4 Tips for Running a More Efficient Government Fleet

Managing a government fleet is challenging and costly. Regular maintenance, fuel, and other expenses add up over time. In fact, the cost per mile (CPM) for a government fleet vehicle is $0.27 — a few cents higher than the average $0.24 CPM for fleets overall.

A practical way to reduce costs and improve accountability is by managing your keys more effectively. Electronic key control systems can play a vital role in controlling costs and ensuring fleet efficiency. Use these four tips to optimize your fleet operations: 

1. Track Driver Access to Keys and Fuel Cards 

If you don't have a reliable way to track who's using which vehicle, it’s difficult to track usage or ensure mileage and fuel logs are accurate. Fuel cards create the same tracking challenges, and drivers can easily misuse them without proper controls. With a system designed to secure and track both keys and cards, you can:

• Limit access to specific vehicles based on job role or shift.
• Require drivers to log in with a PIN, fob, or fingerprint.
• Log key or card checkouts, including the individual, time, and purpose of each transaction.
• Receive alerts for overdue keys or unauthorized access attempts.

KeyTrak Guardian Edge system with a key panel and card module

This level of oversight creates a clear chain of custody and discourages misuse, helping you maintain accurate records and reduce liability.

2. Track Mileage and Stay on Top of Maintenance

Even with a maintenance schedule in place, it's easy for a vehicle to slip through the cracks — especially if mileage isn’t logged consistently or vehicles are being overused. Missed service intervals often lead to emergency repairs, downtime, or safety issues.

With an electronic key control system, you can require staff to input mileage every time a key is returned. You can then use daily reports to track usage patterns, allowing you to:

• Spot when vehicles are nearing service milestones.
• Reserve a key to temporarily remove a vehicle from use.
• Prevent breakdowns by scheduling proactive maintenance.

When vehicle data is accurate and up to date, you can rotate your fleet more effectively, minimize risk, and extend the life of your vehicles.

3. Prevent Vehicle Stagnation or Overuse

Keeping track of your high-use vehicles is a priority since they often require the most maintenance. However, it’s important not to forget vehicles that tend to stay on the lot. If vehicles sit idle too long, they can develop mechanical issues like rotting tires, leaking fluids, or degrading fuel and batteries — leading to costly repairs.

A key control system lets you review key activity to identify vehicles that haven’t been used recently. You can also:

• Reassign vehicles into the rotation.
• Investigate why some are underutilized.
• Spot overused vehicles based on key checkout frequency or high mileage per trip.

This visibility helps you right-size your fleet and optimize vehicle assignments based on actual usage.

4. Reduce Fuel Consumption

Government fleet vehicles drive fewer miles than fleets overall, but their fuel costs are higher: $0.15 CPM vs. $0.14 CPM. To reduce costs, hold drivers accountable for how and when they use fleet vehicles.

An electronic key control system can help you reduce fuel consumption by:

• Requiring a Checkout Reason: Drivers must select a reason (e.g., delivery, meeting, training) when removing a key, which discourages personal use of vehicles.

• Tracking Mileage per Transaction: If the mileage accrued from checkout to check-in doesn’t align with the purpose of the trip, you can investigate.

• Limiting Vehicle Access: Only approved users can check out vehicles during scheduled hours.

By controlling who can take a vehicle and why, you reduce waste and make smarter use of your fleet.

Managing a fleet on a limited budget is challenging, especially given the high CPM of government vehicles. Implementing an electronic key control system can help you improve accountability, optimize vehicle use, and reduce unnecessary expenses. By following these four tips, you can get the most out of your fleet.

Originally published in 2022 and updated in 2025.