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

00:00:18: Right so we are jumping into another deep dive today.

00:00:21: We

00:00:21: absolutely Are!

00:00:22: Welcome To The Deep Dive.

00:00:23: By the way Today were looking at top commercial fleet trends that we've seen across linkedin lately.

00:00:27: Yeah The overarching mission for our discussion today is really exploring this massive shift in the mobility industry.

00:00:35: We're finally moving away from just, you know collecting raw data and testing theoretical what ifs.

00:00:41: Right little theory phase.

00:00:42: Exactly we are moving into actual physical on-the ground operational execution which is honestly where magic happens.

00:00:49: Oh

00:00:49: For sure.

00:00:50: Because if you're managing a fleet today, your day-to-day is likely just a nonstop juggling act.

00:00:55: Oh yeah.

00:00:55: Just scattered data competing priorities and razor thin margins

00:01:01: Yeah And historically the default solution was to throw more tracking tech at that problem right?

00:01:06: Like monitor everything

00:01:08: Right which feels like surveillance.

00:01:11: But Steve Lockington brought up some really interesting insights regarding geotab vitality.

00:01:15: Well I saw it totally flips that surveillance philosophy on its head.

00:01:21: They're moving from monitoring drivers to actually motivating them.

00:01:24: Yeah, and the psychology there is just critical because in the past telematics basically acted as a digital stick.

00:01:31: You know driver gets a bad scorecard for harsh breaking.

00:01:34: they get pulled into a windowless office For coaching.

00:01:37: it's an inherently negative interaction.

00:01:39: nobody

00:01:39: wants that

00:01:40: exactly.

00:01:41: but Lockington highlighted a fleet that introduced personalized goals like Right in the cab.

00:01:46: The drivers are actually earning tangible rewards for improving their metrics.

00:01:50: It's gamified

00:01:51: right.

00:01:52: they gamify the good habits instead of punishing the bad ones.

00:01:56: and the numbers Are staggering?

00:01:57: In just a sixty day period safe driving behavior improved by thirty one percent wait really

00:02:04: forty-one percent in Just two months.

00:02:06: yeah, two months.

00:02:07: And he noted a four hundred and forty three percent return on investment alongside that.

00:02:12: That is wild.

00:02:13: but under those flashy numbers Like, what's actually changing in the operational culture to make that ROI happen?

00:02:19: Well it really comes down to driver retention.

00:02:21: Lockington data showed a forty-three point nine percent reduction.

00:02:27: Oh, wow.

00:02:28: Yeah and recruiting new drivers is incredibly expensive.

00:02:31: so when safety becomes something they actively participate in get rewarded for.

00:02:36: They stay longer

00:02:37: right?

00:02:37: So the ROI isn't just avoiding crashes It's cutting the cost of employee churn exactly which actually brings up an analogy.

00:02:44: I couldn't stop thinking about mm-hmm.

00:02:45: Corey Kozlin posted about physical hardware In The Cabs specifically fleet cameras.

00:02:52: oh Right this smartphone analogy yes

00:02:54: he said using an AI equipped fleet camera strictly as a crash cam, you know just to prove fault is like buying a high-end smartphone.

00:03:02: Just use the calculator app.

00:03:03: that

00:03:03: hits The nail perfectly on the head because Coslyn pointed out That actual commercial collisions happen roughly once in a million miles.

00:03:09: A million

00:03:10: mile

00:03:10: right?

00:03:10: So if your entire camera budget Is justified just for litigation or insurance Proving the other guy was at fault yeah You're leaving immense operational value on the table.

00:03:20: so what should fleets be doing for the other nine hundred ninety-nine thousand miles.

00:03:24: They should be scanning for operational friction, like using the cameras for routing optimization identifying where drivers are constantly facing parking bottlenecks or loading dock delays.

00:03:36: Oh I see!

00:03:36: Yeah and using it for continuous driver coaching completely detached from an actual accident context.

00:03:42: It makes sense but let's talk about the insurance angle first.

00:03:45: second because Mark Jatek from OpenEyes offered a pretty sobering reality check there.

00:03:51: Oh, he

00:03:51: really did.

00:03:52: Yeah because a lot of operators just assume hey I installed GPS and put high-tech cameras in the cab.

00:03:57: my insurance premiums are going to magically drop

00:04:00: And Jatsack was super clear about this.

00:04:02: Underwriters do not care your shiny new tech stack?

00:04:05: Nope They don't care about your sleek UI.

00:04:07: they deal with risk in liability.

00:04:10: The only care about documented undeniable behavior change and compressed claims timelines

00:04:16: Meaning you have to actually translate your operational improvements into a language the underwriter respects.

00:04:22: Exactly!

00:04:23: If you can't prove that you're actively reducing loss frequency, You are just another fleet carrying expensive hardware.

00:04:29: Right But wait... if you fully activate all these cameras To capture behavioral data Don't you get completely overwhelmed with alerts?

00:04:37: Oh

00:04:37: totally.

00:04:38: Data fatigue is massive secondary problem.

00:04:41: Which where AI gets practical.

00:04:43: Josh Otterson from Fleedio and Claude Ho Kroetner weighed in on this.

00:04:48: AI isn't about predicting every single failure perfectly.

00:04:52: No, it's about context and filtering.

00:04:54: Ottersone noted that the vast majority of alerts In a fleets daily operation are just routine

00:04:59: But they still eat up managerial time.

00:05:01: Exactly so.

00:05:02: The real value of AI is acting as this filtering co-pilot.

00:05:06: It reinforces the routine stuff in the background And only flags the highly risky exceptions

00:05:11: Like a stoplight signal.

00:05:12: Right but and this is critical, how Rootin are warned about false positives.

00:05:16: They will absolutely destroy system confidence.

00:05:19: Oh I can imagine.

00:05:20: Yeah if an AI dash cam constantly flags a driver for hazard when they're just making safe tight turn the driver gets frustrated that'll put tape over their lens

00:05:29: Right...they tune it out.

00:05:31: so the AI has to be precise

00:05:32: Exactly.

00:05:33: But optimizing the driver in filtering data only get's you so far.

00:05:38: To drive down life cycle costs, you eventually have to optimize the powertrain itself.

00:05:44: Electrification which is our next big theme.

00:05:48: and The math here shifting so fast.

00:05:51: Jamie Sands shared a really compelling perspective on this.

00:05:54: Yeah his point about the battery math.

00:05:55: Right.

00:05:56: he argued that if your building an EV business case based On today's dadry prices You are essentially Building Your foundation on sand.

00:06:03: Because of the massive scaling happening in the background, The Heavy Duty Battery Sector benefits from the exact same Gigafactory Scaling as the Passenger EV Market.

00:06:11: Right so the math that didn't work in twenty-twenty four?

00:06:14: It's going to be undeniably profitable by twenty twenty six.

00:06:17: if you delay your strategy because of an outdated spreadsheet You risk falling way behind

00:06:22: and we are seeing that global momentum.

00:06:24: Steph Cornelis From Transport In Environment And Eamon Mulholland shared some stark data.

00:06:31: China is leading heavy truck EV share by a mile, twenty-nine percent last year.

00:06:36: Twenty nine percent is just monumental for global supply chains?

00:06:40: It

00:06:40: really is.

00:06:41: but I mean let's be fair...China has heavy state mandates and massive subsidies.

00:06:47: can we expect European or North American fleets to organically replicate that pace.

00:06:51: well

00:06:51: policy kick starts the market but operational reality takes over.

00:06:55: look at Europe.

00:06:56: Daimler Truck Is Leading The Pack.

00:06:58: eight percent of their heavy new trucks

00:06:59: sold are electric.

00:07:01: Eight percent?

00:07:01: Yeah, and sure that's heavily driven by EU targets but it proves the manufacturing capacity actually exists!

00:07:07: But does the math hold up in the real world like when things get messy or freezing cold?

00:07:13: a battery in a lab is very different from a battery into Canadian winter.

00:07:16: That's

00:07:17: true...but we have on-the-ground proof now.

00:07:19: Dave German shared data from a twelve month pilot in Montreal with Freightliner eCascadia's running head-to-head against diesel.

00:07:26: The electric class eight trucks consumed over sixty percent less energy Over six year life cycle.

00:07:32: that projects to one hundred and fifty seven thousand Canadian dollars in savings per truck.

00:07:38: Wait, per single truck?

00:07:39: Yes

00:07:40: That is not rounding error.

00:07:41: If you have fifty trucks then it is transformative capital Absolutely.

00:07:45: But to your point about the cold, Marc Sela shared some great nuance on electric school buses in Alberta.

00:07:51: Cold weather range loss is a harsh reality.

00:07:53: Right you can't just read a spec sheet and assume it'll do that same ride at negative twenty degrees.

00:07:58: so what's workaround?

00:07:59: Deep route analysis & smart thermal management.

00:08:02: Sala pointed out that using an auxiliary diesel heater for the cabin instead of main battery changes everything.

00:08:08: Oh, I see!

00:08:09: Yeah it sips a tiny amount of diesel but preserves high voltage batteries strictly for propulsion and dramatically extends range.

00:08:17: EVs work in cold.

00:08:18: you just have to engineer the route first.

00:08:20: And we're seeing this rigorous math play-out.

00:08:22: Eric Smith posted about seeing unbranded Rivian electric delivery vans on public roads.

00:08:28: That was interesting

00:08:29: Because for years, we just associated Rivian vans with Amazon's corporate fleet.

00:08:35: But seeing them unbranded operating from independent logistics companies... It proves

00:08:39: it is not a branding exercise anymore.

00:08:40: Exactly!

00:08:41: Its basic operational math.

00:08:43: Electric Vans have fewer moving parts Way better stop and go efficiency And lower fuel costs.

00:08:49: But can't ignore the millions of existing diesel vehicles out there, right?

00:08:54: Like refuse trucks and street sweepers.

00:08:57: We can't afford to just replace them all tomorrow!

00:08:59: Right the transition bridge.

00:09:01: Dr.

00:09:01: Wilhelm Graupner highlighted a fascinating approach from a company called Ulemco.

00:09:06: instead of scrapping the vehicle they retrofit the diesel engine.

00:09:10: It's a brilliant bridge.

00:09:11: They don't even ripout the engine block.

00:09:13: They install a dual-fuel injection system that introduces hydrogen directly into the combustion chamber.

00:09:18: Alongside the diesel?

00:09:19: Exactly!

00:09:20: And by displacing the diesel with Hydrogen, they instantly cut CO₂ emissions by twenty to forty percent on an asset the fleet already owns.

00:09:28: That is highly pragmatic.

00:09:30: But let's say if Fleet does want go all in new battery electric vehicles The harsh reality is... Buying truck is easy part.

00:09:37: The infrastructure is actual bottleneck that stops fleets dead in their tracks.

00:09:42: Oh without doubt Charging and energy orchestration is the true operational frontier.

00:09:47: Ivan Landovsky shared a super practical reality check here.

00:09:50: Hardware isn't the issue, right?

00:09:52: Right it's grid capacity local permitting and utility alignment.

00:09:57: Landovsky said fleets need to plan for six to twelve months from kickoff To go live.

00:10:03: dealing with utility companies always seems to be a black hole.

00:10:06: It's

00:10:06: the ultimate bottleneck, you have to submit permits engineer load management concept and then just wait to see if local transformer can even support you

00:10:14: which is exactly why Nick Burke post caught my attention.

00:10:18: he highlighted start-up called Kiro charging.

00:10:20: they basically created virtual depot platform

00:10:23: an Airbnb for fleet charging.

00:10:24: basically

00:10:25: Exactly think about massive commercial property like a retail distribution center.

00:10:30: They already went through the nightmare of permitting high-speed chargers,

00:10:33: and those chargers just sit idle all night

00:10:35: right from six p.m.. To six am they do nothing.

00:10:39: so Kuro connects fleet operators with those existing commercial properties.

00:10:43: that's incredibly smart.

00:10:44: The property owner makes overnight revenue And the fleet gets reliable charging without waiting twelve months for a grid upgrade.

00:10:50: exactly no pouring concrete.

00:10:52: But for the massive logistics players who absolutely must build their own depots, depot economics become everything.

00:11:00: Claudio Geichen shared an amazing case study about this... Oh!

00:11:03: With Rydergy and ChargeCloud?

00:11:05: Yes For Hella Fresh They used AI-supported energy management to optimize depot charging.

00:11:11: So how does an algorithm actively cut costs at a depot like?

00:11:15: Does it just flip chargers off and on?

00:11:18: It's way more sophisticated.

00:11:19: The AI throttles charging speeds across dozens of vans simultaneously based on real-time grid rates and specific departure times.

00:11:27: Oh, so if a van doesn't leave until eight AM

00:11:29: Exactly!

00:11:30: the AI slows down its charge rate during peak evening pricing to avoid demand charges And then ramps it up at three AM when power is cheapest.

00:11:38: They slashed energy costs by twenty-eight percent.

00:11:41: Twenty-eight per cent.

00:11:42: That has structural competitive advantage for large fleet.

00:11:45: Huge

00:11:46: But there is a massive operational risk hiding here, which Natasha Fry pointed out.

00:11:51: For critical fleets reliability is everything.

00:11:54: Oh absolutely!

00:11:55: If high speed charger fails at two AM dispatching a physical repair tech is useless.

00:12:01: even if they arrive in two hours the truck misses its departure window.

00:12:05: The right is ruined

00:12:06: Which is why the industry is aggressively shifting to remote diagnostics.

00:12:11: Fry noted, The goal should be resolving seventy-to eighty percent of issues remotely.

00:12:15: Just fixing it via software.

00:12:17: Right

00:12:17: An engineer can ping a charger, read a fault code and digitally reset a relay before anyone even has to visit site.

00:12:24: It prevents disruption entirely.

00:12:26: So okay we've digitized operations.

00:12:28: We have optimized power train, automated depot The final frontier really just removing human constraint altogether.

00:12:34: Connected fleet in autonomy.

00:12:36: Jonathan Valadero shared a fascinating look at China's AI delivery vans.

00:12:40: These things are on the road today, they don't take lunch breaks and get tired.

00:12:43: They just operate nearly twenty-four seven

00:12:45: Exactly.

00:12:46: And they continuously improve through machine learning.

00:12:49: We're looking at machines operating their logistical system end to end.

00:12:52: It is not just small delivery pods.

00:12:54: Justif Silas pointed out that heavy duty autonomous freight trucks Are moving goods in public highways In Texas Arkansas & Arizona right now.

00:13:02: But

00:13:02: they rely connected fleet architecture, right?

00:13:04: Yeah.

00:13:04: An eighty thousand pound truck can't just rely on its own cameras.

00:13:08: it requires V-two X communication vehicle to infrastructure.

00:13:12: So is talking into the highway.

00:13:13: literally It pings upcoming traffic signals to anticipate red lights.

00:13:19: It communicates with way stations to verify cargo before taking an off ramp

00:13:23: Which brings up a question I've had Is it coincidence that all these autonomous robots and trucks are electric?

00:13:29: why not Autonomous diesel.

00:13:31: Bill Pierce answered this brilliantly when looking at DoorDash's new delivery robot dot.

00:13:36: It is not a coincidence, it was dictated by the physical hardware

00:13:39: because of power requirements.

00:13:41: The precise power yes but more importantly vibration.

00:13:44: A rumbling diesel engine creates continuous mechanical vibrations.

00:13:48: that literally destroys sensitive optical alignments and computing arrays over time.

00:13:53: Oh

00:13:54: wow, I hadn't even thought about the physical vibration of the engine block!

00:13:57: Yeah electric drivetrains are fundamentally smooth and vibration-free.

00:14:01: they natively route high voltage power exactly where the sensors needed.

00:14:05: That makes so much sense.

00:14:06: And Pierce pointed out a massive knock on effect here.

00:14:09: The rise of autonomy will massively accelerate EV charging infrastructure globally

00:14:14: Because the robots need to charge

00:14:16: Exactly.

00:14:17: billions will be invested to build automated depot networks and high voltage corridors for these autonomous networks.

00:14:23: And that grid capacity, we'll eventually expand access for human driven fleets too.

00:14:28: it's a compounding feedback

00:14:30: loop.

00:14:31: We have covered an immense amount of ground today from AI dash cams you know changing driver psychology To the brutal math of heavy-duty electrification and the great infrastructure needed for this Autonomous future.

00:14:43: Yeah and it really all loops back to our initial premise.

00:14:46: The era of the spreadsheet is over, the fleets that are out there right now testing new vehicle architectures in navigating local utility permitting.

00:14:54: they're actively writing.

00:14:57: If you enjoyed this episode, new episodes drop every two weeks.

00:15:01: Also check out our other editions on electrification and battery technology future mobility in market evolution And next gen vehicle intelligence.

00:15:09: Thank you so much for joining us on this deep dive and don't forget to subscribe.

00:15:13: But before we go I want leave with one final question to ponder.

00:15:17: If AI is now filtering out which maintenance alerts matter and smart algorithms are deciding when a truck should charge to save twenty-eight percent on energy, an autonomous platforms or driving the routes themselves.

00:15:28: Will the fleet manager of next decade actually manage vehicles at all?

00:15:32: Or will your job strictly be managing complex network competing algorithm?