Partnership is a defining quality of the Wheeler Fleet Solutions’ experience. The company is a parts distributor by trade — but it’s not a transactional one.
When Wheeler starts serving a customer, it has a long-term association in mind. As evidenced by the company’s three-decade relationship with the Department of Defense and ongoing commitment to the U.S. Postal Service, Wheeler Fleet Solutions is a company that knows what it takes to turn a sale into a relationship and a relationship into a mutually beneficial partnership.
That is the expertise the company is leveraging as it continues its rapid expansion into the fleet and dealer customer segments. It’s also the expertise that has earned the company the respect of its vendors and distribution peers, and in 2025 has made it a finalist for the Trucks, Parts, Service Distributor of the Year Award for the second time (2023).
“We’re a little more unique than some of your average distributors,” says Bryce McLay, general manager of the company’s Commercial Fleet Services. “We have a lot of key differentiators that we believe separate us and set us apart.”
[RELATED: The quick facts about DOTY finalist Wheeler Fleet Solutions]
The company’s historically unique go-to-market approach is one such area.
For nearly 30 years, Wheeler operated exclusively as the sole parts distributor for the USPS. During this time, the company honed its skill in sourcing, supply chain and distribution, such that when it began expanding its capabilities through its e-commerce portal and national fleet accounts programs over last decade, it did so with decades of practice keeping arguably the nation’s oldest and largest fleet on the road.
The Wheeler Fit line is a great example of that. As the company’s proprietary aftermarket parts brand, Wheeler Fleet is supported by the company’s robust R&D and engineering department and enables the company to not just procure parts a customer might need but also, when necessary, make them themselves.
Senior Manager of Sales Strategy Mark Shaw says both Wheeler Fit and the Wheeler R&D department are big benefits to pitch when meeting with a new national account, dealer partner or their customers. He says both show Wheeler’s willingness to invest in product to ensure customer satisfaction and uptime and the value they will receive when partnering with Wheeler.
McLay agrees, noting Wheeler will accept “about any” parts development request a customer submits when it’s clear the component is not available at the level the customer desires. Then, once its produced, he says the company conducts a ROI study and pitches the component to similar customers to determine long-term production needs.
As Wheeler Fleet Solutions continues to expand its national fleet and e-commerce offering, it has expanded its warehouse capabilities with locations in Texas and Mississippi.Wheeler Fleet Solutions
“If something comes up for Waste Management, we can pitch it to Republic [Services] and other waste companies with similar equipment,” he says.
The company’s veteran workforce is another differentiator. Though the company has added warehouse locations in Mississippi and Texas since entering its fleet expansion phase last decade, most of the company’s workforce is housed at its Somerset, Pa., headquarters.
Somerset is a small town where the Wheeler name is known and respected. Prospective employees aspire to work at Wheeler Fleet Solutions and when they come onboard, they often stick around for decades, says CIO Chris Wheeler, grandson of the company’s founder and one of the many Wheelers to work for the family business over the last 65 years.
“A lot of people come here for the culture,” he says. “Our benefits and pay are good too, competitive, but our culture is our selling point. I’ve known more than a handful of people who have taken a [pay] cut to come here because they like our culture and our environment. And that’s been pretty consistent throughout my career.”
Commercial Fleet Sales Senior Sales Manager Michael Ferretti agrees, stating Wheeler succeeds because employees are empowered to commit to the business and its customers. And Wheeler rewards those efforts accordingly, with financial and career educational resources.
“The people who really succeed here are the self-starters,” he says. “Those who can be given proper training and then given autonomy to make decisions and run their territory however they choose to.”
“We make everybody feel valued. I think these days that’s as important as pay,” adds Barry Bruening, senior program analyst, sales and service. “If you see something we can improve, we encourage employees to say something. Don’t be afraid to bring ideas forward.”
The TPS Distributor of the Year Award is sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Solutions Network (CVSN), Cummins, High Bar Brands, Interstate Billing Service and Procede Software.
