CHARLESTON, WV - The hunt to fill the position of West Virginia's state vehicle fleet manager has already attracted more than 50 applicants as of June 1, according to the Charleston Gazette.

The newly created position was prompted by the results of an audit last fall that found the state spends nearly $70 million a year to operate various fleets totaling about 7,000 state vehicles. In addition, no set policy had been in place designating how and when state officials and employees are permitted to use state vehicles for commuting or other personal uses.

Governor Manchin proposed legislation in January to consolidate and centralize the state's fleet. Lawmakers passed a bill (SB219) creating the Office of Fleet Management on the final day of the 2010 regular session. The new law goes into effect on June 13.

Currently, the Department of Administration has a one-person division to oversee its vehicle fleet, but has authority over only about 1,700 vehicles.

Over the years, several state agencies - including the Divisions of Highways, Natural Resources, and Forestry, the State Police, and several institutions of higher education - have been authorized to independently operate their own fleets of vehicles.

Last month, the Department of Administration advertised for a fleet manager, seeking an experienced individual to oversee all aspects of operating a unified state vehicle fleet.

According to the job description, the fleet manager will be responsible for "implementing best fleet management practices, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, monitoring and analyzing utilization and maintenance reports, preparing and working within an allocated budget, and managing subordinate staff."

The fleet management bill itself simply authorizes creation of the office to oversee all vehicles in the state fleet.

The details for consolidating all state agencies into a single vehicle fleet are to be spelled out in legislative rules, reported the Gazette.