Episode 190: The Fleet Manager’s Guide to Burning Old Data Without Burning Bridges

"Burn the data. Start fresh. The past you is holding your fleet hostage."

 

 

Detailed Episode Summary

In this episode of The Fleet Success Show, Josh Turley and Marc Canton tackle one of the most contentious topics in fleet management: data retention. From government fleets clutching onto 26 years of work orders to fleet managers hoarding “just in case” data, they dismantle the myths about keeping everything forever.

They explore why data older than five years is almost always useless for analytics, how “garbage in, garbage out” isn’t just a cliché, and why old data often comes with old bad habits baked in. Along the way, they unpack sunk cost fallacy in a fleet context, the hidden dangers of “organizational garbage,” and why purging or rolling up data can speed up your fleet maintenance management software and help you focus on what actually matters today.

With plenty of real-world examples, humor, and a few spicy analogies (think Marie Kondo meets fleet management), Josh and Marc show how a clean data start can set you — and your future fleet managers — up for massive success.

 

Key Takeaways

• 5 years or less of historical data is sufficient for most fleet analytics — older data is often irrelevant.
• Old data often carries inconsistent practices from multiple fleet managers, creating “organizational garbage.”
• Hoarding data “just in case” is driven by fear, but it often slows down systems and clutters decision-making.
• Rolling up or archiving old data keeps it accessible without polluting your active fleet maintenance system.
• A new FMIS implementation is the perfect opportunity to clean house — and resist carrying over bad processes.
• Your metrics should drive your data collection, not the other way around.
   

Speaker Bios

Josh Turley – CEO of RTA: The Fleet Success Company. With over two decades in fleet management and software innovation, Josh leads RTA’s mission to help fleets save $1 billion. Known for his strategic vision and no-nonsense approach, Josh is passionate about empowering fleets through better processes, technology, and leadership.

Marc Canton – Fleet Consultant & Data Analytics Expert at RTA. Marc brings nearly 30 years of fleet experience, including 20 years running Fordham University’s fleet in NYC and a decade in consulting. He specializes in helping fleets leverage data to make smarter, faster, and more profitable decisions.