Bill Would Allow GPS Tracking Of State Government Cars

LANSING (WWJ/AP) - A bill advancing in Michigan's Legislature would create a GPS pilot program to track state government vehicles.

The legislation would establish a year-long pilot period and initially monitor the movement of 120 vehicles across multiple departments. If the program is successful, all 2,600 passenger vehicles in the state fleet would have to be tracked at a cost of $500,000 to $1.2 million annually.

The bill's sponsor, Republican Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, notes charges were filed in January against a state elevator inspector caught using state time for personal activities on 84 days, partly to play golf.

Schuitmaker said the initiative could help save fuel, eliminate manual mileage logs and crack down on employees misusing their vehicles.

A Senate committee approved the measure Thursday. It's now pending on the Senate floor.