IPWEA Blogs

The Government Slashed Fuel Excise. What Does it Mean for Your Fuel Tax Credits?

By Anirudh Sharma posted an hour ago
Australia has reduced fuel excise and suspended the heavy vehicle Road User Charge (RUC) until 30 June 2026. While this delivers immediate relief at the bowser, it also changes how Fuel Tax Credits (FTC) are calculated -and not always in the way businesses expect. From 1 April to 30 June 2026, fuel excise has been cut by 60.9%, dropping from 52.6 cents per litre (CPL) to 20.6 CPL, while the RUC has been temporarily set to zero. For many fleet operators, this will reduce upfront fuel costs, but it also introduces complexity when it comes to FTC claims. According to Anthony Harmer, Director – Indirect Tax at KPMG, the scale and speed of these changes are likely ...
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K-RTK Adds to Komatsu’s Smart Construction Capability

By Anirudh Sharma posted an hour ago
Komatsu Australia has expanded its  Smart Construction  suite with the launch of K-RTK, a subscription service that delivers high-accuracy positioning corrections directly to connected machines. Marc Brook from Komatsu Australia says GPS or GNSS-equipped machinery with real-time kinematic (RTK) is now the preferred site positioning approach on many complex earthmoving projects, particularly where traditional survey set out and grade checking practices struggle to keep pace with program and scale. “Australian earthmoving projects have very little room for positioning error. With rapidly evolving designs and models, changing site conditions, multiple crews ...
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Fleet Remarketing: Choosing the Right Partner

By Anirudh Sharma posted an hour ago
As organisations continue to optimise their fleet lifecycle strategies, the role of effective remarketing has become increasingly critical, not just in maximising resale value, but also in supporting broader cost, compliance, and sustainability objectives. Autorola Australia has discussed effective remarketing with an experienced Fleet Manager from a large Victorian Fleet Council. The purpose of this discussion is to better understand an approach to fleet remarketing and the criteria you use when selecting remarketing partners and channels. Through this interview, we’ll explore the factors that influence decision-making, such as performance metrics, transparency, ...
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The Fuel Crisis and Fleets: How are Local Government Responding

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
Over the past 7 weeks, countries across the world have been grappling with a severe global fuel crisis. Following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz in early March this year, which typically handles approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply, Australia and New Zealand have seen significant spike in fuel prices. The blockade has stranded millions of barrels of crude oil and has created what the International Energy Agency has described as the “largest supply disruption in history”. Much like the early days of the 2020 pandemic, media reports and the psychology of the crisis led to a massive surge in demand for fuel. Despite the official assurances ...
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NZ Police win the 2026 IPWEA Fleet Innovation Award

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
New Zealand Police has been announced as the winner of the  2026 IPWEA Fleet Innovation Award , recognising its Donor Vehicle Programme, an initiative that transforms written-off vehicles into a strategic national parts supply chain supporting frontline fleet operations. The award celebrates practical innovation that improves fleet performance, safety and service delivery across the public sector. This year’s judging panel, made up of members of the IPWEA Fleet Council, noted that the NZ Police initiative demonstrated a clear shift in thinking about how fleet assets can be managed more strategically. Traditionally, vehicles written off as total losses are ...
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Learning Across Borders: What Australian councils can take from a US fleet visit

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
As part of IPWEA Fleet’s ongoing focus on building fleet management maturity through peer learning, Marc Sibbald, Director of Fleet at IPWEA, recently visited the City of Las Vegas to better understand how municipal fleets are managed in the United States and how those approaches compare with Australian local government practice. The visit provided an opportunity to step outside the Australian system and test assumptions by engaging directly with practitioners managing a large, complex municipal fleet in a different regulatory and operating environment. A large fleet with familiar pressures The City of Las Vegas operates a diverse municipal fleet made ...
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Full Fleet Ahead

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
What began as a platform for centralising fleet data is now shaping decisions across Australia’s biggest builds. Eighteen months after launch, Komatsu’s myFleet has become a fixture in how contractors plan their work, measure performance and account for costs. When myFleet was introduced through the myKomatsu customer portal, the aim was to create one place where contractors could view the information machines generate every day. Telemetry, inspections, fluid analysis, undercarriage assessments and service records were drawn together into a single system. For many businesses, that centralisation was the first time machine health, utilisation and service data ...
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Tipping the scales with Hino Hybrid Electric

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
By Geoff Middleton Hino has been selling its 300 Series Hybrid Electric trucks here in Australia for almost 20 years, and the range of trucks that you can get with Hino’s Hybrid Electric drive system is ever growing. Having been on the market for so long and with over 1200 300 Series Hybrid Electrics on the road, Hino now knows that this formula works – and is reliable. The Hino Council Spec Hybrid Electric Tipper was the truck tested for this article. It is a bespoke premium-priced tipper which is locally produced and is tailored to suit the specific and unique specifications and requirements of local councils and Government agencies. It is available ...
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Six Ways Telematics Reduces Costs for Waste Management Fleets

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
Australia’s waste management sector is under increasing pressure as governments work to reduce landfill, invest in recycling infrastructure and support a circular economy. At the same time, waste operators and local councils face rising fuel, maintenance and compliance costs while operating on tight margins. In this environment, reducing fleet costs is critical. Garbage trucks are the backbone of waste operations and must be carefully managed to avoid downtime and inefficiency. Telematics technology provides real-time visibility into vehicle health, driver behaviour and route performance, enabling proactive decision-making. With better data, waste management ...
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Inside One of Australia’s Most Important Truck Factories: An Exclusive Tour at the Fleet Conference

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
For members of the IPWEA Fleet community, the  2026 IPWEA Fleet Conference  offers more than just learning, networking and discussion. It also provides a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes of one of Australia’s most significant heavy-vehicle manufacturing facilities. As part of the conference program, delegates will be able to take part in an exclusive Site Tour of the  PACCAR Australia  factory in Bayswater, Melbourne. The PACCAR factory builds Kenworth and DAF trucks specifically for Australian operating conditions. With strictly limited numbers and access not available to the general public, the tour is shaping up as a major drawcard for fleet ...
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Kia Reveals the PV5 will Arrive in 2026

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
Kia Australia has revealed the Kia PV5, the first dedicated model in the brand’s Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) strategy and a major step toward customer-centric, sustainable electric mobility. Developed on a modular, conversion-ready architecture and supported by advanced software connectivity, the PV5 forms the foundation of Kia’s broader PBV roadmap, which aims for 250,000 global PBV sales by 2030. Future PBV models will expand the lineup, including the larger PV7 in 2027 and the flagship PV9 in 2029, extending the architecture across diverse commercial and mobility sectors. Kia Australia has confirmed the PV5 will arrive locally in Q2–Q3 2026, with local ...
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2026 IPWEA Fleet Conference: Program Announced

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
Don’t miss Australia’s best fleet event! The IPWEA Fleet Conference returns in 2026 with a powerhouse program, and now that the speakers are confirmed, it’s clear this will be a standout year. Held from  23–25 March  at  The Timber Yard  in Port Melbourne, the conference brings together fleet leaders from across Australia and New Zealand for three days of learning, connection and inspiration. From strategic presentations to hands-on technical sessions, real-world case studies and energising roundtables, the program is designed to  educate, challenge, and entertain . But as every returning delegate knows, the best part of the conference is the opportunity to ...
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Top Three Priorities for Fleet Practitioners in 2025: A Roadmap for Continuous Improvement

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
Across Australia and New Zealand, fleet practitioners attending the recent IPWEA Fleet Management Training Days have identified their top three priorities for the next 12 months. These insights came from a practical session focused on developing a Fleet Improvement Plan (FIP)—a key process outlined in Chapter 1 of the Plant and Vehicle Management Manual (PVMM). The FIP forms the foundation of continuous improvement in fleet management. It can be used to support an organisation’s Fleet Asset Management Plan (FAMP), the 10-year strategic roadmap for managing fleet assets, or simply as an individual performance tool to guide professional development and annual ...
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Geotab Unveils Advanced Cold Chain Solution with New Hardware and Enhanced Software

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
In Australia, cold chain breakdowns are a major contributor to food loss.   A 2020 government- and industry-sponsored study   estimated that approximately 1.93 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables are lost in the cold chain each year – this amounts to roughly 25 % of total production. With an estimated 526 million tonnes of food lost globally each year with an estimated   7.6 million tonnes of food   lost in Australia each year, due to ineffective refrigeration, improving visibility and control across temperature-controlled supply chains is more critical than ever. Today,   Geotab , a global leader in connected vehicle and asset solutions, announced ...
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Turning Data into Strategy: Lessons from Darren Scott at Ipswich City Council

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
At the recent Local Buy forum, Darren Scott, Manager of Fleet Services at Ipswich City Council, delivered a lively and practical presentation on using telematics to turn guesswork into strategy. With 40 years’ experience – from mechanic to NSW Police Highway Patrol officer to fleet leader – Darren has seen the good, the bad, and the expensive sides of fleet utilisation. Fleet Utilisation is About More Than Vehicles Darren reminded the audience that fleet utilisation isn’t just about tracking kilometres travelled, rather it’s about people, data, and decisions. At Ipswich, telematics is the “brains behind the wheel,” delivering real-time insights into location, ...
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Doing More with Less – Logan City Council’s Fleet Utilisation Project

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
At the recent Local Buy SEQ Fleet Forum, Thomas Brayley, Manager – Plant Fleet Business at Logan City Council, shared how his team is tackling tighter budgets and workforce constraints while still delivering high-impact outcomes. With a multi-million operational and capital budget and a diverse range of assets ranging from yellow plant to heavy commercials, the challenge was significant. This financial year brought a 12.5% cut to materials and services and a 5% cut to employee costs with just two months’ notice to adapt. The Reserve Review – A Catalyst for Change A review of the council’s capital replacement reserve revealed a critical problem: forward ...
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Key Benefits of a Strong Maintenance Management System

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
No Fleet Manager wants to see one of their vehicles on the side of the road, or worse, involved in an incident caused by a preventable fault. Yet the 2024 National Roadworthiness Survey conducted by the NHVR is a sobering reminder of the risks we face across the heavy vehicle fleet in Australia. The NHVR inspected over 9,000 vehicles and combinations nationally, and found that 33% of units had at least one non-conformity — a slight increase from 31% in 2021. The most common faults? Brakes, lights and reflectors, structure and body, engine driveline and exhaust, and steering and suspension. If the national regulator — conducting targeted, professional inspections ...
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Why Every Fleet Needs a Fleet Improvement Plan

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
Many Fleet Managers understand what needs to be done to improve their fleet — whether it’s optimising utilisation, reducing maintenance costs, managing compliance, or preparing for an electric vehicle transition. But too often, these improvement goals stay in the Fleet Manager’s head or in informal notes. That’s where a Fleet Improvement Plan (FIP) can make all the difference. A written Fleet Improvement Plan helps steer the fleet team and ensures their efforts are aligned to the organisation’s broader goals and objectives. It provides structure, accountability and visibility — all essential ingredients for moving from reactive fleet management to a strategic, ...
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How EVs Perform in the Real-World – And What this Means for Fleets

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
Understanding how electric vehicles perform compared to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles is essential for effective fleet management. In a   recent webinar , hosted by fleet management solutions provider,   Smartrak , automotive journalist, and EV specialist Robert Pepper, delved into the core technical concepts that matter most when introducing EVs into a fleet – from energy efficiency of ICE vs EVs to the real-world impacts of weight, modification, and towing. Robert Pepper, Automotive Journalist, L2SFBC Whether you’re managing a fleet of light passenger vehicles or heavily modified utes, the insights shared in this webinar provide ...
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How Geotab Helps Streamline FBT Compliance with Smarter Logbooks

By Anirudh Sharma posted 2 hours ago
Managing Fringe Benefits Tax (“FBT”) regulations is a key priority for any organisation with a fleet of vehicles. One of the most effective ways to reduce FBT costs is through accurate and compliant logbooks that track private versus business use. FBT applies to benefits provided to employees, including the private use of company vehicles. Employers have two main options to calculate the taxable value of these benefits: Statutory Formula Method – applies a flat rate of 20% to the vehicle’s base cost. Operating Cost Method – calculates FBT based on actual running costs, factoring in the percentage of private use. The Operating Cost Method can lead ...
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