By Ed Pierce, Contributing Editor, Fleet Management Weekly

The recent federal update that NEVI funds are once again available for EV charging network deployment marks a crucial milestone for private, commercial, and government fleets navigating the electric transition.

The program was paused as federal policy shifted and guidance was revised to align with new priorities. Legal challenges from states followed, and a federal court ultimately ordered the release of funds and allowed NEVI planning to continue.

The return of NEVI funds renews efforts to build EV charging stations along major corridors, reducing range anxiety and enabling inter-city and regional fleet electrification.

The restart of funds isn’t just symbolic — it’s a real move to help fleets of all types speed up EV adoption. By enabling smarter, more widespread charging deployment, the federal program bolsters the business case for electrification.

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Photo: Bill Cooper, Kooner Fleet Management Solutions

By Fleet Management Weekly Staff

The one certainty in fleet management is that maintenance is unavoidable, even if the exact timing of issues isn’t clear. Supply chain issues and unpredictable tariffs are making maintenance more costly than ever.

Companies like Kooner Fleet Management Solutions are helping fleets save money through comprehensive mobile maintenance.

To learn more about Kooner’s on-site and mobile maintenance services, FleetIQ, and how the company works with fleets to cut overall costs, we spoke with Bill Cooper, VP of Sales for Kooner Fleet Management Solutions.

“Having a single source for all your maintenance needs is…helpful. Whether it’s DOT and BIT inspections, lube, oil, and filter services, tire rotations and replacements, or even trailer repair for long-haul operators, Kooner can handle almost anything you require.”

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Photo: David Prusinski, VMS

By Fleet Management Weekly Staff

Vehicle Management Systems (VMS), formerly known as EVAI, recently rebranded to reflect its efforts to expand beyond its initial focus on electrification.

VMS’s AI-based platform functions as a virtual fleet management assistant, easing the burden on overworked small fleet owners and allowing them to focus on running their businesses.

To learn more about the VMS rebrand and the company’s recent survey of small fleets, we sat down with VMS’s newly appointed CEO, David Prusinski.

“Small fleet managers will no longer have to spend their evenings clicking through repair orders and scheduling. Instead, they can rely on AI agents to process data, analyze it, act on it, and communicate externally via platforms like VMS.”

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New research from car insurance expert MoneySuperMarket has uncovered the most demanding road trips in the USA for drivers affected by restroom anxiety.

While pulling over might feel like the only option in an emergency, public urination is illegal in every U.S. state. It’s most often treated as disorderly conduct or a public nuisance, with fines ranging from $50 to $500.

At the top of the rankings is the journey from Belfield, North Dakota, to Mitchell, South Dakota. Stretching an enormous 648 miles, the drive takes more than 10 and a half hours, making it the toughest restroom-free road in the country.

via MoneySuperMarket

Citizens who prefer to remain off the radar might want to avoid Dallas, Texas. While the state itself preaches freedom and independence from government overreach, the city has embraced AI-powered traffic cameras that take pictures and video of countless cars and citizens every day.

Dallas police now have access to more than 600 license-plate reading cameras mounted around the city. In May, the City Council approved a three-year, $5.7 million contract with Flock Safety, funded through a mix of city money and state and federal grants.

Roads are becoming increasingly watched, analyzed, and archived. Whether that means safer streets or a step too far remains an open and increasingly heated question.

via CarScoops

Every day, preventable motor vehicle crashes claim lives and devastate families. These tragedies are not accidents; they are the result of choices made behind the wheel. That’s why AAA urges drivers to make safety their top priority in 2026.

In 2024, more than 39,000 people were killed in U.S. traffic crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This sobering statistic is a clear reminder of the risks we face on our roads and the urgent need for safer driving habits.

On average, someone is killed in a car crash every 12 minutes on our nation’s roads, primarily due to four factors: speeding, distractions, impaired driving, and not buckling up.

via AAA Newsroom

Norway has just done something no other country has managed: it ended 2025 with 95.9% of all new passenger cars registered as fully electric, a figure even officials round up to “96% of the new car market.” December was closer to 98% EV share, making combustion a statistical rounding error rather than a real segment.

New-car registrations jumped roughly 40% versus 2024 as buyers rushed to beat stiffer EV taxes that arrive in 2026. That surge pushed total sales to around 180,000 cars, and nearly all of them were battery-electric.

Plug-in hybrids have faded into the background; the market has essentially gone straight from gas and diesel to full EVs.

via Autoblog

By Fleet Management Weekly Staff 

One way fleets are managing the many magnified challenges that come into play during the holiday season is by employing Merchant Fleet’s FleetShare, a comprehensive platform that offers a significant solution for managing your vehicle pool.

FleetShare provides centralized control, self-service reservations, and keyless vehicle access, as well as a host of other valuable features.

To learn more, Whitney Reynolds, Director of FleetShare at Merchants Fleet, provided us with an explanation of how their integrated approach ensures operators and drivers can manage their responsibilities with greater ease and efficiency.

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Drako Tech announced DriveOS with HyperSafety™: the automotive industry’s first single-ECU hard real-time automotive operating system.

Drako’s HyperSafety defines a new multi-layered standard for automotive safety performance — delivering predictable real-time performance under all operating conditions.

“We are the first to achieve the ultimate goal – a single-ECU, hard real-time operating system and unified electronics architecture with mixed criticality – while providing OEMs a flexible deployment path,” said Dean Drako, CEO of Drako Tech.

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By Divya Brinley, Senior Product Manager, Driivz

Home charging support for EV fleets provides more than just a stop gap measure until large charging hubs come online. It gives both flexibility and savings to fleet management operators looking to make gains on the margins, in a time where every dollar counts.

Fleet management operators are able to maintain complete control over home charging through a charging management software platform as they would with having employees return electric fleet vehicles to a centralized charging hub.

At-home charging is an emerging option that fleet operators have at their disposal to diversify how they roll out and advance electric vehicle fleet adoption without disrupting fleet operations.

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