The hype was building for several weeks amongst the fleet community as the year’s biggest event came to Sydney for a second time. The AfMA Fleet Conference provides an opportunity for Fleet Managers to meet a range of suppliers in the exhibition space, and hear them speaking about new products and services.
Vince White, General Manager at QFleet and current AfMA President, opened the day and couldn’t contain his excitement about the current period of fleet electrification and the opportunities for everyone working in fleet management.
“I’ve only been in fleet management for three years,” explained White. “So being in QFleet for three years, and prior to that a history in asset management and managing finances and infrastructure. So coming into this with the transitioning to electric vehicles, it’s exciting. In Queensland we have nearly 400 electric vehicles in our (government) fleet. It’s never been done before. The technology, and what we’re going to learn here today; it’s new and it’s exciting.”
White acknowledge the current AfMA team and reminded everyone that AfMA has been around for 28 years and has remained consistent with their goal to enhance fleet management as a profession in its own right, to provide knowledge, information and resources to vendors. And to lobby and advocate on behalf of the fleet industry.
Mace Hartley, Executive Director at the Australasian Fleet Managers Association, said at the end of Day One that 2023 has been “The most electrifying conference ever with 700 delegates and 19 vehicle manufacturers with vehicles in display.”
Hartley and the team at AfMA were buzzing during the Gala Dinner as the winners of the three annual awards were announced. Each of the winners in 2023 showed amazing innovation and passion for their projects which filled everyone in the room with pride for the fleet management industry.
The award winners are:
- 2023 Fleet Environment Award – Waste Management NZ
- 2023 Fleet Safety Award – Essential Energy
- 2023 Fleet Manager of the Year – Jitesh Singh – Waste Management NZ
