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2027 GM Trucks, Technician Retention, and Fleet Lessons Lead This Week’s News
New GM pickups, technician retention, fleet leadership lessons, winter equipment, and more headline this week’s Truck Chat Weekly Cheat Sheet.
- The debut of the 2027 GM pickup trucks is among the main highlights in this week’s industry news.
- Technician retention strategies are discussed, addressing the challenges and solutions in maintaining skilled staff.
- Insights into fleet leadership and winter equipment utilization provide valuable lessons for industry stakeholders.
*Summarized by AI
First up, technician appreciation. Recognition weeks are valuable, but keeping skilled technicians takes more than a once-a-year thank-you. The everyday employee experience, opportunities for growth, and feeling valued all play a role in retaining the people fleets depend on to keep trucks moving.
There is also plenty happening on the vehicle side as General Motors prepares its 2027 light-duty pickups. The next-generation Chevrolet Silverado 1500 brings new V-8 engines, updated technology, expanded safety features, and a fleet-focused Work Truck. GM also introduced its sixth-generation small-block engines and a new truck-focused interface designed to put trailering information, camera views, and vehicle controls closer to the driver.
This week also brings some hard-earned fleet perspective from Bob Adamsky. After more than 30 years in the industry, Adamsky shares lessons he wishes fleet professionals could learn earlier, including why managing a fleet has always been about much more than the vehicles themselves.
More Work Truck News This Week
The quick hits include an updated Ram ProMaster City Fleet Guide covering specifications, cargo capability, configurations, pricing, and 2027 model-year updates.
Les Schwab is also expanding its commercial tire service footprint into Arizona with locations in Phoenix and Tucson, while Buyers Products and Hilltip are already turning attention toward winter operations with snow and ice equipment updates.
And for a little truck history, Mercedes-Benz Trucks is celebrating 130 years with historic vehicles that include an original Daimler Motor Truck from 1899.
Watch the full episode above to get caught up on the work truck headlines that matter before your coffee gets cold.