FLEET intouch caught up with Neil Smith, Ballina Shire Council's Fleet Coordinator, to find out how he got his start in the industry, and his thoughts about his profession's greatest challenges. 

FLEET intouch: How did you get started in fleet and plant, and what was your first job in the industry?

Smith: I wanted to get involved in the motor industry ever since I watched the Hardy Ferodo 500 motor race on TV back in 1970. I was mesmerised by motor racing and I just had to become a mechanic. I commenced my apprenticeship at Byron Service Station in Byron Bay when I finished school, and started building and racing my own speedway cars. In 1986 I moved to Canberra to work in a Group A race team and the boss had a dealership that worked with Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Ferrari. Moving to Canberra and working with a dealership and race team provided a different perspective to business within the mechanical industry.

That perspective broadened further in 1991 when I obtained a job with a company call DASFLEET. This was a fleet leasing business within the Federal Government that owned 18,500 vehicles Australia-wide and leased them back to the government. This was my first experience in fleet management. Within this business I moved from mechanic to service adviser to vehicle purchasing and leasing. For a government business I found DASFLEET to be quite progressive, and it provided the opportunity to gain experience in various aspects of fleet management such as customer service, financing, leasing, procurement and special vehicle design.

FLEET intouch: Tell us about your role and the kind of fleet and plant you manage.

Smith: My role is the fleet coordinator, and like most councils we operate a large variety of equipment from passenger and light commercial vehicles to garbage trucks, excavators, backhoes, mowers, various trucks and small plant.

FLEET intouch: What’s your favourite part of your job?

Smith: I think the variety is great; there's no time for boredom. Nothing stays the same and technology is ever-changing.

FLEET intouch: What are some of the biggest challenges you see facing fleet professionals in 2018 and beyond?

Smith: I think there are a number of challenges, one being change. The industry is changing dramatically not just in mechanical technology but also in managing data and processes. What we have done in the past may not be suitable in the future. I think we need to look at our processes and models through a different set of glasses if we want to succeed and progress in the future.

FLEET intouch: How do you think the fleet department can make sure it has buy-in and support from the rest of the organisation?

Smith: This is an interesting topic, and I say interesting because there are some areas within business that are well supported because they are considered a profession. I think areas like fleet and procurement in general has never really been considered a ‘real’ profession. To our own detriment, we have never really marketed ourselves that well to improve this, and yet there are massive financial savings if fleets are managed well.

FLEET intouch: If you weren’t in the fleet industry, what would you be doing?

Smith: I’ve always been interested in all things mechanical. However, I’m thankful that I am no longer on the tools. The world has changed significantly during the past 38 years since I started my apprenticeship. There are more opportunities out there now if we only dare to look. The world of e-commerce is an interesting playground and if I were to do something else it might be in that area.