Episode 198: What Fleet Managers Get Wrong About Replacement, Rightsizing & Staffing

“You can’t fix technician staffing without fixing the replacement plan first—and rightsizing without replacement is just rearranging the deck chairs.”

 

Episode Summary

Fleet managers face an ongoing puzzle: should you prioritize asset replacement, rightsize your fleet, or hire more technicians? In this episode, Josh Turley and Marc Canton dive deep into how each of these levers impacts the others—and why trying to solve them in isolation might be the biggest mistake of all.

Marc argues that a strong replacement plan is the keystone to improving both righttyping and technician capacity. You'll hear how poor replacement drives reactive maintenance, higher costs, and staffing overload—while proactive planning can improve PM compliance, reduce downtime, and unlock righttyping conversations that lead to major cost savings.

The episode also explores how rightsizing (and righttyping) can expose hidden inefficiencies and open the door to smarter technician resource planning. The hosts walk through real-world examples of strategic replacements leading to reductions in spare ratios, better technician alignment, and enhanced fleet availability.

Finally, they show how to build compelling data-driven models for stakeholders to weigh tradeoffs across capital spending, operational costs, and technician resources. You'll walk away understanding why doing all three—replacement, rightsizing, and staffing—at the same time is not only possible, but essential for true fleet success.

 

✅ Key Takeaways

• A solid replacement plan is the foundation—it improves availability, reduces reactive maintenance, and helps rightsize your fleet.
   
• Righttyping vehicles can reduce technician burden and operating costs, even if asset counts increase.
   
• Technician staffing must be based on AU workload—not arbitrary tech-to-vehicle ratios.
   
• Use scenario modeling to present stakeholders with capital vs. OPEX trade-offs and drive better decisions.
   
• Present options—not ultimatums—to leadership. Blended approaches are more successful than single-threaded strategies.
   
• Your goal isn’t just better utilization—it’s higher availability that enables mission success.
  
   

🎙️ Speaker Bios

Josh Turley
CEO of RTA and host of the Fleet Success Show, Josh brings decades of experience in helping government and enterprise fleets increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve availability through smarter maintenance systems and consulting.

Marc Canton
Fleet management consultant and co-host, Marc is a seasoned strategist who helps fleets across North America rightsize their assets, optimize replacement plans, and navigate tough staffing challenges. Known for data-driven storytelling and hands-on problem-solving.