Michigan pays $4M monthly to lease 5,783 vehicles

Every month, the state of Michigan pays $4 million to lease 5,783 vehicles.

Michigan owned 4,800 vehicles as of February 2025, according to documents obtained through a record request from the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget.

The average monthly payment for leased vehicles is $692.

But the state’s lease payments on 45 vehicles exceed $2,000 per month.

For more than 1,000 vehicles, Michigan pays more than $1,000 monthly.

Each of the Big Three automakers is represented in the state’s fleet. Michigan employees drive 5,235 Chevrolets, 2,632 Fords and 1,355 Dodge vehicles. That leaves 448 Chryslers, 428 Jeeps, 41 GMCs, 11 BMW motorcycles, eight RAMs, and four Buicks.

Sedans, SUVs and minivans are among the vehicles the state uses, but there are also buses to transport prisoners, forklifts, tractors, gators, trailers, mowers, backhoes and snow blowers.

The highest-cost monthly lease is for a Caterpillar Sonic drill rig geoprobe, at $10,840 monthly or $130,080 yearly.

A public information officer from the Department of Natural Resources told Michigan Capitol Confidential that it’s possible his department is the one that leased the equipment.

“As far as I can tell right now, the department does not own this piece of equipment,” Ed Golder told Michigan Capitol Confidential in an email. But he added, “It’s possible we have leased this piece of equipment in the past.”

The drill collects geological samples and can monitor well installation. Michigan has more than 1 million residential private wells, according to the state health department.

The state spends more than $166,000 annually on parts and equipment for the drill, according to a state contract.

The state owns or leases 30 electric vehicles, CapCon reported in February.