{"id":3206,"date":"2019-08-09T17:25:33","date_gmt":"2019-08-09T15:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/?p=3206"},"modified":"2019-08-09T17:25:33","modified_gmt":"2019-08-09T15:25:33","slug":"3206","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2019\/08\/09\/3206\/","title":{"rendered":"Tackling Growth at a Small Fleet"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Ben<\/p>\n

Ben Ceca started as a technician at Montclair State University in 2013. Photo courtesy of Montclair State University<\/em><\/p>\n

Tackling Growth at a Small Fleet<\/h2>\n

When Ben Ceca started his technician job at Montclair State University in New Jersey in 2013, he didn\u2019t know that within months, he would move up two levels to become the next assistant director for fleet services. He also didn’t\u00a0know he would be managing a fleet that would be doubling in size and\u00a0an expansion of the shop\u00a0from two to\u00a0six bays.\u00a0What he did know, coming in with 17 years of technician experience, was that the fleet operation needed some changes. Once he became the assistant director, Ceca set out to make these improvements by incorporating added safety measures and utilizing modern technology while tackling\u00a0rapid fleet growth.<\/p>\n

Improving Shop Safety<\/h3>\n

Ceca\u2019s first change was in safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cI made some changes based on industry\u00a0best practices,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

Changes started with supplying safety glasses and face shields for the technicians doing the job of cutting and grinding, as well as purchasing welding helmets with shields. The fleet department also purchased high-visibility vests, uniforms, earplugs, earmuffs, gloves, knee pads, knee mats, and steel-toe or composite-toe shoes.<\/p>\n

Ceca obtained OSHA safety certification and operator\u00a0training certification on aerial lifts, bucket trucks, and backhoes.\u00a0With these certifications, Ceca said\u00a0he was able to train and certify the operators throughout the university that use these pieces of equipment.<\/p>\n

In 2015, fleet services implemented\u00a0the 6S lean process improvement program that includes Safety. The others steps are: Sort, Straighten, Shnie, Standardize, and Sustain.<\/p>\n

At first, the technicians were hesitant with the rapidly changing safety procedures.\u00a0Ceca saw a need for frequent safety reminders to the staff, so he initiated five-minute staff safety huddles in the morning to go over any new changes.\u00a0This allowed the technicians to ask any questions or state any concerns they\u00a0might have had. During these huddles, videos on shop safety were shown along with the discussions.<\/p>\n

Building a Replacement Plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"The
The Montclair State University fleet includes passenger vehicles, vocational trucks, buses, and police vehicles. Photo courtesy of Montclair State University<\/em><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cAside from safety,\u00a0when I first started in my new position, I did an overview of the fleet.\u00a0I was surprised that the fleet had vehicles dating back as far as 1989. These vehicles were still in use by university employees.\u00a0I was also surprised that there were no replacement plans for our vehicles. We basically took the vehicle out of service if it was beyond repair,\u201d Ceca said.<\/p>\n

In order to provide justification for\u00a0purchasing new buses, Ceca focused on data collection, he stated. A consultant was hired in order to collect data on how many passengers utilize the transportation system at Montclair State University.\u00a0The outcome of the data collection determined that buses transported 1.5 million passengers in one year. In addition, a third-party inspector\u00a0examined\u00a0the condition of the buses,\u00a0determining that the\u00a0buses needed to be replaced.\u00a0Ceca presented this data to upper management, stating that the buses would need to be replaced to continue to service the number of riders, and his\u00a0proposal was accepted. The university\u00a0replaced six\u00a062-passenger buses, eight\u00a024-passenger buses, and three\u00a0paratransit buses. This was all done throughout a four-year span.<\/p>\n

Emergency vehicles, police cars, and ambulances, were also assessed and replaced accordingly.<\/p>\n

There is now a replacement plan for all vehicles at Montclair State University.\u00a0Buses have a seven- to 10-year replacement plan, police vehicles are on a five-\u00a0to eight-year replacement plan, and the rest of the fleet is on a seven-\u00a0to nine-year replacement plan.<\/p>\n

Adjusting for Fleet Growth<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"The
The fleet moved from a two-bay shop to a six-bay shop to better service larger buses and the increase in vehicles. Photo courtesy of Montclair State University<\/em><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2013, the fleet consisted of approximately 125 vehicles.\u00a0In the last six years, this number has doubled to 250 registered vehicles and 22 buses. Ceca stated\u00a0his goal is that future additions to the fleet will include fuel-efficient and electric\u00a0vehicles.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoubling our fleet was necessary.\u00a0Student enrollment has grown significantly to approximately 22,000 students in 2018,” Ceca said. Also, with facility services moving to a newer location further from the core campus, there was a need to accomodate for all these changes.<\/p>\n

In addition to ensuring the replacement of aging buses and vehicles, Ceca also made sure to increase the fuel supply to accommodate for the increase in fleet.\u00a0The fleet department\u00a0purchased two\u00a04,000-gallon above-ground fuel tanks, one for gasoline and one for diesel.\u00a0The fuel system monitors\u00a0usage for accountability and has a high-speed pumping capacity that has decreased wait times at the pump station.\u00a0The system also automatically notifies the vendor when fuel delivery is needed.<\/p>\n

Fleet growth has enabled Ceca to hire additional staff technicians to maintain and service vehicles. The fleet staff consists of four technicians and one support staff member who\u00a0is shared with another department.<\/p>\n

He has also bought new tools and equipment for the shop so\u00a0technicians have all they need to get the job done right. For example, the department was able to purchase updated diagnostic tools, which allows technicians\u00a0to perform work in-house instead shipping the work out for service\u00a0\u2014 which in turn saves the university money.<\/p>\n

Implementing Telematics<\/h3>\n

Ceca is currently working on a project to implement telematics to monitor\u00a0vehicle condition and curb idle time on vocational vehicles.<\/p>\n

\u201cIdling has become a problem. When a vehicle idles, we worry about what that can do to the environment, but also it has a financial impact on the university. By implementing telematics, we will be able to obtain reports on idle times and vehicle conditioning.\u00a0These reports will be reviewed and shared with the department managers. Managers will be able to provide appropriate education to their staff. This in turn will decrease idle time and improve vehicle wear and tear, which will be good for the environment and save the university money,” he said.<\/p>\n

Handling Small Fleet Challenges<\/h3>\n

\u201cHaving a small fleet, and a small team, comes with its challenges \u2014 challenges such as not enough manpower and manufacturer training,\u201d Ceca said. He explained\u00a0that\u00a0technicians are often sent to transit agencies or dealerships for training, and some training can be two days long and\/or even require an overnight stay. Having a technician out for two days\u00a0exacerbates the fleet’s\u00a0other problem \u2014 being short-staffed, especially during the fleet’s\u00a0busiest time of the year, when school is in session. When the fleet faces\u00a0challenges such as being short-staffed, Ceca said prioritizing work is key.<\/p>\n

“Transitioning from a technician at Montclair State University to assistant director of fleet services within months of being hired has had its challenges, but working to educate staff on safety and helping Montclair State University Fleet Services grow has been rewarding,” Ceca\u00a0said<\/p>\n

His 17 years\u2019 experience working as a technician has helped guide him through the transition, but he also acknowledges the support and guidance of upper management.\u00a0Attending industry conferences throughout the years and networking with other fleet managers has also added to his career advancement.<\/p>\n

by Thi Dao<\/a><\/p>\n

Source: https:\/\/www.government-fleet.com<\/a><\/p>\n

FLEET MANAGEMENT AUDIT<\/h3>\n

Fleet management is the use of a set of vehicles in order to provide services to a third-party, or to perform a task for our organization, in the most efficient and productive manner with a determined level of service and cost.<\/p>\n

Fleet management activities are shown in the following graph 1:<\/p>\n

\"fleet<\/p>\n

Graph 1: fleet management activities<\/p>\n

The proposal audit analyses and assesses all fleet management activities shown in the graph 1, and its main goals are:<\/p>\n