Commissioners say leased vehicle program with Enterprise appears on track; full ROI not yet realized

Lorain County commissioners received an update Sept. 12 on the county’s leased-vehicle program, which moves fleet purchasing and maintenance to an Enterprise lease arrangement. Staff reported the sheriff’s office is “very pleased” with the program but that the full return on investment will not be visible until current leases roll into replacement cycles.

County staff said some initial hiccups with operations were worked through in cooperation with Enterprise and that a limited number of retired county vehicles have been sold. The board was told the program is roughly three years in; commissioners said they expect clearer savings once vehicles are rolled into new leases in the next two years.

Commissioners asked whether the sheriff’s expanded road patrols required adding more vehicles to the original enterprise agreement. County staff said the sheriff increased patrol staffing under new administration and that the enterprise lease count was adjusted to accommodate additional vehicles.

The board directed staff to bring a fuller report to a future meeting so commissioners can review realized and projected savings.