NAFA, a not-for-profit association for professionals who manage fleets of vehicles, is developing a Sustainable Fleet Standard Program, which aims to increase efficiency, while reducing emissions and fuel use. Developed in conjunction with CALSTART, a national non-profit clean transportation organization, the NAFA Sustainable Fleet Standard Program is one of its kind. With its development, NAFA intends to pioneer a movement in the fleet community which emphasizes the economic and environmental benefits and overall importance of sustainability.
"The importance of sustainable practices becomes more evident each day," said NAFA President Claude T. Masters, CAFM. "By becoming more energy independent and efficient our members will extend benefits to their bottom line and their customer base."
In February, 2014, President Barack Obama lent his voice to a national vehicle sustainability initiative while NAFA was in the process of developing their own. This confluence spoke to the prominence of the issue. NAFA’s development of this program exemplifies its dedication to developing a standard of fleet sustainability. By applying this standard to fleets and vehicles of all sizes, NAFA is engineering a program that has the power to shift vehicle sustainability standards on a universal level.
The program will allow member organizations to assess how to enhance their practices in a way that decreases their fuel dependence and emissions, while increasing the efficiency of their vehicles, improving performance, and reducing harmful pollutants. The ability to assess and strip waste on this front will pave a road to improve performance and reduce harmful pollutants, while often also reducing costs.
The new Sustainable Fleet Standard Program is being designed for two purposes: to encourage and make it easy for fleets to take the first steps, while also setting a strong framework to reward those fleets already taking real action. The program will be complementary to existing federal programs, but sets a standard by which fleets can assess their progress. By instituting this program NAFA hopes to lead the way forward into a more sustainable, independent and efficient future. CALSTART is collaborating with NAFA to structure the ground-breaking program.
"NAFA’s central role in the fleet industry will help this program create a tipping point for sustainable transportation," said John Boesel, president and CEO of CALSTART. "We’re working with NAFA to make sure the standard is strong, but easy to use by any fleet, whether just starting out or far down the road on sustainable operations."
More information will become available as the program approaches implementation. To ask questions and become involved as a charter member of the program, please visit http://www.nafasustainable.org.
