DLA vehicle managers reduce gas emissions, promote safety

FORT BELVOIR, Va. -

Rob Holt has served on Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management's fleet management team for 12 years, with the last three as the fleet management program manager. He, the DLA vehicle manager and 14 subordinate fleet managers throughout the agency ensure 21,000 automotive and material handling items plus support equipment assets dispersed globally are mission ready.

The group is also responsible for transitioning to acquisition of zero-emission light-duty vehicles by 2027 in compliance with Presidential Executive Order 14057 and Defense Department goals.

"You would think that it would be as easy as making every gas vehicle an electric vehicle, but we have realized that causes mission gaps and spending money on resources that are underutilized," Holt said.

To evaluate and mitigate these concerns, the fleet management team conducts an agency-wide Vehicle Allocation Methodology study each fiscal year. The survey is comprised of 50 questions for vehicle operators. Survey responses and assessments of local mission requirements help fleet managers make informed decisions to retain or eliminate vehicles from the fleet.

"We try to run the leanest fleet we can without wasting taxpayer dollars to replace underutilized vehicles, because electric vehicles cost a lot more money than gas vehicles to procure," said Glenn Mellon, DLA Installation Management vehicle manager.

To save money and reduce the agency's gas-powered vehicles, the fleet management team has purchased 171 low-speed electric vehicles and leased 71 zero-emission vehicles from the Government Services Administration. Low-speed electric vehicles help reduce petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, limiting their impact on the environment.

"It is still an electric vehicle that enables us to move people and property from Point A to Point B," said Derrik Griner, DLA's fleet manager in Richmond. "We have been using these to replace vehicles that do not leave the installation, like for the police force and mailroom, because over a lifecycle they become cheaper than leasing a vehicle from GSA."

DLA had 1,485 GSA-leased vehicles in the United States when Holt began managing the agency's GSA-leased fleet in 2013. As he and the fleet management team worked to eliminate some of those vehicles, agency leaders voiced concerns about impacts to mission readiness.

"In 2023, the number is down to 945 [GSA leased] vehicles and the mission is still getting done," he said, adding that DLA continues to replace underutilized vehicles with alternatives.

Fleet management workshop

Each summer, DLA Installation Management hosts a three-day workshop for the agency's fleet managers to synchronize on industry and policy changes. The workshop includes question-and-answer sessions and explores the practical application of safety and occupational health strategies to reduce operational risks.

This year's workshop also featured sessions on leveraging driver-performance data on vehicles, as well as the process for investigating property loss.

Holt said he believes the event was a success, and the lessons learned will help ensure accountability, improve driver behavior and mitigate risks associated with fleet operations.

"The DLA fleet management community remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing safety standards, optimizing fleet operations and promoting responsible resource management within our vehicle fleet," Holt said.

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