Descartes at NPTC & Home Delivery World: Driving Innovation in Fleet & Last-Mile Logistics
Key Takeaways
- Private fleets are driving innovation with strong safety records, high tech adoption, and a focus on operational excellence.
- Integrated routing, mobile, and telematics solutions are helping private fleets boost efficiency, streamline compliance, and improve driver safety.
- Attendees saw firsthand how automation and visibility tools improve customer satisfaction while reducing costs.
From private fleet excellence to last-mile innovation, May was a milestone month for Descartes. Our team hit the road to connect with fleet leaders, showcase powerful logistics technologies, and celebrate the industry’s top performers at two major events: NPTC 2025 in Orlando and Home Delivery World USA in Nashville.
Honoring Excellence at NPTC 2025
The National Private Truck Council (NPTC) Annual Conference continues to be the premier destination for private fleet professionals, and 2025 was no exception. With more than 1,300 attendees and 190+ exhibitors, it offered a dynamic forum for exchanging ideas, forging new partnerships, and exploring the latest innovations in fleet management.
Descartes was honored to sponsor the FleetOwner Private Fleet of the Year Award, which celebrates fleets that lead the industry in safety, innovation, and operational excellence. Presented by Cyndi Brandt, VP of Fleet Solutions at Descartes, the award recognizes companies that are redefining what is possible in private fleet performance.
Congratulations to this year’s outstanding winners: Marathon Petroleum, Brakebush Transportation, and Occidental Chemical—each setting a high bar for what excellence in fleet operations looks like today.
“These fleets are early adopters of technology, operate very safely and efficiently, and give back to their communities. Their values align perfectly with Descartes’ mission of equipping fleets with best-in-class technology.” - Cyndi Brandt, VP of Fleet Solutions.
A Night to Remember: TopGolf Orlando
Descartes also co-hosted a relaxed evening at TopGolf Orlando, alongside Geotab, Drivewyze, and Lytx.
The event brought together fleet professionals for a night of networking, fun, and conversations about the future of fleet technology—all just minutes from the conference center.
Innovation on Display at Home Delivery World USA
Just a week later, the Descartes team headed to Nashville for Home Delivery World USA, the essential event for retailers, carriers, and logistics providers shaping the future of ecommerce.
The conference brought together industry professionals looking to solve challenges across the end-to-end delivery journey. From optimizing middle-mile logistics to improving last-mile performance, Descartes shared practical strategies and technologies that support more reliable, efficient operations.
Topics at the booth and throughout the event included:
- Full Truckload (FTL) and Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) optimization
- Real-time fleet visibility and mobile driver tools
- Warehouse and inventory management integration
- Agile, automated dispatching
As consumer expectations continue to rise, Home Delivery World offered valuable insight into how logistics organizations are adapting—embracing flexibility, data-driven decisions, and greater collaboration across the supply chain.
Expert Insights: Ensuring Product Integrity from Dock to Door
At Home Delivery World USA, Cyndi Brandt, VP of Fleet Solutions at Descartes, joined the panel: Temperature and Time: Ensuring Quality Throughout the Order Journey. The discussion explored the challenges of maintaining product quality—particularly temperature-sensitive goods—as delivery models evolve, and customer expectations rise.
Panel Highlights:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the game. More companies are using AI to calculate optimal packaging methods and cooling needs—aiming to minimize waste without compromising product integrity.
- Smarter ETAs reduce delivery friction. By integrating temperature data into estimated time of arrival (ETA) systems, fleets can avoid redundant temperature checks and streamline handoffs at the final mile.
- Gig-economy delivery models introduce risk. With fewer controls over driver training and equipment, companies struggle to maintain consistent temperature conditions throughout the journey.
Conclusion
From private fleets to parcel carriers, one message was clear across both NPTC and Home Delivery World USA: logistics leaders are navigating increased complexity with greater urgency and innovation is at the center of it all.
Whether it’s improving safety and reliability in private fleet operations or optimizing middle- and last-mile delivery for ecommerce, the events showcased how the industry is evolving to meet rising expectations around performance, visibility, and service.
Cyndi Brandt
Cyndi Brandt, VP of Fleet Solutions at Descartes, drives go-to-market strategy for routing, mobile, and telematics solutions. With 23 years in transportation technology, she specializes in last-mile operations, dispatch, tracking, telematics, and data analytics, offering deep expertise in both last-mile and over-the-road logistics.
Transform your logistics—let’s get started today.
Fleet Resource Center
Expand Your Routing, Mobile & Telematics Knowledge
Recommended For You
