In October 2023, New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) promoted then-Director of Fleet Acquisitions and Administration Tamika Johson to deputy chief fleet management officer. Now, Johnson manages Fleet Acquisitions and Administration for the city fleet and oversees the division’s hiring and human capital efforts.
Before joining the city, Johnson worked as a management trainee for Budget Rental, ran the shop, and rented out cars. Johnson began her city career as a contract monitoring supervisor in 1998 at the Human Resources Administration (HRA).
After seven years at HRA, Johnson started working for DCAS in the Office of Fleet Administration (OFA) in 2005. Johnson was a senior fleet analyst in this position and helped coordinate DCAS auctions.
Through Mayoral Executive Order 161 of 2012, the NYC Fleet replaced OFA. Johnson assumed the role of executive assistant to the chief fleet officer and was promoted to director of Fleet Acquisitions and Administration in 2014 before receiving her promotion to deputy chief fleet officer last year.
According to Chief Fleet Officer and DCAS Deputy Commissioner Keith Kerman explained, DCAS has had up to two deputy chief fleet management officers in the past. Eric Richardson is the deputy chief for Fleet Systems and Safety. Tamika Johnson is the newly-appointed deputy chief for Fleet Acquisitions and Administration
Manging One of the Most Critical and Challenging Areas of Fleet Policy
Since FY14, an average of $328 million has been spent annually procuring fleet units for the city’s fifty agencies, according to DCAS. The specialized emergency trucks for DSNY, FDNY, DOT, DEP, and NYPD are the most expensive. Since FY14, Johnson has helped coordinate over $3.3 billion in fleet replacements and renewals, over 28,000 vehicles.
With every purchase, Johnson must ensure that agencies stay within their allowed fleet counts, and Johnson enforces our environmental policies on electric and most fuel-efficient vehicles. Johnson checks that replacements or new needs are needed and reviews all requests for SUVs and fleet upsizes.
Johnson also monitors all requests for rentals and leases. Each week, Johnson, Chief of Staff Sherry Lee, and the Chief Fleet Officer meet to plan out the fleet of NYC’s future, providing agencies with what they need but not always what they initially request or want. Johnson has played a vital role in NYC building one of the largest electric and alternative fuel fleets in the United States.
Since FY14, an average of $328 million has been spent annually procuring fleet units for the city’s fifty agencies.
Photo: NYC DCAS
Driving Equity Initiatives and Workforce Development
Johnson also leads the Human Capital work for NYC Fleet. She coordinates the hiring and promotions process and ensures employees are current on required training.
Recently, Johnson has served as an REI Champion as part of DCAS’ Race Equity Initiative. She led and taught Bystander Training, which teaches employees to engage and assist in ensuring respectful and appropriate interactions in the workplace, to be upstanders and not bystanders.
Johnson took on a new challenge of public speaking and was part of a team that trained over 1,200 DCAS staff members. Johnson is also leading DCAS Automotive Internships initiatives, supporting students on the path to employment.
“Congratulations to Tamika Johnson for her recent promotion to Deputy Chief Fleet Officer for Acquisitions and Administration and today’s spotlight. I have been Johnson’s work colleague for more than 15 years, and her dedication to her city career, family, friends, and the people of the City of New York is unparalleled,” said Deputy Chief Fleet Officer Eric Richardson.
