Rami Saad briefed Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees on potential benefits of utilizing Enterprise Fleet Management’s vehicle replacement and management program for district vehicles.
Several area school districts and governments already are utilizing the vehicle lease program for their fleets. In August 2019, Sulphur Springs City Council voted to switch from purchasing and maintaining city vehicles to a lease agreement in which Enterprise Fleet Management would finance and manage the city’s fleet.
Saad said the program would help track vehicle use, as well as maintenance and replacement for efficiency and safety of district employees and students. He pointed out that the majority of the district’s vehicles are older, and thus don’t have the current added safety features that newer models have. Older vehicles also cost more in maintenance repairs and fuel costs, Saad said.
Enterprise Fleet would give access to an infrastructure, resources and technology at a lower cost because of the partnerships and access the company has to so many different vehicles. Reselling when vehicles are newer provide more equity and thus generate a higher resale value than a vehicle 5-10 years old. Drivers would have access to a mobile app they could use to call for roadside service if the district were to go with that plan. A maintenance locator would be used to provide the nearest help.
Reviewing the information on the district’s current fleet, SSISD is looking at a growth of 5 vehicles in the near future — 2 for police officers, two for travel and one for the maintenance department.
Saad assured that there would be no charge for excess wear and tear as is normal using the vehicles through the enterprise program.
Options would be available for certain maintenance programs, gas programs, and other level of vehicle support and tracking. The level of use would be up to the district, if they opted to utilize the program, according to Saad.
The information was presented, but no proposal presented at that time for trustees to take action on.
