SAVE Award 2011 Ideas

Standardize the management of our vehicle and equipment fleets. Currently, each agency, writes policy/regulation and has software, procedures, and management policy for their fleets. Conversely, we're all doing the same thing; tracking utilization, right-sizing, greening, tracking fuel, training, etc. On top of that, each agency is writing directives, regulations, policy, and even creating separate forms. Standardizing... more »

Home-to-Work (HTW) transportation imposes a major cost burden to the taxpayer. Current guidance that governs HTW utilization within the departments of the Executive Branch is overly permissive and leaves room for wide interpretation which leads to overuse and misuse of government vehicles. This is due primarily to a lack of definitions assigned to words in the key subsection of 31USC1344 which allows HTW usage, especially... more »

We are required to submit vehicle mileages for all GSA vehicles on a monthly basis. In our office of approximately 80 employees, we currently have 26 GSA vehicles. The Vehicles are usually in the field when the email request to retrieve mileages goes out.
It seems like there should be a way to capture the mileage without involving so many employees because whenever fuel is purchased using the fleet credit card, the odometer... more »

As the operator of the largest civilian fleet of vehicles in the country, the United States Postal Service (USPS) could save money by gradually substituting its gas-powered vehicles with hybrid (gas/electric) and/or electric-only vehicles. For residential deliveries, for instance, hybrids would run on electricity alone during delivery stops, and quick runs from one residence to another. Some of the benefits from this... more »

The government wastes billions of dollars per year with under utilized vehicles depreciating in our government motor pools. Many vehicles aren't even used at all. The first place to tackle this problem is to identify the oldest and least used vehicles in the fleet. Any 1991 motor vehicle or older should be sold. The government would save millions of dollars in direct/indirect maintenance cost, reduce the government's... more »

Create an incentive for U.S. companies to improve automobile efficiency by making a mass purchase of the most efficient U.S. model each year. This would save money by improving fleet efficiency.

Eliminate the Forest Service driver/operator licensing program. Training and subsequent documentation should be the responsibility of the supervisor and/or safety managment. Creating examiner programs and licensing is costly, it duplicates state licensing programs (in some areas), and is largely a safety program. So where does the the FS put it? Why, under Engineering and Fleet of course. Also,while we're at it, make... more »

Government fleet vehicles often have in-service lives well in excess of 50,000 miles, usually requiring tires to be replaced at least one time during their service tenure. A new set of four tires can easily cost $700-$800. However, many of these vehicles carry full size spare tires on stock wheels, which are often never put into service.

I suggest rotating a full size spare tire into use during the vehicle's first... more »

GSA vehicles are cycled for new when the mileage reaches around 60000. Given the improved reliability and high cost of new vehicles, the mileage should be increased to at least 100,000 miles before a new vehicle is ordered.

Unless strict justification and need is demonstrated, only vehicles with at least 25 mpg should be allowed.

We should stop paying approximately $30.00 - $50.00 for each government vehicle oil change for an estimated fleet of 600,000 vehicles government wide. Currently, we use hundreds of oil change facilities including national brands, car dealerships, etc. I recommend that we negotiate flat rate fee's for individual oil changes at 3-5 national brands and implement guidance for using these brands. If a designated brand... more »

Why does a completely tax exempt organization voluntarily throw away billions of dollars by paying taxes on travel? I travel a lot for the Navy and detest that taxes for TDY travel expenses are charged to my government credit card. Though the Government Treasury will get the taxes back, for the Navy and the Program Office (PMA), those funds are lost. Those lost and unrecoverable funds, which can quickly add up to billions,... more »