Terry Barton, fleet administrator for the State of Delaware, will be retiring in early February, ending a 44-year career in government. Barton has 26 years of experience in fleet operations and was nominated for the 2011 Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year award, presented by Government Fleet magazine.

"I've been on this job since 1993 and it's time to move on, but I will miss my 'team,' [the team] that makes Fleet Services so successful," Barton said.

When started oversight of the fleet in 1993, Barton helped change the organization into a model similar to a commercial leasing operation, with all service and repair contracted to outside vendors. It also resulted in the centralization of vehicle ownership to Delaware Fleet Services.

The centralization program saved the state millions of dollars though professional management, and Fleet Services has been able to reduce its staff of full- and part-time employees from 64 to 34 through increasing automation, Barton said. The fleet has been named for five consecutive years as one of the 100 Best Fleets.

The current Delaware fleet consists of approximately 2,000 vehicles, 24 dispatch sites, and 15,000 eligible drivers. The State of Delaware is accepting applications for the fleet administrator position until Nov. 30. Visit the NCSFA website for more information or visit the State of Delaware employment website and search for "fleet administrator."