Nebraska Auditor Confirms Widespread State Vehicle Misuse

Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley's recent 38-page report reveals widespread misuse of roughly 1,200 state-owned vehicles managed by the Transportation Services Bureau, with a sample of 45 vehicles showing nearly a third used for personal trips such as visits to restaurants, medical facilities, relatives' homes, and even side businesses. Specific examples include a Department of Natural Resources employee making multiple personal trips to a family vineyard and winery, and an Emergency Medical Services Specialist driving over 1,000 miles for personal use. The report also highlights misuse of store rebates, with employees redeeming Menards rebates for personal purchases, and discrepancies in mileage logging that obscure vehicle use. Despite state laws forbidding any personal use of government vehicles under threat of misdemeanor charges and removal from office, these practices persist, prompting Foley to call for stricter oversight. Agencies like the Department of Natural Resources and State Fire Marshal have responded with disciplinary actions and promises for increased monitoring and training, though some deny certain findings. Foley emphasized that installing GPS tracking is ineffective without active review of data, and he insists the misuse must stop to protect taxpayer resources.