For those fleet managers about to rock: Scenes from 2026 NAFA Institute & Expo
CLEVELAND— NAFA Fleet Management Association boasts the largest membership of fleet managers in the world, and those who attended the NAFA Institute & Expo this past April in the Rock & Roll Capital of the World really “cranked it up to 11,” in the words of Spinal Tap.
NAFA I&E has been touring for 60+ years, about as long as the Rolling Stones, and was held this year April 13-15 at Cleveland’s Huntington Convention Center. It drew the most attendees in a decade—2,200 fleet leaders from various government and commercial fleets—and reported the first-ever sold-out expo hall with 250 exhibitors.
The NAFA Rev It Up Reception, hosted by Stellantis Pro One, also set record attendance. Hosting a party at the Rock and Roll Fame in unseasonably warm weather (80 degrees F) will do that. The energy inside the show was just as electric—well, about as much as data-loving fleet professionals can get at a conference.
A few standouts included the General Session and OEM panel, which provided overviews of the current state of the industry, as well as a session called “Mind the Gap: Bridging Technician and Maintenance Knowledge Shortage,” where fleet leaders discussed ways to solve the technician shortage.
Another session saw the launch of a program for NAFA members called the FleetGap Initiative, which makes it easier to hire veterans even before they leave active duty via a SkillBridge pre-apprenticeship. (Listen to our podcast with one of the program’s key drivers on our Fleet Lead podcast HERE.)
“It’s truly inspiring to see so many of our members energized and taking away actionable insights and solutions to amplify their operations,” said Bill Schankel, CAE, CEO of NAFA.
For a rounded recap of the show, click the slideshow to begin.
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.