You may not see it, but transparency in operating practices at the Central Fleet Management Div. in the City of Boston is driving programs that reduce costs and ultimately deliver better services to residents, businesses and visitors.
Boston About Results (BAR) is a citywide program that uses data analytics to measure and analyze performance, develop strategies, and continuously identify opportunities to improve and to deliver sustainable solutions. “For example,” explains Bill Coughlin, director of Central Fleet Management, “we use BAR to track the effectiveness and responsiveness of our fleet maintenance programs, including the number of unscheduled repairs, total PMs performed, and overdue maintenance.”
The Central Fleet Management Div. produces reports on key departmental performance indicators on a regular basis as well. To do so, it relies on a number of information management systems.
“One of the primary systems we use,” says Matt Bradley, data procurement equipment technician, “is FleetWave management software from Chevin Fleet Solutions, including its vehicle/equipment management, repairs, inventory, fuel, driver, technician, accident management, query builder, and event scheduling modules.”
Bradley reports that the Chevin software at Central Fleet is integrated with fueling location systems to track fuel use and utilization by vehicle. The legal department uses its accident module, he adds, and it supplies data for billing and to pay outside vendors for services like bodywork.
The City of Boston’s Central Fleet Management Div. is responsible for acquisition, remarketing, and repair and maintenance services for a diversified fleet of 1,100 municipal vehicles and equipment. The division operates from two centrally located shops, which provide maintenance and repair services to city departments.
Increasingly, alternative fuel vehicles are part of the Boston fleet. “The city’s Greenovate Boston Climate Action Plan has a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020 and 80% by 2050,” Coughlin states. “We strive to replace part of our fleet each year with alternative fuel vehicles to reduce our environmental impact and to improve the efficiency of our operations.”
Currently, all diesel-powered vehicles in the Boston fleet use a B20 biodiesel blend while other units are powered by propane and CNG. The city is also fielding vans that have been retrofitted with XL3 Hybrid electric drive systems. Available on Class 2-6 vehicles, the XL Hybrid system adds an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery pack, and control software.
“The focus we have on data-driven analysis gives us the visibility we need to measure and analyze performance, develop strategies, and continuously identify opportunities to improve and to deliver sustainable solutions,” Coughlin states. “By connecting actions to results, we can help ensure the people of Boston are receiving the best possible city services at the lowest cost.”