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John Hitch

Editor-in-chief, Fleet Maintenance

John Hitch is the award-winning editor-in-chief of Fleet Maintenance, where his mission is to provide maintenance leaders and technicians with the the latest information on tools, strategies, and best practices to keep their fleets' commercial vehicles moving.

He is based out of Cleveland, Ohio, and has worked in the B2B journalism space for more than a decade. Hitch was previously senior editor for FleetOwner and before that was technology editor for IndustryWeek and and managing editor of New Equipment Digest.

Hitch graduated from Kent State University and was editor of the student magazine The Burr in 2009. 

The former sonar technician served honorably aboard the fast-attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN-723), where he participated in counter-drug ops, an under-ice expedition, and other missions he's not allowed to talk about for several more decades.

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Equipment

Free at last! Trevor Milton pardoned by Trump

March 28, 2025
If you thought Nikola’s bankruptcy would keep the former zero-emission darling and now cautionary tale out of the news for at least a month, well, you’ve got a lot to learn.
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Equipment

Trump 25% auto tariffs to include light trucks, vans, and key components

March 27, 2025
Medium- and heavy-duty trucks are not part of this round of tariffs, and there will be reduced duties for vehicles containing U.S.-made parts.
BendPak
BendPak's upcoming Octa-Flex Series Two-Post Lift can hold and lift both the cab and chassis at the same time.
Shop Equipment

Vehicle lift trends to boost uptime and safety

March 27, 2025
Several lifts manufacturers are adapting their products to meet shops' needs, and not just for productivity, but for technician safety as well.
Photo courtesy of Michael Sherkenbach via LinkedIn
Entertainment logistics fleet Shomotion, now part of Dreamliner, has decades of experience hauling critical infrastructure for concerts and events, such as Metallica's M72 tour. This was taken at Alberta, Canada's Commonwealth Stadium last August.
Trailers, Towing & Specialty

Swift expansion: How auctions helped fleet reach rockstar status

March 21, 2025
How Michael Scherkenbach parlayed his winning bids from Taylor and Martin Auctioneers to hauling concert sets for the most famous Taylor in the world.
Kenworth
Kenworth W900L
Equipment

It’s official: Kenworth to sunset classic truck model W900, T800, and C500

March 19, 2025
Production of the W900, introduced in 1963, will end next year, along with two other classic vocational stalwarts: the T800 and C500.
Taylor and Martin
Auctioneer inspects truck
Equipment

Good truck hunting: How to find truck auctions and evaluate equipment

March 19, 2025
Finding the perfect truck at auction means knowing what to look for and how to assess the equipment and the kind of repairs it'll need from near and far.