Australian fleets turn to tech as fatigue & safety bite

Geotab has released its Connected Fleets in Australia Report 2026, which found that driver fatigue and safety are the biggest day-to-day challenges for Australian fleet operators.

Based on a survey of 517 fleet managers, executives and mobility professionals in Australia, the report found organisations are increasingly using connected vehicle technology to manage safety, compliance and costs. Driver drowsiness and fatigue ranked alongside safety as the leading concerns, ahead of customer expectations, fuel costs and operational efficiency.

More than half of Australian fleets now use in-cab video technology. Among organisations already using video telematics, 65% reported improved driver safety, 61% reported a reduction in false claims, 49% reported lower safety incident costs and 39% reported reduced insurance costs.

The findings point to a wider shift in fleet management, as operators seek more direct oversight of vehicles, drivers and assets. They also suggest that tools once associated mainly with route tracking are now being used to support driver coaching, fatigue management and compliance programs, particularly in sectors where vehicles travel long distances or operate in higher-risk settings.

Safety pressure

Road safety obligations and workplace safety rules have added to pressure on transport businesses, while operators also face higher running costs and tighter service expectations. In that environment, telematics and video systems are being adopted not only to investigate incidents after they happen, but also to identify risk earlier.

David Brown, Associate Vice President of Sales, APAC, at Geotab, said the findings reflect a transport sector under strain from several directions at once.

"The Australian fleet industry is navigating a complex mix of safety, compliance and operational challenges, with driver fatigue, rising costs and increasing customer expectations placing greater pressure on fleet operators than ever before," Brown said.

GPS tracking has also become an established tool for many businesses. Three-quarters of organisations using GPS tracking said it was highly beneficial for fleet management, while 70% said it had reduced fleet costs and 57% said it had improved productivity.

More than half of those surveyed said they had achieved a positive return on investment from GPS tracking within 12 months. That suggests cost control remains a major factor in purchasing decisions, even when safety is the initial reason for adopting the technology.

Shift in use

The role of video telematics is expanding as operators look for better evidence in disputes and clearer information about driver behaviour. Reduced false claims was one of the most widely reported benefits among users, suggesting camera-based systems are seen as a defensive tool as well as a safety measure.

Brown said connected vehicle systems are becoming more central to fleet operations.

"Our research shows that connected vehicle technologies are becoming essential tools for organisations looking to improve safety and performance. In particular, video telematics is helping fleets move beyond reacting to incidents and towards proactively identifying risk, supporting driver coaching and creating safer outcomes on Australian roads," Brown said.

The findings also indicate that operators are linking safety efforts more closely with broader business performance. Rather than treating compliance, efficiency and driver welfare as separate issues, many fleets appear to be using a single stream of vehicle data to manage several priorities at once.

That pattern is evident in the outcomes survey respondents described from connected systems, ranging from lower insurance and incident costs to productivity gains. The report suggests that, for many operators, investment in telematics is now tied as much to operational resilience as to regulatory compliance.

Brown said this broader view is becoming more common across the sector.

"As fleets continue to embrace data-driven decision-making, we're seeing growing recognition that safety, efficiency and sustainability are closely connected. The organisations achieving the strongest results are those using real-time insights to better protect their drivers, optimise operations and build more resilient businesses," Brown said.

ABI Research conducted the study on behalf of Geotab, surveying Australian fleet managers, executives and mobile business professionals about technology adoption, operating pressures and fleet management trends.