How Zipcar Won Best Fleet Operations at The 2026 Optimizers Awards

Fleet and mobility operations are increasingly determined by the ability to scale, excel in customer service, and maintain operational discipline. 

The Optimizers Awards recognize the teams and individuals making fleet and mobility operations that are making it possible through measurable impact, smarter systems, and automation. The awards shine a light on work that often happens behind the scenes but directly shapes service quality, utilization, efficiency, and customer experience.

Zipcar is the winner of the Best Fleet Operations in the 2026 Optimizers Awards for its work optimizing fleet processes, improving operational visibility, and building a more consistent, scalable operating model. 

We spoke with Jon Tyburski, Senior Manager of Operational Excellence at Zipcar, about the company’s approach, the lessons learned, and what the future of mobility operations will require.

First, congratulations. Can you introduce yourself and your role at Zipcar?

My name is Jon Tyburski, and I am Zipcar’s Senior Manager of Operational Excellence. My role sits at the intersection of process, technology, and learning within the Operations team. That means I help connect how work gets done, how teams use systems, and how we improve the operation over time.

For those less familiar, how would you describe Zipcar’s fleet and operations?

Zipcar operates one of North America’s largest car-sharing networks. Members can access vehicles by the hour or day through our technology platform, which gives them a simple and flexible alternative to car ownership.

What makes Zipcar unique is that we are focused on reliable access to transportation without the responsibilities that come with owning a car. Our vehicles are available around the clock in neighborhoods, cities, and university communities, so delivering a consistently strong member experience is central to how we operate.

What challenge drove your optimization efforts?

As our network continued to evolve, we saw an opportunity to create more consistency in how work was prioritized and executed across the operation. We wanted a solution that would streamline processes, improve visibility, and help teams spend more time delivering quality outcomes for members.

For us, optimization was not only about moving faster. It was about helping the operation work more clearly, more consistently, and with better focus.

What KPIs guided your decisions?

We evaluated initiatives through three main lenses: member experience, operational efficiency, and overall vehicle utilization. Any new process or technology needed to create measurable value in at least one of those areas, and ideally all three.

That framework helped guide decision-making throughout the project and kept the team aligned on what success should actually look like.

Who was involved in making this work?

This was very much a team effort. Success came from close collaboration across Operations Excellence, Product, Engineering, and Field Operations teams, along with strong partnership from technology providers. 

I’m especially grateful to the team members who helped shape, test, and refine the solution so it could scale while still meeting the real needs of the operation.

What surprised you most during the process?

One of the biggest lessons was the importance of focus. In any large operational initiative, there are countless possible improvements you can pursue. What we found was that concentrating first on a few high-impact priorities allowed us to move faster, show value early, and build momentum for future enhancements. That focus helped the team avoid spreading effort too thin and gave the organization confidence as the work progressed.

Were there any common best practices that did not fully work in Zipcar’s context?

We learned that while it is important to start with a focused minimum viable product, it is equally important to think ahead. Some foundational capabilities require investment earlier than you might expect if the solution is going to support long-term scalability.

The key is finding the right balance between speed and future flexibility. You want to move quickly, but not in a way that creates avoidable constraints later.

One of the biggest challenges was determining the right way to scale the solution beyond an initial market and into a broader operational environment. That required balancing technical readiness, team adoption, training, and change management.

We addressed it through a phased approach and by investing in support resources. That helped create a smoother transition and drove stronger adoption across the teams involved.

What part of fleet operations do you think the industry under-appreciates?

The ability to combine operational discipline with real-time decision-making is what makes the difference.

Great fleet operations often go unnoticed, and that is usually a sign they are working well. But behind every seamless member experience is a team constantly solving problems, adapting to changing conditions, and keeping vehicles available when and where they are needed.

What lesson would you share with another operator trying to replicate this success?

Start with a clear understanding of the problem you are trying to solve and how you will measure success. Technology is most effective when it supports well-defined objectives rather than becoming the objective itself.

What is next for Zipcar over the next 6 to 12 months?

We are focused on using operational insights more effectively to continue improving vehicle quality, availability, and the overall member experience. Better data helps us make smarter decisions, prioritize the right work, and continuously improve how we serve members.

Looking three to five years ahead, what change will matter most for mobility operations?

The most important trend will be the continued integration of technology, data, and automation into mobility operations. Operators that can use these tools to deliver more reliable, convenient, and seamless experiences will be best positioned to succeed. At Zipcar, we are focused on continuously improving how we use technology to make access to transportation simpler and more convenient for our members.

Finally, what is your best one-sentence tip?

Stay focused on the problem you are trying to solve and be persistent in pursuing meaningful improvement

Zipcar’s work represents exactly why The Optimizers Awards were created: to spotlight the operators turning complex, behind-the-scenes fleet work into measurable business impact. Zipcar’s optimization of its New York cleaning operations shows what modern fleet operations can look like when automation, operational discipline, and real-time decision-making come together: less downtime, more consistent execution, and teams that can focus their time where it matters most.

This win is also a reminder that fleet optimization is not only about technology. It is about giving operations teams the control, clarity, and confidence to run complex fleets as one connected system.

Read more winners' stories here.

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