Overview

Fleet Operations provides and maintains vehicles for County operations, including automobiles, ambulances, trucks, recycling vehicles and heavy equipment such as back-hoes, loaders, motor graders and bulldozers. It also repairs, maintains and fuels County vehicles and those of some agencies that have intergovernmental relationships with the County.

  • Administration
  • Heavy Equipment Shop Section
  • Automotive Shop

Contact

Fleet Operations

Office Address

4371 Headquarters Rd., N. Charleston, SC 29405

Phone: (843) 202-7900

Fax: (843) 202-7908

Responsibilities

  • Provide vehicles and equipment for County departments
  • Repair and maintain the County's vehicles, including 24-hour service for Emergency First Responders
  • Research, develop and assist agencies with specifications for vehicles and heavy equipment purchases made by the County
  • Maintain automated and manual fueling sites throughout the County

Awards, Certifications and Recognition

  • Charleston County Fleet Operations Department is the first government fleet in South Carolina and one of only 22 agencies in the U.S. that have earned the Certified Fleet Management Operation (GFMO) certification from the Government Fleet Management Alliance (GFMA). The CFMO process involves the fleet manager along with the entire staff in measuring and working to improve the operation's effectiveness, competitiveness and efficiency using a detailed certification self-audit that is based on industry best practices. There are over 120 specific certification criteria addressing 20 critical areas of fleet management. There are also 15 very specific performance standards that were measured and certified as meeting or exceeding industry standard criteria for successful fleet management.
  • The National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified Charleston County Fleet Operations as an ASE Blue Seal of Excellence Certified Shop in 2013. Qualifying for this ASE certification requires a repair facility to have at least 75% of their technicians ASE certified, and among that group, have someone certified in every area of service the facility offers.
  • Charleston County Fleet Operations is the only government fleet in South Carolina to concurrently receive both GFMA and ASE accreditations.
  • 85% of Fleet technicians received their Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Blue Seal of Excellence certifications in various automotive skills within the first 10 months of program adoption. ASE certifications encompass 25 designated certification areas with all 16 required certification areas covered. Many technicians have multiple certifications in each area.
  • Our Automotive Service Manager serves on the Board of Directors for the Southeastern Governmental Fleet Manager's Association (GA, NC and SC), serving as Information and Publicity Committee Chairman. This position is in charge of creating the association's quarterly newsletter, initiating publicity for their annual conference and training schedules, and promoting professionalism within government fleets in the tri-state area.
  • Mark Morris recently (June 2015) received certification as an Emergency Vehicle Technician (EVT) from the Emergency Vehicle Training Certification Commission, Inc.
  • Currently seeking Fleet Management accreditation with the American Public Works Association (APWA) certification program.
ASE Logo
ASE Logo

Continuous Improvement

Fleet CFMO

Charleston County's Fleet Operations is the first government entity in the state of South Carolina to install the Snap-on Squarerigger Opti-Tread Tire Diagnostic and Vehicle Safety System in combination with the Integrity Test Lane system.

This system is a Modular Vehicle Safety Lane that performs a vehicle safety inspection in minutes and quickly conducts multiple system audits:

  • Alignment Audit System checks for out-of-specification alignment angles and worn suspension parts
  • Dynamic Brake Audit checks brake efficiency, brake clamping force and pad thickness, brake drag and variation
  • OBD II (emission) Vehicle system health checks for diagnostic trouble codes and emissions related problems
  • Battery/Charging system Audit checks battery and charging system health The Integrity Test Drive system also generates comprehensive reports with easy to understand explanation of needed services on the vehicle that is shared with the customer. The Integrity Test lane is incorporated into the County's Preventative Maintenance Program. This enables the technician to have hind sight into the needed service for the vehicle and assure quality control when needed repairs are completed. The technician will quickly and efficiently inspect more vehicles in a shorter amount of time. This will save money on vehicle maintenance and decrease vehicle downtime.
  • Improved preventive maintenance (PM) scheduling performance from 74% to 95% since the implementation and use of the computerized vehicle diagnostic scheduling system. PM compliance is at 95%, and has been maintained at least this level for the last seven months.
  • Fleet equipment availability improved to 95.6% from previous level of 92.5 in just the first 6 months of working with this new diagnostic equipment. Repairs can be identified and repaired quicker and more efficiently with the vehicle being returned to the customer in a much shorter time period.

Fleet ASE Certification List

Technician Name
ASE Certification
Robert Ahlemann
T8 - PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION
Artie Becker
A1 - AUTOMOTIVE ENGINE REPAIR
Adam Coleman
A4 - AUTOMOTIVE SUSPENSION AND STEERING A5 - AUTOMOTIVE BRAKES A6 - AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS A7 - AUTOMOTIVE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING
Roy Cooke
T3 - MEDIUM/HEAVY TRUCK DRIVE TRAINS
Ronald Darr
T2 - MEDIUM/HEAVY TRUCK DESEIL ENGINES
Keith Foster
T4 - MEDIUM/HEAVY TRUCK BRAKES
Mark Kostos
A1 - AUTOMOTIVE ENGINE REPAIR A2 - AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION/TRANSAXLE A3 - AUTOMOTIVE MANUAL DRIVETRAIN AND AXLE A4 - AUTOMOTIVE SUSPENSION AND STEERING A5 - AUTOMOTIVE BRAKES A6 - AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS A7 - AUTOMOTIVE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING A8 - AUTOMOTIVE ENGINE PERFORMANCE T1 - MEDIUM/HEAVY TRUCK GASOLINE ENGINES T6 - MEDIUM/HEAVY TRUCK ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
Paul Morris
T5 - MEDIUM/HEAVY TRUCK SUSPENSION AND STEERING
Arthur Rivers
A5 - AUTOMOTIVE BRAKES
Mark Schatz
A5 - AUTOMOTIVE BRAKES A7 - AUTOMOTIVE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING
Christopher Sires
T7 - MEDIUM/HEAVY TRUCK HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING A4 - AUTOMOTIVE BRAKES
Link Eardley
T7 - MEDIUM/HEAVY TRUCK HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING A4 - AUTOMOTIVE BRAKES
All ASE Certification areas are covered
85% of Charleston County Fleet Operation Technicians are ASE Certified Technicians

ASE Certification Descriptions

Automotive ASE Certification
Title
A1
Engine Repair
A2
Automatic Transmission/Transaxle
A3
Manual Drivettrain and Axle
A4
Suspension and Steering
A5
Brakes
A6
Electrical/Electronic Systems Brakes
A7
Heating and Air Conditioning
A8
Engine Performance
Medium/Heavy Truck ASE Certification
Title
T1
Gasoline Engines
T2
Deseil Engines
T3
Drive Trains
T4
Brakes
T5
Suspension and Steering
T6
Electrical/Electronic Systems
T7
Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning
T8
Preventative Maintenance and Inspection
Fleet CFMO