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Rising gas prices lead to juggling act for Kissimmee’s fleet manager

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The city of Kissimmee is having to get creative amid rising gas prices.

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Officials said they’re taking from other parts of the budget to pay for the extra costs of fuel.

Daniel McPeek is the fleet manager for the city, meaning he’s in charge of keeping track of the vehicles they use and how much they cost to operate.

READ: See where you can find Central Florida’s cheapest gas

But with gas nearing $5 a gallon, he said managing the costs has become a juggling act.

“You have a budget amount of parts for the vehicles, especially for the fire department and the police department,” McPeek said. “You have to take and scale back quite a bit because you’re having to borrow money for the fuel.”

READ: ‘$5 a gallon is quickly becoming a very real possibility’: Gas hits another record high in Florida

That means maintenance for some of the vehicles doesn’t happen as fast, or at all.

The city said they’re looking into electric vehicles and have been for some time, but the supply chain is making those tough to get.

READ: As gas prices soar, Biden leans toward visiting Saudi Arabia

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Adam Poulisse, WFTV.com

Adam Poulisse joined WFTV in November 2019.