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How to leverage fleet technology in response to a disaster
Learn how telematics and GPS tracking help public safety fleets prepare for and respond to disasters and crisis events.
Read moreBecause of the diverse services public agencies oversee, government fleet management teams often need to use a wide array of assets.
From trailers and mobile generators to heavy public works machinery, portable signage, and park maintenance gear, public assets are frequently scattered across multiple municipal facilities and departmental subdivisions. This makes it difficult for administrators to know where equipment is, how it's being used and whether it's ready when needed.
Public sector fleets also face unique pressures that commercial fleets don't. Government fleets are constantly mandated to deliver higher levels of community services with fewer taxpayer dollars. When a water main breaks or a severe storm downs utility lines, immediate response times are non-negotiable because community safety and wellbeing is at stake.
Compounding these operational hurdles is a widening funding deficit. Counties across the U.S. invest nearly $743 billion annually to provide essential services such as public safety, infrastructure and workforce development. But as inflation rises and local economies expand, the demand for local services is rising even faster, with 85% of counties reporting increased service demand and 86% citing insufficient funding and workforce shortages as major barriers to meeting community needs.1
Asset tracking can help address some of these pressures by making equipment management easier, faster and more productive. Discover how fleet management software helps public agencies gain comprehensive, centralized visibility into their vehicles and equipment with these three essential tips.
1. Use asset tracking to get more value from your existing equipment
Managing multiple types of assets across departmental silos can prove challenging for administrative staff.
Teams must maintain an accurate asset inventory while also tracking asset utilization to boost efficiency. Since not all assets are likely to be in use at the same time and sit in multiple yards, underutilization can quickly drain public funds.
GPS-based asset tracking software provides data-backed clarity on which of your government assets are in use, where they are located and how they are being used. This type of granular visibility improves cross-departmental resource efficiency and supports better budget management, enabling asset managers to:
- Reduce costs by analyzing usage, fuel consumption, travel times, routing and "power on" duration. This enables more efficient scheduling and providing data for employee coaching opportunities regarding wasteful practices.
- Identify underused assets that can be sold or repurposed elsewhere.
- Monitor asset location and time of use. You can track when specific assets are in use, and if it’s in the manner for which they're intended.
- Make more informed decisions around renting additional assets versus redeploying underutilized, owned assets.
On average, public sector fleets report reducing fuel costs by 26% using fleet technology, and 21% said fleet technology is very or extremely beneficial for reducing idling, according to the Verizon Connect Fleet Technology Trends Report.2
See it in action: The City of Annapolis
The City of Annapolis in Maryland required precise tracking for its large, mixed fleet, as well as expensive assets in the field. When the city added 40 more units to its fire apparatus to track ambulances, fire engines, hook-and-ladder trucks and bomb squad vehicles, it needed a way to track it all.
By using both vehicle and asset trackers, the City of Annapolis improved fleet productivity and municipal transparency with the entire community. For example, the city has integrated GPS location data into the police dispatch system, allowing them to adapt proximity dispatching, instantly routing the closest available emergency responder to "provide the quickest and the fastest service to the citizens."
For a practical framework on boosting equipment output with fleet management software, download our guide on 5 steps for improving government fleet utilization.
2. Protect your taxpayer-funded assets 24/7
The theft or unauthorized misuse of public property triggers severe operational disruption, inflating replacement overhead, causing unplanned project downtime, and stalling critical municipal repairs. Because public equipment is funded entirely by taxpayer dollars, every security breach compromises agency transparency and places immense pressure on already stretched budgets.
Whether you need to recover lost equipment or discourage theft, implementing the right fleet tracking system for your public agency provides continuous, proactive asset protection around the clock. Fleet administrators can quickly identify unusual activity and respond before a small issue turns into a costly disruption.
With GPS asset tracking, agencies can receive immediate notifications when an asset is used during unauthorized time periods or off-hours or moved outside specified geofenced areas.
Advanced tracking tools also help agencies:
- Locate assets quickly and support theft recovery using breadcrumb tracking
- Coordinate with law enforcement or internal security teams faster to stop theft in its tracks
- Configure automated "check-ins" at custom intervals based on operational or security requirements
This level of visibility helps government fleets reduce losses, strengthen accountability and ensure essential equipment is available when communities need it most.
3. Improve maintenance planning and asset lifecycles
Fleet maintenance software with asset tracking can help public fleets schedule preventive maintenance that avoids premature equipment degradation. Relying on operators to manually report hour meters or mileage numbers leads to missed service intervals, frequent field failures and shorter vehicle lifecycles.
Here are a few ways GPS asset tracking can help improve maintenance scheduling:
- Get proactive and plan: Automated tracking of mileage and engine hours lets you know when service is due so you can plan ahead. It also helps control idling hours for powered assets.
- Resolve issues faster: Powered equipment health alerts indicate when it's time for an oil change, tire pressure is low or a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) requires attention.
- Right-size your fleet: Better maintenance management reduces reliance on "backup" vehicles, helping reduce overall fleet costs.
See it in action: The Township of Lakewood
The Township of Lakewood was using basic radio communication systems that were often down, disrupting their fleet operations. And they had no way of monitoring vehicle performance or stay ahead of needed maintenance.
Now, they use the all-in-one Verizon Connect fleet management platform to help increase visibility, promote safe driving and streamline vehicle maintenance.
"Verizon Connect updates mileage every 24 hours, so it makes scheduling maintenance a lot easier with accurate miles," says Phil Roux, director of public works. If a vehicle or equipment fails, managers know exactly where the equipment is and can send help quickly.
Read how the Township of Lakewood used Verizon Connect to improve maintenance oversight, strengthen safety and keep critical municipal operations running smoothly.
Tailor asset tracking to your agency's mission
Because public sector goals vary wildly across different municipal divisions, effective fleet management in government must adapt to the unique operational profile of individual departments and agencies.
Public works keeps critical infrastructure projects moving
Public works fleets often manage a wide mix of assets across dynamic road, bridge, water, electric and parkland sites.
These teams face extreme budgetary pressure to do more with limited resources: 24 states report funding gaps for roads, bridges or both totaling $86.3 billion over the next decade. Agencies need better visibility into vehicles and equipment to maximize utilization, reduce downtime and keep critical infrastructure projects moving.3
Government asset tracking allows public works directors to quickly locate equipment, optimize existing machine utilization and eliminate third-party rental costs, keeping critical resources available for road repairs, storm cleanup and ongoing infrastructure projects.
Police, fire and EMS fleets improve response times
For law enforcement and emergency services, near real-time visibility improves operational efficiency while helping demonstrate transparency and accountability to the public. The ability to see what's happening and capture video while vehicles are on the job is essential.
With asset tracking software, public safety leaders can increase first responder accountability, manage the department’s reputation with the public and help asset downtime.
Nonprofit fleets stretch tight budgets to better support their mission
Nonprofit organizations often operate with razor-thin margins while delivering essential services to communities. In fact, 97% of nonprofits operate on annual budgets under $5 million, 92% work with less than $1 million per year and 88% function on less than $500,000 annually, making operational efficiency critical to maximizing mission impact.4
Whether transporting food, medical supplies, shelter resources, donated goods or outreach teams, nonprofit fleets need to maximize every vehicle and asset to support their mission. Better operational insight helps ensure every dollar contributes as effectively as possible to community impact.
School district fleets make campuses safer
For K-12 school district fleets, operational efficiency is important, but safety is non-negotiable. Beyond school buses, districts often rely on maintenance trucks, grounds equipment, trailers and backup generators to keep campuses functioning safely and smoothly.
Government fleet tracking helps districts monitor vehicle and equipment movement in near real time, confirm route adherence and improve driver accountability. It also helps ensure critical equipment is properly maintained and ready when needed, supporting safer operations and faster response during emergencies.
Tribal nations support essential services across remote communities
Tribal nation fleets often support geographically dispersed communities and essential services across large, rural areas. Tracking platforms remove traditional blind spots across remote acreage, improving dispatch coordination and ensuring that public safety assets and utility equipment are strategically distributed to serve distant populations safely.
Asset tracking helps improve coordination, reduce blind spots and ensure critical equipment is available when communities need it most.
To assist tribal nations with their fleet management needs, Verizon Connect provides a complete platform solution, including fleet and asset management. Download the eBrief here for more.
As government fleet management regulatory mandates continue evolving, agencies face increasing pressure to maintain accurate reporting, improve accountability and demonstrate responsible stewardship of public assets.
Whether supporting infrastructure, public safety, education or essential community services, fleet management software with asset tracking gives government fleets the visibility and control needed to operate more efficiently, reduce waste and serve with greater confidence.
Ready to improve asset visibility, reduce downtime and make better use of taxpayer-funded equipment? Download comprehensive buyer's guide for advanced asset tracking to find the right solution for your government fleet.
Sources
2 Verizon Connect 2026 Fleet Technology Trends Report
3 Pew.org: States Fall Short of Funding Needed to Keep Roads and Bridges in Good Repair