Fleet Innovation Award

IPWEA Fleet Innovation Award

This award aims to acknowledge and promote the outstanding achievements in the fleet management industry.

FIA header

The IPWEA Fleet Innovation Award recognises projects that demonstrate the practical application of continuous improvement within fleet management. The award focuses on initiatives that solve a problem or improve a process through better planning, smarter use of assets, or new ways of working.

Continuous improvement is a core principle of asset management and a clear indicator of a mature fleet operation, where decisions are guided by data, governance and a commitment to delivering reliable services to the community.

Registration Instructions

Please note that we are using a partner event registration website (Currinda) to capture new registrations and fleet innovation award submissions for this conference. To ensure a smooth login process, please keep your IPWEA ID handy as you will need it to complete the registration process. If you don't have an IPWEA Account, please create one by clicking here.

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Entries will open for the 2027 Fleet Innovation Award in November this year and the winner will be announced at the  2027 IPWEA Fleet Conference.

The purpose of the Fleet Innovation Award

The purpose of the IPWEA Fleet Innovation Award is to recognise and share practical examples of innovation that improve the way fleet assets are planned, managed and operated. The award highlights projects that deliver measurable benefits in areas such as safety, efficiency, service delivery and sustainability, while providing a benchmark for best practice across the fleet community.

By celebrating these achievements, the award encourages fleet practitioners to adopt a mindset of continuous improvement and supports organisations in lifting the maturity of their fleet management practices.

Purpose of FIA

Innovation

What is Innovation?

It is the ability to apply creative thinking to:

  • convert ideas or situations into new, value-added products, services or processes
  • develop new uses for existing products or services

The innovation process consists of developing, applying, launching, advancing and managing the growth and maturity of creative ideas - something most of us do every day without realising it.

Everyone has the capacity to be innovative, and many people actively want to innovate and bring creative and new ways to bear on the problems or issues faced in their work by their organisation, their clients or stakeholders.

Innovation can be:

  • simple or complex improvements
  • the modification of an existing practice or the development and implementation of a new one

Benefits of Recognising Innovation in Fleet Management

By recognising and celebrating innovation in the fleet management industry, we motivate and inspire others to push the boundaries of what is possible. This benefits the industry as a whole, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

How to Apply

Entries will open for the 2027 Fleet Innovation Award in November this year and the winner will be announced at the 2027 IPWEA Fleet Conference.

Suppliers can also nominate customers, with their approval, if they believe the organisation or individual has demonstrated innovation through a process of developing and implementing a creative idea.

The Fleet Innovation Award represents a significant step forward in recognising and promoting excellence in fleet management. We look forward to celebrating and honouring the industry's innovators and leaders, and to a future of continuous improvement.

Judging Criteria

The Fleet Innovation Award is judged on completed projects that demonstrate practical innovation and measurable outcomes. Submissions are assessed against five criteria:

  1. Demonstrated an innovative approach to solving a problem or addressing an operational issue
  2. Delivered measurable improvements in effectiveness, productivity, client service or service delivery
  3. Responded to identified community, workplace or industry needs
  4. Established a best-practice operating model that can be transferred or replicated in other work areas
  5. Achieved a clear return on investment across the triple or quadruple bottom line

Representatives from the organisation entering the Fleet Innovation Award must be present at the IPWEA Fleet Conference to accept the award.  

2026 Winner – New Zealand Police

New Zealand Police has been named the winner of the 2026 IPWEA Fleet Innovation Award for its Donor Vehicle Programme, an initiative that transforms written-off vehicles into a strategic parts supply chain supporting frontline fleet operations.

Rather than disposing of total-loss vehicles through auction or scrap, NZ Police recover usable components, catalogue them and redeploy them across the national fleet. This circular approach has reduced repair turnaround times, improved vehicle availability and delivered significant financial results, including $1.18 million in verified savings in FY25, with savings in FY26 projected to reach around $1.3 million. The programme also diverts hundreds of components from landfill each year and reduces the environmental impact associated with manufacturing replacement parts.

The judging panel from the IPWEA Fleet Council praised the initiative as a genuinely innovative shift from a traditional “dispose and replace” mindset to a circular, value-maximising fleet model. Judges noted that the programme delivers clear financial, operational and environmental benefits while providing a scalable and transferable best-practice model that other large fleets can adopt.

By rethinking how written-off vehicles are managed, NZ Police has demonstrated how practical innovation can strengthen fleet resilience, improve stewardship of public assets and lift the standard of fleet management across the industry.

2026 Award Winner

2025 Winner – Victoria State Emergency Service

The winner of the inaugural IPWEA Fleet Innovation Award for 2025 was the Victoria State Emergency Services (VICSES) for their submission Next Generation Heavy Rescue Truck — a state-of-the-art vehicle packed with features that demonstrate innovation and practicality. From Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to 3D scanning and multi-phase durability testing, VICSES ensured every part of the truck was ready for the real world.

VICSES’ innovative approach has set a new benchmark for emergency fleet management. Their ownership of the design process allows them to continually adapt and improve, staying ahead of evolving operational needs. And their willingness to collaborate, consult widely, and test thoroughly ensures that each vehicle is built not just for today but for the future.

The ripple effect of this project is already being felt, with other emergency services looking to VICSES as a leader in best practice fleet management.

2024 Winner – Dubbo Regional Council

The winner of the inaugural IPWEA Fleet Innovation Award was Dubbo Regional Council for their submission which demonstrated how they have taken different approach to implementing telematics. 

Daniel Peterson, Manager Fleet and Depot Services at Dubbo Regional Council, accepted the award which was announced at the 2024 IPWEA Fleet Conference. .

“Our innovation is not a new technology but how that technology is utilised,” said Peterson. “Telematics have been around for many years, most councils have either dabbled in it, or considered implementing telematics but very few have implemented a system and manage it effectively.” 
“Implementing and installing a system is only one of the steps. The most difficult part is gaining Executive buy-in by developing a bullet proof business case. But the most important part of the process is understanding the potential benefits and implementing a policy, systems and processes to capitalise on those benefits.” 

2024 Award Winner