New Year, New Initiatives at NAFA
Changing government regulations, modules on fleet safety, as well as certification programs are just some of what’s happening in 2025.
With the new year upon us, there are lots of changes happening within the fleet industry and NAFA continues to focus on these changes in order to provide the best education, support and resources for our members.
One of the biggest shifts we’re seeing in 2025, is the changing of the federal government in the U.S. On January 20, Donald J. Trump was inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States. This change in administration, will likely have a significant impact on policies that affect our members and the role that fleets play, not only within our sector, but the wider economy.
A voice for the fleet industry
It could also create further complexity, given the differences that exist between regulations at the federal and state/provincial level. Those differences could become even more pronounced over the coming months and years, and it is our job to help both regulators and members navigate policies and regulations at both levels. On a positive note, we’ve already begun discussions with the new U.S. administration— ensuring our members have a voice when it comes to new or changing regulations or policy decisions. We’ve already been seeing changes at the state level too, such as California’s decision to withdraw the EPA waiver for its Advanced Clean Fleets regulation, which could have big implications for fleets that operate in that state. NAFA has been actively involved in working with regulators in California to come up with workable solutions and both here and in other jurisdictions we will continue to ensure that the demands and requirements of fleet operators are properly represented.
A new year also presents the opportunity to look at ways to continue enhancing the value we bring to our members. We’ve been focusing heavily on education and will be launching a brand-new education suite on fleet safety, a subject that is of paramount importance for every operator.These new education products (eLearning course and Guidebook on Fleet Safety) will officially launch at this year’s NAFA Institute & Expo (I&E) in April, and will include a certificate program, enabling those that enroll to receive an official certificate in fleet safety.
New eLearning Courses
In 2024, NAFA also introduced eight new eLearning Courses, focused on the eight core fleet disciplines. These are designed to actively involve those taking them and apply what they’ve learned through a range of dynamic activities. We’re also seeking feedback on these initiatives, as well as looking to expand the range of eLearning programs in the future. Recently, NAFA also completed a job task analysis which has been vetted and approved by our Certification Commission and our board. We held a session with a group of fleet managers over several days and discussed what they do and then validated these responses via a member-wide survey. We then had the original fleet managers that were part of the group analyze and validate the responses to see if they aligned with their own thoughts on what the role of a fleet manager is. The aim is to help us, as an association, understand what the needs of fleet managers are and how we can help meet those needs through our education and information offerings, to ensure they’re relevant and meet the needs of those actively working in the industry.
NAFA has also been working on a new, overhauled Sustainable Fleet Certificate Program to match the fast-changing world of sustainable mobility including market changes and regulations. Additionally, at I&E https://www.nafainstitute.org/2025preview/
(April 28-30 in Long Beach, Calif.), we will be featuring an indoor EV Test Track where attendees can sample the latest electric vehicles, as well as new sessions and events designed to create more interaction and networking opportunities at the event.
Inaugural Tom Johnson award
On a final note, I wanted to mention the 100 Best Fleets in the Americas program. Our nominations opened in December and we’re very excited about the program, including the expansion we’ve seen into the corporate and private fleet categories as well as the inaugural Tom Johnson award, which we will be adding this year. Tom originally started 100 Best Fleets with the intention of highlighting the efforts of fleet professionals and celebrating what they do. We at NAFA, feel proud and honoured to pay tribute to Tom’s legacy as well as recognizing the exceptional talent and contribution made by those in this dynamic and fast changing industry.
