This section includes profile information from 181 fleets, including the types of agencies they work in, the population of the area the agency serves, and the customers the fleet departments serve. Additionally, it provides an overview of fleet budgets and how they have changed in the past year, commonly outsourced services, tool allowances, and current remarketing practices and changes.

Data collected from the survey suggest that fleet budgets continue to increase this year, with 49% of respondents reporting an increased fleet budget. This is a slight increase from last year, when 44% reported an increase and shows a slowly recovering economy — in 2012, only 17% of respondents reported any increase in fleet budget. The budget increases are low — mostly less than 5%.

For outsourced services, 7% of fleet respondents said they began outsourcing more work than they did the prior year, an and equal number of respondents said they were bringing previously contracted work in-house. Some of those who are bringing more work into the shop said they are doing so because they are getting full staffing levels or that furlough and hiring freezes have ended.

Data about remarketing practices suggest a continuing trend toward switching to online auctions.

Related:

Charts: 2014 Public Fleet Overview

2014 Vehicle and Equipment Inventory

2014 Fleet Salaries and Retirement Plans