In a feat of operational excellence, the City of Buckeye’s Public Works Fleet Management Division has claimed the title of No. 1 small fleet (fewer than 499 assets) in the 2024 Leading Fleets rankings, according to Government Fleet magazine.
The announcement was made during the Government Fleet Expo & Conference on May 7, where the city was recognized alongside peers for best-in-class achievements. Buckeye joins Fayetteville, Ark., as mid-size fleet winner and Long Beach, Calif., as the No. 1 large and overall top fleet in this annual competition conducted by Government Fleet and the American Public Works Association, sponsored by Ford Pro.
Buckeye manages a fleet of just under 150 vehicles. According to Government Fleet, its success stems from leadership, visionary planning, resource efficiency and community-focused operations.
In an exclusive feature published June 10, Government Fleet chronicled the strategic overhauls that led to Buckeye’s top ranking. Fleet Manager Beth Casillas noted a sharp increase in the city’s population — from 6,500 in 2000 to 120,000 today — has driven substantial demands on fleet capacity. To address this, Buckeye expanded its maintenance shop to handle heavy-duty vehicles and fire apparatus and bolstered its technician workforce.
Casillas emphasized the launch of a full-time service writer, extended oil intervals for heavy-use units, and smarter telematics deployment for engine diagnostics and GPS vehicle fault monitoring, including round-the-clock alerts for fire apparatus. She also credited the fleet’s ASE Blue Seal certification, new intern pipeline with West-MEC vocational students and proactive public communications via LinkedIn for boosting public trust and staff retention.
Looking forward, Buckeye is planning a new, larger fleet facility to further accommodate its growing inventory and future expansion, Casillas told Government Fleet.
The Leading Fleets program evaluates applicants across four pillars: leadership and staff development, customer and community service, operational efficiency and vision for the future, especially in overcoming unexpected challenges.