Here are the 2018 Leading Fleets

The Leading Fleets program recognizes public sector fleet organizations for their leadership, efficiency, ability to overcome challenges, and vision for the future. The award encourages fleets to strive for excellence.

The Top 20 Leading Fleets are ranked :

1. City of Tulsa, OK
Contact: Brian Franklin, CPFP
Units: 2,493 On-Road; 625 Off-Road    
Staff: 81    
Overcoming Challenges: Helped develop a $6M bond proposal that is still under consideration to replace aging dump trucks to reduce operating costs and improve snow removal fleet reliability.

2. Denver Department of Public Works, Fleet Management Division
Contact: Todd Richardson    
Units: 1,697 On-Road; 648 Off-Road
Staff: 94
Overcoming Challenges: Re-evaluated sweeper procurement, with operators, mechanics, and supervisors working to select new sweepers that are easier to operate and work on, and have lower costs and less downtime.

3. City of Anaheim, CA
Contact: Mike McCarty
Units: 885 On-Road; 131 Off-Road
Staff: 32
Overcoming Challenges: Preparing for retirement of the aging workforce by cross training, spreading institutional knowledge, increasing technician pay, and providing incentives for certifications. 

4. City of Chesapeake, VA
Contact: George Hrichak, CEM, CPFP
Units: 1,494 On-Road; 115 Off-Road    Staff: 38
Overcoming Challenges: To address a shortfall of heavy-duty vehicle technicians, staff established contracts with local shops to keep up fleet availability while starting a training program for less experienced technicians.

5. City of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Contact: Don Miller, CPFP
Units: 491 On-Road; 450 Off-Road
Staff: 38
Overcoming Challenges: Upgraded the shop’s Wi-Fi system, provided technical staff with PCs loaded with necessary software, and piloted the Cisco Jabber app to enhance communication and improve productivity.

6. City of Long Beach, CA
Contact: Dan Berlenbach, CPFP
Units: 1,541 On-Road; 535 Off-Road    Staff: 120
Overcoming Challenges: Overhauled the preventive maintenance (PM) program by rewriting the PM policy, working with the city manager to ensure departmental PM compliance, and retraining technicians.

7. City of Greenville, SC
Contact: Scott McIver, CPFP    
Units: 670 On-Road; 61 Off-Road
Staff: 15
Overcoming Challenges: Switched to state fuel cards after the move to a new maintenance facility resulted in drivers fueling 28 miles away. The city acquired 140 fueling points through the fuel card, improving driver productivity.

8. City of Tampa Fleet Management Division, FL
Contact: Connie White-Arnold
Units: 2,656 On-Road; 803 Off-Road
Staff: 62
Overcoming Challenges: Staff fabricated and installed metal screening in front of refuse truck radiators to keep out debris, eliminating an overheating issue that had been causing vehicle downtime.

9. City of Fort Wayne, IN
Contact: Larry Campbell, CPFP
Units: 1,490 On-Road; 822 Off-Road
Staff: 28
Overcoming Challenges: Management evaluated direct repair time on work orders to reassign technicians to groups with slower times. This was done to ensure each department gets the same turnaround time.

10. City of Fort Collins, CO
Contact: Tracy Ochsner, CEM
Units: 925 On-Road; 407 Off-Road
Staff: 43
Overcoming Challenges: To improve turnaround time, fleet implemented electronic parts requests, delivered parts directly to mechanics, strategically contracted out jobs, and increased overtime, among other initiatives.

11. Denver International Airport
Contact: Jeff Booton
Units: 616 On-Road; 342 Off-Road
Staff: 72
Overcoming Challenges: Implemented a new computerized maintenance workflow process that led to a 40% decrease in work order times. Team members worked tirelessly to resolve issues after  implementation. 

12. Manatee County Fleet Services, FL
Contact: Matt Case
Units: 1,019 On-Road; 453 Off-Road
Staff: 36
Overcoming Challenges: Completed planned technological, safety, and operational advances to the fleet while preparing for the retirement of the division manager. 

13. City of Dublin, OH
Contact: Darryl Syler, CPFP
Units: 239 On-Road; 53 Off-Road
Staff: 9
Overcoming Challenges: Developed a spec for a multi-use or swap loader vehicle to fully utilize snow plow trucks in the off season. This allowed the city to reduce its fleet size.

14. County of Sonoma, CA
Contact: David Worthington
Units: 1,095 On-Road; 231 Off-Road
Staff: 23
Overcoming Challenges: Successfully supported emergency responders during a devastating fire where 65% of the team members lived within an evacuation zone or lost their homes.

15. Fairfax County, VA
Contact: Mark Moffatt
Units: 5,433 On-Road; 601 Off-Road
Staff: 263
Overcoming Challenges: The Quality Assurance and Safety section of fleet developed and implemented a plan to improve communication of known problems and resolutions across multiple repair facilities.

16. City of Tempe, AZ
Contact: Kevin Devery
Units: 815 On-Road; 274 Off-Road
Staff: 30
Overcoming Challenges: Moved to a hybrid in-house/outsourcing of parts management that allows fleet to retain city staff until retirement or placement in other positions, saving $300K the first year and $220K annually.

17. County of Sacramento, CA
Contact: Keith Leech, CAFS
Units: 2,664 On-Road; 122 Off-Road
Staff: 96
Overcoming Challenges: Overhauled the fleet management software, establishing a full-time system administrator for data analysis. This helped customers accept fleet recommendations for utilization and greater accountability.

18. City of Boca Raton, FL
Contact: Tony Remige, CAFS
Units: 837 On-Road; 134 Off-Road
Staff: 14
Overcoming Challenges: Worked on increasing shop hours from 45 to 60 each week, with staff developing a split shift to cover the hours with little to no overtime. This increased the number of jobs completed by 35%.

19. New York City Police Department
Contact: Vartan Khachadurian
Units: 9,708 On-Road; 527 Off-Road
Staff: 468
Overcoming Challenges: Streamlined the upfitting process, including an assembly line, to upfit 3,800 vehicles with ballistic door panels and window inserts in a short time frame. 

20. City of Lakeland, FL
Contact: Gary McLean, 
CPFP, CPM
Units: 1,177 On-Road; 246 Off-Road
Staff: 27
Overcoming Challenges: Successfully prepared for and responded to Hurricane Irma, resulting in zero fuel shortages, zero generator failure, and zero critical vehicle failures. 

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No. 1 Small Fleet (499 or Fewer Assets): City of Dublin, Ohio

With 292 units, the City of Dublin is the No. 1 Small Fleet. The fleet is currently working on sustainability projects, including taking delivery of its first Nissan Leaf electric vehicles as well as several hybrid-electric bucket trucks. It will invest in more Leafs, hybrid Ford Police Responder sedans, and compressed natural gas snow plows.

In addition, the fleet will become a connected fleet in conjunction with the 33 Smart Mobility Corridor Project in Central Ohio.

“It is an honor and privilege to be recognized by Government Fleet magazine,” said Darryl Syler, CPFP, director of fleet management. “We look forward to our continued efforts to have a green and efficient fleet and are willing to share our ideas with everyone.”

No. 1 Mid-Size Fleet (500-999 Assets): City of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada

The City of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada was named the No. 1 Mid-Size Fleet, with 941 units. 

“Being recognized as the leading Mid-Size Fleet has led to the realization of how fortunate and proud I am to be in the positon I am in with the City of Kitchener,” said Don Miller, CPFP, director of fleet. “We have many people working hard to make improvements, embrace technological changes, and ensure that we continue to improve and provide high levels of customer service while meeting our legislated requirements.”

The fleet team’s proudest accomplishments include technological advancements aimed at productivity improvements, including providing laptops for every technician on a pilot basis. The improved communication in the shop led to productivity increases of 10-12% per technician, with no additional staff needed despite increased fleet service needs.

No. 1 Large Fleet (1,000 or More Assets): City of Tulsa, Okla.

With 3,118 units, the City of Tulsa is the No. 1 Large Fleet — it’s also the No. 1 overall fleet. For more information about this operation, click here.

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The remaining leading fleets are listed in alphabetical order:

City of Beverly Hills, CA
Contact: Craig Crowder
Units: 285 On-Road; 130 Off-Road
Staff: 11
Overcoming Challenges: Applied overtime, negotiated for hiring a temporary journey-level technician, and negotiated a return-to-work review process to address technician leaves and work restrictions upon return.

City of Buckeye, AZ
Contact: Michael DePaulo, CPFP
Units: 342 On-Road; 97 Off-Road
Staff: 9
Overcoming Challenges: Conducted a cost analysis study for an in-house fueling station versus outsourcing, with the city council approving the in-house option due to demonstrated return on investment.

City of Cape Coral, FL
Contact: Marilyn Rawlings, CEM
Units: 742 On-Road; 689 Off-Road
Staff: 20
Overcoming Challenges: Successfully responded to both a major tornado and hurricane that hit in the past year, with fleet’s plans during recovery proceeding almost seamlessly. 

City of Charlotte, NC
Contact: Chris Trull
Units: 4,481 On-Road; 
2,703 Off-Road
Staff: 124
Overcoming Challenges: Transitioned to outsourcing parts management, with fleet leadership working with affected staff members to ensure they were getting 100% support while seeking other employment. 

City of Concord, CA
Contact: Jose Gallardo
Units: 265 On-Road
Staff: 4
Overcoming Challenges: Quickly communicated with customers and coordinated with the dealership to develop a plan to inspect the Ford Police Interceptor Utility vehicle for carbon monoxide leaks.

City of Conroe, TX
Contact: Erik Metzger, CAFS
Units: 334 On-Road; 118 Off-Road
Staff: 8
Overcoming Challenges: Four of six technicians left in 2017. After hiring senior technicians who clashed with current staff, management decided to prioritize hiring for attitude, which has been a success. 

City of Denton, TX
Contact: Terry Kader
Units: 762 On-Road; 157 Off-Road
Staff: 20
Overcoming Challenges: Following major changes in city leadership, the fleet team built new working relationships, provided justifications for continuing its vision of service, and developed respect with the new management team.

City of Durham, NC
Contact: Joseph Clark
Units: 1,516 On-Road; 270 Off-Road
Staff: 44
Overcoming Challenges: Took on maintenance of the county’s fire equipment, including building a financial model for maintenance and replacement with no historical data. 

City of Germantown, TN
Contact: Eddie Johnson
Units: 212 On-Road; 70 Off-Road
Staff: 9    
Overcoming Challenges: Following the retirement of the shop foreman, fleet was able to fill the position internally due to a career ladder offered to technicians to rise through the ranks. 

City of Houston, TX
Contact: Victor Ayres
Units: 10,286 On-Road; 
2,236 Off-Road
Staff: 379
Overcoming Challenges: Set up 24-hour/5-day operations in six facilities to provide fuel, parts, and service to Police, Fire, and other departments before, during, and after Hurricane Harvey.

City of Huntington Beach, CA
Contact: Robert LaRoche, CAFM
Units: 706 On-Road; 100 Off-Road
Staff: 17
Overcoming Challenges: Worked on replacing the city’s aging fleet, using grant funding and body replacements to stretch funds, and working with departments to determine replacement priority.

City of Milwaukee
Contact: Jeffrey Tews, CPFP
Units: 2,631 On-Road; 669 Off-Road    Staff: 203
Overcoming Challenges: Successfully responded to the explosion of a compressed natural gas (CNG) storage tank on a privately owned cargo van, helping the Fire and Police departments remotely detonate two additional tanks on the vehicle. 

City of New York
Contact: Keith Kerman
Units: 24,892 On-Road; 
5,145 Off-Road
Staff: 1,816
Overcoming Challenges: Moved to real-time telematics combined with the first-ever Fleet Office of Real-Time Tracking, which allows the city to immediately react to alerts about dangerous driving and receive information about collisions. 

City of Oceanside, CA
Contact: Jeffery Hart
Units: 484 On-Road; 42 Off-Road
Staff: 13
Overcoming Challenges: Adjusted technician work schedules, offered weekend and late-night overtime, and outsourced certain repairs after injuries forced two technicians to take extended leave.

City of Orange, CA
Contact: Keith Marian
Units: 388 On-Road; 32 Off-Road
Staff: 9
Overcoming Challenges: Retrofitted new 800 MHz radios on 56 fire apparatus, ambulances, and fire support vehicles, completed on schedule and within budget while maintaining high productivity in day-to-day operations.

City of Orlando, FL
Contact: David Dunn
Units: 2,572 On-Road; 301 Off-Road
Staff: 57
Overcoming Challenges: Supported all agencies during and after two natural disasters, including bringing previously decommissioned vehicles back into service and creating mobile solutions for fueling and maintenance.

City of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada    
Contact: Suzanne Bycraft    
Units: 520 On-Road; 8 Off-Road
Staff: 53
Overcoming Challenges: Worked with multiple departments to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure and build custom solutions to translate fleet data into user-friendly, meaningful reports for better decision-making. 

City of Roseville, CA
Contact: Brian Craighead
Units: 784 On-Road; 136 Off-Road    
Staff: 21    
Overcoming Challenges: Updated preventive maintenance procedures to include a manual filter regeneration every 6,000 miles to prevent plugged-up diesel particulate filters, significantly reducing failed or plugged filters.

City of Sacramento, CA
Contact: Mark Stevens    
Units: 2,243 On-Road; 299 Off-Road
Staff: 72
Overcoming Challenges: Created a new, point-based system for vehicle replacements to help accurately determine replacement needs based on age, mileage, repair, and maintenance costs.

City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada    
Contact: Amy Sidwell
Units: 1,515 On-Road; 307 Off-Road
Staff: 155
Overcoming Challenges: Worked with a vehicle manufacturer to design a solution to incorporate additional cushioning in the hydraulics system of automated refuse collection vehicles after seeing significant maintenance issues with newly purchased vehicles. 

City of Ventura, CA
Contact: Mary Joyce Ivers, CPFP
Units: 339 On-Road; 67 Off-Road
Staff: 9    
Overcoming Challenges: Supported emergency response to a major wildfire, delivering fuel to generators in active fire areas and arranging extra fuel deliveries and additional pumps at the fuel site.

City of Wichita, KS
Contact: Troy Tillotson
Units: 1,160 On-Road; 
1,292 Off-Road
Staff: 45
Overcoming Challenges: Working to implement improvements from a fleet review that involves a significant amount of industry research, revising and developing policies, and implementing a new service agreement.

County of San Diego, CA
Contact: John Manring
Units: 3,853 On-Road; 515 Off-Road
Staff: 66
Overcoming Challenges: Existing succession plans permitted temporary staff promotions following the retirement of the fleet chief, allowing for a nationwide recruitment while maintaining excellent client service levels. Eventually, the position was filled internally.

CPS Energy, TX
Contact: Tommy Johns
Units: 1,203 On-Road; 516 Off-Road
Staff: 72
Overcoming Challenges: Through hard work, teamwork, and perseverance, staff worked to quickly acquire $18 million worth of new vehicles and equipment following an organizational alignment.

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, IL
Contact: Michael Webster, CAFM    
Units: 195 On-Road; 420 Off-Road
Staff: 16    
Overcoming Challenges: Successfully implemented a new fleet management system by handling maintenance needs during the transition, providing proper training, keeping construction of a new facility on schedule, and coordinating the transfer of data. 

Indianapolis Fleet Services
Contact: Bill Rogers
Units: 3,912 On-Road; 982 Off-Road
Staff: 107
Overcoming Challenges: Continued fleet greening efforts, including completion of transition of non-pursuit police vehicles to electric plug-in hybrid vehicles and training technicians on alternative-fuel vehicles.

King County, WA    
Contact: Jennifer Lindwall
Units: 1,860 On-Road; 338 Off-Road
Staff: 72
Overcoming Challenges: Transformed the safety culture to preventive rather than reactive by hiring a safety program manager, improving workspaces and work processes, establishing safety protocols, and initiating monthly safety training.

Orange County Government, FL
Contact: Bryan Lucas
Units: 1,937 On-Road; 
1,783 Off-Road
Staff: 66
Overcoming Challenges: When a contracted fuel vendor failed to assist with fueling 200+ generators following Hurricane Irma, fleet used additional portable fuel tanks and technicians to keep fueling operations moving 24/7.

United States Air Force/441st Vehicle Support Chain Operations Squadron
Contact: Randy Livermore    
Units: 45,617 On-Road; 
37,545 Off-Road
Staff: 6,000
Overcoming Challenges: Migrated data of 84,000 assets into a new reporting system by setting up a dedicated team to clean data and review and correct inconsistencies, allowing the fleet to pass a mock audit.

University of Texas at Austin
Contact: Mark Kaligian, CAFS
Units: 781 On-Road; 425 Off-Road
Staff: 13
Overcoming Challenges: Worked to find almost $500,000 in savings or revenue after the state announced it would no longer support employee salaries and benefits. Fleet is on track to be self-sufficient in less than three years.

Leading Fleets Criteria & Judges
The Leading Fleets awards program recognizes high-performing public sector fleet organizations. The award is co-produced with the American Public Works Association and is sponsored by Ford and Geotab.  Applicants are judged on their organizations’ leadership within their operation, with customers, within the local community, and within the fleet community; how they ensure competitiveness and efficiency; how they address and overcome major challenges; and how they are working toward future goals. Fleets submit online applications between January and March of each year. Judges are fleet managers of former No. 1 fleets and other respected industry professionals. We thank this year’s judges for dedicating many hours to review applications and lending their expertise to the industry:
Craig Croner, CPFP, administrative services manager, City of Boise, Idaho	Sam Lamerato, CPFP, APWA representative, Public Fleet Hall of Fame member, and Legendary Lifetime Achievement Award recipient	Kelly Reagan, fleet administrator, City of Columbus, Ohio, and Public Fleet Hall of Fame member	Bob Stanton, CPFP, CPM, fleet consultant and Public Fleet Hall of Fame member

Notable Fleets

While the following fleets were not named among the top 50, their accomplishments and efforts warrant recognition.

• Ada County Sheriff’s Office, ID
• Boston Public Works Central Fleet Management
• City of Eugene, OR
• City of Fairfield, CA
• City of Fargo, ND
• City of Fayetteville, AR
• City of Franklin, TN
• City of Grand Prairie, TX
• City of Largo, FL
• City of Marietta, GA
• City of Melbourne, FL
• City of Midland, MI
• City of Moline, IL
• City of Moscow, ID
• City of Norfolk, VA
• City of Raleigh, NC
• City of Riverside, CA
• City of Roanoke, VA
• City of San Antonio
• City of Seattle, WA
• City of West Palm Beach, FL
• City of West University Place, TX
• Cobb County Fleet Management, GA
• County of Riverside, CA
• DC Water
• Hanover County, VA
• Idaho National Laboratory
• Iowa State University Transportation Services
• Johnson County, KS
• Josephine County Public Works, OR
• New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
• New York City Department of Transportation
• Orange County Sanitation District, CA
• Osceola County BOCC, FL
• Pasco County, FL
• San Antonio Water System, TX
• State of Michigan
• Town of Castle Rock, CO
• Village of Arlington Heights, IL
• Washington County, OR