Bill Burns    
Fleet Operations Manager
City of Columbus, Ohio
On-Road Vehicles: 3,000
Off-Road Vehicles: 2,600
Maintenance Facilities: 4
Budget: $31.5M

Proudest Accomplishment: My proudest accomplishment is the City’s transition to compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling. I strongly feel that providing reliable fueling capabilities for other local government fleets, private fleets, and local residents will enable CNG to become a fast-growing alternative to petroleum fueling. Furthermore, being able to construct and operate our own CNG stations is very rewarding. The more CNG volume we sell, the lower the cost for us, which equates to lower costs for the taxpayers. More CNG use in our community will help provide cleaner air for our region.


Larry Campbell, CPFP
Fleet Management Director
City of Fort Wayne, Ind.
On-Road Vehicles: 1,115
Off-Road Vehicles: 720
Maintenance Facilities: 2
Budget: $7.3M

Proudest Accomplishments: Some of my proudest accomplishments include working with manufacturers to help bring new ideas and vehicles to development, reducing our total fleet emissions from vehicle tailpipes, and becoming an American Public Works Association (APWA) Certified Public Fleet Professional (CPFP). In addition, I am proud of my involvement and leadership with various organizations, such as being a board member on different boards such as the APWA chapter and Greater Indiana Clean Cities, where I am also the president. I enjoy making new acquaintances and maintaining old friendships that have developed over the years.


Paul Condran
Equipment Maintenance/
Fleet Manager
City of Culver City, Calif.
On-Road Vehicles: 638
Off-Road Vehicles: 25
Maintenance Facilities: 1
Budget: $8M

Proudest Accomplishment: I was asked to participate on a team to develop and evaluate an RFP for the design and construction of a new maintenance facility. I worked with the team in the design, development, and construction of the facility, and we moved in February 2008. We have recognized an increase in productivity, efficiency, and a higher level of service, and have been able to significantly extend replacement intervals of Department of Public Services vehicles and equipment because they are all parked inside the building. I have a great sense of pride each time I enter our new maintenance facility.


Bruce Halliday
Fleet Manager
City of Rochester Hills, Mich.
On-Road Vehicles: 174
Off-Road Vehicles: 14
Maintenance Facilities: 1
Budget: $3.9M

Proudest Accomplishment: I was asked to participate on a team to develop and evaluate an EFP for the design and construction of a new maintenance facility. I worked with the team in the design, development, and construction of facility, and we moved in February 2008. We have recognized an increase in productivity, efficiency, and a higher level of service, and have been able to significantly extend replacement intervals of Department of Public Services vehicles and equipment because they are all parked inside the building. I have a great sense of pride each time I enter our new maintenance facility.


Dave Head    
Fleet Manager
Sonoma County, Calif.
On-Road Vehicles: 1,157
Off-Road Vehicles: 206
Maintenance Facilities: 3
Budget: $6.6M

Proudest Accomplishment: In August 2011, the County Board of Supervisors adopted the Electric Vehicle Charging Station Program and Installation Guidelines, which we published the prior year. We also received an award for being the “Most EV Ready Community in the San Francisco Bay Area,” and we presented the “100 Best Fleets Certificate” to the Board. The Board praised the division’s accomplishments and recognized key members of the organization. This was an acknowledgement from our elected officials that the division is focusing on the right tasks and setting an example and standard for the future.

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Paul Hinderaker
Director of Fleet Services
City of Ames, Iowa
On-Road Vehicles:190
Off-Road Vehicles: 56
Maintenance Facilities: 1
Budget: $3.2M

Proudest Accomplishment: My goal when I began 26 years ago as director of Fleet Services was to improve the fleet’s relationships with operating departments. Once embedded, I gained support, knowledge, and recognition for many of the successful processes I had put into place. I owe much of the successes to fleet managers across the nation who shared their information. I recognized that the most powerful tools in my toolbox are the people I work with. I invested time, shared knowledge, and became the best cheerleader I could for my staff, customers, etc. Fleet Services is now well supported and respected.


Rick Longobart
Facilities, Fleet and Stores Manager
City of Santa Ana, Calif.
On-Road Vehicles: 600
Off-Road Vehicles: 150
Maintenance Facilities: 1
Budget: $11M

Proudest Accomplishment: I am honored to be on the list of leaders in the green fleet movement. Through the implementation of automated fleet and fuel management, as well as the development of an alternative fuel infrastructure, my team and I have saved thousands of dollars for our city and benefited the environment. As president of the Municipal Equipment Maintenance Association (MEMA) and a member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) and the Clean Cities Coalition, I will continue to help develop solutions for fleet-related safety and environmental issues.


Gary Lykins    
Fleet Maintenance Director Town of Jonesborough, Tenn.
On-Road Vehicles: 106
Off-Road Vehicles: 61
Maintenance Facilities: 1
Budget: $525,000

Proudest Accomplishment: The town leadership asked for my assistance on a daunting budget matter. Our garbage route was overburdened, and equipment was well overdue for replacement. My proposal to refurbish some equipment and buy some refurbished equipment was far from “textbook” fleet management, but as a result of this calculated risk, we were able to update the fleet, enable a more efficient solid waste operation, and build in room for growth. I am most proud of taking the simple idea that we could do more with less and making it a reality through creative but financially sound equipment purchases.


Michael Quattrone
Asst. Director of Operations, Equipment Services, CPFO
City of Rochester, N.Y.
On-Road Vehicles: 1,400
Off-Road Vehicles: 500
Maintenance Facilities: 1
Budget: $12.5M

Proudest Accomplishment: The greatest accomplishment in my fleet career has been to take an organization that was very close to being outsourced to an organization that is now ranked 18th in the list of the 100 Best Fleets. To take a public fleet, assemble a great leadership team, and reorganize it to being one of the best in the country is a huge accomplishment. Being a public sector fleet manager with a team that completed the Certified Public Fleet Organization (CPFO) certification, which makes us private-sector competitive, is something to be very proud of.


Robert Martinez    
Exec. Director, Support Services New York City Police Dept.
On-Road Vehicles: 8,200
Off-Road Vehicles: 95
Maintenance Facilities: 12
Budget: $80M

Proudest Accomplishment: In 1996, the NYPD, under my direction, started installing LED lighting on all highway patrol vehicles. This reduced amp drawn by 90 percent. Before the change to LED lighting, if a highway patrol vehicle sat idling with the A/C on for 45 minutes, the vehicle’s battery would die. This became a major safety concern, and this was before LED lighting was available for police use as standard equipment. I pushed the lighting manufacturers into developing LED lighting for police vehicles, using my vehicles as a test case, with great results. Today, LEDs are the standard for all emergency vehicles.

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Steven Riley    
Automotive Director    
City of Coral Gables, Fla.
On-Road Vehicles: 535
Off-Road Vehicles: 35
Maintenance Facilities: 2
Budget: $7.1M

Proudest Accomplishment: When I was notified that I would be forced to lose four technicians due to budget cuts, I re-evaluated every aspect of my operation in an attempt to find additional savings that may have been missed. It was only after looking within my operation that I began to look beyond my own department. I turned my attention to the private maintenance contractor that serviced our public transit trolley system. After significant analysis, I determined that we could insource the operation with less budget and staff than was currently employed by the private contractor. In the end, I not only saved four good technicians from the unemployment line, but also dramatically cut overall operational costs.


Dave Schiller, CAFM
Fleet, Safety & Materials
Manager, Minnesota Dept.
of Natural Resources
On-Road Vehicles: 2,000
Off-Road Vehicles: 2,000
Maintenance Facilities: 4
Budget: $19M

Proudest Accomplishment: We’ve accomplished a lot, but No. 1 on my list would be eliminating fleet debt and the $600,000 annual interest expense that went with it, while improving fleet quality and positioning the fleet for long-term success. Eliminating debt had been a long-term goal but saw little forward progress in 20 years. Progress required a comprehensive plan and agency commitment. Success required credibility and management trust, which was developed by establishing a track record of good, “balanced” decisions, including a fleet policy that was comprehensive yet flexible when needed. It really was a campaign that was supported and guided by the core values of cost containment, safety, and environmental responsibility.


Kevin Schlangen, CPFP
Fleet Manager
Dakota County, Minn.
On-Road Vehicles: 280
Off-Road Vehicles: 72
Maintenance Facilities: 1
Budget: $4.7M

Proudest Accomplishment: Dakota County Fleet Management, a centralized fleet management function designed to increase efficiencies, was formed in June 2007. I was the fleet manager of the transportation fleet and was tasked to lead this new group. The core fleet staff, along with the user groups, pulled together to develop new cost saving programs and innovative ideas that have received many local and national awards over the last few years. My proudest accomplishment is that this team knows that fleet management is not just about vehicles and equipment. It is about understanding the needs of the user groups and decision makers and finding a balance that establishes trust, value, and professionalism.


Joe Simoncini    
Fleet Director
Westchester County, N.Y.
On-Road Vehicles: 1,450
Off-Road Vehicles: 2,800
Maintenance Facilities: 3
Budget: $2M

Proudest Accomplishment: I was the founder of the Westchester Educational Safety Training (W.E.S.T.) program, which started with four local municipalities. Our last show/training seminar was outside and included 600 interested technicians, police, fire, and EMS personnel, as well as 40 vendors. I am also proud of our diesel emission reduction program that not only helped clean up the air in Westchester, but was also responsible for the development of catalytic converters for small equipment including backhoes and tractors. Our carbon footprint reduction programs have reduced the total output from our vehicles and equipment by almost 28 percent.


Gary West    
Director of Transportation
Genesee Intermediate School District (G.I.S.D), Mich.
On-Road Vehicles: 139
Off-Road Vehicles: 0
Maintenance Facilities: 0
Budget: $8.8M

Proudest Accomplishments: There are two accomplishments I’m proud of. On the human side, I instituted the Michigan Special Needs Team Safety Roadeo five years ago to help train bus teams throughout the state on how to keep special education students safe when traveling to and from school. On the management side, my most rewarding accomplishment has been saving more than $1 million annually, while improving the way we manage our fleet, through the use of telematics. Being able to streamline processes by going paperless and paving the way for better fuel management and preventive maintenance changed the game for the district and will be a wonderful legacy for me to leave.

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