Naperville's city fleet operation climbed to its highest national ranking ever, placing No. 6 in the 2026 NAFA 100 Best Fleets in the Americas competition.

The Department of Public Works Fleet Services Division, which maintains all city vehicles including fire apparatus and ambulances, moved up from No. 7 in 2025. The team has ranked among the top 100 fleets for 13 consecutive years, but had never cracked the top 10 until last year.

Heavy Equipment Technician III Jordan Gilbert also placed in the top five for NAFA Technician of the Year, the first time a Naperville employee has earned individual national recognition from the organization. Gilbert has spent 10 years with the division and holds 42 ASE and EVT certifications, including master-level credentials for fire apparatus, ambulances, and heavy vehicles. His direct billable hours hit 86.6%.

The division's performance metrics back up the ranking. Scheduled repairs run at 85.9%, above the 80% industry benchmark. Rework repairs stay under 1%, well below the 5% threshold. Inventory variance sits at 0.44%, compared to an industry goal of under 3%.

Fleet Services Manager Tracy Rulo called it a result of "continuous improvement" in a LinkedIn post celebrating the team's finish.

According to the city's announcement, the division credited cross-department collaboration for its gains, including an in-house motor pool tool built with the Information Technology Department, a data-driven vehicle replacement scoring model, and strategic fuel procurement that has kept expenses below Oil Price Information Service benchmarks.

The NAFA competition, now in its 25th year, is open to any public or commercial fleet in North, Central, or South America and evaluates accountability, technology use, financial management, staff development, and resource stewardship.