Hillsborough County Named #1 Public Sector Fleet – Again!

Hillsborough County, Fla.’s Fleet Management department attained a top industry position as the No. 1 public sector fleet for 2009, as judged by the “100 Best Fleets” program, for the second year running. The County received this accolade as a result of retaining a high level of customer service, implementing a successful vehicle right-sizing initiative, reducing fuel use by 257,000 gallons, and saving $4 million in annual operational costs.

Results of the competition were announced at the 2009 Government Fleet Expo & Conference (GFX), held June 8-10 in Denver. Rounding out the top five spots in the contest were Denver Public Works; City of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; City of Portland, Ore.; and City of Culver City, Calif.

“I believe that as an organization, Hillsborough County Fleet Management has continued to demonstrate leadership,” said Sharon Subadan, CAFM, CPFP, director of fleet management for Hillsborough County. “The economic and fiscal challenges facing our local municipalities have presented fleets with new and unique opportunities to be creative and effective. We have once again made strides in meeting this challenge and will continue to do so. We are humbled yet pleased to be recognized for the second consecutive year.”

Volusia County, Fla., won the top spot in 2007, and the City of Ft. Wayne, Ind., was named the No. 1 fleet in 2006. The 2009 award is sponsored by Invers Mobility Solutions, National Joint Powers Alliance, Government Fleet magazine, and the 100 Best Fleets in North America program.

Best Fleets Program Recognizes Public Sector Success
Currently in its 7th year, the “100 Best Fleets” program recognizes and rewards peak-performing fleet operations in North America. “The 100 Best” plays a leading role in promoting, encouraging, and enhancing the public sector’s work performance in the journey to excellence. It also identifies and encourages performance improvement within the fleet industry.

The 100 Best Fleet Program focuses on:
• Providing recognition within the national fleet community.
• Promoting ever-increasing levels of productivity and operational effectiveness.
• Encouraging more individuals to consider fleet operations as a career choice.

The program also helps identify outstanding operations for others to emulate, promoting pride in the industry.

“The 100 Best” provides recognition via press releases, awards, and recognition within the larger organizations and communities winning fleets serve.

Hillsborough Fleet Exemplifies TEAM Atmosphere
The Hillsborough Fleet Management department is responsible for the acquisition, fueling, maintenance, repair, and disposal of the 3,800-plus vehicles and pieces of equipment in the county administrator’s fleet. Fleet Management has operated as an internal service fund since FY1996.

In FY1998, the County established a vehicle replacement program administered by the Fleet Management department. Currently, the fleet department has 70 budgeted positions to meet the needs and objectives of its growing county. Fleet serves all 36 departments under the county administrator, in addition to other agencies.

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As a public entity, Hillsborough County Fleet Management strives to provide the highest quality service to customers and develop a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. “We Add Value” is the fleet team’s unofficial motto.

“We call our department TEAM FLEET,” Subadan said. “We wear a lot of hats.”

Hillsborough’s fleet program is based on a well-rounded foundation with a strong infrastructure. TEAM FLEET believes in developing people, emphasizing technology, and effectively utilizing contracts to add value to Hillsborough County.

“We have a passion for what we do and understand our role in the organization and how we affect our customer departments,” Subadan said. “We operate very much like a private entity, which helps us to rise to the top.”

Repeating its top ranking in the 100 Best Fleets competition resulted from Hillsborough County maintaining and building upon previous initiatives, as well as maximizing its core competencies to analyze and implement operational efficiencies during a tough economy.

The County’s fleet maintains a customer focus. From in-field PMs to refurbishment programs and rental contracts, customer requirements remain its highest priority.

“As a department, we have demonstrated leadership both in the County and the industry,” Subadan said. “In addition to maintaining the practices established in 2008, Fleet continued to enact the business plan and adjust as needs changed.”

Also, the 2008 inclusion of Fire Rescue into the fleet dramatically impacted fleet operations, and adjustments were made to make the transition as seamless as possible. Subadan stressed that fleet processes will continue to be reevaluated to ensure fiscally responsible management while providing customers with the best value and service.

Right-sizing Fleet Saves Fuel and Annual Operating Costs
Since its “100 Best” achievement last year, Hillsborough County encountered several challenges as a result of the ongoing economic crisis, prompting the team to revisit fleet policy.

“As a result of the economic crisis facing Florida, Hillsborough County is facing a $140 million budget shortfall in 2010,” according to Subadan.

One initiative undertaken to address this massive challenge was vehicle right-sizing. As a result, 400 vehicles and pieces of equipment have been cut from the fleet, equaling 1,200-plus vehicle equivalency units (VEUs).

This right-sizing effort resulted in a reduction in fleet budget and staffing levels, a 257-gallon reduction in fuel usage totaling $4 million in annual operational savings, as well as an $8.3 million refund to the general fund or other funding sources. Another outgrowth of this initiative has been the development of a “certified pre-owned” vehicle program. This program deploys “gently-used vehicles” in the fleet through a formal evaluation and placement process, resulting in further savings and cost avoidance.

Also since last year, the Fire Rescue maintenance fleet became fully integrated into the Fleet Department, and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) certification compliance has been achieved.

In October 2008, a fire apparatus refurbishment program was initiated with E-ONE, a first responder vehicle manufacturer. One refurbished pumper per month has been completed with various mild upgrades to increase safety, meet updated NFPA standards, and maintain established service life.

To date, E-ONE has delivered 11 refurbished pumpers to Hillsborough County, with approximately five more pumpers, one heavy rescue, and a 75-foot aerial ladder to be completed in the coming months. The cost for these mild refurbishments range $60,000-$85,000, versus approximately $500,000 for the newest pumper purchase.

In a successful effort to reduce downtime and engine oil consumption, the onboard oil filtration program (puraDYN) has expanded to include fire apparatus and paratransit buses, reducing engine oil usage by up to 90 percent for the affected vehicles.

“Also, an expanded program to perform in-field repairs and PMs for some of our largest customers has increased PM compliance rates and reduced vehicle and equipment downtime,” Subadan said. “Extending the PM schedule by requiring fewer routine services based on manufacturer recommendations has resulted in labor, downtime, and parts savings.”

Utilizing technology continues critical to fleet management, as increased use of the department’s management systems has continued to streamline processes and automated functions.

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Best Practices Develop More Effective Fleet
Hillsborough County relies heavily on best practices, including operating with a business plan, analyzing fleet data regularly, and maintaining an effective fleet replacement program, among others.

The County uses a business plan (or road map) to achieve goals and produce results. The plan effectively provides management and staff with direction, focus, and stability during turbulent times. The fleet team also stresses the effective use of data to support decision making and use of metrics and dashboards to evaluate performance in real time.

“Though flexibility is an important component of our management style, having a road map has been critical in managing a changing environment,” Subadan said.

Other best practices that set the County apart are an effective replacement program and continuous evaluation of the fleet for right-sizing opportunities in both scope and size. According to Subadan, an effective utilization program recognizes an organization does not need to own all vehicles and pieces of equipment necessary to conduct business.

“It simply has to have access to such assets when needed for the duration they are needed and at reasonable costs,” she said. “This is accomplished in a number of ways, including purchasing directly for customers, purchasing for assignment to a shared motor pool, rental on an as-needed basis, or employee mileage reimbursement for use of personally owned vehicles.”

Subadan also recognizes professional development at every level of the organization emphasizing technician training and accountability, and effective contractual services integration and management, resulting in more engaged employees and happier customers.

Looking forward, Subadan anticipates continuing to streamline processes, especially with the budget crisis local governments face.

“It is Fleet’s responsibility to continue to develop methods to provide quality services while lowering costs,” she said. “This includes continuing to change and evolve to better meet the needs of our customer departments who provide direct services to the residents of Hillsborough County.”