At the Climate, Water, Environment and Parks Committee meeting Monday, Austin officials reported $2.5 million in savings from electrifying the city’s fleet and outlined plans to nearly double the electric vehicle fleet size by 2030 as part of a broader push to cut emissions and grow citywide charging infrastructure. “Every electric vehicle that we deploy […]
Fleet Services
This city department manages the city’s vehicles.
Posted inPolice
Electric vehicles for APD will arrive by the end of the year
City fleet officials updated the Public Safety Commission on Monday about their plan to add a fleet of electric vehicles for the Austin Police Department as part of an effort to meet the city’s net-zero emission target by 2040. The city is adding two electric Chevrolet Blazers specifically designed for police departments as part of […]
Posted inCity Hall
Fleet department works to electrify city’s many vehicles
Austin’s Fleet Mobility Services Department wants to lead the way in the use of battery electric vehicles, following the Austin Climate Equity Plan to cut communitywide greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2040. According to a report from the fleet department, the transportation sector accounts for more than one-quarter of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions […]
Posted inCity Hall
Fleet Services moves forward with fuel efficiency, reducing emissions
Although mileage put on city vehicles has continued to grow over the last five years, Austin has been able to reduce the amount of fuel used during that same time period, according to a report Wednesday to the City Council Audit and Finance Committee. Fleet Mobility Services Assistant Director Rick Harland explained a variety of […]
Posted inCity Hall
As heat wave continues, city fleet department works to improve AC maintenance for Austin Resource Recovery
Amid an ongoing spike in repair requests for Austin Resource Recovery vehicles, managers of the city’s fleet have made some changes to improve air conditioning maintenance. A memo released last week showed that since June and July 2022, the Fleet Mobility Services Department has observed a 49 percent increase in repairs for heating and air […]
Posted inFire
Fleet Mobility Services working to fix air conditioning in fire trucks
In late July, City Council Member Mackenzie Kelly wrote a memo pointing out that 20 trucks within the Austin Fire Department’s fleet “are currently lacking functioning air conditioning systems.” Not only is that a risk for firefighters, she wrote, but it also “jeopardizes the department’s ability to respond effectively to emergencies.” On Monday, Rick Harland, […]
Posted inCity Hall
Austin’s fleet maintenance costly, audit shows
The cost of providing routine oil changes and inspections of the city’s light-duty, nonpublic safety vehicles is more than twice the cost of an oil change and inspection at a private company, according to an audit released by the Office of the City Auditor on May 31. Auditors found that an oil change and multipoint […]
Posted inCity Hall
Auditors find waste, cover-up at Fleet Services
Employees of the city’s Fleet Services Department made mistakes in ordering a new pursuit vehicle for the Austin Police Department, receiving instead an SUV that neither APD nor any other department wanted. That error ending up costing the city approximately $45,000, according to a special report by the Office of the City Auditor. In addition […]
Posted inCity Hall
City on course to add 330 electric vehicles by 2020
The city of Austin’s vehicle fleet appears likely to see a large infusion of electric vehicles in the coming years, as part of the city’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2050. The target of Austin Energy and the fleet operations department is to add 330 plug-in electric vehicles by 2020, with acquisitions beginning in […]
Posted inBudget
Budget battle day two: Winners and losers
Two battles that played out at Tuesday’s budget session demonstrated that decisions City Council has made throughout the year have left it with few options for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 budget. At one point, Council even voted to reduce the budget by just $5,000. The funds were intended to go toward tourism. The cut, proposed […]
Posted inCity Council
Council runs up against time-sensitive contracts
While City Council members requested more time to better understand two contracts with city departments Thursday, city staff argued that these agreements were time-sensitive and urged members to avoid further delays. The first item asked Council to approve a contract allowing Austin Energy to service its turbines at the city’s Sand Hill Energy Center in addition to […]