The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) has revealed exciting plans for their next Run on Less event, titled Run on Less – Messy Middle. The 2025 event will spotlight heavy-duty Class 8 trucks—both sleepers and day cabs—operating in long-haul, return-to-base, and over-the-road duty cycles.
Targeting Freight’s Largest-Impact Segment
Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, NACFE has explained their decision to focus this Run on what they call the “messy middle.”
“We chose to focus this Run on the messy middle and specifically on long-haul, return-to-base, and over-the-road duty cycles because it is the largest emitting market segment and there is confusion surrounding it,” said Mike Roeth, NACFE’s executive director.
Set to take place in September, the event will highlight four distinct powertrain options—diesel, natural gas, battery-electric, and hydrogen fuel cells. Each powertrain type will be represented by three trucks from different fleets, offering valuable real-world data to help better understand the long-haul segment.
“By having trucks with a variety of powertrains, we will be able to capture real-world data and bring some clarity to the long-haul portion of the messy middle,” Roeth noted.
NACFE is actively working with fleets to select an accurate mix of participants to reflect current industry trends. The organization has announced that details about the selected fleets will be shared this spring, followed by on-site visits to each of the 12 fleet locations.
Leveraging Data to Drive Insights
For this Run, like previous ones, each participating truck will be equipped with Geotab telematics devices. Geotab, NACFE’s official data partner for Run on Less – Messy Middle, will enable the event to collect and analyze critical data.
The Run on Less website will also play a central role, featuring updated fleet profiles, video stories, and a dashboard tracking various metrics. Additionally, information and results from the prior four Runs will still be accessible through the site, allowing for comprehensive knowledge sharing.
Educational Bootcamp Series Kicks Off in February
Complementing the September event is a 13-session Bootcamp series, set to begin on Wednesday, February 11, at 1 p.m. EST, with sessions continuing every other week. The Bootcamp is designed to educate and engage industry professionals across various fuel technologies, including diesel, natural gas, battery-electric, and hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Three sessions will specifically cover each powertrain type, followed by dedicated recap workshops. A concluding session will address additional fuel-efficiency technologies critical to the messy middle.
Rachel Ellenberger, NACFE’s industry engagement manager, expressed her enthusiasm for the Bootcamp program, saying, “The NACFE team has been hard at work over the last few months putting together stellar programming for the Run on Less – Messy Middle Bootcamp, and I’m excited to unveil it to our audience.”
She added, “This year’s Bootcamp will include the educational sessions we all know and love along with workshops designed to be more conversational and encourage further audience participation. The agenda is set, and we’re excited to continue to recruit engaging speakers who are talented storytellers in their corner of the industry. I’m looking forward to seeing you in February!”
Participants can register for the Bootcamp today, with ACT News, published by TRC Companies, assisting NACFE in coordinating the program mechanics.
Event Sponsors and Industry Backing
NACFE has already secured two major title sponsors for the upcoming Run—Cummins and Shell. Additional sponsors announced include Chevron, Clean Energy, The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Eaton, ExxonMobil, FlowBelow, Geotab, PepsiCo, Prologis, and TeraWatt.
“We are grateful to the Title and Event Sponsors that have stepped up so early in the process to help sponsor Run on Less – Messy Middle,” Roeth stated. “The Run is not possible without industry support, and we still need Executive, Title, Event and Supporter Sponsors.”
Don’t Miss Out on the Action
The Run on Less – Messy Middle is poised to be another groundbreaking initiative by NACFE, offering game-changing insights into how fleets can tackle emissions, operational efficiency, and a clearer path through the so-called “messy middle.”
Follow NACFE for updates on participants, sponsor additions, and insights from the Bootcamp! Don’t forget to register for the Bootcamp today and stay ahead of the curve in exploring innovative solutions for freight efficiency.
Source: The Trucker
