June 04, 2008

Hernando County Dealing With Gas Crisis

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BROOKSVILLE, FL – Hernando County Fleet Director Jack Stepongzi said he’s paying about $3.50 to $3.60 per gallon to gas up his 500-vehicle fleet. And even with a discounted wholesale rate, costs are skyrocketing, according to www2.hernandotoday.com.

In October 2007, the county’s fuel bill was $182,300, and at the end of April, it was $220,420, a 21-percent increase.

Stepongzi has already taken measures to save money. He has cut about 25 vehicles from the fleet because of low usage. Other cost-saving measures include:

· Using vehicles for dual tasks. For example, dump trucks can be converted to flatbed trucks by swapping truck bodies.  

· Considering using electric engines.

· Looking into the feasibility of hydrogen-fueled vehicles.

· Driving existing vehicles longer before getting them replaced with more expensive models.

· Conducting a vehicle analysis of each department to determine if a less expensive car or truck would better meet employee needs.

Stepongzi said he is also tightening up on the vehicle usage policy to make sure employees are adhering to the rules.

Hernando County’s two-page policy spells out in broad, general terms the restrictions for employee use. It states that only county employees can use the vehicle and only for county functions. No personal use is allowed. County vehicles can’t be driven to and from work. Employees who violate the policy can be disciplined or fired.

Stepongzi also hopes to implement in June a program called “Fuel Focus” that will allow department managers to better keep tabs on employees who use county vehicles and cut down on possible misuse. With Fuel Focus, a device is placed around the vehicle’s fuel tank. When the employee puts the gas nozzle into the tank, a transponder records the odometer and will only allow the person to pump the amount of gas allowed to fill up that truck or car.

With the software, transponder, and other assorted hardware, Fuel Focus will cost the county about $720,000. Stepongzi is also hoping to install Global Positioning System (GPS) units in county vehicles by the end of the year, which would further cut back on misuse, according to www2.hernandotoday.com.

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