University Fleet Manager Surprised at the Respect Gained after CAFM

Getting away from the office isn’t always easy, but I&E 2022 is designed to be a distraction-free space for fleet managers to focus on their personal growth, professional development, and leadership skills. That’s why NAFA’s Certified Automotive Fleet Manger (CAFM) certification program is woven into the content line-up in multiple places — to provide attendees with several opportunities to learn what a CAFM certification could mean not only to their own careers but also to their organization’s fleet performance. (Editor’s note: To locate CAFM-specific content, look for the CAFM logo in the March/April issue of FLEETSolutions magazine included in your attendee bag, pp. 31–33.) 

Getting away from the office isn’t always easy, but I&E 2022 is designed to be a distraction-free space for fleet managers to focus on their

The CAFM program has offered the most current fleet management education for over 35 years. It is open to any individual with at least one year of experience in any fleet-related position. The curriculum is geared to those who need exposure to all aspects of fleet management, as well as those looking to advance in their current position. 

This week, I&E 2022 offers micro-sessions on the eight disciplines covered in the CAFM program: Asset Management, Business Management, Financial Management, Information Management, Maintenance Management, Professional Development, Risk Management, and Vehicle Fuel Management. Attendees can also attend sessions that offer a sampling of the CAFM certification program content. 

Jason Davenport, assistant director, fleet services, for the University of California, Merced, achieved his CAFM in 2018. “After I got my CAFM, I was surprised at how much higher the respect level was from my peers, my boss, and the senior leadership — really everyone,” says Davenport. “I got a promotion soon after, that was directly related to achieving the CAFM. And another University of California fleet director was also promoted as soon as he completed his CAFM.” 

The CAFM is a self-study program to be completed within a three-year period. Davenport didn’t think the program was extremely difficult, but he was surprised at how comprehensive it was. “It took me two years, which is longer than what I thought,” he admits. “But my son was just born, and I had to fit it in around my life.” 

Davenport was fairly experienced in fleet when he started the CAFM program. “I would say nearly 40% of it, I knew right off the bat,” he says. “But the rest of it was new. There was a lot of new information, and that’s the part I enjoyed most — the new material and new applications.” 

He recalls, for example, learning the equations for figuring out how many technicians he needed. “We were starting a shop from the ground up, and that kind of knowledge was invaluable,” Davenport says. “I also greatly increased my understanding of different fuels while going through the CAFM program.” 

His advice for fleet professionals considering the CAFM: “I highly recommend it. You never know where you’ll end up in your career after you achieve your CAFM. It gave me the confidence that if I needed to move somewhere else, I could always find a job. New fleet jobs regularly request CAFMs…I think that speaks volumes.” 

If you’d like more information on the CAFM program, please visit the NAFA booth in the Expo Hall Tuesday and Wednesday. The CAFM class of 2022 will be recognized during the Opening Session on Monday. Attend this event to celebrate your peers!