Councilman pushes for annual Pittsburgh vehicle fleet report

Pittsburgh City Councilman Bobby Wilson is proposing an annual report that would keep the public informed about the condition of the city’s vehicle fleet, which officials say is aging and frequently breaks down.

Wilson, D-North Side, in a statement Tuesday said the Annual Fleet Investment and Efficiency Report would evaluate vehicle performance and maintenance costs and provide recommendations for strategically replacing aging vehicles.

“Ambulances are breaking down, fire trucks need constant repairs, and the Department of Public Works is recycling functional parts from old vehicles to retrofit ones in current use,” Wilson said. “Residents, as well as Council, deserve to know how many vehicles are in disrepair and how much it will cost to fix or buy new ones.”

He acknowledged that the fleet is older than what would be considered best practice. Wilson also pointed out that it often takes longer and costs more to replace vehicles as they get older.

Officials have raised alarms about the vehicle fleet for years, while acknowledging the city does not have the money to invest in the fleet as much as many leaders would like.

Officials have estimated the city should be investing more than $20 million per year in the fleet to keep it from becoming too old and prone to breakdowns. This year’s capital budget includes about $6 million for vehicles and anticipates dropping that figure to just over $3 million next year.

“This annual report is the first step in getting a transparent understanding of the City’s fleet,” Wilson said.

Legislation he introduced Tuesday would require an annual report, due on Sept. 1 of each year, be submitted to City Council and the Office of Management and Budget.

“We recognize the value in providing greater transparency and accountability around fleet operations and accountability around fleet operations and would be happy to comply with the reporting requirement,” Olga George, a spokeswoman for Mayor Ed Gainey, said in a statement.

The report would include a full inventory of fleet vehicles; total annual maintenance and repair costs per vehicle and per department; information on vehicles that received maintenance equivalent to at least 30% of the original purchase price; data-driven recommendations for vehicle replacement; fleet-wide cost projections for a three-year period; analysis of what vehicles are under- or over-utilized; opportunities for fuel savings; and recommendations to increase efficiency.

“Maintaining the quality of our vehicles is critical to public health and safety, and the state of our fleet right now constitutes a serious problem, as the City faces financial challenges in the years ahead,” Controller Rachael Heisler said in a statement, applauding Wilson’s effort.

This comes as the city is bracing for financial challenges in the coming years as revenues are declining and federal covid-19 relief money expires at the end of next year.