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TENNESSEE PUBLIC WORKS INSTITUTE By John Chlarson, P.E., C.P.M.
Fleet Management in Public Works

The 2024 Fleet Management in Public of best practices. Volunteers also were to make an informed decision that they
Works Class of the Tennessee Public recruited as future class presenters. can defend to the electorate.
Works Institute (TPWI) was held last One of the exercises found to be of The Fleet Management Class
month, December 3-6, at the Tennessee value used Vehicle Equivalents and instructors included: Paul Brown, City
Association of Utility Districts Training Maintenance Requirement Units to of Morristown; John Chlarson, UT-
Station in Murfreesboro. Nineteen help calculate fleet technician staffing MTAS; Loretta Hopper, Town of Signal
students attended the class, representing requirements for a fleet maintenance Mountain (retired); Scott Jenkins, City
12 local government entities from operation. A Vehicle Equivalent (VE) of Knoxville; Phillip McCammon,
Memphis to Kingsport. is based on a pre-determined reference City of Alcoa; Casin Swann, Pavement
Class modules included: The Role of vehicle, such as a passenger sedan, while Restoration, Inc.; Toby Toombs, City of
a Fleet Manager; Mission/Organization a Maintenance Repair Unit (MRU) is Mt. Juliet; Jason Whitaker, Duke Energy;
Role; Marketing and Communications; equivalent to the number of annual and Kenny Wiggins, UT-MTAS.
Networking and Industry Trends; maintenance and repair hours per VE. Tennessee Public Works Magazine
Customer Service and Collaboration; If a passenger sedan (VE) repair and Publisher Klair Kimmey, who, with John
Human Resources; Information maintenance standard is determined Chlarson, is co-chair of the Tennessee
Technology; Finance; Vehicle to be 20 hours, then a sanitation truck Public Works Institute Committee,
Maintenance, Equipment and Fixed might equate to 8.6 VEs and require 8.6 oversaw on-site logistics and assisted
Equipment; Parts and Supplies; Vehicle VE x 20 MRU/VE= 172 MRU (hours). with the administration of the class.
Damage; Acquisition, Replacement, Say the total MRUs for a fleet equated Scott Jenkins and John Chlarson led the
and Disposal; Utilization of Vehicles, to 6,000 hours. The class learned that class review of the course material to
Equipment, and Fixed Equipment; after calculating holidays, sick leave, prepare the participants for their final
Facilities Management; Regulatory vacation, etc., the average employee examination.
Compliance; Fuels and Lubricants may only have 1,500 actual work hours
Management; Emergency Preparedness; available: 6,000 hours annual/ 1,500 The 2025 Tennessee Public Works
and Security and Environmental hours annual/technician= 4 technicians Institute schedule is being finalized
Management. needed. but will include classes on the
This class had not been offered Such an exercise, when combined with
since 2019, and the reviews from the information from other departments following topics:
week were overwhelmingly positive. and scope and level of services exercises, • Construction Inspection
Attendees were highly engaged with allows for fleet professionals to make a • Public Works Supervision
the networking aspects, as well as with defensible budget request for personnel, • Maintenance Technologies for PW
segments featuring information sharing equipment, and other resources. This • Public Works Administration
on past experiences, and the sharing allows those holding the purse strings
24 TPW January/February 2025