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Meet the Media: Lauren Fletcher, Executive Editor at Work Truck Magazine

My name is Lauren Fletcher and I am the executive editor of Work Truck magazine and WorkTruckOnline.com. We are a business-to-business fleet publication and part of the Bobit group. I have been covering the truck fleet industry for the past 16 years. As lead editor for Work Truck, I am responsible for content planning for both print and digital, feature writing, news reporting, manage our brand’s social media efforts, eNewsletters, event planning, and am also the content technical lead, helping with editorial technical and SEO efforts. I also lead several video series under Truck Chat, which is also available in podcast format.

Can you tell us what types of stories, trends or issues are on your radar now?

Right now, the truck fleet industry is dealing with major vehicle shortages, staffing problems, and incredibly high fuel prices. All of this is putting pressure on fleets to reduce miles, keep vehicles on the road longer, and really focus on data and efficiency. In addition, last-mile delivery is exploding – it was growing before the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to continue to grow even as things continue to “return to normal.” As a journalist, my number one goal is and always will be to provide relevant, factual information that helps my readers succeed in their chosen profession.   

Describe the craziest or most fun story you have written.

I’m lucky, much of what I get to write about involves amazing trucks and the people to manage and operate them. To understand the trucks, I need to take them for a spin. I’ve had the chance to drive just about every truck, from pickups, dump trucks and snow plows to big rigs, in every possible way – drag race, off-road, street course, race courses, and more. I’ve floored it in a snowplow, took a cabover truck off-roading places pickups won’t dare, did double lane changes in a wet parking lot in a 15-passenger van, and shook my bones on proving grounds.

What story or stories are you most proud of?

The stories I’m the proudest of are the ones that really help people. I have a blog series called Chatty Chassis, and I try to focus on professional advocacy, building yourself up, setting achievable goals, and so much more. Our readers aren’t just fleet managers, they are human beings looking to be recognized for their hard work and to feel successful in what they do every day. It’s a demanding, difficult job and when I can raise them up, it makes me proud to be a journalist. With fleet people in mind, my favorite series right now is my Faces of Fleet series. In this video series, I help people tell their stories, provide advice for others in the industry, and show how we handle our jobs, pressure, and so much more as the result of our hobbies, interests, and past life experiences. Additionally, I enjoy the educational side of our Fleet 101 articles. The industry is changing with a shift in the generation of fleet managers from when even I first started. I enjoy helping both novices and veteran fleet managers learn about something they didn’t truly understand before, from DOT numbers to torque.

What elements or characteristics do you look for in a story?

As noted I enjoy the educational side of journalism. The stories that will be read today, and tomorrow, by a new fleet manager or reader. When I’m assembling a story, I always ask myself, “what would someone learn?” I look for something that hasn’t already been covered a hundred times in a hundred different ways, but an element that has been ignored. I look for the people that are helping make things happen. And I look for stories that hit the trends, challenges, and struggles my audience needs help with right now. I also look for ways to brighten my reader’s day, not only focusing on challenges but on successes with our fleet profile series.

How long have you been in journalism and how did you get started?

I’ve been involved in journalism for the past 16 years and got started completely by accident. I was in educational music publishing for some time, handling events and textbooks and after a stressful experience, I needed a change. I wanted something a little less demanding so I could focus on school. I was hired at Bobit as an administrative assistant for the FleetGroup. However, a passion for reading, a strong handle on English and grammar, and the fact that I’d been around hot rods and classic cars since I was a kid, meant I was drawn to the content side of things. I was named research editor, focusing on research for several Bobit fleet publications and worked my way up through the editorial ranks to become lead editor of Work Truck.

Finish this sentence: If I am not reporting, I am …

If I’m not reporting I’m flying. I have been studying aerial silks for the past eight years and both perform for and teach at Central Oregon Aerial Arts in my personal time. I’m also reading a good book and hanging out with my amazing daughter and husband, hiking, hitting the lakes on my paddle board or watching the family fish and enjoying the great outdoors.

What advice do you have for PR people that want to pitch you?

  • Keep it relevant! We get a LOT of email and tons of articles, news, and other pitches. If it’s something clearly relevant to our readers/audience and timely, we are FAR more likely to respond.
  • Keep your subject lines descriptive! “New product” isn’t going to get me to open that item but “XYZ Product for Medium-Duty Trucks” will be far more likely to catch my eye.
  • Remember the assets! Today’s readers are looking for imagery, and so are we! please have images and assets available for your news releases – real people, doing real things go over far better than stock images and a logo. And if you have them, include a link for downloading them in the email so we can jump on it right away. If we have to wait for a photo, it’s getting pushed down the queue. 

Any pet peeves with PR people?

Not checking if news has been posted before the email or call to see if we received it and planned to do anything with it. I can’t tell you the time folks would save if they jumped on our website and did a quick search before asking if (a) received it or (b) would be able to share it with our audience

Tell us a little about yourself (family, interests, hobbies, background, some fact about you that few people know, etc.)

Here’s a video I did to help my readers get to know me a little better. https://www.worktruckonline.com/10157320/meet-the-editor-lauren-fletcher  

I’m the bright hair you see on the conference floor or Truck Chat videos. I’ve been covering truck fleet for a decade and a half and have a true passion for trucks and the fleets that run them. I’m crafty by nature, always working on some new art project from epoxy resin to crocheting amigurumi dolls or painting. One day I’ll have enough time to finish a kid’s book or two. When I’m not flying on aerial silks, I’m a musician, playing piano, flute, clarinet, a little alto sax, and bass guitar.

You can follow Lauren & Work Truck magazine on social media here:

LinkedIn – Lauren Fletcher

Work Truck magazine

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