How 2026 Fleet Visionary Jamie McKay Manages 2,400 Vehicles Across 37 States

Jamie McKay, 2026 Fleet Visionary Award winner and fleet manager at Aptive Pest Control, joins Automotive Fleet to discuss her approach to managing a fleet of 2,400 vehicles across 37 states and 76 locations. With six years of experience in fleet management, McKay shares how building relationships across departments and staying involved in company operations have helped her align fleet strategy with broader business goals.

McKay emphasizes the importance of cross-departmental collaboration, particularly with safety, finance, marketing, and operations teams. Through regular meetings and proactive communication, she works to ensure fleet decisions support organizational priorities while addressing challenges before they become larger issues.

The conversation also explores Aptive’s transition from compact vans to pickup trucks following changes in vehicle availability. McKay discusses how feedback from field employees and compliance teams influenced vehicle selection and upfitting decisions, including the addition of truck toppers and cargo management systems. She also explains how flexible leasing arrangements and strategically placed spare vehicles help minimize downtime across the company’s decentralized operations.

For fleet managers overseeing geographically dispersed vehicles and drivers, McKay highlights the value of consistent communication, accessible reporting, and strong internal relationships. She also shares a simple organizational strategy: keeping a handwritten notebook to track tasks, capture ideas, and stay accountable to daily priorities.