Waikato Fleet Day biggest yet

Hamilton has been host to the 2023 EROAD Fleet Day, with veteran broadcaster and MC Stephen McIvor welcoming over 800 fleet industry experts and professionals from around the country to Claudelands Event Centre, all focused on road safety, sustainability and fleet efficiency.

Former All Blacks Coach Sir Graham Henry headlined the event on Wednesday last week, sharing his leadership insights from coaching successful sides like Auckland, less successful sides like Wales, and ultimately the 2011 World Cup winning All Blacks. He asserted that, like coaches, fleet managers need to find good people, help them grow and learn from failure.

Fleet Day began in 2012 under the Reduce the Risk banner. Waikato Regional Council primarily ran the event to improve driver safety in fleets. In 2018, about 70 delegates attended the event and the seeds were sown for fleet technology firm EROAD and the council to collaborate and grow the event.

Waikato fleet traffic is significant. The freight and logistics industry employs over 7000 locals, and 32 per cent of New Zealand’s freight movements travel through the region. This heavy vehicle traffic shares the network with lighter vehicle fleet traffic, such as tradies, business people and health workers.

The sheer volume of fleet vehicles means fleet managers can significantly impact transport issues. ChargeNet CEO Danusia Wypych told the audience that around 50 per cent of new vehicles entering New Zealand are headed for fleets, which may be critical for achieving the government’s Emissions Reductions Plan (ERP) objective for zero-emissions vehicles to make up 30 per cent of the light fleet by 2035.

Sergeant Steven Jones, road policing supervisor for Northwestern Waikato, stressed the ongoing effort to reduce vehicle crashes and related harm on Waikato roads, with 36 deaths already this year.

To demonstrate the impact of crashing, organisers dropped a 2004 Honda Jazz from a 30-metre crane outside the arena. It reached 80km/h before smashing into the ground, shattering the windscreen, crushing the bonnet and shoving the engine into the cab.

Brian Yanko manages the New Zealand Police fleet of almost 4000 vehicles. He told attendees that fleet management is critical to police work, getting the right capability at the right time and in the right place. A well-functioning fleet supports police officers to work safely and effectively even when they face high-pressure and dangerous situations, he said.

Waikato Regional Council’s Road Safety Advisor Jenny Davis was at the first event and remains heavily involved promoting road safety.

She says so many people working together in transport is great, but is even happier that fleet operators are recognising and taking the safety of their most precious resource, their staff, seriously. Getting people home safely every day is the main priority.

Sir Graham Henry speaks to the crowd about leadership.

The 2004 Honda Jazz hangs ready to crash 30 metres to the ground.

Waikato Regional Council Road Safety Advisor Jenny Davis at Fleet Day 2023.