Vehicle Maintenance
The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office (MSO) did not have a vehicle fleet management plan in place to replace its aging fleet on a continuous cycle. Our analysis revealed that MSO’s average vehicle was more than 10 years old and maintenance expenses increased during our audit period. MSO had maintenance expenditures totaling $586,334—the highest among all the sheriffs’ departments in the Commonwealth during our audit period (see chart on next page).
As a result of these maintenance expenses, MSO may be spending funds that could have been designated to replace essential vehicles on a defined cycle, which could have reduced maintenance expenditures over the long term. The expenditures for vehicle maintenance are directly attributable to the size, mileage, and age of MSO’s fleet. We recommend that MSO develop a fleet management plan for its motor vehicles, including a comprehensive maintenance and replacement program and a mechanism for funding it.
Total Vehicle Maintenance by Sheriff's Department: July 1, 2016 through December 31, 2018
| Date published: | February 21, 2020 |
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