Ausgrid has been named Fleet of the Year in the 2026 Fleet News Group Awards, after an open industry vote involving members of the fleet community across Australia and New Zealand.
The award recognises excellence across the full fleet management function, with Ausgrid impressing both the judging panel and the wider fleet industry through its strategic approach to safety, asset management, data, operational efficiency and electrification.
Ausgrid was one of three finalists selected following a detailed judging process alongside Blacktown City Council and Parkes Shire Council.
Each finalist participated in an interview with the judging panel, where their fleet management practices, supporting evidence, governance, systems and continuous improvement programs were assessed.
Once the three finalists were selected, the final decision moved to the broader fleet industry.
Nomination case studies for each finalist were published as part of the Fleet News Group Awards voting process, allowing fleet professionals across Australia and New Zealand to review the submissions before casting their vote for Fleet of the Year.
It was that open industry vote that ultimately selected Ausgrid as the 2026 winner.
Managing a complex operational fleet
Supporting an electricity network serving more than four million customers, Ausgrid manages approximately 1,600 vehicles together with around 700 items of plant and equipment.
The fleet stretches well beyond passenger and light commercial vehicles. It includes elevated work platforms, pole borers, prime movers, cable-handling equipment, specialist off-road assets and even boats used to reach customers and infrastructure accessible from the Hawkesbury River.
That diversity means fleet management needs to balance utilisation and cost with a less conventional requirement: having sufficient vehicles and equipment available when storms or other network emergencies occur.
During the judging interview, Ausgrid explained that simply maximising everyday utilisation could compromise its ability to respond when the electricity network is disrupted.
That operational focus underpins a CEO-endorsed FY2026–29 fleet strategy built around four pillars: safe to work, fit for purpose, value for money and electrification.
Strong result from the judging panel
Before progressing to the industry vote, Ausgrid performed strongly during the judging stage.
The Fleet of the Year judges described Ausgrid as a “highly mature fleet operation with strong governance, well-established policies and procedures, excellent use of data and a clear long-term strategy”.
“The level of control across such a diverse fleet is impressive, particularly given the mix of passenger vehicles, specialised plant and heavy vehicles,” the judges noted.
Ausgrid received a judging score of 19 out of 20, with maximum scores for strategy and governance, data and performance management, operations and compliance, and continuous improvement, sustainability and technology.
That score helped demonstrate the strength of Ausgrid’s fleet management practices during the finalist selection process, but did not determine the eventual winner.
After the finalists were announced, voting was opened to the industry, giving fleet professionals across Australia and New Zealand the opportunity to decide which organisation they believed should receive the Fleet of the Year Award.
The judges also highlighted the quality of the team behind the fleet, describing the nomination interview as demonstrating “clearly informed and proactive team members” and a strong focus on continuous improvement.
Data connects the asset lifecycle
A significant part of Ausgrid’s fleet maturity is the visibility it has developed across its assets.
SAP operates as a central source of fleet information, supported by digital maintenance systems, telematics, IVMS and Power BI reporting.
The systems allow Ausgrid to follow an asset from its original risk assessment and procurement documentation through commissioning, servicing and maintenance, fuel and tyre expenditure, incidents and ultimately disposal.
Reporting is then tailored to different levels of management rather than simply collecting data for the fleet team.
High-level dashboards provide executives with visibility of safety and compliance, while fleet managers and operational teams can drill deeper into individual assets and performance measures.
The judges highlighted this approach, noting that Ausgrid’s reporting enables “accessible dashboard reporting and data driven decision making across management levels”.
Using fleet data to improve safety
Safety is closely linked to Ausgrid’s use of data.
IVMS and telematics information is being used to develop driver and vehicle scores based on indicators such as speeding and harsh braking.
Driver performance can be reported back to employees and their managers, creating opportunities to address higher-risk behaviour and support safer driving.
The broader fleet framework also includes documented procedures, pre-purchase risk assessments, heavy vehicle compliance requirements and operating procedures for specialist equipment.
The judges said Ausgrid’s “telematics capability and focus on driver behaviour demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement”.
Electrification moves beyond passenger vehicles
Electrification is another of the four pillars of Ausgrid’s fleet strategy, but its approach extends beyond simply replacing passenger vehicles with EVs.
Most of the passenger fleet has already transitioned to electric vehicles, while Ausgrid has progressively introduced electric vans and trucks and evaluated opportunities for heavier vehicles.
Its longer-term target is to increase fleet electrification from around 11 per cent to approximately 80 per cent by FY2029.
Importantly, the transition is being considered alongside the operational requirements of an electricity network.
Charging infrastructure is being developed across depots and substations, complemented by home and public charging options.
Ausgrid has also been testing 40kW DC charging at substations and investigating vehicle-to-vehicle charging as another layer of resilience.
For employees taking vehicles home, the fleet team has been exploring how IVMS data could automate reimbursement when an employee charges an Ausgrid vehicle using electricity from their home.
It demonstrates why electrification was assessed as part of the broader fleet strategy rather than as a standalone sustainability project.
Fit for purpose remains the priority
One of the strongest themes from Ausgrid’s nomination was the connection between fleet decisions and the operational needs of the organisation.
Vehicle allocation, utilisation, whole-of-life cost and electrification are considered alongside the ability of Ausgrid crews to maintain the electricity network and respond during major events.
That means a vehicle cannot simply be cheaper, newer or lower-emission. It must be able to perform the task required of it.
The judges highlighted Ausgrid’s executive-endorsed fleet strategy, utilisation monitoring, right-sizing initiatives, documented policies, telematics, driver scorecards and integrated reporting when assessing the nomination.
Those practices earned Ausgrid its place among the three Fleet of the Year finalists.
The final endorsement came from the fleet community itself.
After reviewing the finalist case studies, industry participants across Australia and New Zealand selected Ausgrid as the 2026 Fleet of the Year, recognising a fleet operation where strategy, safety, technology, sustainability and operational requirements are being managed as interconnected parts of the same fleet management framework.
