By Tod Trousdell, Fleet Marketing Consultant and partner, RobertsTrousdell Marketing and Communications
May 8, 2024
It’s back!
After several challenging years caused by the pandemic and a perception that it was a largely a government fleet-focused event, the NAFA I & E came roaring back with a 2024 edition that had fleet professionals buzzing.
Held on April 22-24, this year’s Institute & Expo saw over 2,100 attendees pack the San Antonio Convention Center for three spirited days of networking, education, and exploring new products with their fleet peers from the corporate, government, law enforcement, utility, and other sectors, with attendees coming from 46 states and 16 different countries. That included two full sessions of the popular Expo floor showcasing more than 230-plus exhibitors touting everything from management services and EV-themed products to upfitting and payment solutions (and pretty much everything in between).
And while I & E’s attendance, show floor and exhibit booths were markedly smaller than at this March’s record-setting Work Truck Week 2024, most attendees I spoke with felt this year’s NAFA offered a noticeable improvement over the last several editions, with a palpable buzz and packed sessions throughout. That included not just attendees from some of fleets’ biggest and best-known names, including OEMs and FMCs, but representatives of smaller, regional players including a significant number of first-time attendees and exhibitors. Several of these players featured cutting-edge technology that lent an air of Silicon Valley to an event which has been long dominated (and perhaps long in the tooth) by the usual assortment of tire vendors, transporters, and truck equipment.
Steve Erbst, CRO and head of Marketing for Car IQ, said his team was encouraged by the buzz at this year’s NAFA event, and especially for the interest attendees had for Car IQ technology, which eliminates fleet cards and enables vehicles to make cardless payments for fuel, tolls and more. The technology even directs drivers to the nearest low-cost merchant and authorizes how much fuel they can pump. Best of all, it also collects a mountain of data through telematics that helps fleet managers and CFOs reduce costs, risk, and reconciliation for their fleets. According to Erbst, the technology is accepted at 85% of gas stations across the nation. “Our goal from the beginning was to help fleets minimize risk by getting rid of physical cards, and that message really resonated with a lot of the people we spoke to at NAFA,” said Erbst, who acknowledged his company’s offering was not what most fleet pros were used to seeing at shows like NAFA, but that “technology like ours is going to transform the industry for the better sooner than people think.”
Echoing Erbst’s statements, Frank Zombo, Enterprise Sales Director at the Auto Hauler Exchange, said fleet professionals were reacting positively to his company’s efforts to streamline the transport space by leveraging proprietary technology to cut brokers out of the process, saving money and reducing shipping times significantly – something the company hopes will keep existing carriers in the space and bring back those who have left due to difficulties caused by brokers.
“What we’re finding is that there’s a new breed of fleet professional out there that is anxious to leverage technology to save time, to save money, and to get more done with less,” said Zombo, a former pro football player in the NFL. “We think our ability to simplify the transport process is exactly the kind of tech-driven offering fleets are looking for as the industry transitions to new ways of doing things.
But it wasn’t just new technology and first-time attendees making a splash at this year’s show. There was strong attendance from traditional fleet players, albeit with a somewhat muted presence, including smaller booths and fewer top tier executives than in years past. The mix featured traditional service providers like upfitters, most of whom appeared to have robust traffic and serious interactions at their booths.
France Landreville, VP of Marketing at Ranger Design, said this year’s NAFA was a spirited affair and that her team was busy greeting customers and prospects throughout both days of the Expo. “NAFA was a standout event for us this year,” stated Landreville. “We were encouraged by the strong turnout and steady booth traffic. Particularly gratifying was the positive feedback on our showcased EV-ready Ford E Transfer, not only from our regular customers but also from several new fleets we had the pleasure of meeting.”
Meanwhile, not far away at rival Adrian Steel’s booth, National Accounts Manager Katie Groves also reported brisk booth traffic and positive reaction to Adrian’s new line of pickup truck storage solutions the company introduced at this year’s Work Truck Week in March.
“We’ve been encouraged by the reaction to our Integrated Truck Solution,” said Groves of Adrian’s new line that includes the Adrian Cap, Extendobed shelving and ProLift Ladder Rack. “With 30% more access to cargo via the topper doors and shelving that pulls out past the taillights, we think it supports most light duty needs.”
Fleet management companies also made a strong showing at this year’s I & E, with key players Merchants Fleet, Element Fleet and Wheels all exhibiting.
Nick Delyani, Content Director at Merchants Fleet, said the Merchants team always looks forward to NAFA and that this year’s edition “did not disappoint.”
“It was inspiring to see everyone so engaged and enthusiastic, and with the fleet industry evolving at such a rapid pace, there was no shortage of great topics to explore,” said Delyani. “We left the event feeling even more excited about the future of fleet management, and we can’t wait to see what the coming year brings.”
Reporting an equally positive few days at its booth, Robert Scalabrino, VP & Managing Director of Sales for Element’s West Region, said “NAFA is a great opportunity for public and private companies, and government counties, municipalities, and agencies to learn more about emerging technologies, achieving sustainability goals…” said Scalabrino.”We thought this year’s show offered a meaningful chance to network with fleet management companies like Element Fleet Management and also navigate the latest fleet products and solutions that are on the market today.”
Not that NAFA attendees were solely focused on the Expo floor. The event also featured three days of packed sessions, keynote speakers, an immersive Ride & Drive, and an interactive innovation zone where exhibiting companies displayed new products and services. Of course, the I & E also featured the popular “Top 100 Fleets” competition where Essential Utilities was named the top commercial fleet, Dakota County (MN) was named the top Government fleet, and Kenny Stimson of Carvana was named the Fleet Professional of the Year. The event also included “CAFM Live” a peer-to-peer event that helps accelerate candidates’ preparation for the CAFM exam and certification.
“NAFA I & E is truly special, especially amid the dynamic growth and transformation within our industry,” said NAFA President Mike Camnetar. “Leaving I & E we believe attendees were filled with renewed curiosity, a deepened appreciation for our field, and a stronger sense of community with our industry peers.”
Summing up his experience – and seemingly that of the majority of his fellow attendees – Zach Baker, National Account Director with Kansas City-based City Rent A Truck, said he was encouraged not only by the positive “vibe and newfound energy” at NAFA, but especially what he sees as a resurgent industry bouncing back from challenges brought on by the pandemic, EV adoption and other factors pushing fleet in new directions.
“After attending the last few years, I felt this year’s NAFA was definitely a much more spirited affair,” said Baker, a fleet veteran, but at 31, among the many younger professionals making a name after years of domination by fleet’s seasoned guard. “We’re already looking forward to next year and are confident NAFA can help us grow our business for years to come.” (The company just made a push into the Atlanta market.)
For those looking ahead to next year’s event, the 2025 NAFA I & E will be held at the Long Beach, California Convention Center April 28-30.
About the author
Tod Trousdell is a fleet marketing consultant working with several top tier fleet services providers and partner in the Atlanta-based marketing and communications firm RobertsTrousdell. He can be reached at [email protected].
