Make your fleet work smarter for a more efficient financial year

The start of a new financial year is the perfect time to rethink how your business fleet operates. Whether you manage a handful of vehicles or a larger operation, the goal remains the same: keep costs down, maximise productivity and streamline processes.

Here are some easy-to-action fleet management tips that can help improve performance, cut expenses and make your fleet work harder and smarter this new financial year.

1. Make a fresh plan for your fleet

Now’s the time to take stock of what worked (and what didn’t) over the past 12 months. Review vehicle usage, maintenance records, driver behaviour and fuel consumption. Use this insight to set realistic goals around business vehicle efficiency and cost control.

Think about what tools or processes could improve the way your fleet runs, whether it’s telematics, training or switching to one of the leading fuel cards for business in Australia.

2. Prioritise cost-saving tools

Fuel is a major ongoing cost for most businesses, so the more visibility you have, the better. That’s where Shell Card for fleets can make a real difference.

Shell Card gives you access to powerful reporting and purchase controls, helping you better manage spend and achieve real fuel cost reduction. With discounts, consolidated invoices and digital tracking, it simplifies operations and reduces admin, freeing up time for you to focus on growth. It’s one of the most trusted business fuel cards for improving fleet efficiency and spending visibility.

3. Rethink routes and vehicle use

The new financial year is a great time to evaluate your routes and schedules. Are your vehicles travelling the most efficient paths? Could loads be consolidated or rescheduled to reduce downtime and fuel waste?

Smart scheduling and route planning is a key pillar of fleet optimisation in Australia, especially with rising operational costs. Even small changes can lead to big results over the year.

4. Review vehicle performance and maintenance

Staying on top of regular servicing doesn’t just improve safety, it improves business vehicle efficiency, too. Well-maintained vehicles use less fuel, last longer and reduce the risk of unexpected downtime.

Create a maintenance calendar at the start of the financial year and stick to it. You'll avoid surprise costs and keep your fleet running at peak performance.

5. Set clear goals and track them

Define what success looks like for your fleet over the next 12 months. Is it reducing fuel spend by 10%? Improving on-time delivery rates? Lowering vehicle idle time?

Use your tools, like Shell Card’s reporting dashboard in the Shell Card Portal, to track these KPIs and adjust your strategy throughout the year.

By applying these fleet management tips, reviewing your spend and exploring solutions like Shell Card for fleets – a reliable petrol card for business – you’ll be better equipped to cut costs and improve performance across the board.

^Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}