While many public agencies have yet to bounce back from pre-recession levels, and many fleets have reported salary freezes, the average overall salary for fleet managers has increased slightly in comparison to last year’s data — to $78,187. Thirty-seven percent of fleet managers reported some increase in their salaries compared to the prior year, and 12% reported salary decreases. This survey of GF readership received approximately 325 qualified responses.

One fleet manager from the Great Lakes area reported that his salary is probably above average for comparable towns/fleets in the area, but he makes up for it in workload. “I would take a pay cut if I could add a clerical person to help with paperwork,” he said. “Raising my salary will do nothing to cut my workload.”

On the other hand, no pay increases are leaving some fleet managers frustrated. “This is the fourth year of no pay increases for our city,” said a fleet manager in the Southwest who wished to remain anonymous. “They did pay each employee a $300 bonus earlier this year, but still required us to take a furlough day. Hourly employees are allowed career progression increases, but all staff wages have been frozen.”

At Washington State University, employees have also had salary freezes for the past four years, according to Dennis Rovetto, director of motor pool operations for the University. However, Rovetto said, considering the economy, the fleet didn’t do too badly. “Given the federal and state economic times we are all in, it is good that we have survived the recession without layoffs and/or cuts to salary and benefits. We consider ourselves lucky to have maintained,” he said.

As for changes in the near future, few fleet managers predict pay raises.

It’s “unlikely that any managers will be receiving any adjustments within the next year without expanding [their] span of control and responsibilities, perhaps promotions or overseeing operations above and beyond fleet,” said a California fleet manager. However, he reported that while fleet salaries had been frozen, furloughs had ended.

The fleet manager from the Southwest said that while there would be no pay increases, the City would eliminate the furlough day and pay out larger bonuses. David Dunn, CFM, division manager for the Fleet & Facilities Management Division at the City of Orlando,  Fla., said after two years of wage freezes, he expects a “3% annual pay increase across the board for City employees” beginning this October. Rovatto said that he doubted there would be any pay increases in the next two years, but he remains optimistic: “We all still have our jobs, and we did not get a cut in pay!” he said.

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