Stop Making Excuses. Here’s Why You Should Apply for NAFA’s 100 Best Fleets
Fleet Expert and 7-Time Winner Facundo Tassara Shares Why the Application Process Is More Valuable Than the Trophy
“You don’t get points for blank sections, and you definitely don’t grow by standing still. Just start.”
Let’s cut to the chase.
I’ve heard every excuse in the book from fleet managers about why they “can’t” apply for NAFA’s 100 Best Fleets:
- “We’re not ready.”
- “We’re starting to measure that next year.”
- “What if we don’t rank?”
- “I’m too busy.”
My answer? You’ll give the same excuse next year, so you might as well just start this year.
Applying for the 100 Best Fleets isn’t about the trophy, though the recognition is nice. It’s about benchmarking, reflecting, and committing to being just a little better than you were yesterday.
Think of it as the Fleet Playoffs. And if you're serious about winning (in performance, leadership credibility, and stakeholder trust), you can’t afford to sit on the sidelines.
7 Reasons You Should Apply for NAFA’s 100 Best Fleets
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Recognition That Counts
Let’s be honest. It feels good to win. And being able to say, “We’re in the top 100 fleets in the nation,” earns instant credibility with leadership, internal stakeholders, and your community.
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Operational Benchmarking
The application process forces you to assess your entire operation, from preventive maintenance compliance to innovation, safety, and sustainability. It’s like giving your fleet a full diagnostic check. You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
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Team Morale
Your crew deserves a win. This program gives them something tangible to be proud of. It helps build a culture where pride in the work becomes the norm, not the exception. See why 2x NAFA 100 Best Fleets winner Sara Burnam says applying was a game-changer for her team.
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Industry Networking
Meet other high-performing fleet professionals, share ideas, and swap real-world solutions. It’s like speed dating for best practices ... without the awkward small talk.
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Competitive Edge
Want to boost your public perception or secure more funding? “Award-Winning Fleet” looks a lot better on your website and RFPs than “we’re just doing our best.”
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Culture of Continuous Improvement
The best part? Even if you don’t make the list, the process itself makes your fleet better. That’s the whole point.
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Built-In Accountability
The best fleets don’t just look good on paper. They use what they’ve learned to track performance, highlight gaps, and motivate every department to level up.
How I Used the 100 Best Fleets Application to Drive Real Results
I applied 7 times. And we ranked 7 times. That’s great, but that’s not the point.
Early on, I realized that this wasn’t about winning, it was about getting better.
What started as a once-a-year application quickly became a monthly internal report I shared with department heads and stakeholders. It became our roadmap for where we needed to improve, and a loudspeaker to celebrate where we were excelling.
One of my favorite moments? Publishing our PM compliance rates by department. The departments that complained the most about downtime suddenly had to answer for their part in the problem. Accountability matters.
My Top Tips for Applying (and Winning)
1. Just Start.
Don’t wait until you're “ready.” No one ever is. The process itself helps you get there.
2. Don’t Leave Any Section Blank.
You miss every shot you don’t take. Even if you’re not tracking something yet, say that, and include how and when you plan to start. That shows growth and earns points.
3. Involve Your Team.
They have insight, stories, and data that you might not think to include. This is a team win.
4. Start Early.
Give yourself time. Rushing through the application cheats your team out of recognition, and cheats you out of valuable insights.
5. Embrace the Process.
Is it time-consuming? Yes. But so is every other worthwhile thing in your fleet. This is about improving, year after year.
Get more tips from NAFA 100 Best Fleets judge Steve Saltzgiver.
Final Word: You Don’t Have to Be #1. You Just Have to Try
Success in fleet management doesn’t come from being perfect. It comes from showing up, staying consistent, and being willing to face the truth of how you’re doing.
NAFA’s 100 Best Fleets is one of the best tools out there for doing exactly that.
So stop making excuses. Start the application. Your team deserves it.