How FleetGap program helps fleets connect with new military veterans
Military service members often have no easy path into fleet management —even if their knowledge of logistics or technical experience would be of great use in the transportation industry. And on the hiring side, fleets hungry for disciplined and dedicated new talent have trouble connecting with service members retiring/transitioning to civilian life.
Enter the Department of War's SkillBridge Program, which eases active-duty service members into potential new careers by allowing them to work for a SkillBridge partner for up to 180 days prior to exiting the military. In these pre-apprenticeships, the government pays the service member's wages. The employer has the option to offer the member a full-time position at the end of the trial period. And they often do.
Sounds great, but the issue for fleets and shops is navigating the program to find the right talent more efficiently. But a new program exclusive to NAFA members called the FleetGap Initiative is bridging this divide and making it easier than ever to plug a highly trained veteran into your operation, whether that is a fleet manager, diesel technician, or other role.
FleetGap is a partnership between accident governance platform UPTime by Shzoom, the NAFA Fleet Management Association, and SkillBridge. Fleet Maintenance's John Hitch was at the 2026 NAFA Institute & Expo in Cleveland, where details on the program were announced during an educational session with fleets.
Afterwards, he caught up with Ingrid Cook Moravitz, the founder and CEO of SHzoom Technologies and woman largely responsible for getting the partnership off the ground. The two discuss the program in detail and how it could SkillBridge can benefit not only NAFA members, but the transportation industry as a whole.
Catch this episode of The Fleet Lead podcast here or search for The Fleet Lead on your favorite podcast app.
Timestamps:
- 1:44 – Details on UPtime by SHzoom
- 4:10 – How the FleetGap program works
- 6:07 - SHzoom's work with SkillBridge
- 8:21 - The pre-apprentice program: free skilled labor?
- 10:42 – Working with active-duty members
About the Author
John Hitch
Editor-in-chief, Fleet Maintenance
John Hitch is the award-winning editor-in-chief of Fleet Maintenance, where his mission is to provide maintenance leaders and technicians with the the latest information on tools, strategies, and best practices to keep their fleets' commercial vehicles moving.
He is based out of Cleveland, Ohio, and has worked in the B2B journalism space for more than a decade. Hitch was previously senior editor for FleetOwner and before that was technology editor for IndustryWeek and and managing editor of New Equipment Digest.
Hitch graduated from Kent State University and was editor of the student magazine The Burr in 2009.
The former sonar technician served honorably aboard the fast-attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN-723), where he participated in counter-drug ops, an under-ice expedition, and other missions he's not allowed to talk about for several more decades.