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Austin Audit Finds City Vehicles Spend Too Much Time in Repair Shop

Daniel Reese for KUT News
The audit found the City of Austin especially has a hard time keeping emergency vehicles out of the repair shop.

The City of Austin Auditor’s office says city vehicles seem to have a problem with breakdowns.

The vehicles aren’t always getting preventative maintenance and they’re spending more time in repair shops than the best practices standard.

Local politics news service In Fact Daily reports that the city’s Fleet Services Department doesn’t have enough repair space.

In Fact Daily reporter Mike Kanin says it’s not clear what the Austin City Council will do about it.

"We’re talking $35 to $40 million to really fix the problem, and I’m just not sure that the cash is there," Kanin says.

Fleet management staff also told city council members that they’re having trouble finding qualified technicians to fill vacancies.

Laura first joined the KUT team in April 2012. She now works for the statewide program Texas Standard as a reporter and producer. Laura came to KUT from the world of television news. She has worn many different hats as an anchor, reporter and producer at TV stations in Austin, Amarillo and Toledo, OH. Laura is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, a triathlete and enjoys travel, film and a good beer. She enjoys spending time with her husband and pets.