Merchants Fleet has hired Chris Johnson as its senior truck and upfit engineer to meet the fleet management company's increasing needs for truck equipment expertise, according to the company.

Johnson brings 15 years of experience in the fleet industry. He arrives from Element Fleet Management, where he was a truck and upfit consultant. He also worked on new vehicle acquisition. Prior to that, he spend a decade with GE Capital, where he managed the purchase of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks. He also managed bailment pools.

Johnson joins a team that includes Joe Birren, senior truck and upfit engineer; Jake Hebenstreit, regional sales manager; Russ Williams, mobility leasing services of business development; Candice Groth, director of operations for purchasing; Tom Coffey, senior vice president of sales; and Adam Secore, senior vice president of operations.

"As more fleets move away from sedans and toward a wider spectrum of vehicles, we were seeing an increased client need for expertise in trucks and upfitting," Groth said. "Our goal with this team is to provide high-touch service to clients so their drivers have the right vehicles to do their jobs safely and efficiently. We also combine engineering expertise with dedicated truck sales experts, who both have strong relationships with upfitters and suppliers, to provide a smoother experience."