• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Dec 8, 2009 - Page: 8A

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Anyone in the market for a used tractor, school bus or other used vehicle can place a bid on one Saturday.

The Jindal administration is auctioning 280 vehicles this weekend in an effort to generate extra cash for a money-strapped state government.

Trucks, vans, sedans, tractors and a small school bus will be on the auction block.

Bidding starts at 10 a.m. Saturday at 1059 Brickyard Lane.

The vehicles can be viewed ahead of time between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Auction gates open at 7 a.m. Saturday.

“This is only the beginning of what will be a sustained initiative to significantly reduce the state’s fleet of vehicles and to achieve major cost savings in the way government operates,” Commissioner of Administration Angèle Davis said in a prepared statement.

The state’s fleet of 12,740 vehicles is one of the focuses of ways to save money in tough economic times.

In the future, more state employees could be driving a rental car, sharing a state vehicle with co-workers or leaving their state vehicle at the office instead of driving it home at work day’s end.

The Jindal administration is trying to reduce the state’s fleet amid deep economic problems that are creating $1 billion-plus state budget holes.

The costs tied to that fleet are hefty, since the state pays for auto insurance, repairs and gas in addition to the purchase price.

The administration halted most new vehicle purchases earlier this year.

The Division of Administration said in a news release Monday that a motor pool rental contract has been finalized with Enterprise Rent-A-Car for business travel.

The 280 vehicles being auctioned off are more than usual, the release said.