Michigan taxpayers fund 31,388 repairs on employee vehicles in 2024

When a Michigan government employee hits a pothole and blows a tire, the taxpayer might foot the bill.

The state of Michigan owns or leases more than 14,000 vehicles that state employees use to drive millions of miles.

In fiscal year 2024, the state’s leased fleet used 6.9 million gallons of fuel and traveled more than 116 million miles.

State employees service their vehicles at the taxpayer-funded Vehicle and Travel Services Garage. The garage recorded more than 31,300 repairs in fiscal year 2024, according to the state’s 2025 fleet plan.

Taxpayers paid for vehicle wear-and-tear caused by Michigan’s rough roads. The garage recorded nearly 4,000 tire jobs, over 1,700 brake repairs, 1,600 body and glass repairs, 5,000 miscellaneous repairs and 275 towing services.

Not every state employee can claim a taxpayer-funded vehicle. The Michigan State Police have 2,321 vehicles, the Department of Health and Human Services has 1,586 and the Department of Natural Resources has 1,173.

The Department of Corrections has 930 and the Department of Transportation has 790 vehicles.

After that, the Licensing and Regulatory Affairs has 500 vehicles. The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has 330, while the Department of Technology, Management and Budget has 311.

• Agriculture and Rural Development: 276
• Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy: 196
• Military Affairs: 147
• Michigan State Lottery: 100
• State: 98
• Wayne State University: 82
• Attorney General: 77
• Saginaw Valley State University: 59
• Eastern Michigan University: 46
• Insurance and Financial Services: 33
• Treasury: 25
• Gaming Control Board: 22
• Veterans Affairs Agency: 20
• Northern Michigan University: 15
• Lake Superior State University: 13
• Michigan Economic Development Corporation: 12
• Judicial: 9
• State Housing Development Authority: 9
• Office of the Auditor General: 2
• Civil Rights: 2
• Executive Office: 2
• State Land Bank Authority: 1

Government workers take damaged vehicles and vehicles that need maintenance to a government garage staffed by 23 people that spent $4.9 million in fiscal year 2024.

Of the state government’s 14,482 vehicles, 5,415 are owned and 9,067 are leased. Most (8,739) are on-road vehicles, but 279 are off-road vehicles, and 49 are pieces of equipment that cannot move by themselves.

Type of service performed on state vehicles

• 2,218 tires
• 3,958 brakes
• 1,792 body and glass
• 1,693 miscellaneous repairs
• 5,072 assignments/terminations/disposals
• 16,343 parts repair/parts distribution
• 37 towing service
• 275 transport