How the City of Sydney cut fuel use and took control of all 340 fleet assets
By The IntelliTrac team · 11 November 2026 · Customer stories
The City of Sydney cut fuel consumption and put live data on all 340 fleet assets in front of Fleet Services, from 23-tonne garbage trucks to electric cars. See how IntelliTrac made it happen.
The City of Sydney has cut fuel consumption across its fleet and put live data on all 340 assets in front of Fleet Services. It took one move: an IntelliTrac GPS tracker in every asset, from 23-tonne garbage collection trucks to lightweight electric cars. The data removes excess driving, tightens routes and cuts idling. Fleet Services now manages the fleet proactively, with the answers on screen the moment a question comes up.
- Customer: City of Sydney
- Industry: local government
- Fleet: 340 assets, from 23-tonne garbage collection trucks to lightweight electric cars
- Results: lower fuel consumption, and live data that lets Fleet Services manage the fleet proactively
- Setup: an IntelliTrac Elite GPS tracker in every asset, plus data terminals in heavy vehicles such as garbage trucks and street sweepers
- Timeline: tender in 2019, installation in 2020
Fuel use down across the fleet
Cutting the environmental impact of its fleet sits high on the City's list, and telematics data delivered.
"We've reduced fuel consumption by using IntelliTrac's telematics data to remove excess driving, optimising travel routes and reducing vehicle idling."
City of Sydney spokesperson
Each of those three levers shows up in tracking data. Journey history shows the kilometres a vehicle didn't have to drive. Route planning puts the stops on each run in the best order. Idle time is reported alongside every trip and stop, so a truck left running at the kerb is easy to find.
The City aims for zero fleet emissions by 2035 or sooner. By June 2025, 18% of its fleet was fully electric, according to the City's Green Report 2024/25. Tracking petrol, diesel and electric vehicles on one platform keeps the whole fleet comparable while that changeover happens.
For councils planning the same move, IntelliTrac's EV fleet management software rates each vehicle Strong, Likely, Marginal or Not suitable for electric from its last 90 days of trips. You choose the first vehicles to replace from how each one is driven.
Fleet Services in control, with live data
The second win belongs to the people who run the fleet every day.
"It enables our Fleet Services staff to more proactively manage the fleet, with immediate and quality data to assist in decision-making and problem-solving."
City of Sydney, Fleet Services
In IntelliTrac, that data starts with a live location for every asset. Replay any vehicle's journey for any period, with its stops and driving events along the route. Utilisation reporting brings daily movement, ignition and distance together, so underused vehicles stand out. When a manager wants to hear about something the moment it happens, an alert goes straight to the people they choose.
For a council, those answers settle everyday questions fast. Which truck is closest to the job? Was the vehicle on site when the resident says it was? Which cars sat in the depot all month?
One platform for all 340 assets
A council fleet is rarely one kind of vehicle. The City's runs from garbage collection trucks and street sweepers to electric cars, and every asset reports to the same IntelliTrac platform. One map and one set of reports cover the lot.
The City set out its reasons while the tender was still open. Its Environmental Sustainability Progress Report for January to June 2019 said telematics across the vehicle and major plant fleet would help with driver safety, environmental efficiencies and legal compliance. Those three aims shaped the rollout.
A safer driving culture
The City also set out to use telematics to monitor driver behaviour, keep eco-safe driving high and support driver development, meeting its compliance requirements along the way.
Its 2019 report named the behaviours that waste fuel and raise risk: harsh acceleration, harsh braking, harsh cornering and speeding. With those measured, driver training can focus on the techniques that make drivers both safer and more fuel efficient.
IntelliTrac's driver safety scoring rates each driver from 0 to 100 using behaviours such as speeding, harsh braking and harsh acceleration. Managers compare drivers, see which behaviours pull a score down and aim coaching where it counts. Each event comes with the vehicle, time and location, alongside the journey around it.
IntelliTrac's own trackers in every asset
The City's fleet runs on Elite trackers, designed and made by IntelliTrac. They use up to four satellite positioning networks, with dead reckoning for places where the satellite signal drops out. They connect over 4G, with optional fallback to Iridium satellite communications. Each tracker has 30 inputs and outputs, plus RS232, OBDII and RFID connections.
Heavy assets go further. Garbage collection trucks and street sweepers were fitted with data terminals as well, which report more about each vehicle's condition and use.
One supplier stands behind the tracker, the platform and the installation, so a council has one team to call. See today's GPS tracking devices, including the EP26 Elite.
From tender to results, with almost no training
The City went to tender for a full telematics solution in 2019 and chose IntelliTrac. Installation took place in 2020 as the first phase of the project, alongside consultation, testing, user acceptance and policy development. IntelliTrac's team finished fitting the trackers in March 2020, just before the first COVID-19 lockdowns.
The lockdowns kept City staff at home, so face-to-face training had to wait. When IntelliTrac founder Dean Calapai logged in to the City's platform a year later, the team was already getting plenty from it.
"I'm truly amazed at what they've been able to do with virtually no training. It's a real testament to our software and how easy it is to use."
Dean Calapai, IntelliTrac founder
What councils add next
A tracker in every asset is the base. Councils build on it with the tools their services call for.
- Vehicle camera systems give crews footage of what happened around the truck. City of Greater Geelong's crews say the cameras make them feel safer on every shift.
- Street sweeper tracking answers questions about a street in a few clicks. KS Environmental answers missed-street complaints with exact GPS times.
- RoadScan AI turns vehicle-mounted cameras into automatic pothole detectors, with images, locations and severity for road teams.
- A pool car booking system lets staff book shared vehicles from their depot's pool in seconds.
Questions about the City of Sydney rollout
How did the City of Sydney cut its fleet fuel use?
By using IntelliTrac's telematics data to remove excess driving, optimise travel routes and reduce vehicle idling across its fleet.
What has the City of Sydney gained from telematics?
Lower fuel consumption, plus immediate, quality data that lets Fleet Services manage the fleet proactively, make decisions and solve problems.
How many vehicles does the City of Sydney track with IntelliTrac?
All 340 assets in the City's fleet were fitted with IntelliTrac GPS trackers, from 23-tonne garbage collection trucks to lightweight electric cars.
Which GPS tracker did the City of Sydney choose?
IntelliTrac Elite trackers, which IntelliTrac designs and makes itself. They use up to four satellite positioning networks and connect over 4G, with optional Iridium satellite fallback.
How did the City of Sydney choose its telematics provider?
Through a tender for a full telematics solution in 2019. IntelliTrac supplied the solution and installed it in 2020.
Can a council track garbage trucks and electric cars on one platform?
Yes. The City of Sydney's rollout covers both, along with street sweepers. Every asset reports to the same IntelliTrac platform, whatever it runs on.
Want results like these at your council? See how IntelliTrac handles council fleet management and the fleet tracking system behind it, or book a demo built around your fleet.
Sources: IPWEA, "City of Sydney equips entire fleet with advanced GPS trackers", 22 March 2021. City of Sydney, Environmental Sustainability Progress Report, January to June 2019. City of Sydney, Green Report 2024/25.