NEW YORK CITY KEEPS SANITATION VEHICLES ROLLING

The New York City Department of Sanitation's Bureau of Motor Equipment (BME) maintains more than 6,000 vehicles and heavy equipment units, the largest non-military powered fleet in the world. Most critical to NYC taxpayers are the 2,000 collection trucks, responsible for collecting 26,000 tons of waste daily, and doubling as snow plows. From 1979, the BME has more than tripled the uptime of its fleet through proper truck and drive train specifying, improved maintenance procedures, and innovative labor relations and financial management techniques. Worker morale has soared and savings of taxpayer dollars from lower fuel and other costs are in the millions. Preventive maintenance and field repair functions carried out in BME's 73 repair garages were analyzed to determine the efficiency of the operation. Work standards formerly used to measure individual worker performance were discarded in favor of team performance. From this, vehicle-staffing ratios (the number of vehicles maintained per mechanic) were developed as a basis of comparison with other equipment fleets. By this measure BME's overall efficiency has been measured as equal to or better than other fleets measured, including those in the private sector.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1606878
• Publication Date: 1989-11

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 56-57
• Serial:
  • Public Works
  • Volume: 120
  • Issue Number: 12
  • Publisher: Hanley Wood
  • ISSN: 0033-3840
  • Serial URL: http://www.pwmag.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Economic efficiency; Equipment; Equipment maintenance; Finance; Fleet management; Innovation; Labor relations; Maintenance management; Motor vehicles; Personnel performance; Preventive maintenance; Repairing; Teams
• Uncontrolled Terms: Efficiency; Financial management; Fleets; Repairs
• Geographic Terms: New York (New York)
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Economics; Finance; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Vehicles and Equipment; I10: Economics and Administration; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00489566
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 1989 12:00AM