The NSW Government Department of Planning and Environment (NSW DPE) has been awarded the 2022 Fleet Environment Award at AfMA’s Annual Networking Dinner & Fleet Awards Ceremony.
The organisation received the honour at the Rosehill Garden Raceway, Rosehill NSW – Grand Pavilion Building in front of hundreds of guests that have gathered to network and recognise outstanding fleet achievements.
“Department of Planning & Environment are delighted to be awarded the 2022 AfMA Fleet Environment Award. One of the key initiatives of the Department is to deliver a sustainable environment. Fleet plays a very important role in this area,” said John Barlow, Senior Manager Fleet Operations.
“It is great to see the work done with our electric vehicles and telematics recognised within the fleet industry,” Mr. Barlow added.
Central to the NSW DPE’s approach is implementing an environmental fleet action plan which was designed to not only reduce emissions but to also make lasting changes.
“The Department has closely aligned the environmental fleet action plan to our Motor Vehicle Policy.”
“Through the use of our telematics data we have taken significant steps to rightsize our fleet, it has also allowed us to address areas such as poor driving behaviour as well as vehicle idling that contributes to poor fuel efficiency.”
“COVID has definitely impacted the km’s travelled over the last few years however we have been proactive in encouraging the use of public transport, carshare services, ridesharing through our booking system and the use of technology as a way to conduct meetings as opposed to travelling all in effort to reduce our km’s travelled.”
“Vehicle purchasing is another area where we have been able to not only reduce emissions but to make lasting change. As part of our policy, we no longer order ICE vehicles and the most appropriate alternative fuel vehicle whether it be an EV or hybrid is provided.”
As part of their greening efforts, the NSW DPE has also invested in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. To date, they have 25 EVs in their regional based fleet. They have also led the way in installing EV chargers throughout the State.
“NSW Government has committed to being Net Zero by 2050. As part of this plan all department’s have significant targets to meet over the next few years in introducing electric vehicles into their fleets. Department of Planning & Environment has invested significantly not only in vehicles but charging infrastructure at various sites where we know staff regularly travel and where EV’s can be satisfactorily used.”
“With the targets we have to meet, it is important that staff have the opportunity to drive an electric vehicle as it will be the type of vehicles that they will be driving in the future.”
“Government also has a significant role to play in promoting the use of electric vehicles. The vehicles that are now being used will create a secondhand market in the years to come where the general public will be able to purchase a cost effective electric vehicle.”
“The response from staff who have driven the electric vehicles has been overwhelmingly positive. Definitely there has been some range anxiety issues especially when using in a regional setting, but through training and providing documentation around how to drive the vehicle and how to use and the locations of the charging network these worries are soon overcome.“
“I have lost count of the number of staff who have told me that the next vehicle they purchase will be an EV.“
These efforts have resulted in significant savings for the NSW DPE in terms of fuel and road maintenance costs. They have also saved on fuel costs, received a retrospective fuel tax credits, and reduced their CO2 emissions.
“The initiative to introduce fully electric vehicles into our fleet along with the use of our telematics data has resulted in significant savings not only from a financial perspective but from an environmental one.”
“The rightsizing of our fleet has resulted in savings of over $2.0M PA, the fuel savings has been over $500K PA and we have been able to receive retrospective and on-going fuel tax credits of over $250,000.”
“From an environmental aspect, we have reduced our carbon emissions by over 300 tonnes annually.”
Among the NSW DPE’s key achievements in ensuring a sustainable and green fleet include:
- 25 fully electric vehicles in a regional based fleet
- Removal of over 100 vehicles with savings of $2.0M PA
- Fuel savings of $500K PA
- Reduction in over 300 tonnes of CO2 emissions
- Retrospective FTC of $250,000
- Reduced maintenance costs
- Improved insurance data
- Leading NSW government in electric vehicles and infrastructure rollout
- Using telematics data to address at risk driver behaviour & improve fuel efficiency
- Charging infrastructure installed in
- Orange
- Wagga Wagga
- Albury
- Yanco
- Tamworth
- Armidale
- Coffs Harbour
- Maitland
- Newcastle
- Ourimbah
- Menangle
- Wollongong
- Queanbeyan
- Parramatta
