2 0 YE AR S OF U P T IM E
XX
A 20-Year Industry Look Back
By David A. Kolman, Editor
Key events that shaped
the vehicle maintenance,
service and repair industry
T
10 Fleet Maintenance | October 2017
SPECIAL FEATURE
his year marks the 20th anniversary of Fleet
Maintenance magazine. To say, “My, how things
have changed,” is a vast understatement. The
world of vehicle maintenance, service and repair
– and its management – has been relentlessly
evolving and changing, and becoming exceedingly
more complex.
As our industry has transformed, the mission
of Fleet Maintenance– which is All Maintenance, All
Management, All Vehicle Classes, All the Time – has
remained unaltered.
Along with its offi cial website VehicleServicePros.
com, Fleet Maintenanceprovides relevant information
and knowledge to enable our readers to:
Keep vehicles operating with
maximum uptime and maintain a
safe, effi cient and profi table fl eet.
Improve their personal performance.
Timeline of Industry Highlights
Here is a “walk back” into time for a look at some of the events
since 1997 that have had a marked influence on shaping and
revolutionizing our industry.
Fleet Maintenance
magazine launches.
Originally titled, Fleet
Maintenance Tool & Equipment
News, the premier issue
was July/August 1997.
Ford sells its heavy duty truck
business to Freightliner, which
rebrands the business as Sterling.
Ingersoll Rand acquires
Thermo King.
The Motor Carrier
Safety Improvement
Act creates the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA)
within the U.S. Department
of Transportation, effective
Jan. 1, 2000.
Eaton sell its worldwide Axle and
Brake business to Dana Corporation.
Daimler and Chrysler Corporation
merge and form DaimlerChrysler AG.
ment
1997 2017
ANNIVERSARY
1997
1999
1998
»
»