NAFA Announces the Addition of The 100 Best Fleets to Its Awards Lineup

NAFA Fleet Management Association has expanded its robust awards program with the acquisition of The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas program. The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas, founded by fleet veteran Tom C. Johnson, recognizes the best operations in the government fleet sector.

Now in its 20th year, The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas program includes The 100 Best Fleets contest, the Green Fleet Awards, the Green Garage Contest, and an educational webinar series. This prestigious program will continue annually as part of NAFA’s awards and recognition program, with Johnson joining the NAFA staff as a consultant and champion of the program.

“What a privilege it is to find a home for The 100 Best Fleets with NAFA,” says Johnson, who received NAFA’s Honorary Lifetime Membership Award in 2020.

Johnson was employed by the largest fleet management company in the world for 17 years, where his job was to analyze fleets. “As I studied these fleets, I realized that they didn’t get the recognition they deserved,” he says. When the fleet management company closed, Johnson co-launched the 100 Best Fleets program from scratch with colleague Pam Nelson, author of the book Making a Difference as a Public Fleet Professional.

Johnson, who has written a book on the 7 Qualities of the 100 Best Fleets in North America, estimates that he has analyzed over 3,500 fleets during the last 21 years. “My dream was, and still is, to tell the stories that celebrate fleet managers,” he says, “to tell their stories in a deeper way that really drills down on what makes them great. What inspires me is the storytelling and working with the top talent in this industry.”

With the new partnership, Johnson will help NAFA use the awards program to “educate up the ladder and demonstrate the value fleet managers provide on a daily basis,” he says.

“The 100 Best Fleets and its related contests are an industry staple for so many fleet managers,” says NAFA CEO Bill Schankel. “I could not be more thrilled to bring The 100 Best Fleets under the NAFA fold. Not only are we gaining one of the most recognizable fleet awards programs, but also the years of industry expertise and knowledge of Tom Johnson.”
The 100 Best Fleets contest recognizes peak-performing fleet operations, recognizing innovation within the public fleet industry. The purpose of the program is to:

• Foster pride in the industry.
• Build recognition within the national fleet community.
• Increase productivity levels and operational effectiveness.
• Encourage more individuals to consider fleet operations as a career choice.

The Green Fleet Awards include two separate awards: the Government Green Fleet Award and the Commercial Green Fleet Award, both specifically tailored to recognize the sustainability challenges and requirements of fleet managers. The Green Garage Contest brings together the most progressive and environmentally committed fleets to share best practices for eco-friendly vehicle fleet maintenance garages.

The 2021 winners of The 100 Best Fleets will be announced on April 14 at 2 pm EST in a special webinar.

The 100 Best Fleets is sponsored by AssetWorks, FuelForce, Geotab, Global Environmental Products, GovDeals, Longobart-Ross Consulting, NC Clean Energy Technology Center, Sourcewell, and Uptake. More information on the awards program can be found here.