NAFA Member Patrick T. Barrett, MPA/CAFM Wins Awards For Automated Rental System

Congratulations are in order for NAFA Member Patrick T. Barrett, MPA/CAFM, Director, University of Nebraska Transportation Services. The University has awards from the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and the Central Association of College and University Business Officers (CACUBO) for a car rental system that has streamlined the process and allowed for more revenue opportunities. Patrick has written an article for NACUBO Business Officer which outlines the innovation and its rewards.

"In 2011-12, we calculated the we dispatched vehicles for 7,500 days but only billed for 6,142, resulting in an annual loss of about 18 percent of billed days—or $54,000," Patrick explained in his submission. "Although vehicles could be dropped off after hours, rental vehicles could only be picked up during business hours, 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Plus, drivers were allowed to pick up keys at the end of the business day before they traveled."

The solution was an automated self-serve vehicle dispatch system which was christened "Keyosk." The system had the ability to dispatch and return vehicles at any time, and on any day, promising constant access. "The Keyosks are self-serve, can scan/read any state’s driver’s license, matches drivers to reservations, and works with any type vehicle key," he said.

Through various offsets from previous infrastructure falling out of use, and with improved vehicle availability, according to Patrick, "Transportation Services was able to allow more vehicles to be assigned to more financially stable long-term/monthly rentals and avoid the purchase of additional units to satisfy long-term rental demand."

At the July NACUBO annual meeting in Seattle WA, Patrick received the 2014 Innovation Award for developing and implementing the Keyosk system. At the October CACUBO annual meeting in Kansas City MO, he received second place for the same submission in the 2014 Best Practice category.

Congratulations, Patrick, on University of Nebraska Transportation Services' well-earned win!

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