Hillsborough County Fleet Management has been named the top government fleet in the country and Robert Stine has been named the top fleet management director.
The honors were announced on November 16 at the Government Fleet Expo and Conference in Orlando. Fleets were judged on leadership with staff, customers and within the community; efficiency; overcoming challenges; and having a vision and direction for the operation. Hillsborough County was named the No. 1 large fleet in the country for governments with 1,000 or more assets and received the overall top honor for all government fleets regardless of size.
Stine was named the 2021 Public Sector Fleet Manager of the Year. Judges reviewed each candidate in 10 categories: business plan, technology implementation, productivity, policies, preventive maintenance program, utilization management, replacement program, customer service, fuel management and safety.
The awards are a recognition of the collective efforts of the Fleet Management employees who provide an invaluable public service of keeping county services for more than 1.4 million residents moving.
Hillsborough County Fleet Management oversees more than 3,300 vehicles and equipment items valued at about $145 million for more than 30 county departments, along with other agencies and constitutional offices. Vehicles range from general-purpose on-the-road vehicles to special-purpose construction vehicles, boats, trailers, buses, fire apparatus and more. Fleet Management is responsible for the vehicles’ maintenance and replacement as well as managing fuel consumption and delivery and setting policies for vehicle use.
Among the department practices that led to the award are fleet maintenance programs that extended the life of vehicles; supporting energy conservation efforts; professional staff and technicians with advanced certifications; the creation of an emergency management plan that provides for loss of refueling capabilities and alternate shop facilities; an inventory management program that saves money and time; continuous staff training; and an emphasis on customer input.
The department continued to provide outstanding customer service during the pandemic while ensuring employee safety by using a hybrid work model of on-site, selective teleworking operations and modifying vehicles as needed with items such as air purification systems or Plexiglas barriers.
