City Council
City’s vehicle fleet barely limping along.
To replace its older, high-mileage vehicles, the city would need about $22 million a year, according to its fleet manager. An Oct. 15 report, the first of its kind, found police, EMS, and trash vehicles are the most overused. The fleet manager recommended speeding up their replacement. Council's budget director suggested a dedicated fleet fund, but council didn't plan any immediate action.
Written by Amy Whipple
The inaugural fleet oversight report painted a picture of despair.
Peter McDevitt, council’s budget director, told council at a post agenda meeting, “I have a legitimate fear that we are past the point of no return.”
A May post agenda already sounded the alarms about the city’s emergency vehicle fleets.
The Oct. 15 report revealed that police, EMS, and refuse dominate vehicle overutilization (more than 15,000 miles per year). Firmin Maurice IV, the city’s fleet manager, recommended prioritizing these fleets for accelerated replacement.
The city plans to purchase 50 vehicles next year, McDevitt said, 20 of which will be for the police. The report showed that the police department has more than twice as many vehicles as the next largest department which is the Department of Public Works.
To bring the city’s fleets up to speed, Maurice said it would need to spend about $22 million per year to replace older, high-mileage vehicles. Those vehicles account for a disproportionate number of repair dollars.
McDevitt suggested the city create a dedicated fund for fleet management, as it has done with housing and violence prevention. Council Member Anthony Coghill of Beechview recommended increasing the number of leased vehicles. Council did not plan any immediate action.
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- City Council · October 14, 2025
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