Building Momentum
As we enter further into a new year, NAFA continues to see progress on a wide variety of different fronts.
There’s no question that fleet managers have been dealing with a lot of different challenges simultaneously over the last several years. From COVID pandemic restrictions, to limited availability of vehicles, rising operating costs, vehicle electrification, technology advancement (including AI) and policy changes, it has been a highly unpredictable and sometimes difficult environment to navigate.
Effective approach
At NAFA, our approach has been to find solutions to help fleet managers and their organizations be successful no matter the conditions and this approach seems to be resonating. We have seen our membership continue to grow over the last few years and in 2025 the association had more than 3300 members, which is one of the highest totals we’ve seen in a long time. Our focus in 2025 was creating efficient, safe and sustainable fleets and we’ve seen that continue gather momentum as we edge further into 2026.
New safety program
Last year, we launched a brand-new fleet safety certificate program, an Automotive Fleet Safety Guidebook and a Fleet Safety eLearning course. In 2026, NAFA will be adding new fleet safety awards to its 100 Best Fleets in the Americas program, that recognize fleets for their commitment and focus on safe operating practices. Applications for this new award will become available in March.
Policy has also been a big topic of interest, based on member feedback, and 2025 saw the launch of our first dedicated virtual fleet policy workshop, which will continue this year, as we aim to continue bringing the latest information and changes related to policy in North America, especially as those changes have come thick and fast in recent years.
Education continues to be a major focus, from our Fleet 101 and e-learning courses, to our CAFM certified fleet manager program. At the end of 2025, we had 65+ CAFM graduates and we’ve been conducting research that has reinforced the importance of CAFM, the results of which we will announce later this year.
More workshops, more opportunities
We’ve also got our Institute & Expo (I&E) coming up (April 13-15) at the Huntingdon Convention Center in Cleveland, Ohio. This year, we will have more than 40 education sessions and have expanded our technician training workshops with an emphasis on supporting the next generation of fleet technicians as they advance in their careers. A significant change has also been moving the Ride and Drive program from the last day of the event to the first. We feel this will provide opportunities for more attendees to sample fleet vehicles and speaking of OEMs, we also have presentations taking place during the event so vehicle manufacturers can provide insight into their focus and plans moving forward. We will also be co-locating with the Conference of Auto Remarketing (CAR), which is taking place the same week in Cleveland. We felt this was a significant step, as remarketing becomes ever more important, for both conventional vehicles and EVs.
Driving value
There’s no question that the fleet management industry has changed significantly in the last few years, and at NAFA, our goal is to continue finding solutions and driving value for this important sector of the economy. We’ve had some great success and momentum which we are continuing to build, and a very big part of that boils down to our NAFA Regions, Local Networking Groups and the countless volunteers that devote their time and tireless energy to advancing fleet management across the continent. And as we enter further into a new year, I would just like to say a big thank you to all of you for making this possible.
