Each year, the Government Fleet Expo & Conference brings together fleet leaders from across the country to share best practices and recognize outstanding performance. Among the fleets honored, Buckeye, Arizona, stood out for its exceptional approach to fleet management and operational excellence.

One of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, the city of Buckeye, Arizona, earned the spotlight as the 2024 Leading Fleets No. 1 small fleet. Through innovation, leadership, and scaling, the city exemplifie has exemplified effective fleet management. 

Since 2020, Buckeye has seen an explosion in its population, boasting 119,007 residents, up from 6,500 in 2000. 

We spoke with Beth Casillas, the city’s fleet manager, to learn more about how they earned their top spot.

Rapid Growth

The Buckeye Public Works Department Fleet Management Division provides a full range of fleet management services. It is an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Blue Seal Shop committed to advancing the field using technology and procedures. 

As the city continues to grow exponentially, so does its fleet. As a fleet manager, Casillas faced many challenges with a rapidly expanding fleet, including the lack of adequate accommodation for the expanding inventory of vehicles. 

“Our existing maintenance shop was not designed to handle the scale and diversity of our current fleet, which now includes light-duty, medium-duty, heavy-duty vehicles, and fire apparatus. Servicing a single fire apparatus did consume up to a quarter of our available shop space, severely limiting our capacity to maintain other vehicles efficiently,” said Casillas about the previous accommodations. 

Thankfully, they achieved a critical milestone this past year – they expanded their maintenance facilities to accommodate heavy-duty vehicles and fire apparatus. This improvement has enabled the City to fortify its services, allowing for the addition of technicians to alleviate the workload on existing staff.

These upgrades have allowed Buckeye to improve its operational efficiency and ability to service the fleet more effectively.

Modernization at the Forefront

When asked about the strategies Buckeye has implemented to become as successful as they are, Casillas laid out the processes that have helped them reach the number one spot. 

First, she upgraded positions to be competitive with the industry and retain talent. They also created a Service Writer position to manage service scheduling more efficiently. She also upgraded their PM program with various programs that extend oil intervals and reduce engine wear from high idle hours. She also implemented GPS for trouble codes and oil life monitoring. 

Additionally, Casillas streamlined processes to include technology that reduces the need for paper and employed smart devices that allow patrol light bars to be reused after servicing. 

Amid it all, she kept the community informed by using LinkedIn to highlight and update the public on what is happening with the fleet. She also developed an intern program with West-Mec automotive students to maintain a pipeline of qualified technicians to fortify the industry and the community. 

Fleet management is currently upgrading both its Fleet and Fuel Management Software. These upgrades are expected to dramatically improve efficiency by reducing manual processing hours and streamlining key workflows. 

“In addition, we have implemented GPS technology to monitor driver behavior and track equipment fault codes. This enhancement has already proven successful, particularly with our fire apparatus, which operates 24/7. When a fault code is detected, our Emergency Vehicle Technicians (EVTs) receive real-time diagnostic data via email,” said Casillas when asked about fleet technologies.

She added that this capability improves safety and response readiness by enabling the team to make informed after-hours decisions. 

A Bright Future

As the team at Buckeye continues to move forward, fleet management will continue to play a vital role in its sustainability. They are certain their recent investments in expansion, technology, and personnel will continue to prove more beneficial as time passes. 

The tools implemented by Beth Casillas are laying the foundation for the modernization of the Buckeye fleet that is data-driven, strategic, efficient, and responsive.

“Looking further ahead, we are hopeful of the development of a new fleet facility, designed to meet not only

our current operational demands but also the future needs of a growing and evolving fleet. This facility would represent a significant step forward in our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and long-term planning,” said Beth when asked about what the future holds for Buckeye. 

How can your fleet work toward reaching the #1 spot? Casillas says that any step toward a new initiative is a step in the right direction. 

“Always trying to be more efficient and resourceful from day to day will start the process and lay the foundation for long-term progress. Empower and listen to staff, they are the front line and have great ideas of how to initiate these changes that will not only benefit them but the entire organization. Document your processes and be the champion of your organization and the driving force behind position change within your team and organization,” she explained.