KC saves gas, minimize maintenance costs
By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

One of the seven KC maintenance utility vehicles equipped with tool box and equipment racks.

With the cost of gas rapidly approaching $5 per gallon, Kilgore College is doing something to help minimize that cost.

Dalton Smith, director for the physical plant said a little over a year ago he had an idea based on what other colleges were doing, bring in utility vehicles to replace full size trucks.

Smith said KC now has seven of these Suzuki utility vehicles and the cost savings has already paid for the vehicles. "When we purchased these utility vehicles they came out of my budget for the physical plant," said Smith. "I purchased a few at a time and the program is going great."

The benefits are not only gas savings, but better use of personnel time said Smith. "The cost of gas has went from spending approximately $1600 to $2000 per month per vehicle to $500 to $600 per utility vehicle," said Smith.

These vehicles are for on campus use only and they cannot be registered to be operated on the city streets according to a manufacturer out of Ft. Worth.

Smith said because of the size, personnel can drive these vehicles right up to where they are working which leave them there which saves time on the various jobs around the campus. "Before when one of the maintenance crew would need a part from the parts house they would just drive and get it, which took time and gas," said Smith. "Now for a employee to go get a part they must check out a vehicle to go to the parts house, personnel are now consolidating their orders and picking up parts in one trip, which saves time and money."

Smith said KC has all the utility vehicles they need at this time, but will monitor their needs for the future. "If we had to shut this program down today, it would have already paid for itself," said Smith. "Because of this program we have been able to get rid of two full size trucks and two more are on reserve.

Smith said KC is also saving approximately $2800 a year on maintenance costs for vehicle upkeep.

KC paid approximately $3500 to $5000 per utility vehicle. "We bought these vehicles used which also saved the college money," said Smith. "We have gone from 60 gallons of gas for a full size truck per month to 10 gallons of gas usage," said Smith. "Between the costs savings for gas and better use of man hours, the college is saving $35,000 in man hours and 70 percent in fuel costs per year."

Smith said as far as user satisfaction the employees are coming around, each employee is assigned their own utility vehicle each day. "We did get the ones with air conditioning," said Smith. "We wanted our employees to have a chance to cool off, especially on days like we have in the summer.

Smith said the utility vehicles are only used at the KC campus, but as the KC-Longview campus expands he will look to see if a need arises there.