McEwan manages a large dynamic vehicle fleet for Melbourne Health and two other nearby health organizations across more than 30 sites and healthcare facilities dispersed throughout the area. Vehicle availability is paramount because of the critical duty of the fleet vehicles to facilitate the delivery of health services in the community.

Despite diminishing funds and an ageing fleet, McEwan was able to improve services to clients, working with Bishop Fleet Optimization (BFO) to measure actual vehicle usage and implement strategies to improve utilization, reduce vehicle numbers while still meeting 100% of vehicle demand.

Melbourne Health was able to quantify the required number of vehicles needed to satisfy operational requirements at each site in two steps. Firstly BFO Global Positioning System (GPS) data loggers were used to track vehicle movement over the course of five weeks in accordance with accepted best practice. Next, BFO consultants analysed the data and worked with McEwan to develop recommendations that included both the expansion of its vehicle pooling program and identification of surplus fleet vehicles for disposal.

As a result, Melbourne Health Service has realised a 28% reduction in vehicle count, a substantial return from surplus vehicle sales and sizeable operating cost savings.

BFO global managing director Derrick Bishop credited McEwan’s vision and courage in adopting the changes: ‘Kevin understood the benefits of a GPS-based fleet right-sizing snapshot in order to win support from executive management as well all the other fleet stakeholders. Mileage or VAM analysis convinces no one of the need for change so Kevin's approach was right on target.

‘Kevin also understands that, like other fleet costs, optimisation is a moving target. So, he is reviewing the fleet every three years in order to maintain efficiency. For these reasons, and for the many other innovations Kevin has made in his position, he is a deserving winner of the Fleet Manager of the Year award!’