Over 1,600 fleet professionals came together at Mystery Creek in Hamilton on 5^th and 6^th of August for EROAD Fleet Days 2026 – for what has become New Zealand’s largest fleet management conference. Transport operators, fleet managers, safety leads, technology providers, vehicle manufacturers and industry leaders all gathered in one place, for two full days.

EROAD Fleet Days isn’t your average industry conference – this year’s event featured even more action with over 75 exhibitors, an outdoor test track, a 4×4 experience, high-performance rides and a brand-new Truck Show and Shine. Plus, a speaker lineup that ranged from a government policy chief to a White Island rescue pilot to a former Prime Minister.

But ask anyone who was there what they remember most and most of them will tell you it’s the conversations. The warm introductions, the in-person handshakes, the coffee break moments with a peer you only get to see once a year. In an industry built on reliability and trust, those connections matter as much as anything happening on stage.

That’s what Fleet Days is for.

The conference programme covered a lot of ground but three themes were evident across the two days.

Fleet operators are managing a lot right now

Whether it’s fuel price volatility, road funding reform, new safety standards, driver shortages, electrification, or the global economic backdrop, unpacked by Sir John Key – the pressure on businesses across the industry remains high and shows no signs of slowing down.

There’s power in the insights from hard-won human experience

What the presenters made clear – and what the 1,600 Fleet Days attendees recognise – is that we have much to gain from the experience of others. Mark Law didn’t just present theory about emergency response. He shared his personal story, reflecting on what it actually cost him to make life-or-death decisions under pressure and what he carried out the other side. Craig Wilson, Jonathon Dick and Brett Horrobin talked openly about what has genuinely worked in running their fleets and what hasn’t.

Many of the attendees commented on how much they’d learnt from the presenters’ candid reflections on some hard-won experiences. It’s these moments that can become the catalyst for positive change in our industry, and something that’s all the more powerful when you hear it first-hand.

The tools only go as far as the people behind them

What also came through clearly across the two days was that the gap between a good fleet and a great one isn’t just the technology. It’s the culture, the managers and the drivers. Fleets that invest in their people – coaching drivers in the moment, recognising the ones doing it right, giving them tools that fit how their day actually works – see that investment come back in safety, efficiency and retention outcomes.

The EROAD Studios ran a series of focused sessions alongside the main conference. We’ll be publishing the sessions as a series on our blog. For now, here’s some of the main highlights from our in-house experts:

Road funding is being rebuilt from the ground up. The shift to distance-based road charging for all vehicles is the biggest change to how New Zealand funds its roads in 50 years. Labels are going. Payment models are changing. Fleets that engage now will be better placed than those who wait.

The last barrier to flexible fatigue management has gone. EROAD has built Alternative Fatigue Management Scheme (AFMS) support natively into its existing driver logbook products – meaning operators can access the flexibility they’ve been approved for, whilst keeping the benefits of an integrated digital logbook solution.

Driver behaviour is the most controllable fuel cost. With diesel prices spiking nearly 100% in New Zealand earlier this year, the session on fuel intelligence showed how real-time driver coaching can help reduce the fuel waste that sits inside every fleet, regardless of what happens at the pump. Five-star drivers from one large fleet customer are saving $19.43 in fuel per vehicle per month.

Fleet safety is moving from evidence to intelligence. The future-focused sessions covered where fleet management software is heading, with smarter driver scoring, vehicle-aware routing for heavy vehicles, and AI that helps surface patterns before they become incidents. Attendees also helped shape two emerging concepts – a pedestrian alert system and a trailer camera solution – directly in the room.

Whether you were at Fleet Days or missed it, we’re making the EROAD Product Studio sessions available. Here’s the first one – keep watch for the rest coming directly to your inbox shortly!

Watch the Safety Outcomes session with Soumya Puri, Product Director >

The outdoor experience was a genuine highlight. The test drive track, for both light and heavy vehicles, gave attendees the chance to compare options in real conditions. The new 4×4 off-road track put vehicles through terrain that many fleets deal with every day. The High Performance Ride Zone delivered some memorable moments in vehicles like the Porsche GT4, Zeekr X7, a Lamborghini and a Polestar.

And then there was the inaugural Truck Show and Shine. A celebration of the machines and the people that keep New Zealand moving. The winners were:

• 1^st place – Ricky Ireland from Ireland Earth Movers
• 2^nd place – Rod Alexander from Alexander Group
• 3^rd place – Salter Cartage

From all the interest in this line-up, it’s clear this was a real highlight for many of the attendees.

Fleet Days 2026 was New Zealand’s biggest fleet management event yet. And the best reason to be at the next one isn’t the programme, the test track or the tech – it’s the people.

If you were there, thank you. We hope you left with some useful learnings, and some connections worth calling.