Day 2 of the 2026 Government Fleet Expo & Conference opened with a reminder that preparation matters most when there is no room for failure.

Col. Mark Tillman, a retired Air Force One pilot, began the day with a keynote centered on the concept of a “zero fail mission.” Drawing from his experience piloting President George W. Bush on Sept. 11, 2001, and later transporting the commander in chief into Baghdad, Iraq, Tillman gave attendees a behind-the-scenes look at the planning and responsibility required in some of the nation’s most high-stakes moments.

Tillman tied his experience into the dedication of public fleet professionals, and the work that often happens outside public view.

Whether an agency is responding to an emergency, supporting law enforcement, or keeping daily services moving, the work depends on people who can plan ahead and act when conditions change.

Let the Fleet Sessions Begin

After the keynote, the day shifted into the operational realities facing public fleets now. Technology was a major part of that conversation, but the focus stayed on how people are expected to use it.

In the morning, Jen Brown, fleet director for the City of Flagstaff, addressed the role artificial intelligence can play in fleet operations while keeping human decision-making at the center.

The session fit into a larger conversation taking place across GFX, as agencies look for ways to use smarter tools without losing sight of the judgment and accountability that public service requires.

Technology shaped many of the day’s conversations, but the conversation never moved far from the people using it. For public fleets, the value of new tools depends on whether teams can turn them into better decisions in the shop, in the field, and across the agency.

That same balance came through in a session around preparing teams for emerging technology, where panelists discussed what lies beyond EVs and ADAS and looked into emerging tools such as AI-enabled fleet systems, predictive maintenance platforms, connected vehicle data, and digital diagnostics.

The technician conversation continued in “Cultivating Technicians While Helping Others,” led by John King, fleet director for Palm Beach County.

"We're in a time where we have many different generations that are in the workforce," King said. "Each one of us is tasked with trying to figure out how to motivate or how to keep or retain those individuals, and that's a tall order as well."

The Exhibit Hall Opens, Shop Talks Begin

The exhibit hall opened at 11 a.m. allowing several hours for attendees to check out vehicles, learn about new tech, and stop in for Shop Talks.

During the afternoon Shop Talks, Nicolas Freeman, senior director of enterprise sales for RoadFlex, discussed how fuel, telematics, and maintenance data can be integrated in public fleets. Jason Wonase, CEO of Collective Data, followed with a session on AI-powered intelligence and how shared data can support stronger operational insight.

The conversation continued later in “Analytical Fleet KPIs: Data-Driven Metrics for Optimization,” led by Brandon Boring, fleet manager for Penn State Health. The session centered around how fleet leaders can use performance metrics to better understand where their operations are succeeding and where changes may be needed.

For government fleets, data is only useful when it leads to a decision. The strongest discussions throughout the day treated data less like a reporting exercise and more like a tool for explaining needs in addition to defending investments and improving daily operations.

Addressing Needs Down the Line

Long-term planning also came up throughout the day as speakers addressed the facilities, assets, and budgets that shape fleet performance.

While addressing the issues keeping fleets up at night, Rick Longobart, fleet operations manager for the City of Raleigh, North Carolina, discussed the importance of making connections beyond the fleet department.

"Go make friends...we make strategic partners with a couple different departments," he said. "Make friends with people that help you along your journey to help you get to where you need to be."

In “The Business Case for Building a Modern Fleet Maintenance Garage,” Norman E. Barrientos, principal architect for Barrientos Design & Consulting, Inc., and Bradley Northup, public works superintendent for fleet operations for the City of Carlsbad, looked at what agencies should consider when planning maintenance facilities for current and future needs.

Other sessions addressed right-sizing, training budgets, and maintenance strategies. Each topic approached the same underlying issue from a different angle: public fleets are under pressure to get more value from limited resources while still preparing for what comes next.

The afternoon also gave attendees a closer look at how agencies are responding to specific operational challenges.

Emergency preparedness was also brought into the conversation with panelists sharing real-world experiences managing incidents, coordinating resources during crises, and navigating the aftermath to restore operations safely and efficiently.

A key focus was on the value of strong partnerships with fire and police departments, including how cross-agency collaboration improves communication, response times, and overall outcomes during emergencies.

In “Remarketing Law Enforcement – Untapped Revenue,” Timothy Coxwell, fleet management division director for the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, discussed the revenue opportunity tied to remarketing law enforcement vehicles at the right point in their lifecycle.

The day also included an interactive session highlighting the women in fleet and how those individuals are changing the operations they lead.

Lead by LP Monroe, fleet maintenance division manager for Prince George’s County, Maryland, the panel spoke about their journey to where they are today as well as the key characteristics that have made women successful innovators.

Rashelle Celestin, deputy chief of administration for Baltimore's fleet, addressed the need for working together.

"I just need to understand you so that we can understand each other and we can be better as a team in this industry, whether it's through develeopment or whether it's just through fleet," she said.

City of Baltimore  Acting Chief of Fleet Management Shanae Spencer Williams added to this by stating, "You don't have to know everything, you just have to be willing to learn."