OAE presents Fleet Services audit: 16 findings, 215 vehicles identified; DFMS reports corrective plans

The Office of Accountability and Efficiency presented performance audit 2026-020 focused on Milwaukee Public Schools’ Fleet Services. Interim chief auditor Matthew Hart said the audit examined vehicle inventory, usage monitoring and safety/maintenance procedures and identified 16 findings related primarily to weak or inconsistent internal controls.

Hart told the committee that, at the time of the audit, MPS had 215 applicable vehicles with an average age of 10 years and a total purchase price of about $7.8 million. The audit team observed gaps in GPS tracking coverage and data reporting and recommended standard operating procedures (SOPs) for testing GPS functionality and expanding data collection to support preventive maintenance.

Hart said DFMS was already drafting a new fleet manual during the audit and that DFMS responses included corrective action plans for the findings. The OAE will conduct a follow-up review in approximately 12–15 months to assess implementation of the recommendations.

Interim Chief Operations Officer Mike Thurza thanked the audit team and said Facilities and Maintenance has established or updated SOPs, improved documentation and conducted in-service training. Thurza said the department has addressed each of the 16 recommendations and will provide reports to OAE and the board on progress.

There were no public comments on the item and no board action required at the meeting. The audit was presented as an informational item with planned OAE follow-up.