Fleet Advantage, an innovator in specialty financing, fleet data analytics, fleet management services and life cycle cost management, announced results from its most recent industry survey, taking the pulse of organizations with heavy-duty class 8 truck fleets and their adoption/use of artificial intelligence (AI) for all aspects of fleet operations.

Today’s transportation industry continues to undergo a significant period of digital transformation driven by AI with innovations that promise to modernize every part of the supply chain, from vehicle design and equipment financing to logistics and truck maintenance scheduling. The survey, conducted in March 2025 revealed significant insights into the current state and future potential of AI in fleet management and operations.

AI Adoption & General Use

Companies with transportation fleets have increasingly used data analytics with some form of AI in various aspects of their operations. A majority of respondents (61.9%) said they are in the "partial adoption" phase of AI for their Class 8 fleet operations, while 38.1% said they are in "limited experimentation” phase. Zero respondents cited full integration. Additionally, 57.1% said they are using AI for data processing, but it does not make decisions autonomously, and 24% said they are not using any form of AI.

Key Areas of AI Utilization in Fleet Operations

Types of AI Programs Used: The most common AI programs used among respondents include predictive analytics (57.1%) and machine learning (28.6%).

• AI Type Used: A significant majority (71.4%) of companies use a hybrid AI model that combines open-source and a proprietary platform. Surprisingly 28.7% are using open-source AI.

• Areas of AI Utilization: When it comes to applying AI insights, respondents pointed to route optimization (42.9%) and maintenance scheduling (33.3%) as the primary areas where AI supports decision-making.

• Confidence in AI-Generated Insights for Procurement Decisions: Only 23.8% are “slightly” confident in AI-generated insights.

• AI for Resale Value Forecasting: Roughly 28.6% of respondents said they are occasionally using AI for resale value forecasting, whereas nearly half (47.6%) said they are planning on doing so even though they haven’t started just yet.

• Desired Additional AI Capabilities: Fleet modernization planning (42.9%) and predictive maintenance (28.6%) are additional AI capabilities that respondents would like to see implemented.

• Areas Considered for Agentic AI: Maintenance scheduling (61.90%), route optimization (52.4%), and fleet modernization strategies/planning (57.1%) are the top areas where respondents are considering utilizing Agentic AI for autonomous decision-making.

According to these results, while fleets are increasingly growing interested in the use of AI for various aspects of managing their operations, they remain unsure about the confidence of the data being produced. The effectiveness of any AI system, whether generative or agentic, ultimately depends on the quality and reliability of the data being processed. Today’s leading organizations have quickly realized the value and importance of “gated data”, which refers to high-quality, verified information that has been carefully curated and protected.

Challenges & Obstacles In Adoption

• Challenges: Data integration issues (38.1%) and inaccurate data (23.9%) were among the most common challenges faced in implementing AI for fleet and asset management. Lack of expertise (19.1%) and high costs (14.3%) also pose substantial obstacles.

• Obstacles to Expanding AI Use: Budget constraints (19.1%), lack of skilled personnel (19.1%), and reliability/accuracy of data (23.8%) were mentioned as significant obstacles to expanding AI use in fleet operations. The majority (28.6%) cited limited technology infrastructure as their biggest obstacle.

“AI is no longer a concept these organizations are curious about, it is now a strategic data technology resource that can drastically drive measurable outcomes when responsibly used with accurate, proven data,” said Hadley Benton, CTP, Executive Vice President of Business Development for Fleet Advantage. “This survey illustrates how and where organizations with transportation fleets are finding benefits with AI, but it also shows where these businesses still need proper guidance from their asset management partners. The growing interest in use of AI depicts an exciting future for the industry, especially in the areas of procurement, fuel and utilization strategy, route optimization, maintenance and remarketing.”