Background
Pickens County, SC, faced significant challenges in fleet management during and after the pandemic. Disruptions in supply chains led to limited availability of both new vehicles and critical parts, forcing the county to hold onto aging assets longer than anticipated. Vehicles were reallocated across departments, and in some cases, cannibalized for parts to keep essential operations running.
The Challenge
The main issue in Pickens was a disrupted fleet lifecycle, which severely affected county operations. Budget constraints and logistical problems made it hard to replace aging vehicles regularly, halting their fleet management plan. As a result, the county couldn't update its vehicle fleet, disrupting surplus asset sales, a key revenue source.
As market conditions began to normalize, Pickens reassessed its fleet inventory due to the availability of new vehicles and parts. With renewed confidence in the supply chain, they resumed their asset management strategy. During the evaluation, they identified a large group of aging or underutilized vehicles that could now be declared surplus.
This allowed the county to resume earning much-needed revenue for upgrades and potentially reinvest funds into newer equipment that would better meet its needs. In 2025, the county took the opportunity to bulk sell these assets on GovDeals.
By grouping and selling their surplus vehicles in a single cluster sale, the county was able to capitalize on market demand and generate more than $196,000 in revenue in just one month.
The Results
The experience of Pickens County underscores the significance of adaptable fleet management practices. Their approach during supply chain disruptions, followed by a return to surplus sales when conditions improved, resulted in a significant return. Agencies encountering similar issues can learn from this example, showing that recovery and alignment with a fleet strategy can restore operational efficiency and produce considerable financial benefits.
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