Total tire management.(profile on Waste Management Inc vice president Vince Fortuna)

Fleets want to outsource, says industry insider

Few fleet executives know more about outsourcing and total tire management than Vince Fortuna.

His 38-year career began with Smith & Solomon Trucking Co. in New Jersey, and includes 21 years with Ryder System Inc.

For the last year, Fortuna has been vice president of fleet services for Waste Management Inc., a Texas-based company with more than 1,300 facilities, 20,000 garbage hauling vehicles and 3,000 additional pieces of heavy equipment. Tire-related costs are costing the company $100 million annually.

He recently shared his unique perspective on outsourcing with tire dealers at the Bridgestone/Firestone BizCon 3 Commercial Dealer Meeting in Las Vegas.

"In the philosophy of maintenance, certain things are key: preventive maintenance, buying aftermarket parts, labor management/productivity, and …