FLEETDRIVE
As an online disability support platform, HireUp facilitates a wide range of services, many of which involve support workers transporting clients in their personal vehicles. In some cases, support workers may even drive a client ' s vehicle, creating additional layers of complexity.
With approximately 7,000 workers active each month and around 4,000 grey fleet vehicles operating across the platform at any given time, they faced a significant challenge in balancing safety requirements with client choice and flexibility.
Using the model allowed HireUp to examine every aspect of its grey fleet operations. They also identified areas where immediate improvements could be made while also recognising longer-term opportunities that would require additional planning and resources.
Small changes can have a significant impact
Improving grey fleet safety doesn ' t necessarily require large budgets or major operational changes.
HireUp began by reviewing and updating its transport policies. From there, they strengthened their registration and insurance requirements, introduced systems to block non-compliant drivers from providing transport services, and developed vehicle inspection checklists.
The organisation also established regular consultation meetings with support workers to gather feedback on driving practices. Furthermore, they implemented monthly audits for their highest-use drivers. These audits included spot checks on vehicle condition, servicing records, and maintenance practices.
Another important initiative involved redesigning workplace health and safety investigations to better capture vehicle-related incidents. By collecting more detailed information following crashes and other incidents, HireUp was able to build a stronger evidence base to support future safety improvements.
Challenging assumptions through data
The audit process also revealed several unexpected findings. Initially, HireUp assumed many support workers would be driving older vehicles because of the financial realities of the disability support sector.
Instead, they discovered that many workers were using relatively new vehicles and replacing them before they reached the end of their service life. They also found that many workers already held comprehensive insurance before formal compliance checks were introduced.
ISSUE 60 AUGUST 2026 / WWW. AFMA. ORG. AU 29