The 2016 AFMA Fleet Environment Award has been won by Austin Health and Jan Zagari.
Austin Health reduced its CO2 footprint by 75% and 76% less fuel consumed in the last few years, travel distances have plummeted thanks to carpooling and more organised work scheduling and old tyres are now completely recycled. Zagari brought an ad hoc system into order and worked hard on changing attitudes into one.
“For Austin Health, it wasn’t just about reducing waste, it was the knock-on effects of saving money for the fleet at the same time,” Jan said. “We’re now looking at expanding our electric vehicle fleet. It’s an honour to accept the award”.
The health organisation now ensures smaller vehicles phase out larger ones, and online booking system records vehicle use and a rigorous maintenance regime ensures the fleet runs efficiently.
Fleet managers, supplier figures and affiliated business people filled the Doltone House venue. AFMA Executive Director Mace Hartley was ecstatic with the like-minded turnout.
“It’s great that people are putting first their drivers, their staff and the world around us,” Hartley said. “While doing all this, we want to acknowledge how their actions are also benefiting their business. Seeing all these organisations and their people come together is a promising sight”.
When any company or organisation needs to reduce it’s footprint, fleets are the first port of call, especially given roughly half of annual new car sales are fleet purchases. Environmental impacts are increasingly under the microscope for fleet managers.
“It’s an award we’re very proud to sponsor. We’ve hit eight million hybrid vehicles worldwide, and we’re now looking at the next exciting new era in hydrogen fuel cells,” said Ed Stanistreet, Toyota Fleet Management general manager. “The Mirai is coming and it’s an exciting frontier. We’re now looking at vehicle pooling and in the next few years there are lots of exciting things coming”.
