SESSION DESCRIPTIONS
August 25 | 10a.m. - 2p.m.
August 25 | 1p.m. - 2p.m.
Local Elected Leaders Roundtable
This session seeks to examine the benefits of using clean transportation technologies and alternative fuels, such as cost savings, supporting regional economic development, and improved sustainability. Local elected officials will have the opportunity to hear from their colleagues and share advice on how to implement these technologies. Attendees will also hear strategies for what leaders are doing in their towns, counties and jurisdictions to cut down on transportation-related emissions that achieve environmental sustainability and cost savings through work with sustainability directors and department leads.
Speakers:
Allen Joines, Mayor of Winston-Salem, NC
Nancy Hoffmann, Greensboro City Council
August 25 | 1p.m. - 3p.m.
Ride & Drive
Get behind the wheel and experience the latest in clean transportation technologies! This hands-on ride & drive event will feature a wide array of vehicles, including light-duty and medium-duty electric vehicles, as well as propane-converted fleet models.
Test drivers will follow a loop through downtown Winston-Salem streets, giving participants a feel for real-world performance in an urban setting. The event will run rain or shine, thanks to a covered parking deck staging area. We also aim to feature on-site DC fast charging, showcasing charging solutions in action.
Come see, drive, and learn about the future of clean fleet technologies. Be sure to bring your valid drivers license!
August 25 | 3p.m. - 4:30p.m.
KEYNOTE | Best Practices from Leading Green Fleets
Learn from America's top fleets about innovative green initiatives and best practices in sustainable fleet management.
This keynote plenary will showcase fleets that have shown exceptional commitment to sustainability, sharing their successful programs and strategies. Attendees will gain valuable insights into pioneering approaches to green fleet management.
Tim Coxwell, Leon County, FL
Keith Kerman, New York City DCAS
August 26 | 8:30a.m. - 9:30a.m.
KEYNOTE | The Pillars of Fleet Success
Learn about key areas that fleet managers should focus on when working to ensure that their fleet is running efficiently and successfully. Use your time and resources wisely to build a team that is meeting the needs of your clients and community.
Rick Longobart, City of Raleigh, Longobart-Ross Consulting, PROFIT$ Software
Steve Saltzgiver, RTA
Breakout Session 1 | August 26 | 10:45a.m. - 12:00p.m.
TRACK A | Funding and Finance: It All Starts with $
Well-managed fleets require solid financial plans and access to reliable funding and innovative financing is essential. Learn about recent shifts in the federal funding space, strategic public use of tax credits, and fleet financing models to explore how organizations can unlock capital and build financially sustainable strategies. Attendees will get ideas on how to potentially stack funding sources and design financial strategies that align with long-term fleet goals.
Camille Edwards Bennehoff, Lawyers for Good Governance
Mari Quenemoen, Lawyers for Good Governance
Megan Upchurch, Centralina Council of Governments
August 26 | 12:30p.m. - 1:30p.m.
August 27 | 12:30p.m. - 1:30p.m.
TRACK B | Telematics
Telematics is one of the foundational cornerstones that help fleets optimize their operations, achieve cost savings and meet sustainability goals. Attendees will learn from private and government agencies how the data from telematics has helped with improved driver safety and making informed decisions about vehicle maintenance, vehicle deployment and asset acquisitions. Some other topics covered will include how telematics helps alleviate range anxiety concerns and assist in the optimization of charging and fueling infrastructure.
Mike Duffy, University of Virginia
Rick Longobart, City of Raleigh
Gil Peters, Forward Thinking Systems
TRACK C | Hydrogen as a Transportation Fuel
We are assembling a panel of leaders from the transportation industry to explore how hydrogen is being deployed in real-world fleet applications. In this session we will highlight practical use cases, policy and infrastructure challenges, and opportunities for scaling hydrogen technologies in transportation.
Dan Ciarcia, EcoEngineers
Calvin Jones, Montgomery County, MD
David Doctor, Southeast Hydrogen Energy Alliance (SHEA)
LP Monroe, Prince George's County (moderator)
KEYNOTE | Driving Change: FedEx’s Journey Toward Sustainable Solutions in Fleet Operations
Boris Kort-Packard, Chief Engineer Global Vehicles with Fedex, will discuss the initiatives that Fedex is undertaking to improve the sustainability of their fleet operations.
Breakout Session 2 | August 26 | 1:45p.m. - 3:00p.m.
TRACK A | Right-sizing Your Fleet: Balancing Efficiency, Sustainability, and Performance
In an era of rising operational costs and pressure to reduce environmental impact, “right-sizing” has become a crucial strategy for fleet managers looking to optimize performance without compromising service. This panel brings together experts from both public and private sectors to explore how organizations are evaluating, restructuring, and streamlining their fleets to align with sustainability goals, budget constraints, and operational needs.
Panelists will discuss best practices for assessing vehicle utilization, matching vehicle types to duty cycles, retiring underused or high-emission assets, and integrating low- and zero-emission alternatives. Attendees will gain practical insights into data-driven decision-making, change management strategies, and how right-sizing fits into broader fleet fuel diversification, electrification, and decarbonization initiatives.
Laolu Adeola, Leke Services (Moderator)
John Ferguson, City of Durham, NC
Michael Hicks, Agile Fleet
Ed Tyer, City of Tallahassee, FL
Tony Yankovich, RTA
TRACK B | Cybersecurity: Concerns for Fleet Managers
Data breaches, vehicle hacking, weak network security, ransomware and malware problems, software supply chain attacks and lack of policies and training are all growing concerns in cybersecurity that fleet managers face. Protecting personal information extracted from vehicle data is one of the top priorities. Here from subject matter experts what they are doing to help fleet managers remain proactive in coming up with solutions to combat these challenges.
Andrea Amico, Privacy4Cars
Bill Pugh, Smart Connections Consulting
Jeff Smith, Everged
TRACK C | Renewable Fuels in Fleet Transportation
This panel will feature fleet leaders working across the spectrum of renewable fuels — including renewable propane, RNG/biogas, biodiesel, ethanol, and more. We will highlight real-world experiences or case studies, procurement strategies, carbon intensity and emissions performance, infrastructure challenges, and lessons learned in day-to-day fleet operations.
Sara Graf, Estes Express Lines
Rick Longobart, City of Raleigh
LP Monroe, Prince George's County
Cedric Roberts, City of Birmingham
Breakout Session 3 | August 26 | 4:15p.m. - 5:30p.m.
TRACK A | Forecasting for Fleet: Predictive Analytics
As fleet operations grow more complex, leveraging predictive analytics is becoming essential for proactive decision-making. This panel will explore how fleet managers and consultants are using data science and forecasting tools to anticipate vehicle maintenance needs, optimize replacement cycles, project fuel and energy use, and support long-term planning—especially in the context of alternative fuels, electrification, and decarbonization goals.
Panelists from both public and private sectors will share real-world applications of predictive analytics, lessons learned from implementation, and strategies for building internal data capabilities or selecting the right external partners. Attendees will come away with actionable insights to help move their fleets from reactive to predictive—saving time, reducing costs, and improving service reliability.
Hussein Abdeltawab, Wake Forest University
Reed Clarke, Pitstop
Suryakant Kaushik, Samsara
John Keeter, City of Cambridge, MA
Shaleen Miller, City of Winston-Salem, NC
Ken Krulik, Kerr-Tar Council of Governments (Moderator)
TRACK B | Battery Technologies
The session on Battery Technologies will cover such topics as the different types of batteries used in electric vehicles and their chemical makeup, emerging alternatives, use cases and repurposing, state of health, and life cycle analyses. Proper strategies such as right sized charging, proper asset utilization to achieve cost savings and electric vehicle suitability assessments will also be examined. Other topics will cover the types of training for how to work on these batteries, safety requirements and best practices used to mitigate risks for handling fires.
Richard Fields, LA Fire Department
Hani Hawari, Geotab
Jared Walker, Sawatch Labs
TRACK C | Electric Vehicle Charging Maintenance for Fleets
As electric vehicles become more common in public and private fleets, reliable and well-maintained charging infrastructure is critical to successful operations. This panel brings together experts with deep experience in EVSE technology, preventative maintenance, service contracts, diagnostics, and operations to explore how fleets can ensure uptime, reduce costs, and manage performance over the charger lifecycle. Panelists will discuss real-world maintenance challenges, strategies for troubleshooting and uptime, workforce development needs, and the evolving role of manufacturers, consultants, and third-party service providers in supporting fleet electrification goals.
David Renschler, EVSE Answers
Douglas Steele, Kempower
Mike Terreri, AssetWorks
Kameale Terry, ChargerHelp!
Breakout Session 4 | August 27 | 10:15a.m. - 11:45a.m.
TRACK A | Local Government Readiness for Electric Vehicles
From charging infrastructure to grid planning and funding, this session explores how local governments are preparing for fleet and community electrification. Hear from non-profit organizations, local government, and electric utility partners working together to build EV-ready communities.
Tom DelViscio, Duke Energy
Shree Dorestant, City of Greensboro, NC
Ed Gilliland, IREC
Skye Golann, Electrification Coalition
Brian Lips, NC CETC (Moderator)
TRACK B | First Responder Vehicle Options
The First Responder Vehicle Options session will inform attendees about the different alternative fuel vehicle options and equipment agencies use to reduce their emissions and lower their costs when responding to traffic accidents, natural disasters, and general emergencies. The audience will also learn what vehicle types the respondents encounter, such as EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Alternative fuels and technologies covered will range from electric and propane-fueled vehicles used by law enforcement to idle reduction and auxiliary power units (APUs) used by emergency management.
Tim Coxwell, Leon County Sheriff’s Office
Richard Fields, LA Fire Department
TRACK C | Keeping the Power On: Distributed Energy Resources for Fleet
As fleets electrify, reliable access to energy becomes a strategic imperative. This session will explore how fleet operators and facility managers are leveraging solar, battery storage, microgrids, and backup generation systems to ensure operational continuity – especially for mission-critical loads like EV charging. Panelists will share real-world examples of distributed energy resource (DER) projects designed to enhance resilience, reduce demand charges, and enable grid independence when necessary. Whether grid-tied, islandable, or fully off-grid, these systems represent an emerging foundation for the future of fleet electrification.
Dean Bushey, NACFE
Calvin Jones, Montgomery County, MD
Sean Jones, Horizon Motor
Alan Watts, Renewable Design Associates
KEYNOTE | What Does the Future Hold?
Industry experts from different sectors of the clean transportation industry will discuss the trends they are observing in the industry and offer insights into what the future of the industry may hold.
Monte McLeod, Sharp Energy
Jed Routh, Kempower
Jennifer Weaver, Clean Fuels Alliance
August 27 | 1:30p.m. - 3p.m.
NAFA Sustainable Fleet Manager Workshop
You know your fleet needs to become more sustainable — but do you know how to do it?
Things change quickly in the field of fleet sustainability, and everyone seems to have a different opinion about what you should do. This one-of-its kind certificate program was created to teach fleet professionals the latest, most authoritative practices to help turn ideas into action.
Advance your skills and lead your organization to implement sustainable fleet management practices.
Gain the knowledge to introduce sustainable fleet management to your team.
Learn the proven methods for developing and launching sustainable fleet initiatives.
Develop tools to help your fleet set and achieve sustainability goals.
Earn a certificate that peers, colleagues, and leadership respect.
Elevate your organization toward becoming an accredited Sustainable Fleet. Course includes:
4 hours of live instruction
Sustainable Fleet Management Reference Guide (139 pages)
Sustainable Fleet Management Study Guide Online Exam
Lunch is included in the cost of registration.
Registration for this workshop costs $240 and can be purchased through the SFT Conference & Expo registration site →
Alternative Fuel Resiliency Summit
As Hurricane Helene demonstrated, planning for the resilience of our fleets in the face of natural disasters is crucial. Join this workshop to discuss the ways that fleets can increase the resilience of their operations and keep first and second responder fleets operating during and in the immediate aftermath of disasters to help with relief efforts.
The first part of the workshop will feature experts sharing advice on resilience efforts related to alternative fuel vehicles. After that, participants will take part in small group discussions regarding emergency planning that their fleets have done.
Eric Richardson, Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf (and former New York City DCAS)
Alan Watts, Renewable Design