TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey state senate has passed a bill, S2269, which would establish a task force to evaluate the State’s fleet size to determine whether reducing its size would benefit the State financially.

The task force’s review won’t include a number of vehicles and vehicle types in its evaluation, including aircraft and boats, vehicles from the Division of State Police, the Division of Gaming Enforcement in the Department of Law and Public Safety, and independent authorities, commissions, boards, agencies, instrumentalities, or institutions of higher education of the State. It also exempts vehicles and equipment used for construction, maintenance, or emergency services, according to the bill’s text.

The bill says the task force will look at different ways to reduce the fleet’s size, including departments sharing vehicles, looking at leasing, and evaluating utilization. The task force also plans to look at take-home vehicles usage and costs and whether certain job functions require the use of a State-owned vehicle.

The task force itself will be made up of seven members, according to the bill's text. They include the State Treasurer, the commissioners of the three departments of State government that use vehicles the most, a member appointed based on the State senate president’s recommendation, a member appointed based on a recommendation from the Speaker of the General Assembly, and an organized labor representative appointed by the Governor. The task force will expire once it delivers a report with recommendations to New Jersey’s governor and the State legislature.

The bill has yet to pass the State Assembly as of Nov. 15, 2012.