Gateway Health Australia changed their fleet management software to Fleetwise, slashing costs and boosting efficiency.
Gateway Health is the community heartbeat of Northeast Victoria and parts of Southern New South Wales. As a non-profit, it delivers vital health services across Wodonga, Wangaratta, Benalla and Myrtleford, extending care to rural communities. With a dedicated team of around 400 staff and a fleet of 70 vehicles, it provides home visits, appointments and client transportation for patients who need it. Mark Webb, Fleet Manager at Gateway Health, speaks about the recent transition to Fleetwise.
A cost-effective solution
For years, Gateway Health was using an established market competitor for the management of its 70-vehicle fleet. However, as it relies on government funding, the rising costs became hard to justify.
“They did the job, but became too expensive for our business. We need to budget carefully so we have enough money left over to look after our patients as best as we can.”
In search of a cost-effective alternative, it turned to Fleetwise, finding both efficiency and significant savings. Fleetwise’s transparent pricing model, based on a per-car structure, was a stark contrast to the unpredictable charges of the previous system.
“When we send financial reports to our government agency, it’s clear how Fleetwise saves us money. With our previous supplier, there were always other charges coming in,” explains Mark.
Fleetwise’s versatile report formats – PDF, Excel and CSV – make data sharing simple and easy, aligning perfectly with the accounting demands of healthcare services.
A seamless transition
On the 14th of August, Gateway Health went live with Fleetwise. Mark acknowledged that even though nobody likes change (himself included), the transition couldn’t have been smoother.
“There have been virtually no complaints. Everyone transitioned over easily. Well, unless you count a few staff losing their log-in details,” Mark laughs.
He says the response time during implementation was impressive, too.
“Any problems or anything that I couldn’t work out, I’d email them. The Fleetwise team was very responsive and told me what I was doing wrong or how to fix it,” explains Mark.
Steering towards efficiency
Fleetwise has quickly proved its worth in operational efficiencies. For starters, the clever booking system has streamlined day-to-day operations.
“It’s far easier booking vehicles and checking them in and out. It saves our staff a lot of time,” Mark shares.
It’s also made life easier for them with user-friendly interfaces.
“People can download the app on their phones or use the website – they can do everything remotely.”
To ensure fair utilisation of all vehicles, Fleetwise’s automatic allocation tool randomly assigns cars for each booking. This prevents over-reliance on specific vehicles and evenly spreads the load. However, the software’s priority code settings let users specify vehicle preferences, such as town or open-road driving.
“Once they’ve chosen some details about their vehicle needs, a car is allocated, and they receive an instant booking confirmation,” says Mark.
Always in action
As a community health service, staff and patients need efficient and reliable transportation for visits and appointments. Because of this, staying on top of each car’s servicing schedule is essential. With Fleetwise, Gateway Health can ensure there are fewer disruptions.
“Fleetwise flags when each vehicle’s service is due – it pops up with a red warning. Now it’s easier to stay on top of maintenance and ensure our cars are always ready,” explains Mark.
Transparent tracking capabilities are also beneficial for Gateway Health. Mark says that tracking each vehicle’s route in real-time can protect clients’ safety while ensuring staff fulfil their commitments efficiently.
“To me, transparent tracking is the whole point of a fleet tracking software, and Fleetwise does this well.”
Navigating the Fleetwise advantage
As Gateway Health continues to explore the full potential of Fleetwise, the software has already shown its adaptability and effectiveness in the dynamic landscape of community health services. Gateway’s story is a roadmap for organisations seeking efficiency, transparency and cost-effectiveness.
“With Fleetwise, our vehicles are always ready, and so are our financial reports. It’s been a game-changer,” says Mark.