The NPTC National Safety Conference, scheduled for September 3-5 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, is an intense, full two-day educational forum that offers a unique format of expert presentations, problem-solving safety-in-the-round breakout sessions, driver recognition, and exceptional networking opportunities. The event provides attendees with insights and implementable solutions for strategic safety and security answers to the greatest challenges facing today’s private fleets.
Topics and speakers represent the most relevant and up-to-date safety information available in the industry. The opening general session will begin with an expert panel discussing the private fleet industry’s major safety priorities. Building a culture of safety, effective driver coaching strategies, scorecarding driver safety performance, and driver turnover impacting safety are other key points of discussion.
Topics covered in the safety-in-the-round breakout sessions will be driver reward and recognition, data integration strategies, driver performance standards, building the case for the ROI of premium spec’ing, alternative energy vehicles, and the advantages of recruiting from within.
Data presented from NPTC’s 2025 Benchmarking Survey Report by EVP Tom Moore, CTP, analyzes key performance metrics related to private fleet safety, why private fleets lead the trucking industry in overall safety performance, the cumulative benefits of deploying active safety technologies, as well as the “secret sauce” behind private fleets' low accident rate.
Attendees will learn how and why private fleets continue to average low Department of Transportation recordable accidents per million miles—a record three times safer than the overall trucking industry. Based on the latest research from the 2025 report, this record has been achieved by 80% of private fleets using in-cab cameras and 24% using side-facing cameras; 89% have speed monitoring; 82% measure lane departure and use adaptive cruise control; and 90% use automated transmissions.
Rick Schweitzer, NPTC general counsel and government affairs representative, will present a live edition of the Washington Report, sponsored by Centerline Drivers. This legislative and regulatory update highlights issues of importance to private fleets, emphasizing safety-related issues.
NPTC’s National Driver All-Stars recognition program, sponsored by International, will be held on September 4. More than 25 drivers from a wide range of private fleet member companies will be honored this year. Some 325 drivers have been recognized as National Driver All-Stars over the past 15 years.
The awards are presented to drivers who have demonstrated exemplary performance compared to their peers throughout the country in areas such as customer service, safety, adherence to company policies, regulatory compliance, and community service. To become an All-Star honoree, candidates must demonstrate characteristics, skills, and attitudes that enable their private fleet to deliver exceptional service along with top safety performance and world-class operational standards.
See also: Meet NPTC's newest Hall of Fame truck drivers
Feedback from attendees at the 2024 National Safety Conference consists mainly of rave reviews. “The show was great with excellent speakers and breakout sessions. It was awesome seeing the turnout and observing how receptive people are to the experts describing their stories of safety excellence. This was one of the best exhibitions at an industry trade show I have ever seen. The member contacts were fantastic. We were very impressed with the results and are all in for 2025.”
David Barth, CTP, chair of the NPTC Board of Directors and transportation safety manager of Wegman’s Food Markets, said, “I attended my first council safety conference in 2009 and have returned many years since. Participation has more than doubled in 15 years. Repeat attendees coming back year after year are joined by many new first-timers. This is testimony to the value they discover from networking and from sharing with the best safety leaders in the industry.”
Kate Mirise, CTP, transportation manager of The Royal Group and chair of the NPTC Safety Committee, said, “This is the premier safety summit of the private fleet world. Its purpose is to learn about proven safety management protocols, benchmarking metrics, breakthrough technologies, and the most innovative tools fleets are using to stay at the top in safety performance.”
NPTC’s National Safety Conference is designed to help your fleet stay on a winning path of continuous improvement and optimal safety results for the long haul.
