CINCINNATI — The city’s aging vehicle fleet is under the microscope.
Fleet Services Manager Liam Norton told city council members that while 242 vehicles meet criteria for priority replacement, only about half are currently in the process of being replaced.
"So that leaves 127 remaining with an estimated replacement cost of almost $17.5 million," Norton said.
The city's draft budget for next year allocates only $10.6 million to capital fleet replacement, which is a nearly $1 million cut from last year's budget after American Rescue Plan dollars were depleted.
Asked specifically about the capital allocation reduction, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval said it is just one source of funding for fleet and pointed to recent council spending decisions.
"I would also direct your attention to Council's very recent decision to spend a little over a million dollars, which included fleet as well," Pureval said.
Pureval and City Manager Sheryl Long are attempting to maximize efficiency with existing resources by investing in department leadership positions and technology improvements.
"No more paper routes. Trucks will follow a route from a digital map and mark it complete," Long said.
Watch what the city fleet manager said when asked whether the aging fleet could lead to a breakdown in service:
The overall city fleet includes 2,623 units, including fire pumpers, fire ladder trucks, sedans, SUVs, backhoes, excavators, mowers and generators.
Fleet considered out-of-lifecycle meets two out of three criteria:
- Vehicle age
- Vehicle mileage
- Life-to-date maintenance costs (the criteria is met when 75% or more of the acquisition cost has been spent on maintenance)
The department said it is focused on replacing the 242 vehicles that meet all three categories.
But Norton, the fleet manager, told council member Mark Jeffreys that more than 400 vehicles met two out of the three criteria.
Council member Jeff Cramerding asked Norton about the potential impact of the aging fleet on city services.
"Should we probably expect breakdowns in service, whether it's in public services or fire?" Cramerdering said.
“It’s definitely something we're working on," Norton replied.
Asked by Cramerding whether the city was catching up on its aging fleet, Norton said, he thinks “we now have the right visibility, which we did not have before.”
“It's hard for me to say that, you know, we've made a major impact this year, but I think I now understand better the state of our fleet overall,” he said.
Watch our full breakdown of the budget highlights from last week. The priorities are road rehab and an upgraded fleet:
Starting in FY2027, the general fund capital allocation for fleet will increase to at least $13.3 million for fleet for the proceeding 5 years.
When we asked whether this year’s $10.6 million could be increased as council adjusts the budget, Cramerding said it is possible.
“There are a number of solutions,” Cramerding said, citing mechanic staffing, procurement times and the number of vehicles.
“We are severely behind, as we learned today, and we're not having as much impact as we would hope,” he said.
Cramerding said funds from the sale of the Cincinnati Southern Railroad can not be used to replace the fleet. Vehicles are defined as an operating expense, while railroad funds may only be used for existing capital infrastructure.
Watch our story on the breakdown of railway funds:
The timeline for new vehicle arrivals remains extended, with snow plows ordered last March not expected until next summer, police vehicles taking up to 14 months for delivery, garbage trucks requiring up to two years and new fire apparatus and medical units facing two- to three-year delays.
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