NYC chief fleet officer awarded for sustainability efforts

Keith Kerman, New York City’s chief fleet officer and deputy commissioner for the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services, was honored May 23 with a Sloan Public Service Award for his extensive environmental and sustainability efforts.

Kerman has spent a quarter century in public service for the NYC government, first at the parks department and then with DCAS. As the city’s first chief fleet officer, Kerman oversees 31,000 vehicles used by 60 city agencies and offices. He has created what is considered the nation’s greenest fleet, with nearly 20,000 vehicles using alternative fuels like biodiesel or electricity. Kerman has also created the nation’s largest governmental fleet-sharing program and has consolidated repair services, reducing out-of-service time for vehicles.

In short, Kerman’s efforts have saved NYC millions of dollars while improving public health. One of Kerman’s colleagues described him as “the embodiment of public service at its best,” “the full package,” and “a great planner, a great implementer and a great innovator.”

“We in the U.S. biodiesel industry greatly appreciate and applaud Keith’s integrity and dedication to improve New York with the use of biodiesel and other low-carbon fuel alternatives,” said Donnell Rehagen, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “Through the implementation of biodiesel in New York City fleets, New York has become a widely renowned nationwide leader in biodiesel use, reducing its carbon footprint tenfold. The biodiesel industry, from farmers to biodiesel producers and suppliers, thank Keith for sharing the vision of our industry, and for being such a strong biodiesel champion.”

For more than 38 years, the Fund for the City of New York has recognized city employees through its highly regarded Sloan Public Service Awards. The program honors six outstanding public servants per year—out of 250,000 eligible candidates—whose work and commitment are deemed extraordinary. Since 1985, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has supported this program.