Date

11-13-2025

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration (PhD)

Chair

Tory Weaver

Keywords

fleet management, public safety, electrification, leasing, idle reduction, telematics

Disciplines

Environmental Studies | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Abstract

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to improve readiness and cost discipline in a campus public-safety fleet and to assess the feasibility of electrification and leasing. A qualitative case-study design triangulated semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, administrative records (maintenance, fuel, costs), and telematics from eight vehicles to characterize duty cycles and constraints. Key findings were: stakeholders endorsed a phased, evidence-gated approach that relies on vehicle- and role-level analytics and coaching-based idle management; cost analysis supported availability-weighted replacement paired with warranty-anchored leasing to stabilize maintenance exposure and smooth appropriations; and telematics revealed role-differentiated patterns—administrative vehicles converted engine-on time to distance efficiently with comparatively low idle share, whereas marked patrol/public-safety officer units exhibited higher idle fractions intrinsic to mission. K-9 deployment was judged contingent on dual-season climate-control performance and validated safeguards. The study concludes that early electrification is feasible for administrative roles, while high-idle roles should emphasize platform-agnostic idle-reduction practices and disciplined measurement. The dissertation presents an actionable implementation and evaluation plan—with quarterly evidence gates, privacy-respecting data governance, and scenario-based budgeting—intended to improve availability, clarify costs, and maintain welfare and compliance standards in a campus public-safety setting.

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