NORFOLK, VA – Chesapeake has too many take-home vehicles, according to a consultant working for the city. More than 200 of the city’s 259 take-home vehicles are issued to employees of the city’s police department, said James Schwab, a representative for Fleet Counselor Services, Inc. The city’s fire, public utilities, and public works departments each have more than 15 vehicles, according to http://hamptonroads.com.

Schwab recommended to the City Council that the city develop a written take-home vehicle policy. City Manager William Harrell said later that the city would be evaluating the use of all take-home vehicles.

Schwab also said that 235, or 22 percent, of the city’s 1,069-unit fleet does not meet minimum usage standards for city governments. He recommended selling 42 percent of those 235 under-used vehicles, and transferring the rest to a pool. And he said that 417 vehicles, or 41 percent of the fleet, exceed the consultant’s recommendation criteria, meaning the vehicles are considered too old to remain in the fleet.