Roadrageous

IMPROVLearning
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

This is Roadrageous, the podcast for safer drivers, smarter training, and bold ideas. Featuring innovators and thought leaders from the driver training industry, we're here to inspire and educate.

  1. 9h ago

    Coaching, AI, and the Camera That Doesn't Lie: A Conversation with Adam Lang

    Adam Lang is the Director of Customer Advisory Services at Netradyne. He spent over a decade in the fleet industry, including significant time at Halvor Lines, where he helped lead growth from roughly 275 trucks to more than 750 while maintaining a strong safety culture and a driver-first philosophy.  In this episode…  Most fleet safety systems are built to catch what went wrong. Adam Lang has spent his career arguing that the harder, more valuable skill is recognizing when a red flag is actually a green one.  In this Roadrageous episode, Adam breaks down how camera adoption evolved from resisted to embraced, why positive, specific coaching beats gotcha-style enforcement, how Netradyne's AI processes risk in real time, and the story of a hard-braking alert that could have looked like a mistake and turned out to be exactly the opposite.  Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  [1:14] How Adam got into fleet management, completely by accident  [4:33] Scaling Halvor Lines from 275 to 750 trucks without losing the culture  [8:36] The Paul O'Neill story: how Alcoa learned that safety investment makes money  [24:29] The exoneration case that changed the argument for camera adoption  [37:02] Positive coaching versus the gotcha culture  [46:05] The hard brake that became a driver star  [51:34] Rapid fire: the most underrated safety metric, AI hype versus reality, and one wish for every fleet  Quotable Moments:  "The camera doesn't lie. It shows what it shows. And if it's good facts or bad facts, you own it."  "Investing in safety is not only the right thing to do morally and ethically, but it makes money."  "Don't shine them. Don't say you're a good driver. Tell them why they're a good driver."  "You can't put that toothpaste back in the tube."  "AI hype or AI reality? Reality, 100%, and it's only going to accelerate."  "We need to be more respectful of the space and the situation that professional drivers are in."  Resources mentioned in this episode:  Adam Lang, Director of Customer Advisory Services at Netradyne  Halvor Lines  Chad Lindholm, host of Roadrageous  About Adam Lang  Adam Lang is the Director of Customer Advisory Services at Netradyne. He spent over a decade in the fleet industry, including significant time at Halvor Lines, where he helped lead growth from roughly 275 to more than 750 trucks while maintaining a strong safety culture and a driver-first philosophy. He now works with fleets across North America on AI, video intelligence, and positive coaching strategy.  Sponsor for this episode:  This episode is brought to you by IMPROVLearning. To learn more, visit improvlearning.com.

  2. Jul 23

    The COVID Hangover: Britt Watty on Why Waiting to Replace a Vehicle Costs More Than Replacing It

    Britt Watty is a fleet strategist at Emkay Fleet Management and a longtime advocate for women in fleet leadership. Over roughly 20 years in the industry, she has helped organizations move from reactive, budget-driven vehicle replacement to a proactive, data-driven lifecycle strategy.  In this episode…  Most fleet replacement conversations start with the wrong comparison. Organizations look at the vehicle payment and measure it against zero, because that's what they assume a paid-off or aging vehicle costs them. It's not zero. It never was.  Britt Watty has spent about 20 years helping fleets find the real number. She has watched the same pattern play out across industries: a decision that made sense during the COVID-era vehicle shortage quietly became the default years after the pressure was gone.  Her number: fleets that turn over 20 to 25 percent of their vehicles every year keep costs predictable. Fleets that don't are usually still living in what she calls the COVID hangover.  In this Road Rageous episode, Britt breaks down why the vehicle payment is the wrong number to manage against, what a proactive replacement strategy looks like, the difference between right-sizing and right-typing a fleet, and the four data points that tell her almost everything she needs to know about a fleet's health.  Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  [1:18] How Britt got into fleet management, completely by accident  [2:27] Walking into rooms at 26 in a male-dominated industry  [8:43] The COVID hangover: how a reasonable short-term decision became a long-term problem  [12:16] The number everyone compares to zero, and why that comparison is incomplete  [14:42] The case for turning over 20 to 25 percent of the fleet every year  [18:39] Right sizing versus right typing, and the mismatch hiding in most fleets  [24:59] The four metrics that reveal almost everything about a fleet's health  [37:43] Resale value: the most overlooked line item in fleet management  [43:55] Rapid fire: the biggest mistake, the most common myth, and one piece of advice for every fleet manager  Quotable Moments:  "How is this young blonde girl going to tell me what to do with my trucks?"  "It's kind of this lingering financial and operational consequence of decisions that felt reasonable in the moment, but have quietly become the real problem."  "The math doesn't lie. It's just that not everybody knows how to do the math."  "It's the difference between managing your fleet and letting the fleet manage you."  "Cost per mile is the most honest measure of fleet efficiency."  "Letting the budget drive timing instead of the data. The vehicle doesn't care what your fiscal year looks like."  "Stop managing your fleet reactively and start managing it strategically... I want fleet managers to manage the fleet like it matters because it does."  Resources mentioned in this episode:  Britt Watty  Emkay Fleet Management  Chad Lindholm, host of Road Rageous  Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg  About Britt Watty  Britt Watty is a fleet strategist at Emkay Fleet Management with about 20 years of experience in the fleet industry. She works with organizations on lifecycle replacement strategy, fleet right-sizing and right-typing, and data-driven cost management, and is a longtime advocate for women in fleet leadership.  Sponsor for this episode:  This episode is brought to you by IMPROVLearning. To learn more, visit improvlearning.com.

  3. Jun 24

    Transparency Over Everything: Managing 11,000 Vehicles and High-Stakes EV Pivots

    Scott Stephens is the Operational Support Manager for Miami-Dade County Fleet, overseeing nearly 11,000 vehicles across approximately 30 county departments. A U.S. Navy veteran with a background in nuclear engineering, he came to fleet through a temp assignment in Dallas in 2009, joined Miami-Dade County 11 years ago, and has since led fleet management system implementations, an EV scale-up from 8 to over 430 vehicles, and a data transformation that is now moving from dashboards toward AI-supported predictive analytics.    Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  [1:15] How a Navy nuclear engineer accidentally built a 15-year fleet career  [6:03] Why public fleets can't adjust rates mid-year — and what that means when costs spike  [8:06] The $395 million budget swing Miami-Dade is navigating right now  [13:22] How the county scaled from 8 EVs to 437 — and what the infrastructure scramble looked like  [16:54] Why Miami-Dade is shifting to hybrid while infrastructure catches up  [24:08] What AI dash cams have done for at-fault claims across 434 garbage trucks  [29:14] The camera exoneration story that converted union skeptics into advocates  [33:19] Scott's one-word definition of great fleet leadership — and the engagement sessions that back it up    In this episode…  Running nearly 11,000 vehicles across 30 departments — with a $395 million budget swing on the horizon — takes more than a dashboard. Robert Scott Stephens built Miami-Dade County's fleet operation on data, transparency, and a leadership philosophy that requires showing up on the shop floor and acting on what you hear.  In this Roadrageous episode, he covers the EV infrastructure lessons learned scaling from 8 to 437 vehicles, why charger replacement cycles are five years not ten, what AI dash cameras have done for driver safety and claims exposure on the county's garbage truck fleet, and why the one word that defines great public fleet leadership is transparency — all the way from the newest PM technician to the county manager.    Key Takeaways  Public fleets operate on fixed budgets — data quality and forecasting are existential tools, not operational luxuries.  EV infrastructure must be sequenced before procurement. Buying 64 EVs with four charging stations creates a scramble that is entirely preventable.  Charger replacement cycles are five to seven years in practice. Any EV cost model that excludes this is incomplete.  AI dash cameras produced a measurable drop in at-fault claims within 18 months — and one exoneration converted union opposition into active demand.    Resources Mentioned  Scott Stephens — Miami-Dade County Fleet | scotts@miamidade.gov  NAFA Fleet Management Association — nafa.org  Samsara | Geotab | Uptake | ChargePoint  SPIDER Driver Training by IMPROVLearning Chad Lindholm on LinkedIn

  4. Jun 17

    EV Math: Why 2 + 2 Never Equals 4 in Fleet Electrification

    David Renschler is the Fleet Manager for the City of Fairfield, California, where he has managed one of the nation's top-recognized public fleets since 2007. He was named Government Fleet Manager of the Year at GFX in 2022, has testified before Congress on fleet electrification, and has engaged with the California Air Resources Board since 2008 as an advocate for realistic, data-driven EV policy. He launched a fleet electrification consulting practice in 2023 to provide government and private fleets with honest, complete cost analysis in a space he describes as overrun with misinformation. Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: [3:55] What being a good steward of the taxpayer dollar actually looks like in fleet practice [5:17] How David manages 24 vehicle replacement funds with projections through 2050 [9:21] Where the EV market actually is today versus where the headlines say it is [13:08] The $7.8 million vs. $300,000 compliance decision that shaped Fairfield's EV strategy [22:24] EV math: charging losses, infrastructure cost recovery, and the true cost per mile [33:39] Why EV bus tires cost nearly double and wear at half the rate of diesel equivalents [38:44] The depreciation gap between a Lightning and a gas F-150 at five years [41:45] Where to find honest EV operating data before you commit In This Episode The EV conversation in fleet has been running on two tracks. On one: headlines, mandates, and grant-funded promises. On the other: fleet managers with spreadsheets, receipts, and real-world data who keep running the numbers and getting a different answer. David Renschler has been on the second track for years. In this Roadrageous episode, he walks through what he calls EV math—the complete cost accounting that most electrification analyses leave out. Charging losses between meter and battery. Infrastructure replacement cycles nobody budgets for. Tire costs on battery electric buses nearly double those on diesel. And a real-world fuel cost that, for his transit operation, works out to more than $15 per mile versus 75 cents for diesel. Key Takeaways EV fuel costs are understated by approximately 17% because OEM efficiency ratings are calculated from battery kilowatts, not metered kilowatts. Charging losses are real and must be included. Infrastructure cost amortized across actual throughput can push EV fuel cost above $7/kWh, making it more than 10x the cost of diesel per mile in transit applications. Chargers have a 5–7 year replacement cycle with real capital costs. That cost must be reflected in fuel rate calculations from day one, not treated as a one-time grant expense. Government fleets in California remain compliance organizations regardless of grant availability. Planning must account for regulatory scenarios across multiple election cycles. Resources Mentioned David Renschler — City of Fairfield Fleet Services NAFA Fleet Management Association MEMA — Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association APWA — American Public Works Association East Bay Clean Cities Coalition NorCal Clean Cities and Communities Government Fleet Expo (GFX) ACT Expo SPIDER Driver Training by IMPROV Learning Chad Lindholm on LinkedIn

  5. Jun 10

    The Critical Few: How Steve Saltzgiver Turns Around Broken Fleets in Months, Not Years

    Steve Saltzgiver is a four-decade fleet industry veteran whose career has spanned mechanic, transit operator, firefighter, and executive leadership roles at the State of Utah, the State of Georgia, Coca-Cola, Republic Services, Mercury Associates, and RTA Fleet Management. He is a NAFA Hall of Fame inductee and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, known for turning around underperforming fleets through disciplined focus on the critical few metrics that actually move the needle.    Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  [1:49] How building yard tugs and riding in his father's car launched a four-decade fleet career  [7:28] What the first 30 days in a struggling fleet actually looks like — and why you talk to people before data  [9:50] The three BHAGs Steve uses to move asset availability from 80% to 97%  [15:45] Why most fleets track data that doesn't matter — and how to find the critical few that do  [19:03] The two things every fleet must manage to be financially successful  [20:51] Public vs. private fleet: what transfers, what doesn't, and why 95% is the same  [27:07] Why AI will likely eliminate traditional fleet management information systems within 10 years  [31:28] The leadership failure behind every underperforming employee  [35:00] What the next generation of fleet managers needs to start and stop doing right now    In this episode…  Most fleet turnarounds fail not because the problems are too complex, but because the people trying to fix them take on too much at once. Steve Saltsgiver has turned around more than a half-dozen fleets over 40 years and the pattern is consistent: pick the critical few metrics, make them visible, rally the team, and don't move on until they move.  In this Roadrageous episode, Steve covers his full turnaround framework — from a 2023 interim assignment in Hawaii where he moved PM compliance from the 30s to 75% in under four months, to the data discipline he used at Coca-Cola to save $10 million in asset utilization, to his read on what AI is about to do to fleet management systems as we know them.    Key Takeaways  Asset availability is the granddaddy of all fleet metrics — if assets aren't ready, the mission fails regardless of everything else.  Turnarounds require focus on the critical few, not attempts to fix everything at once.  Life cycle management and cost chargeback are the two structural tools that make fleet financially accountable to the organization.  If an employee is underperforming, look at leadership first — most people want to do a good job and won't unless someone helps them find the right one.    Resources Mentioned    Steve Saltzgiver on LinkedIn NAFA Fleet Management Association RTA Fleet Management SPIDER Driver Training by IMPROVLearning Chat Lindholm on LinkedIn

  6. May 14

    The Road Less Calculated: How MileMaker Is Fixing the Routing Problem Fleets Don't Know They Have

    Mark Lukenbill is the Head of Commercial Operations for MileMaker, the commercial mileage and routing technology that powers Rand McNally. He grew up riding along with truck driver uncles across the lower 48, graduated into freight brokerage during the 2008 financial crisis, and has spent the last six years working across transportation technology from TMS and procurement software to railroad operations before joining one of the most established names in North American mapping. Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: [1:51] How summers in an over-the-road cab shaped a career in freight technology [6:45] Why Google Maps and Apple Maps are the wrong tools for commercial fleets [9:17] The real cost of letting drivers override commercial routing decisions [14:34] How MileMaker is integrating with Bosch to add lane-level maintenance cost data [16:26] Why tech stack hygiene could save your company thousands this year [18:49] The right way to apply AI in fleet operations enhancing people, not replacing them [26:38] Why customer service quality is the most underrated factor in tech purchasing [28:05] Career advice for anyone entering the freight and transportation space In this episode… Most fleet operators assume routing is solved. It isn't. The gap between consumer GPS and commercial routing data is where fines, vehicle damage, and driver pay discrepancies quietly accumulate often without anyone connecting the dots. Mark Lukenbill breaks down why commercial routing is more complex than most people realize, what happens when fleets treat it as an afterthought, and how the right technology applied the right way turns a cost center into a competitive advantage. From AI-enhanced dispatching to tech stack hygiene to knowing when your current vendor has already built the solution you're looking for, this episode is dense with operational insight. Key Takeaways Commercial routing and consumer GPS are not interchangeable using the wrong tool creates hidden costs that rarely surface as obvious line items. When shippers base payment on commercial routes, drivers who deviate cost their own companies money without either party realizing it. Tech stack hygiene regularly reviewing what you actually use and what your vendors have recently built consistently finds savings and surfaces solutions already owned. AI in fleet operations should automate mechanical tasks to free operator capacity for higher-value work not replace the judgment that complex freight requires. Resources Mentioned Mark Lukenbill on LinkedIn MileMaker by Rand McNally SPIDER Driver Training by IMPROV Learning NAFA Fleet Management Association Chad Lindholm on LinkedIn

  7. May 13

    Guilty Until Proven Innocent: What a 21-Year Trucking Insurance Veteran Knows About Risk That Most Fleets Don't

    Kenny Planeta is a third-generation trucking insurance broker with 21 years of experience working exclusively in commercial trucking risk. He began managing a book of truck insurance while still in college, following his father and grandfather into the business, and has spent his career helping fleets understand what is actually driving their premiums — and what it takes to change it. Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: [2:17] Why litigation — not accident frequency — is the primary driver of rising trucking premiums [4:34] Why trucking companies are specifically targeted by injury attorneys [7:59] A real mediation case: how a minor fender bender became a $275,000 settlement [13:54] Why trucking accidents almost never go to trial — and what that costs the industry [18:56] The camera conversation: why not having one is no longer defensible [25:54] How DOT scores now matter more to underwriters than claims history [31:26] The profile of a fleet that hasn't felt this hard market — and what they're doing right [40:41] The one piece of advice every fleet should act on to control renewal costs In this episode… Insurance is not just a line item — it is a reflection of how a trucking operation actually runs. Kenny Planeta has spent 21 years at the intersection of claims, underwriting, and fleet risk, and his message is direct: the litigation environment has fundamentally changed the risk profile of this industry, and the fleets that understand that are the ones holding premiums flat while everyone else absorbs 25–30% annual increases. From a $275,000 settlement on a claim with no documented injuries to the DOT scoring shift that now determines insurability more than loss history, this episode is a clear-eyed look at the financial reality behind every trucking insurance renewal. Key Takeaways Trucking companies carry $1M+ in coverage — making them the highest-value litigation target in any accident regardless of fault DOT scores now matter more to preferred insurance markets than claims history Cameras must be paired with a coaching protocol — ignoring alerts creates negligent supervision exposure New hires — not inexperienced drivers — are statistically the highest-risk drivers in any fleet Resources Mentioned Kenny Planeta on LinkedIn  FMCSA CSA Safety Scores SPIDER Driver Training by IMPROV Learning — improvlearning.com Chad Lindholm on LinkedIn

  8. Apr 30

    One Incident Can End It All: What Small Fleets Must Do to Stay Insurable

    Derek Legg is a Commercial Insurance Advisor at Levitt Group of Colorado, where he works with contractor and service fleets across high-exposure industries to manage risk, control premiums, and avoid the kind of catastrophic claims that can shut a small operation down. In this episode of Road Rageous, Derek breaks down the specific vulnerabilities that most small fleet operators are carrying without knowing it, and what they can do about them right now.    Derek and host Chad Lindholm cover the risk profile of young drivers in contractor fleets, why cell phone distraction is chronically under-coached, how maintenance habits affect carrier underwriting, and the case for cameras as exoneration tools. They also dig into the MVR gap and the post-incident documentation step that separates clean claims from costly disputes.    This episode is built for fleet owners and operators who run without a dedicated safety department. If every insurance renewal feels personal, and every incident hits the bottom line directly, Derek's practical framework gives you a starting point that does not require a large budget or a full-time safety team.    Learn more: improvlearning.com/fleet-training | improvlearning.com | levittgroup.com    Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  The young driver risk that contractors consistently underestimate  Why cell phone distraction is under-coached in small fleets  How vehicle maintenance affects carrier underwriting and premiums  Why post-incident documentation determines claim outcomes  The MVR gap: most contractors hire before checking driving records  How cameras protect and exonerate drivers more than they surveil them  Why nuclear verdicts are no longer just a large-fleet problem  Three specific fixes every 10-truck fleet should make this year

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About

This is Roadrageous, the podcast for safer drivers, smarter training, and bold ideas. Featuring innovators and thought leaders from the driver training industry, we're here to inspire and educate.

Information

  • Creator
    IMPROVLearning
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Roadrageous (c) 2025
  • Show Website
    Roadrageous