Michael J. Borg, Co-ordinator Fleet Services at Rockhampton Regional Council discusses how he came to fleet management and his love for the job.
What originally led you to a career in fleet management?
<What originally led you to a career in fleet management?>
I have always been a keen amateur mechanic, this led to a mechanical engineering degree and ultimately to my role in Fleet Management – one should always try to combine what you like to do with what you are paid to do.
Do you still do any amateur mechanics outside of work?
Over the past five to six years I have restored old Ford vehicles from the 1960s as a hobby. I’ve had an overall interest in mechanics since I was a boy.
What are the biggest challenges facing fleet managers today and why?
Some of the biggest challenges faced by fleet managers today revolve around increased regulatory controls, hopefully providing for a safer environment in which our plant and vehicles operate. Often the regulations don’t address the underlying problems so the correct message can be lost in translation.
How did you first become involved in IPWEA? Why?
I believed the organisation provided great opportunities for information sharing, professional knowledge enhancement and networking. I have benefited greatly from being able to access development opportunities, conferences with relevant topics, not to mention the benefits of visiting other organisations and places.
You are a keen user of Ask Your Mates, how has this function helped you in your work?
Ask Your Mates has enabled me to access a much greater pool of knowledge and experience that I would not ordinarily have available to me to assist in solving problems and making efficiency changes.
I’ve posted several questions over the years and responded to other people who have had queries about the creation of policies. I recently posted a question regarding the selection of small or medium sized trucks versus large trucks in an urban environment.
Why would you recommend others get into fleet management?
Yes, I would recommend a career in fleet management. It provides such a variety of tasks that there is always something interesting going on. Fleet ranges from maintenance to the asset management side of things.
There is also the regulatory aspect, which focuses on the safe and correct ways to use equipment. Anyone who has plant and vehicle resources under their control must understand the associated costs and the ability of those assets to do harm or good.