Individuals interested in proving their mastery of fleet management now have a new way of doing so through the Certified Automotive Fleet Specialist (CAFS) program offered by NAFA.
NAFA’s CAFS program is based on the Association’s Certified Automotive Fleet Manager (CAFM) program, which tests individuals’ expertise in eight core disciplines of fleet management. The CAFS program tests an individual’s expertise in four disciplines.
”The CAFS program has been in existence for several years,” said Phillip E. Russo, CAE, NAFA’s chief executive officer. ”However, in the past, individuals enrolled in the CAFS program had to choose one of three ‘streams’ that dictated the disciplines in which they were tested. Now, individuals can choose any four disciplines and, if they pass those exams, will earn their CAFS designation.”
The menu of disciplines from which individuals may choose is:
•Asset Management, which includes subjects such as vehicle selection, acquisition, and remarketing
•Business Management, which includes law, policies, procedures, emergency operations, and strategic partnering
•Financial Management, which includes, personal use, lease vs. buy vs. reimbursement, budgeting, and lifecycle cost analysis
•Information Management, which includes information systems, telematics, and data management
•Maintenance Management, which includes vehicle technologies, shop operations and staffing, and inventory management
•Professional Development, which includes leadership skills, business communications, and ethics
•Risk Management, which includes insurance, driver training, and crash management
•Vehicle Fuel Management, which includes environmental issues, fuel card programs, and conventional and alternative fuels
Once individuals enroll in the CAFS program, they will receive reference materials, a detailed study guide, and practice test questions for the disciplines in which they enroll. The CAFS program is a self-paced, self-study program. Individuals can schedule exams during their two-year enrollment from the menu of available testing dates on the NAFA site. Students can select the available testing opportunity closest to when they feel sufficiently prepared to take the exam. Individuals enrolling in NAFA’s CAFS program have two years from the date of enrollment to pass four exams and earn the CAFS® designation.
In addition to this ”pick your own” modification of the CAFS program, 69 current students in the certification program who have previously passed four exams are currently being informed they have achieved CAFS-certification. Moving forward, individuals working toward
