JEFFERSON CITY, MO - The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) issued its Bolder Five-Year Direction plan that includes the sale of 744 pieces of equipment, reduction of department staff size by 1,200, and closure of 135 facilities. Fleet functions are overseen by the General Services division.

The 744 pieces of equipment include cars, pickups, vans, dump trucks, loaders, drills, and stripers, according to Sally Oxenhandler of the Community Relations office of the MoDOT. Districts have already created plans to reduce 230 dump trucks, 100 tractors, and three stripers over a two year period, according to an overview of the plan. Loaders and maintenance pickups will be sold after maintenance facilities are closed, and other equipment will be sold as they become unnecessary.

"Surplus fleet will be reviewed and compared to statewide inventory to ensure that the oldest equipment or equipment in the worst condition is sold. MoDOT currently has 12 vendors on contract that can dispose of excess equipment. This should ensure that the available quantities of equipment for sale will not flood a particular market and subsequently reduce the sale price," the plan stated.

More than 110 maintenance and traffic facilities will be closed, with additional closures of various offices. "With advancements in equipment, communications and technology, MoDOT has more buildings than needed to satisfy customer needs," the plan stated.

Staff reduction will occur through attrition and transfers, and layoffs as a last step. Operations will face a 12 percent employee reduction. Oxenhandler stated that most of the staff reduction will come in supervisor and middle manager positions and very little in the maintenance area.

The department will look into outsourcing some duties, including "activities such as maintenance and repair of light-duty fleet," the overview stated.

The proposed plan is expected to save $512 million to be used for vital road and building projects, which will be used to maintain the state's roads and bridges. MoDOT is holding community briefings throughout the state to explain the new plan. The Commission is expected to act on the proposal at a June 8 meeting and if approved, its recommendations will be fully implemented by December 2012.