What's really happening on the ground in fleet management right now?
Every year, we get curious about the biggest challenges and changes facing operations managers. So, we asked! We wrapped up 2025 with our vWork State of the Fleet 2025 survey, gathering insights from fleet and ops leaders across New Zealand and Australia.
This year, the results painted a fascinating picture. The move to alternative fuels definitely seems to be speeding up, the driver shortage is getting... well, shorter... and a new technology gap is showing up in operations.
Let’s dive into the three big takeaways.
1. State of Fuel: Is the alternative fuels tipping point here?
It appears the industry is moving from considering alternative fuels to actively adopting them.
We were impressed to see the number of fleets already with an electric or hydrogen vehicle has more than doubled since last year, jumping from 13% to 27%. Add to that the 36% who plan to buy one in the next year , and it’s clear the timeline is accelerating.
So, what about the pressure of conventional fuel prices? Is it still a major factor?
While fewer managers reported a "Significant Impact" on their bottom line (down from 37% to 23%), the "Moderate Impact" category swelled to 61%. This suggests that while the crisis-level spikes might have eased, the persistent pressure is still squeezing margins. It reinforces just how critical route optimization and efficient driving practices are for protecting the bottom line.
2. State of Drivers: The shortage gets more complicated
No surprise here: the driver shortage continues to be a massive headache.
A full 80% of respondents said it’s "getting harder" to find competent drivers , up from 70% last year.
But here’s where it gets interesting. Despite the shortage, the overall use of contract drivers actually dropped significantly, from 70% in 2024 to just 45% this year. So, what’s going on? It seems companies are shifting how they use contractors. We saw a huge jump in managers using contractors "only to fill gaps" (up from 6% to 27%).
This trend highlights a growing need for operational flexibility. If you’re bringing in new contractors just to fill gaps, you need technology that makes it incredibly simple for them to get up to speed instantly, all while maintaining your service and compliance standards. And that is something we can definitely help you with.
3. State of Operations: The ‘where’ vs. ‘what’ tech gap
We asked managers how important it is to prove delivery at a specific time and place (DIFOT). The answer was overwhelming: 61% now rate it as "Highly Important," up by 54% on last year. Customers and compliance demand it.
But the data shows a surprising disconnect.
Fleets are heavily invested in asset tracking—a massive 95% use Vehicle Tracking software. Everyone knows where their vehicles are.
Yet, adoption of software for core operational tasks, such as managing DIFOT (50%) or dispatch management (45%).
While fleets have mastered tracking the "where," many are missing the tools to truly optimize the "what"- the work itself. This is a gap we're passionate about and why we are focused on bridging it with service-first delivery solutions that unify the entire tech stack.
So, what's the big picture?
The 2025 survey shows an industry in transition. Fleet managers are racing to adopt new vehicle technology, navigating a tricky driver shortage with new strategies, and (hopefully) realizing just tracking vehicles isn't enough.
The focus is shifting from simple visibility to true operational optimization.
If you're navigating these challenges, you're not alone. At vWork, we provide a leading delivery management solution that covers route optimization, proof of delivery, dispatch, and a whole lot more.
Want to see how vWork could help optimize your operations? Let us show you. <Link to book a demo>
About the Survey The survey was taken from a sample of 45 responses across NZ and Australia. This is not intended to be a statistically significant survey. It is, however, hopefully a useful view of industry sentiment across some topical themes, which we will look to repeat annually.
