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10/28/2009

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Hoppy's Commentary for Wednesday

Talkline Host Hoppy Kercheval

It’s easy to get lost in the numbers of the current controversy over the state’s vehicle fleet.

The recently released legislative audit said the state could not accurately say how many vehicles it had. The Manchin Administration responded within days with its own report saying that “all agencies surveyed were able to provide the number of vehicles they own or lease.”

For example, the total number of state-owned passenger vehicles is, according to the Manchin Administration, 4,083. But then there is also another 5,200 specialty vehicles like snow plow trucks, boats and trailers and even ATV’s.

So now we’re up to over 9,200 vehicles, which costs the state somewhere between $60 million and $70 a year for gasoline, insurance and maintenance.

Running the state is a huge undertaking. You need all kinds of equipment, often expensive or highly specialized equipment. But the legislative audit has raised legitimate questions about the size and organization of the state’s vehicle fleet that must be addressed.

And Manchin promises he will.

The Governor has created a task force made up of representatives of state agencies to determine “best practices in fleet management, (and) evaluate fleet inventory control measures.” Manchin says he will then turn those recommendations into legislation to get the fleet under control.

Manchin says that one of the goals of the task force is to “develop a system of objective evaluation of who is permitted to use state vehicles for commuting purposes.”

This is where it will get interesting. Ultimately, this issue is going to get down to this basic question: Who gets a car and who doesn’t?

I suspect the allocation of some state vehicles, which was decentralized to the various state agencies starting in 1990, has just evolved over time. Maybe some positions come with a vehicle because “that’s the way it’s always been done.”

Manchin says he has made some improvements in the fleet by reducing by ten percent the number of employees who can use state vehicles for commuting, buying smaller vehicles and even some used vehicles.

Still more needs to be done. And to do that, the state needs to centralize the fleet information and start keeping proper travel records. Auditor Glen Gainer said this week on Talkline he would not be surprised if the IRS started asking questions about improper reporting of state vehicles for personal travel.

The responsibility does not fall completely on the Governor since the legislature has over time take control of the fleet away from the Administration and put it in the hands of the various agencies.

But the Governor can lead the way.

User Comments

Hoppy,

The other day I talked to a executive branch state employee about this issue. During his employment by West Virginia he has never been permitted to drive a state car for any personal use beyond driving to a restaurant when he is traveling out of town, on state business.

It seems that every time an executive branch state employee buys gas for a state vehicle he/she is required to enter an assigned unique ID number plus the odometer mileage for the car. My friend assumes that each car has a unique credit card provided by a contractor (to be used for fuel ONLY) since he has been told that if numbers are transposed, unreasonable numbers are entered, or if he accidentally buys ANYTHING but regular gasoline his director is called to task in his next meeting with the cabinet secretary. I imagine that if the charge comes from some unlikely place that is reported too. Also, for insurance purposes, he understands that every administrative branch employee was recently REQUIRED to complete a four hour, online defensive driving course. If this course was not passed by a deadline the employee would not be allowed to drive state cars. Also, non-state employees are not allowed to ride in state cars without high level administrative approval.

This does not sound like a loosely controlled system gone amok. It sounds to me like this report was a politically motivated attempt to discredit certain elected officials, for some reason. The real story here is who is being targeted and why, not about state employees aimlessly driving around the state on the taxpayer's dime and not reporting vehicle use to the IRS.

Hoppy, I am really not liking the accusatory tone of your commentaries about the use of state vehicles! While there has no doubt been misuse and abuse of state vehicles by some, do not paint all state employees with the same broad brush! To use another analogy,there is no need to "throw the baby out with the bath water". Deal with those employees who have misused state vehicles fo their own personal benefit,certainly. BUT, it is not fair to suggest that there is something inherently WRONG with the whole system! MOST state employees who are issued a vehicle are honest, hardworking, and ethical and DO NOT use the state vehicles for their own personal use. Given that most state employees are also underpaid, taking away the use of a vehicle for their job would in essence be a pay cut!

In other cases,such as with my husband, whose job requires extensive statewide travel, if he were required to first travel to his "home" office to pick up a vehicle, this would actually COST the state more in mileage, gas, wear and tear on the vehicle, as well as use of his time. How is THAT productive?!

Finally,many of the procedures that our wonderful governor, of whom you seem to be so enamoured, is implementing are ALREADY in place, or should be. Again, if these aren't being followed, then target ENFORCEMENT of them! For example, my husband logs his mileage on a daily basis. It seems that just knowing when and where the vehicles have been driven would go a long way toward preventing unauthorized or personal usage.

So, Hoppy, I would suggest that you look at ALL sides of this issue before unfairly implying that use of state vehicles is suspect. Finally, I find it amusing that YOU would argue for more big government control - isn't that against your conservative nature?

Hi Hop, The state has some crazy rules about travel in general. I've heard now that, at least in DHHR offices, they are requiring using the state vehicle for all home visits....

And more odd to me, is this policy that the state has....if you live in Morgantown, but are housed in a Grafton state office and are traveling to Martinsburg you must deduct you typical commute from the total mileage to Martinsburg if you are leaving from home. It is not enough that they get the reduced mileage since I live closer to the area traveling, they also have to make sure I pay for my commute whether or not I actually make it. Ridiculous.

Wise reduced the fleet by something like 60% when he was in office....sold the vehicles below book to save money?!? Here we go again, I can feel it coming.....

It is likely state government has no clue as to the absolute cost of transportation for state work. Aside from the folks who use state vehicles in questionable ways, there are numerous state employees who use their personal vehicles regularly to drive from one state office to another or between campuses. Most may not be paid for that use, but it should be accounted for in any study aimed at determining how much state transportation actually costs. Cost is cost, whether the state foots the bill or its employees do.

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