Municipal fleets are the backbone of daily operations, supporting everything from infrastructure maintenance to emergency response and essential public services. When the Town of Wayland Department of Public Works (DPW) required experienced leadership to strengthen its fleet maintenance operation and guide long-term fleet strategy, the Town partnered with Capital Strategic Solutions (CSS) to provide hands-on operational and strategic support.
CSS Senior Project Manager John DeLuca led the engagement, bringing decades of experience in fleet management, infrastructure operations, and municipal leadership to support Wayland’s DPW during a critical period of transition and modernization.
Strengthening Daily Operations While Building Long-Term Capacity
Wayland’s DPW operates a diverse and essential fleet of vehicles and equipment serving multiple departments and operational needs. The Town sought an experienced partner to provide strategic and operational support, evaluate efficiency opportunities, and help build internal leadership capacity within the department.
CSS embedded John DeLuca on an interim, as-needed basis to provide high-level oversight and support for the Fleet Division while coaching and mentoring the Town’s incoming Fleet Supervisor. This approach ensured continuity in day-to-day fleet functions without disruption, while also helping establish a strong foundation for long-term internal leadership and sustainability.
Throughout the engagement, John worked closely with DPW leadership and staff to strengthen operational workflows, improve coordination, and reinforce best practices in fleet maintenance supervision. He provided guidance on scheduling, prioritizing, and assigning vehicle and equipment repairs, preventive maintenance, and inspections, while ensuring that all work was completed efficiently, safely, and in compliance with applicable regulations.
“The assistance provided to the Town of Wayland Fleet Management Department focused on supporting a newly promoted senior mechanic transitioning to fleet supervisor. This involved a broad range of training, including computer skills, budgeting, procurement, workload management, vendor relations, shop cleanliness, vehicle specifications, and part tracking.
To improve accountability for repairs, a paperwork order system was implemented, empowering mechanics to contribute to tracking repairs. This fostered a sense of ownership and involvement among the department staff. Simultaneously, research was conducted into computerizing the fleet work order system for future efficiency.
Along with senior management support, Wayland now has a well-trained fleet supervisor with improved purchasing and procurement knowledge along with seasoned staff. The town has begun the roll out of a new computerized work order system; this will assist in repair tracking and parts inventory.
As a result of these efforts, the fleet supervisor is becoming a proficient, well-organized, and knowledgeable professional. It has been an absolute pleasure working with the entire Wayland Public Works Department.”
– John DeLuca, Senior Project Manager, Capital Strategic Solutions
Modernizing Fleet Management Systems and Practices
In addition to supporting ongoing fleet initiatives, CSS worked with Wayland to implement more forward-looking and data-driven fleet management practices. A key component of the project was the rollout and implementation of Verizon Connect GPS tracking and fleet management software, along with the integration of asset management tools to better track vehicle usage, maintenance history, service intervals, and performance metrics.
These improvements gave the Town greater visibility in fleet operations and enabled more informed decision-making related to maintenance planning, equipment replacement, and operational efficiency.
John also conducted a comprehensive review of fleet repair strategies, helping the Town evaluate which services were best handled in-house and which were more cost-effective to outsource to vendors. This analysis supported faster turnaround times, better cost control, and more strategic use of staff resources.
Budget Oversight, Procurement, and Policy Development
A critical part of the engagement focused on strengthening financial oversight and long-term planning. John provided guidance on fleet maintenance budgeting, including tracking expenditures, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and projecting future needs in alignment with the Town’s capital planning goals.
CSS also assisted the Town with procurement support, including the development of technical specifications and bid documents for new vehicles and equipment, participation in vendor evaluations, and recommendations on procurement strategies that aligned operational needs with budget constraints.
In parallel, John reviewed and helped refine Wayland’s fleet management policies and procedures. This included updating and formalizing standard operating procedures related to vehicle maintenance, fuel usage, downtime reporting, and emergency fleet response—helping ensure consistency, accountability, and operational excellence across the department.
“When Wayland was confronted with a need to provide support to its Fleet Maintenance supervisory staff, I had the benefit of having worked with John Deluca earlier in my career and knew of his skill sets and that I could engage with him as a seasoned member of Capital Strategic Solutions. It is a delicate balance when hiring outside help to support established employees and I focused on ensuring my Fleet Team of the positive outcome the support from John would have. As predicted, I heard regular praises from staff of their interaction with John and the observed benefits and improvements to Fleet Maintenance operations because of his participation.”
– Tom Holder, Director of Public Works, Town of Wayland
Coaching, Mentorship, and Staff Development
A defining feature of the project was its strong emphasis on leadership development and knowledge transfer. John worked closely with the incoming Fleet Supervisor to provide structured coaching, mentorship, and guidance in areas such as leadership, maintenance oversight, asset tracking, and budget management. This approach ensured that, at the conclusion of the engagement, the Town was well-positioned with internal expertise and confidence to continue building on the improvements that had been made.
John also evaluated staff skills, certifications, and workloads, providing recommendations related to training, role alignment, and operational structure to ensure that staffing resources were well-matched to the department’s needs.
About John DeLuca
With more than 40 years of experience in the water, wastewater, fleet management, and construction industries, John DeLuca brings exceptional depth and practical expertise to every engagement. His background includes extensive experience in municipal operations, financial management, contract development, union environments, and fleet and infrastructure oversight.
John has successfully developed and managed multi-million-dollar operating and capital budgets and is highly skilled in revenue forecasting, procurement, and operational leadership. His career spans design, construction, installation, maintenance, and project management, giving him a rare combination of strategic perspective and hands-on field experience.
This blend of operational and administrative leadership made him uniquely well-suited to support the Town of Wayland’s fleet operations and long-term management goals.
A Model for Modern Municipal Fleet Management
The Town of Wayland’s engagement with CSS highlights the growing need among municipalities for experienced, hands-on leadership in fleet operations, asset management, and infrastructure planning. By strengthening daily operations, modernizing systems, and building internal capacity, the project left the Town in a stronger, more sustainable position for the future.
Capital Strategic Solutions continues to support communities facing similar challenges in fleet management, operational transitions, and infrastructure planning.
About Capital Strategic Solutions
CSS is a certified woman-owned, disadvantaged business enterprise of municipal experts delivering creative, cost-effective solutions that maximize success and minimize risk. With deep local government expertise, we craft tailored strategies to meet each community’s unique needs.
Our capabilities span public administration, municipal finance, human resources, policy development, emergency management, public safety, public works, water operations, interim municipal services, public relations, community engagement, project management, grant writing, and onsite support. We partner with clients to define clear goals, overcome challenges, and implement human-centered plans that drive performance and transform communities.