Certification programs can improve your fleet.(PW Update: Management)

It's no secret that fleet managers are being forced to do more with fewer resources these days. "More and more managers are trying to make their fleets last longer, and yet they're being asked to do the maintenance function for less money," says John Brewington, president, Brewington & Co., a Mount Airy, N.C., fleet management consultant.

For public works departments, fleet operation is a non-core business, compared to departments like water or street maintenance, says Kelly Walker, who owns Kelly Walker Associates, a Dallas-based fleet management authority. That means fleet services can be outsourced completely. Fleet managers must compete with the private sector, or face the specter of losing their jobs.

What's a fleet manager to do? These days, more managers are hitting the books, learning advanced business practices, and obtaining professional certifications. Today, at least four professional associations offer fleet manager certifications that apply to public sector employees. The four are:

* The National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA) offers the Certified Automotive Fleet Manager, or CAFM, designation. Many NAFA members manage large fleets for private corporations, but today, more than half its members work in the public sector, says …