ROCKFORD, IL - The city of Rockford, Ill. engaged accounting and advisory services company Baker Tilly to analyze its fleet services, among other city operations. After the city received recommendations from Baker Tilly, the city council is considering leasing in order to update the city’s aging fleet of 611 vehicles and downsizing underutilized, and aging, vehicles. The council recently requested more information about leasing before deciding to proceed. In addition, although the city’s outsourcing committee recommended that fleet management outsource parts management, Rockford aldermen decided against this recommendation, according to the Rockford Register Star.

Baker Tilly’s report found that due to budget constraints on fleet management, the city has been unable to provide funds for a new vehicle in the fleet since 2004. The average age of a vehicle in the fleet is 10.3 years, and in a few cases vehicles are more than 20 years old. According to the company’s findings, the average repair cost per vehicle per year is $3,281 due to significant vehicle age.