Size of state government fleet now below pre-Katrina level

BATON ROUGE – Commissioner of Administration Paul Rainwater announced today that the size of Louisiana state government’s vehicle fleet has been reduced by 1,001 vehicles since the Jindal administration began its reduction effort last year.

Compared to the 12,740 vehicles in the state fleet when the effort began, as of this week, the state’s fleet now includes 11,739 vehicles.  The current fleet size is also 185 vehicles smaller than, and represents its lowest historical level since, the end of the fiscal year in June 2004, when the fleet stood at 11,924 vehicles.

“This effort for greater efficiency in state government is making steady progress and is already producing significant taxpayer savings,” Rainwater said.  “We will continue to work toward further fleet reductions in coordination with our other efforts to downsize government through consolidations and reorganizations.”

In August of last year, the Jindal administration established a limited freeze on the purchase of new state government vehicles, with exceptions for critical needs like public safety and emergency response.  At the same time, the Louisiana Property Assistance Agency (LPAA) began working with state government departments to identify older vehicles to be sold as surplus in public auctions.

To date, 897 of the 1,001 vehicles reduced from the fleet have already been sold at auction, bringing in $1,791,405.  Taking into account fuel, maintenance, and insurance costs, the 1,001 vehicle reduction has also resulted in recurring savings of more than $3.6 million annually.

Also, initial figures since it was implemented on December 21, 2009, show that a state government motor pool rental program for employees to utilize for business trips exceeding 100 miles is producing additional estimated annual savings of close to $500,000.

LPAA’s next surplus vehicle auction is scheduled for Saturday, September 11, at 1059 Brickyard Lane in Baton Rouge.  More information about the auction, including photos of vehicles available, will be posted closer to the auction date on LPAA’s website, at http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/lpaa/index.htm.