Illinois' Auditor General says the state needs to do a better job keeping track of its vehicle fleet.
The legislature ordered an audit of the state fleet in the interest of making sure there's adequate oversight of the vehicles.
The findings show cause for concern because there's not enough monitoring.
Auditor General Bill Holland says the state's tracking and accounting for the use of Illinois' more than 16 thousand vehicles is - in one word - "deficient."
"How the cars are being used, how many miles a year, is it just simply for commuting purposes, is that an appropriate expenditure ... there are lots of things that need to be considered but it's hard to be considered unless you have travel logs and the documentation you need in order to make an educated and smart decision."
Holland recommends daily logs be kept, and that can determine if it's cost effective to buy and maintain a government car.
The audit also suggests using Global Positioning Systems in vehicles.
Governor Pat Quinn's administration says it's reviewing the recommendations and will reinforce the need for rigorous vehicle usage analysis.
A Central Management Services spokeswoman says the governor's is in the process of reducing costs ... including increased use of the car-sharing service Zipcar.
