How data, leasing and optimisation are reshaping business fleets.
Harry Fox has a clear view of how New Zealand businesses are starting to rethink their vehicle fleets.
The focus, he says, is shifting away from simply financing more vehicles and towards something smarter: optimising what’s already on the road, freeing up capital, and using technology to take the pressure off compliance and maintenance.
Fleet costs don’t just sit in repayments. They leak through downtime, missed servicing, compliance admin, fuel inefficiency and preventable wear-and-tear. In practice, the quickest gains come from tightening servicing and compliance, because a vehicle off the road costs far more than most businesses budget for.
Fox, General Manager of Sales for Yoogo Fleet, doesn’t have a crystal ball – but does have a window with a prime view of how the fleet management market is changing rapidly.
Yoogo Fleet, part of Speirs Finance Group, specialises in technology-based, proactive fleet management. Its telematics technology is integrated into core service delivery rather than bolted on afterward.
Vehicles communicate directly with back-end systems, enabling real-time visibility, proactive compliance management, and predictive maintenance. For customers, this means simpler fleet management: issues are flagged early, servicing is handled proactively, and much of the usual compliance and maintenance admin is taken off their plate.
Rather than reacting to problems as they arise, businesses have one system and one point of contact helping keep vehicles on the road and fleets running smoothly.
Telematics combines GPS, sensors and cellular technology, allowing data to be transmitted about engine health, driver behaviour and vehicle location. “It’s probably the biggest change in the market,” Fox says. “The requirement by companies to have technology and data-led reporting has become, and will become, more important.”
The shift now is from simply tracking vehicles to automating fleet workflows, so fleet managers only need to step in when something actually requires attention.
For many businesses, cost savings are also driving a shift from capex to a more predictable opex model, freeing up cash for growth and reducing exposure to maintenance and compliance surprises. While tax treatment depends on structure, the commercial logic is straightforward, with fewer unknowns, less downtime and less admin.
“It means our customers can take advantage of significant savings – and channel them into R&D, or people, or buying property or whatever they think will help grow their business,” Fox says.
In 2024, Verizon Connect found that “nearly 47% of surveyed fleets realised a positive return on investment from GPS tracking in under a year, confirming the financial benefits of modern tools.”
Electric vehicles are playing an increasing role in commercial fleets. Yoogo Fleet is fuel-agnostic, supporting diesel, petrol, hybrid and electric vehicles. Fox says the company helps customers navigate fleet composition decisions based on their specific operational needs. He notes that the fundamentals remain the same regardless of fuel type, with the same focus on visibility, optimisation and compliance.
A global report by Research & Markets highlighted a 50% increase in electric light commercial vehicles in 2023, prompting fleet managers to reassess total cost of ownership, not just purchase price.
Driver health and safety is increasingly driving fleet decisions, Fox says. “Health and safety is a focal point because of the increased duty of care that applies to directors these days. Companies need visibility over how their vehicles are being used, and the technology can pinpoint whether a driver is speeding, braking or cornering too aggressively, and flag issues before they become incidents.”
From single-vehicle businesses through to large corporate and government fleets, the approach scales. Yoogo Fleet’s appointment to the All-of-Government Panel – making it an approved supplier for government tenders – reflects growing demand for this kind of integrated, data-led fleet management.
Fox says the company has grown from serving SMEs to partnering with some of New Zealand’s largest organisations – not because of a changed approach, but because smart fleet management works at every scale.
“It’s a long way from the old days where companies bought fleets and tolerated large amounts of depreciating assets. For many businesses, the bigger question now is how much their current approach is really costing them.”
For more information: yoogofleet.co.nz