A new report from the Office of the City Auditor has found significant weaknesses in the City of Richmond’s fuel program, including poor tracking of fuel usage, inadequate controls over fuel card access and PIN management and a lack of standardized procedures and training.

The internal audit, released Tuesday, examined how the Fleet Management Division in the Department of General Services oversees fueling for the city’s vehicle fleet — a key component of city operations.

“We have taken several steps already to address the concerns raised in today’s report,” said Director of General Services Gail Johnson. “My team is focused on tightening our oversight protocols, updating our policies and rolling out improved training programs to ensure we are the best stewards we can be of the new fuel program.”

The audit includes nine recommendations, all of which have been accepted by city leadership. Among the proposed reforms are implementing a new fuel policy, reviewing the suitability of current oversight tools, redesigning PIN management to improve accountability and developing a formal training program.

“Our residents deserve transparency, efficiency and accountability, and my job now is to own it and do the work with my team to put strong policies and practices in place to fix it,” said Mayor Danny Avula. “I’m committed to addressing the recommendations and strengthening our fuel management program so that this doesn’t happen in the future.”

City officials said they plan to issue regular progress updates as the reforms are rolled out. The full audit report is available on the Office of the City Auditor’s website at rva.gov/office-city-auditor/reports-issued.