The importance of good fleet management*

The importance of good fleet management cannot be overstated. But why is it that plant and vehicles need to be managed efficiently, effectively and with safety in mind?

Firstly, fleets are valuable assets in their own right and the cost of holding and operating a fleet can account for a significant part of an organisation’s budget.

Secondly, the fleet can have a direct impact on operational effectiveness and service delivery. A fleet that is fit-for-purpose, safe and reliable, supports effective operations and the delivery of corporate goals. Fleets that are not suited to the task or are not well-maintained carry risks through potential injury to workers and others, lost productivity and higher whole-of-life costs.

Finally, there are specific legislative obligations on the operators of fleets such as Workplace Health and Safety and Chain of Responsibility. Breaches can lead to significant penalties for senior management and reputational damage for the organisation.

The challenge for fleet managers is that while technology and regulatory compliance is increasing, making fleet management more complicated and time consuming, there are continual budget pressures and the need to do more with less.

To achieve this, fleet managers need to be equipped with the knowledge skills and resources to meet these challenges.

This is IPWEA FLEET’s mission – to provide training, resources and networks that help fleet managers meet day to day challenges and prepare for the future.

With this in mind, the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) will be holding its annual Australasian Fleet Conference in Brisbane 16 – 18 March 2020.

2020 is a landmark year and an appropriate time to take stock of the challenges and opportunities facing fleet managers now and over the coming years.

Delegates will hear from a host of eminent speakers that are experts in their field.

The guest international speaker Scott Conlon is an experienced fleet manager and a leading fleet consultant.  Scott will share his experience working with fleets across the United States and provide an insight into matters such as alternate fuels, technology and dynamic replacement planning to ensure continuous improvement when managing a fleet.

In addition, industry specialists and practicing fleet managers will cover a broad range of relevant topics from robotics and artificial intelligence to fleet management information systems, plant safety, transitioning to electronic vehicles, financial efficiency and much more.

The conference includes an expo and various networking functions and wraps up with a field trip.

The IPWEA Australasian Fleet Conference is organised by the fleet industry for the fleet industry. The conference is a great value for money practical way to help fleet practitioners get the most out of their fleets.

*Copy supplied by IPWEA