The DeKalb County (Georgia) Fleet Management Department has earned first place out of 38,000 public fleets in North America. The department's 1,600 full- and part-time employees maintain 3,600 vehicles and pieces of equipment on an annual budget of $460 million. Housed under the county's Department of Public Works, the department has maintained a 99% positive rating on customer service surveys over the last year and implemented green initiatives that include upgrading the fueling program; opening an environmentally friendly above-ground fuel site; reducing gasoline and diesel fuel consumption; and training 300 drivers on idle reduction, which improves local air quality by limiting engine running time. Since introducing propane autogas as an alternative fuel in 2009, the department uses an average of 73,000 gallons annually.
“The DeKalb Fleet Management Department exemplifies all that is right about public service,” says Tom C. Johnson, founder of "The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas" awards program. “The county has developed best practices that reduce the need for unscheduled repairs, maintenance costs, and negative environmental impacts.”
“We keep DeKalb rolling,” says Department Deputy Director Robert Gordon. "Winning this shows the county is providing value to the citizens we serve and that we are focused on doing the right thing.”
Started 19 years ago, the annual The 100 Best Fleets in the Americas program recognizes high-trust, high-performance fleet operations in the Americas. Criteria for the award includes use of technology, performance, collaboration, service turnaround time and accountability.
