The conference is scheduled for Sept. 9-11 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate in ChampionsGate, Florida.

According to NPTC, the three-day program will feature educational sessions, interactive workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities designed to help fleet managers address today’s most pressing safety and regulatory challenges.

Conference Will Focus on Fleet Safety Strategies

NPTC said this year’s agenda has been developed around current issues affecting private fleet operations, with presentations aimed at providing practical solutions that attendees can implement within their own organizations.

The conference will include expert-led discussions covering safety management, fleet security and operational best practices, along with opportunities for attendees to exchange ideas with industry peers and subject matter experts.

National Driver All-Star Awards to Highlight the Event

One of the conference’s featured events will be the presentation of the National Driver All-Star Awards, NPTC’s annual recognition program honoring outstanding private fleet drivers from across the United States.

Co-sponsored by International Motors and Centerline Drivers, the awards recognize drivers who demonstrate excellence in safety, customer service, regulatory compliance, company standards and community involvement.

The awards will be presented during a special luncheon held as part of the conference.

Regulatory and Industry Updates Planned

Attendees will also receive an update on federal transportation policy from NPTC General Counsel Rick Schweitzer, who is scheduled to present the association’s annual Washington Report covering recent legislative and regulatory developments affecting private fleets.

In addition, NPTC Executive Vice President Tom Moore, CTP, will review findings from the organization’s newly released Annual Benchmarking Survey Report, which examines trends and performance metrics across the private fleet industry.

Registration Open Ahead of September Event

All conference activities will take place at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. Additional information about registration, conference programming, and hotel accommodations is available through the National Private Truck Council.

The TDUSA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering trucking news, industry updates, safety, regulations, and career information for professional truck drivers across the United States. Each article is built to reflect real-world experience, industry developments, and information drivers can use on and off the road.

Last Updated: August 26, 2026

Source: Truckers News

Image Source: NPTC

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The awards were presented during the NPTC Annual Education Management Conference and Exhibition in Orlando and recognized member fleets for their safety performance during 2025.

According to NPTC, the awards highlight companies that make safety a priority within their private fleet operations while achieving strong results on the road.

Awards Focus on Safety Performance

“The Fleet Safety Awards recognize NPTC member companies that work to make safety a priority in their private fleet operations,” said Kate Mirise, CTP, Chair of the NPTC Safety Committee and Central Ohio Logistics Manager for The Royal Group.

“These annual fleet safety awards in particular recognize companies with the lowest ratio of accidents per million miles for the past year.” The Fleet Safety Awards are sponsored by International Motors and Centerline Drivers.

Local Fleet Winners

The Local category includes fleets whose vehicles operate within a local delivery market regardless of fleet size.

This year’s winners were:

Target
Composites One LLC
Cohen Transport / Recycling

Regional Fleet Winners

The Regional category includes all other fleets, including long-haul operations.

The winners were:

Clinton’s Ditch Coop Co., Inc.
America’s Service Line, LLC
SWTO, LLC / SEI Fuel

Mixed Small Fleet Winners

The Mixed Small category includes fleets operating fewer than 100 vehicles.

The winners were:

RedGuard
Chobani LLC
Johnsonville Trucking LLC

Mixed Large Fleet Winners

The Mixed Large category includes fleets operating more than 100 vehicles.

The winners were:

Contract Transportation Systems / Sherwin-Williams Co.
ADM Trucking, Inc.
Vantive Healthcare

Gold Seal Winners

NPTC also recognized fleets with outstanding safety records through its Gold Seal program.

The Gold Seal is awarded to fleets with a terminal that experienced no crashes in 2024.

This year’s recipients were:

Clopay Transportation Company
Hillyard, Inc.
Interstate Batteries
Marathon Petroleum Company LP

Silver Seal Winners

The Silver Seal recognizes companies that reduced vehicle crash rates by 40% or more compared to the previous year.

Recipients included:

Marathon Petroleum Company LP
New South Express, Inc.
Pitney Bowes Inc.

Bronze Seal Winners

The Bronze Seal recognizes fleets that reduced vehicle crash rates by 20% to 39% compared to the previous year.

Recipients included:

Contract Transportation Systems / Sherwin-Williams Co.
Marathon Petroleum Company LP
New South Express, Inc.

Multiple Fleets Earned Recognition Across Categories

The awards recognized fleets for both overall safety performance and improvements in crash rates. Companies were honored across local, regional, mixed fleet, and terminal safety categories during the NPTC Annual Education Management Conference and Exhibition in Orlando.

The Truck Drivers USA editorial team creates practical, driver-focused content covering industry topics, job trends, and real-world decisions that impact drivers at every stage of their careers. Each article is written to provide clear, accurate information that drivers can use.

Last updated: June 15, 2026

Source: Truckers News

image Source: NPTC, Truckers News

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That’s the idea behind a new initiative from TCA. For a limited time, newly established motor carriers and private fleets can receive 75% off their first year of membership dues.

Why now

TCA explains that this opportunity is possible because the association is in a strong financial position, supported by sound leadership and the continued investment of long-term members. That stability has made it possible to launch a strategic program designed to expand membership, strengthen advocacy, and build a stronger future for the entire industry.

The association notes that this discount comes at a time when trucking is facing some of its toughest challenges — including lawsuit abuse, cargo theft, predatory regulation, and workforce shortages. Problems of this scale, TCA emphasizes, cannot be solved in isolation.

A collective lift

TCA believes that bringing more quality carriers into the fold benefits everyone. With additional members engaged, advocacy efforts grow stronger, benchmarking becomes sharper, and overall industry standards rise.

Importantly, the organization stresses that this initiative isn’t about chasing numbers. It’s about connecting with the carriers who are committed to doing things the right way but may not have had the opportunity to fully engage before.

What members gain

Carriers who take advantage of this initiative will have full access to TCA’s benefits right from the start, including:

• Industry-leading education and professional development
• Profitability benchmarking and peer groups through TPP
• Advocacy on Capitol Hill and with federal regulators
• Networking opportunities that build lasting business relationships
• Recognition programs that highlight safety, innovation, and driver excellence

This is not a limited or trial membership. It’s a full introduction to the TCA experience, built to bring more engaged carriers into the community and strengthen the truckload sector as a whole.

A call to action for current members

TCA stresses that this effort will only be as impactful as the momentum behind it. Members who have already benefited from TCA’s programs, training, and advocacy are encouraged to help spread the word. That could mean referring a carrier, mentoring a new member, or sharing the opportunity within their networks.

The association sees this as a rare opportunity to grow not only in size but in strength and substance. By welcoming more of the right carriers, the trucking community can continue raising standards and building a more unified industry voice.

Those interested in learning more can reach out to Erica Bledsoe, TCA’s Membership Engagement Manager, at 571-444-0314 or ebledsoe@truckload.org, or visit truckload.org.

Source: Commercial Carrier Journal

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Fleet Optimization Through AI and Data

Fleet Advantage executives aim to discuss strategies for optimizing fleet operations using artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics. Their topics will include how AI is transforming logistics, equipment procurement, asset management, and financing models. Additionally, attendees can learn about the newly launched Tariff-Readiness Plan that tackles tariff-influenced equipment cost challenges.

“Today’s transportation industry continues to undergo a significant period of digital transformation driven by AI with innovations that promise to modernize every part of the supply chain, from vehicle design and equipment financing to logistics and truck maintenance scheduling,” Fleet Aadvantage said. “At this year’s ACT Expo, Fleet Advantage executives will address the abundance of data and analytics available today, and the right use of AI-driven insights to make the best decisions for each fleet.”

At the expo, Fleet Advantage experts will highlight methods for using AI-driven insights and real-time data analytics to help organizations make better fleet management decisions.

Revolutionizing Fleet Decisions with AI

The transportation sector is increasingly deploying AI across diverse operational aspects like route planning and maintenance. For instance, a fleet recently consolidated five external systems into one in-house AI-powered platform that uses historical traffic data, weather conditions, and delivery schedules. This resulted in significant fuel savings, reduced delivery times, improved adherence to deadlines, and overall boosted efficiency.

AI-driven predictive systems are also revolutionizing vehicle health management. By analyzing telematics data and historical maintenance records, these solutions detect potential issues in advance, reducing operational downtime and lowering maintenance costs through proactive servicing schedules.

Despite its potential, AI’s role in critical fleet decisions, like negotiations with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) or determining custom specs, is still limited. These high-stakes decisions often rely on human expertise and team collaboration supported by data insights.

Notably, industry confidence in AI-driven decision-making remains modest. According to recent survey results, just 19% of transportation companies expressed high confidence in AI’s procurement capabilities, and 24% highlighted concerns over data accuracy.

Modern Maintenance with AI-Assisted Systems

AI is transforming maintenance operations for private fleets. Agent-assisted AI can predict necessary maintenance and autonomously schedule services at optimal times using data from onboard sensors, historical maintenance logs, and external factors like weather. By minimizing disruptions, these solutions improve operational efficiency.

A recent survey revealed that 62% of fleet operators are interested in adopting agent-assisted AI for maintenance, highlighting the growing demand for such innovations.

“The integration of AI and agent-assisted AI for private fleets offers great potential, reimagining many areas of a fleet’s operations,” said Hadley Benton, CTP, executive vice president of business development for Fleet Advantage. “To truly harness these benefits, companies must rely on accurate and proven data sources to ensure AI solutions are deployed safely, responsibly, and effectively to drive sustainable growth and operational excellence.”

Explore Fleet Advantage at ACT Expo

Fleet Advantage’s presence at ACT Expo offers fleet managers a unique opportunity to explore cutting-edge AI technologies, discuss their Tariff-Readiness Plan, and understand how data-driven solutions are solving key industry challenges.

Click here to schedule a session with a Fleet Advantage executive or learn more about their strategies.

Source: The Trucker

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Before these recent years, private fleets consistently managed about 67% of freight. But disruptions like the 2017-18 freight boom and the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed that number higher, as noted by Gary Petty, CEO of NPTC, in an August chat with Transport Topics.

For-hire motor carriers saw a slight dip, managing 16% of outbound freight in 2023, down from 17% in recent years. Meanwhile, dedicated contract carriers’ share dropped to 8%, down from 11% last year.

A key takeaway from this year’s survey is that 84% of private fleet shipments now go straight to retail customers, which is the highest percentage ever recorded since the survey began in 2005. This shift reflects a growing focus on direct customer service.

The survey saw a record 122 fleets participating, with 28% being first-time contributors. This marks a significant increase from 20% the previous year. Penske Truck Leasing sponsored the survey.

The food products sector led the way among respondents (17%), followed by retail (16%) and grocery stores (14%).

Participants reported a 7.5% increase in shipments year-over-year, a jump from the 4.6% growth seen the year before. Overall volume grew by 8.6%, slightly better than the 8.4% increase from the previous year.

Private fleet freight movements saw their value rise by 7.2%, a notable improvement over the 2.8% increase recorded the year before. This growth occurred despite 72% of respondents saying that capacity was more readily available and affordable in 2023.

Private fleets expanded significantly during the pandemic to better control their supply chains and manage fluctuating costs, even as for-hire carriers faced a slowdown and lower rates.

The top reasons for maintaining a private fleet included better customer service (49%), controlling transportation costs (20%), and improving supply chain management (13%). When considering the top five reasons, managing costs and capacity were crucial.

Cost metrics are increasingly important, with 55% of respondents comparing their fleet’s performance to for-hire carriers in terms of service and rates. This is up from 45% the previous year. Cost per mile has become a key focus, with 90% of carriers tracking this metric closely.

Additionally, cost per stop and cost per case have gained more importance this year, indicating a more detailed approach to cost management.

The Transport Topics Top 100 Private Carriers list shows how these trends are shaping the industry. Dollar General moved up to No. 18 after expanding its fleet to over 2,000 tractors. Walmart, with its fleet now at 12,663 power units, took back the top spot from PepsiCo, which had led the rankings for 14 years.

Despite these advancements, private fleet operators are still grappling with driver-related challenges, including an aging workforce, recruitment difficulties, and high turnover rates.

Source: Transport Topics

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