Key takeaways
- NPTC 2026 will showcase private fleet strategies, focusing on safety, sustainability, and operational growth.
- Attendees can gain insights into driver shortages, zero-emission vehicles, AI training, and talent development.
- Networking and workshops provide opportunities to connect with vendors, benchmark performance, and access fleet leadership insights.
The future looks bigger and brighter for private fleets. That overriding theme will drive the National Private Truck Council’s 2026 Annual Conference & Exhibition, to be held May 9-11, one day earlier than usual.
Our venues are the Hyatt Regency Orlando Hotel and the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), placing attendees right on International Drive in the heart of Orlando’s entertainment, dining, and shopping district. The OCCC’s state-of-the-art meeting space will serve as home base for NPTC’s registration, the exhibition hall in West Hall D, educational workshops, general sessions, and award ceremonies.
Welcoming guests are our volunteer leaders, including outgoing NPTC Board Chair David Barth, CTP, of Wegmans Food Markets; incoming Chair Mari Roberts, CTP, of Frito-Lay; and NPTC Institute Board of Governors Chair Mike Schwersenska, CTP, of Brakebush Transportation. They are joined by incoming Vice Chair Tim Eckhardt, CTP, of Dot Transportation and newly elected Secretary John Gillenwater, CTP, of HC Transport.
Tenstreet sponsors the kick-off general session, featuring a Keynote Address by ACT Research President and Senior Analyst Ken Vieth. His presentation, “40 Years of Trucking: From Deregulation to Decarbonization,” will be followed by a “Road Ahead” fireside chat with NPTC. Vieth will share critical insights on regulatory emissions standards, autonomous technology, zero-emission vehicles, freight market cycles, and his 10-year market outlook for private fleets versus for-hire carriers.
The opening day also honors NPTC’s Professional Leadership Award winners, sponsored by E.A. Dion. It features the Certified Transportation Professional Class of 2026 graduation, sponsored by J.J. Keller & Associates, and the CTP Top Graduate of the Year Award, proudly sponsored by FleetOwner. The day wraps up following the exhibition hall's close at 5:30 p.m., leading directly into the highly popular ACT-1 sponsored Gala Networking Reception from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Day two features a luncheon ceremony announcing the NPTC Driver Hall of Fame and Fleet Safety Award winners, sponsored by International and Centerline Drivers. At the closing-day luncheon, NPTC EVP Tom Moore will present a preliminary report on the NPTC 2026 Benchmarking Survey Report, sponsored by Penske Truck Leasing and Tenstreet. The conference then concludes with the FleetOwner 500 Top Private Fleet of the Year award ceremony, sponsored by Descartes.
Led by Chris Fada of Ross Transportation Services and 50 committee members, the NPTC Conference Planning Committee has curated an exceptional lineup. Over 45 fleet experts will present across dozens of sessions covering alternative power, AI driver development, talent acquisition, cybersecurity, nuclear verdicts, and the driver shortage.
We expect up to 1,300 attendees from over 400 companies, alongside 160 exhibitors and 34 sponsors. Fleet attendees are the managers, directors, and vice presidents who shape the strategic decisions of North American shipper companies. They will find top-tier exhibitors showcasing state-of-the-art equipment and management solutions, building the long-term vendor relationships that are a hallmark of private fleet culture.
The scale of NPTC fleets is impressive, averaging 502 CDL-A drivers, 626 power units—mostly Class 8s—along with 1,041 trailers across 49 operating locationsLooking ahead, 69% plan to add equipment next year, and more than 77% expect to add drivers, equipment, and lanes over the next five years. Furthermore, 75% invest in environmentally sustainable equipment and management protocols, 25% rely on third-party expertise to manage their private fleet, and 77% operate as cost centersOperating three times safer than the general trucking industry, these fleets place a high priority on continuous improvement
“You Must Be Present to Win” is NPTC’s long-standing conference slogan. Come to Orlando in May and find out why.
About the Author
Gary Petty
Gary Petty has more than three decades of experience as a CEO of national trade associations in the trucking industry. Since 2001, he has served as president and CEO of the National Private Truck Council, the national trade association founded in 1939, representing the private motor carrier industry. Petty is the Private Fleet Editor and columnist for FleetOwner, where he writes monthly articles about successful managers and business models in the private fleet market.