Managing a fleet has never been simple, but today’s fleet managers are navigating more complexity than ever before. Between fluctuating costs, evolving technologies, and mounting regulatory pressures, the challenges can feel overwhelming.
At Onward Fleet Solutions, we work with fleets of all sizes across diverse industries, and we’ve seen firsthand how these challenges play out in the real world. Here are the 10 most pressing fleet management challenges we’re seeing going into 2026 and some practical strategies to overcome them.
Challenge #1: Managing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Too many fleet managers don’t have a clear picture of what they’re actually spending per asset. Without understanding your total cost of ownership — which includes acquisition costs, fuel, maintenance, insurance, downtime, and depreciation — it’s hard to make informed decisions about fleet optimization.
Solution: The first step to optimizing your fleet program is knowing the total amount you’re spending per asset. This requires a high-quality, customized, data-driven asset management program that integrates multiple data sources into a single platform. At Onward, we use integrated technology to help clients organize and automate processes, track every cost associated with each asset, and define custom KPIs that matter to their business. When you can see the complete financial picture, you can make smarter decisions about when to repair vs. replace, which vehicles are performing best, and where inefficiencies are present.
Challenge #2: Vehicle Acquisition in a Volatile Market
The vehicle acquisition landscape remains unpredictable. Supply chain disruptions, shifting manufacturer incentives, and pricing volatility make it difficult to plan vehicle purchases and get the best value for your investment. Many fleets also struggle to access OEM discounts or navigate the complexities of financing vs. leasing.
The Solution: Onward Fleet Solutions provides customized acquisition strategies that align with your business goals and budget constraints. We unlock OEM discounts that many fleets don’t even know exist, offer flexible financing options tailored to your needs, and handle vehicle upfitting coordination. Our comprehensive approach ensures you get the best value throughout your vehicle’s lifecycle, not just at the point of purchase. Whether you need to buy, finance, or lease, we remove the guesswork and negotiate on your behalf so you can acquire the right vehicles at the right price.
Challenge #3: Minimizing Downtime Through Preventive Maintenance
Unplanned maintenance is one of the biggest threats to fleet productivity. When vehicles break down unexpectedly, on top of repair costs, you’re facing downtime, missed deliveries, unhappy customers, and ripple effects throughout your operation. Reactive maintenance is always more expensive than preventive care.
The Solution: Proactive, preventive maintenance is the cornerstone of fleet longevity and cost control. Onward’s national maintenance partnerships provide cost savings and convenience for fleets of all sizes. We minimize downtime and maximize productivity through scheduled maintenance programs and quick repair coordination. Our telematics program, Onward Connected, provides real-time alerts for maintenance issues before they become breakdowns, helping you schedule repairs during off hours and extend vehicle lifespan.
Challenge #4: Fuel Cost Management and Efficiency
Fuel is one of the largest operational expenses for any fleet, and prices remain unpredictable. Beyond price fluctuations, many fleets struggle with fuel waste through inefficient routing, excessive idling, aggressive driving behaviors, and poor vehicle maintenance. Without visibility into fuel consumption patterns, it’s difficult to identify where money is being wasted.
The Solution: Effective fuel management requires both strategic programs and operational insights. Onward offers access to cost-saving fuel programs that reduce your per-gallon costs. More importantly, we track your fuel economy and provide detailed insights into your fuel purchases, helping you understand and control expenses. Through Onward Connected telematics, we monitor fuel usage in real time to identify inefficiencies like excessive idling, inefficient routes, and driving behaviors that waste fuel. Armed with this data, you can implement targeted coaching for drivers, optimize routes, and make vehicle maintenance adjustments that directly impact your fuel costs.
Challenge #5: Safety and Regulatory Compliance
Keeping up with DOT regulations, licensing requirements, driver safety standards, accident protocols, and ever-changing compliance mandates is a full-time job in itself. Non-compliance can result in hefty fines, legal liability, and increased insurance costs. For smaller fleets without dedicated compliance staff, this challenge can feel particularly overwhelming.
The Solution: Onward provides expert guidance to ensure your fleet meets all safety and compliance standards. From driver safety programs to DOT regulations, licensing, and accident protocols, we provide the support you need to maintain a safe and compliant operation. Our team stays current on regulatory changes so you don’t have to. We help you implement best practices for fleet safety, develop driver training programs, and create documentation systems that stand up to audits.
Challenge #6: Knowing How to Leverage Telematics and Data Analytics
Many fleets invest in telematics systems but struggle to turn raw data into actionable insights. You’re collecting information about vehicle location, driver behavior, fuel consumption, and maintenance needs, but without proper analysis and interpretation, it’s just noise. The challenge isn’t getting data but knowing what to do with it.
The Solution: Onward Connected is designed to provide real-time insights and data-driven solutions that actually optimize your operations. The telematics program offers instant access to vehicle locations, driver behavior, and operational status through comprehensive analytics and customizable reporting. We help you monitor driving patterns to promote safer habits, optimize routes to reduce idle time, receive alerts for maintenance issues before they cause breakdowns, and generate reports tailored to your specific needs.
Challenge #7: Maximizing Asset Value Through Strategic Remarketing
Most fleet managers know when to acquire vehicles but struggle with when and how to dispose of them. Holding onto vehicles too long means increased maintenance costs and reduced resale value. Selling too early means losing out on the remaining useful life. Many fleets also lack access to the best remarketing channels or don’t have time to manage the disposal process effectively.
The Solution: Onward’s customized vehicle remarketing strategies help you maximize asset value at every stage of the lifecycle. We analyze market conditions to determine the optimal time and method for selling, whether that’s through dealer networks, auctions, or direct sales. Our remarketing expertise helps you recover maximum value from your assets so you can reinvest those funds into your fleet or other areas of your business. We handle the entire process — from valuations and listing to negotiation and title transfer — saving you time while ensuring you get the best possible return.
Challenge #8: Navigating the Shift to Alternative Fuels and EVs
With growing pressure to reduce emissions and meet sustainability goals, many fleets are exploring alternative fuel strategies and electric vehicles. However, the transition isn’t straightforward. You’re weighing infrastructure requirements, total cost comparisons, vehicle availability, range limitations, and operational feasibility. Making the wrong choice can be expensive and disruptive.
The Solution: Onward delivers impactful fleet consulting services that include alternative fuel strategies tailored to your specific operation. We conduct comprehensive fleet assessments to determine which vehicles are good candidates for electrification or alternative fuels, analyze the true costs including infrastructure investments, and create phased transition plans that minimize risk. Our expertise helps you navigate incentive programs, understand the implications for maintenance and operations, and make informed decisions about when and how to incorporate alternative fuel vehicles into your fleet.
Challenge #9: Managing a Distributed or Remote Fleet
If your fleet operates across multiple locations or your drivers work remotely, you face unique challenges around visibility, communication, standardization, and accountability. It’s difficult to ensure consistent maintenance practices, monitor driver behavior, coordinate repairs, or maintain operational standards when you can’t see what’s happening in real time.
The Solution: Technology and strong processes are the answers to managing distributed operations. Onward’s integrated approach combines telematics, centralized asset management, and national maintenance partnerships to give you visibility and control no matter where your assets are located. Onward Connected provides real-time fleet tracking and operational insights across all locations. Our maintenance partnerships ensure your vehicles receive consistent, high-quality service anywhere in the country. Lastly, our program management services create standardized policies and procedures that keep everyone aligned, even when they’re hundreds of miles apart.
Challenge #10: Finding Time to Focus on Your Core Business
This is the biggest challenge of all: Fleet management is complex, time-consuming, and constantly demanding your attention. Between vendor negotiations, maintenance coordination, compliance management, data analysis, and day-to-day firefighting, you barely have time to focus on your actual business. You know your fleet could be more efficient, but you don’t have the bandwidth to make it happen.
The Solution: This is exactly why Onward Fleet Solutions exists. Our full-service fleet management program allows you to focus entirely on your core business while we handle the complexity of running your fleet. We tailor our services to each individual client, ensuring optimal performance and cost savings across every aspect of fleet management because we’ve never been about one-size-fits-all solutions. You can engage us for comprehensive fleet management or select specific services where you need support. Either way, we become an extension of your team, bringing proven expertise, strategic partnerships, and an “onward and upward” mentality focused on continuous improvement.
Onward Fleet Solutions
Fleet management challenges aren’t going away, but you don’t have to face them alone. At Onward Fleet Solutions, we’re committed to delivering customized solutions for fleets of all sizes—including smaller fleets often overlooked by the market. We spot opportunities and close gaps across the entire fleet lifecycle, bringing proven expertise in every service area to drive measurable value for our clients.
Ready to tackle your fleet management challenges head-on? Let’s talk about how Onward can help you optimize operations, reduce costs, and enhance efficiency. Contact our team today for a free consultation to get started.
