City of Jamestown vehicles and equipment that will be more efficiently managed through a centralized fleet management system. City officials will be approving a report from Mercury Associates to assist city officials in improving fleet management. P-J photos by Dennis Phillips

City officials will be taking one step forward in consolidated vehicles and equipment for more efficiency and to save money.

On Monday, the Jamestown City Council will be accepting a fleet management report from Mercury Associates of Maryland, who was hired to assist city officials in managing around 450 vehicles and rolling stock equipment.

Earlier this week, Patrick Monaghan, city fleet manager, presented a report to the council, which was funded by a state grant through the Financial Restructuring Board for Local Governments program, on how to improve the management of city vehicles and equipment.

Monaghan said recommended action items in the report include updating fleet management software, creating a new fleet management structure, institute a chargeback system for each customer department, having a larger maintenance facility and adding personnel.

Monaghan said action items city officials have already taken includes updating fleet management software, which they did in 2016; and improving parts inventory management, maintenance shop workflow and preventative maintenance.

One of the recommendations in the report is for city officials to create a new fleet services management structure. As part of making the city’s fleet more efficient, Monaghan said they will be abolishing the maintenance division because it is outdated. However, no staff will be eliminated during this process.

Under the new fleet structure, city officials hope to eliminate underused/duplicate vehicles; share more nonspecialized vehicles and equipment, which includes light-duty vehicles; implement a new vehicle and equipment turnover program; and increase leverage with original equipment manufacturers for after-sales service and support.

Monaghan said vehicles and equipment will always be essential to providing services to city residents and by centralizing operations it will increase efficiencies and allow a holistic approach to fleet management. He said there is little to no cost to initiate the new fleet management structure and they can build and phase in the centralization.