Boynton Beach To Replace Fleet Vehicles After Replacement Cycle Extensions

The City of Boynton Beach, FL will have fifty new fleet vehicles through the course of 2013. The city commission approved $3.2 million dollars for replacement of vehicles put into an extended lifecycle for budgetary purposes. Boynton Beach's fleet consists of approximately 700 vehicles which include fire rescue units, patrol cars, fire rescue units, and a trailer.

Boynton Beach Fleet Administrator and NAFA Member Mario Guzman, CAFM, said the extended lifecycles on the vehicles was necessitated by the economic crash of 2008, with the ripple effect of decreased revenue from property taxes forcing extra belt-tightening. A fund designated for the fleet department had to be diverted to protect the general fund, from which numerous city programs are reliant. Even so, the vehicles were found no longer to be viable. "The vehicles were in rough shape, especially the solid waste trucks, while some PD units have well over 100,000 miles. Some were down due blown engines and transmissions," Guzman told NAFAConnection.

The vehicles, normally on a five-year replacement cycle, needed to be stretched to seven. Because of this, the vehicles in regular use received extra wear and were subject to increased repair downtime. "The clear example was the concern of the police department not being able to provide enough units to patrol at night. There were instances where two officers were assigned to a car, which subsequently reduces the patrolling efforts," Guzman said. "Additionally, the fire department had nights where there were no reserve units."

"Seven of the solid waste trucks had cost the city $645,000 for the two of the last seven years of service," Guzman said. "Typically these units are on a 5 year cycle."

"As far as making the case (for this round of replacement funding), we were able to show the maintenance and fuel for the additional years that the vehicles/equipment were extended," Guzman said. "However, the most influential factor was the support of City Manager Lori LaVerriere. She is well aware of the services we provide to our residents and how many times scheduled garbage pick ups where delayed due to downed vehicles."

Guzman is currently sending purchase orders to vendors. The vehicles were all purchased via Florida Sheriff’s Association contracts, State of Florida contracts, and a neighboring city’s cooperative contract.

NAFA Fleet Management Association
125 Village Blvd., Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004