Report Date:6/9/2025 Report Auditee:Road Maintenance, Operations and Fleet

Why this Audit Matters

The audit aimed to assess whether Fleet Services has established effective controls and processes to support accountable and efficient fuel management operations. This audit identified key opportunities to enhance the City’s fuel management practices, specifically in the areas of on-site fuel monitoring, fuel consumption analysis, oversight of off-site fuel card use and fuel inventory reconciliation. ​

The City of Brampton’s Fleet Services division manages fuel operations to support City departments that rely on gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles and equipment, with the exception of Fire & Emergency and Brampton Transit. Fuel is supplied through five on-site diesel fuelling stations as well as the off-site fuel card program for off-site refuelling. Between 2021 and 2024, the City spent approximately $6 million on fuel, with 55% attributed to onsite fuelling and 45% through the off-site fuel card program.  

On-site fuelling is managed through two systems: the legacy Coencorp Site Manager and the newer AssetWorks Fuel Management System, which is being gradually implemented across sites and integrates directly with the City’s M5 fleet management system. Fuel inventory levels are monitored daily, with deliveries verified using both automated system readings and manual measurements to ensure accuracy.

Internal Audit discussed the following improvement opportunities with Fleet. 

 1. On-site Fuel Monitoring 

  • A review of on-site fuelling transactions noted short-interval fuel-ups for the same vehicles and inconsistent use of jerry can key fobs.  
  • These irregular fuel transactions along with the absence of exception-based monitoring, limits Fleet’s ability to detect and address anomalies or potential misuse. ​

2. Fuel Consumption Analysis 

  • A review of the fuel consumption monitoring process noted the following:  
    • 48 non-operational Vehicle Data Units (VDU) which limits the automated capture of odometer readings during on-site fuelling.  
    • Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) is not integrated with M5 and is not currently utilized to support fuel consumption analysis.  
    • Odometer readings for off-site fuelling are manually entered at pumps and re-entered into M5, increasing the risk of errors.  
    • Fleet does not currently conduct an annual fuel consumption analysis which limits insight into fuel efficiency trends. ​

3. Off-site Fuel Card Oversight 

  • A review of the Off-site fuel card monitoring process noted the following: 
    • No formal process to follow up with business units on potential fuelling exceptions, including out-of-town or premium fuel transactions, limiting accountability.  
    • Business units do not receive Off-site Purchase Activity Reports and must rely on receipt submissions from staff or ad hoc calls from Fleet, resulting in inconsistent fuel monitoring.  
    • Off-site reports are only available in PDF format and limited to the last 24 months, restricting the ability to perform detailed or long-term analysis.  
    • ​Transactions do not capture employee IDs at the pump, reducing accountability. ​

4. Fuel Inventory Reconciliation 

  • A review of the reconciliation process for on-site fuel inventory noted the following:  
    • For Coencorp managed sites, inventory reconciliations are not being performed or reviewed.  
    • For AssetWorks managed sites, Fleet is not fully utilizing the system’s reporting capabilities to perform fuel inventory reconciliations.  
    • Manual dip readings are conducted, however they are not centrally stored or consistently documented against system data, which may limit traceability.  
    • ​A formal SOP outlining roles, responsibilities, and reconciliation procedures has not yet been developed, which may impact consistency across fuelling sites. ​

Implementing the recommendations outlined in this report will enhance Fleet’s ability to detect anomalies, improve the reliability of fuel data, and streamline fuel management processes. These improvements will support stronger accountability across user departments and provide more accurate information to guide operational and financial decision making. 

Agenda Items

Contact Internal Audit

Mailing Address:
Brampton City Hall
2 Wellington Street West
Brampton, ON L6Y 4R2

Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm

internalaudit@brampton.ca