Episode 192: The #1 Mistake Fleets Make with Safety (and How to Fix It)

"We're not addressing human behavior—we're just trying to show that we did something."

In this impactful episode of The Fleet Success Show, host Steve Saltzgiver sits down with 2024 Fleet Hall of Fame inductee Matthew Betz. With more than five decades in the fleet world, Betz has seen it all—from selling fleet solutions at Wheels Inc. to building out Detroit’s EV infrastructure at DTE Energy. But perhaps most compelling is his recent mission: transforming fleet safety by understanding human behavior.

The conversation dives deep into Betz's career evolution, including his leadership roles at NAFA and AFLA, the surprising challenges in launching an electric fleet at DTE, and why traditional driver training is failing. Together with behavioral psychologists (including his daughter!), Betz now focuses on empowering supervisors to become safety coaches—an idea that could redefine fleet risk management.

Fleet managers will walk away with real-world insights into EV adoption, stakeholder engagement, and a new lens on fleet safety that goes far beyond checklists and telematics dashboards.

 

 

Key Takeaways:

• Behavior Drives Safety: Most safety training fails because it ignores root causes. Changing driver behavior starts with understanding why people drive the way they do.
   
• Train the Coach, Not the Driver: Betz advocates for supervisor-led coaching rather than automated training modules.
   
• EV Adoption Is Hard—but Worth It: Infrastructure, range anxiety, and cultural resistance are all major hurdles, but thoughtful planning and change management can overcome them.
   
• Data Overload is Real: Fleet managers are overwhelmed with telematics. Success lies in surfacing actionable insights—not just data.
   
• Fleet Needs a Seat at the Table: Top-performing fleets are integrated with organizational leadership and strategy.
  
   

Speaker Bios:

Matthew Betz

Matthew Betz is a fleet industry legend, boasting a 50+ year career that spans fleet leasing, consulting, OEM partnerships, and utility fleet management. A former VP at Wheels Inc., Betz later spearheaded the electric fleet initiative at DTE Energy. He’s a past president of AFLA, a longtime NAFA board member, and was inducted into the Fleet Hall of Fame in 2024. Today, he leads Orc Creek Fleet Consulting and works closely with behavioral science firm ABA Technologies to revolutionize fleet safety.

Steve Saltzgiver

Steve Saltzgiver is a veteran fleet executive, consultant, and host of The Fleet Success Show. With experience leading massive government and private fleets, Steve now brings his expertise to the mic, guiding fleet professionals toward operational excellence and sustainable success.