The American Public Works Association (APWA) announced new eligibility requirements for the Certified Public Fleet Professional (CPFP) program, allowing private fleet management experience to count toward the work experience requirement. 

The CPFP certification system is for seasoned, public fleet managers, and for those who supervise, manage, oversee or administer fleet services for a public works agency or department, and is designed to ensure individual competency and provide the public works industry with recognized hiring and promotion standards.

“The eligibility requirements have recently been updated to help those with fleet experience in the private sector become certified more quickly,” said APWA CPFP Council member Keith Nicolson, CPFP, fleet and radio communications supervisor of the City of Eugene, Ore. Previousy, only public fleet experience counted toward the eligibility.

For the CPFP, the relevant work experience is performed in the role of a fleet professional and defined as one who actively supervises, manages, oversees, or administers fleet services a minimum of 50% of their weekly activity within a public or private fleet entity. To demonstrate eligibility for the program, candidates must submit an application that documents their compliance with one of the following education and work experience pathways:

• High school graduation and seven years of relevant work experience (seven years of public, or four years public and three years private within the last nine years.)

• Trade school certificate or Associate’s degree and five years of relevant work experience within the last seven years.

• Bachelor’s degree or higher with three years of relevant work experience within the last five years

Currently, the APWA CPFP program has certified 100 Certified Public Fleet Professionals in North America. For more information about APWA’s Certified Public Fleet Professional program, visit APWA’s website.

APWA named four new CPFPs in November.