CECIL COUNTY PRESS RELEASE
October 23, 2008

Cecil County, Maryland Government
tVehicle Fleet Makes 100 Best

Virginia Beach, VA, October 21, 2008 - Cecil County, Maryland Government Fleet Maintenance has been selected and recognized in the 100 Best Fleets in North America.  The 100 Best Fleets program operates in partnership with Government Fleet magazine, a national publication which annually recognizes and rewards peak performing fleet operations throughout North America, with sponsors including Chrysler and other industry organizations.

From seven hundred sixty (760) applicants, Cecil County, Maryland Government was selected and recognized this year in Virginia Beach as one of the most outstanding fleet operations in the country. The Cecil County fleet is managed by First Vehicle Services, which stresses implementation of best fleet practices, and encourages fleets to apply for this award.

Selections from fleet applications from all over North America were made by a panel of judges from past award-winning municipalities rating criteria which included:

•  Accountability: Providing documentation that measures progress and performance toward both individual and team objectives.
• Use of Technology Implementation: Fleet operations must have a technology deployment plan that is reviewed and updated annually; to include diagnostic tools, training aids, communication effectiveness (both internal and external), and also interactively access the World Wide Web.
• Evidence of a High Trust Culture: A culture in which all employees feel confident to contribute or even disagree.  The operation must demonstrate the existence of such a culture by having mechanisms in place that encourage and reward the open sharing of information and ideas.
• Performance Recognition: Programs must be in place to acknowledge and reward excellent performance or the attainment of pre-set goals.  These programs must be in place for both the individual and the team.   
• Collaboration: The fleet operation must demonstrate how they encourage the sharing of ideas among all fleet personnel.
• Creativity: The fleet operation must describe and document how creativity has been encouraged and how new ideas and new technologies have been developed and deployed to address challenges within the operation.
• Quick/Efficient Turnaround: Programs must be in place to accurately measure repair times from the initial drop-off until notice of repair completion.
• Competitive Pricing: The fleet operation must document and compare their cost of regular repairs with surrounding commercial and public agency fleets and have a program in place to keep their customers informed.
• Staff Development: The operation must have a program in place that ensures all staff members have individualized plans for continued growth and development.  This plan could include such strategies as goal setting, career path development, self evaluation, required training hours, and other mechanisms for further development of skills and talents.
• Celebration: Defining ways in which successes are rewarded, how often and in what ways they are celebrated.

The 100 Best Fleets will be itemized in the November/December issue of Government Fleet magazine. Any qualified government employee can obtain a free copy of the magazine by going to www.fleet-central.com , clicking on Government Fleet, then on Subscribe.

 For more information on the County's program contact Craig Whiteford, Budget Manager, at 410.996.5203 or cwhiteford@ccgov.org