Many of these vehicles were approaching 30 years in age, Globetti says
A university-commissioned study revealed the aging fleet to be both costly to maintain and inefficient. To address this, the university initiated a program aimed at modernizing the fleet by implementing a sustainable replacement cycle of three to five years for outdated vehicles.
He also adopted a fresh strategy for selling surplus vehicles. Initially, the university utilized a general online auction platform. Globetti says the online auction worked well for regular vehicles but was not as effective for police vehicles, so they decided to start a police-only site.
It wasn’t until they added an in-house auction site that sales began to improve. At least, until he faced a unique hurdle: selling police vehicles. Globetti’s team had to remove sirens, light bars, radios, and police markings from each vehicle before it could be sold.
“We needed to strip them of all police equipment to sell them to civilians,” he explains. “But despite our efforts, the returns were still not what we expected.”
The answer? A specialized online auction site for law enforcement vehicles. By selling police vehicles with their equipment intact and marketing them directly to agencies and licensed dealers, Globetti says he was able to resolve these issues and enhance the resale value of the police fleet.
Because of this shift, he says, the University of Alabama’s motor pool operates more efficiently—and more profitably—than ever before.
The Auction Site
The University of Alabama’s Fleet Management department in-house auction site for law enforcement and government buyers has been live for two months.
Developed by in-house by Fleet Management, the site is simple in design, ensures compliance with state regulations and offers a secure, intuitive platform for auctioning vehicles that are no longer needed by the university.
The auction site operates similarly to well-known online auction platforms like eBay. Vehicles are listed with a starting bid—essentially a reserve price—and the auction runs for a minimum of two weeks.
During this period, interested buyers can create an account and place their bids. Bidders enter their maximum bid upfront, and if no one else bids on the vehicle, their bid will remain unchanged. However, if another bidder enters a higher offer, the system automatically increases the original bid, up to the bidder’s maximum limit. This process ensures competitive bidding while protecting the interests of all participants.
Key Features of the Auction
There are key elements that are part of the University of Alabama Fleet Services law enforcement auction site. These specifications include:
- Auction Viewing and Bidding: Bids are accepted at any time, but viewing hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, allowing plenty of time for prospective buyers to review listings and place bids.
- Eligibility Requirements: The auction is restricted to law enforcement agencies and licensed law enforcement dealers. All bidders must prove their eligibility as either a government or law enforcement entity by providing necessary documentation. This verification process helps maintain the auction’s integrity and ensures only qualified buyers participate.
- Bidder’s Profile: To participate in the auction, buyers must create a bidder profile with an active account. This profile allows the university to track and verify all bids and ensures transparency in the auction process.
- Age Requirements: Bidders must be at least 19 years old, unless they are an honorably discharged veteran, in which case they may bid under the age of 19.
- Documentation and Verification: The university reserves the right to request further documentation or conduct background checks to verify the bidder’s status as a legitimate law enforcement or government entity.
The vehicles listed on the auction site include fully equipped police sedans and SUVs, undercover vehicles, K9 vehicles and Ford F-150 trucks. The vehicles may say “Police” on the side, but all agency-specific information has been removed.
Every vehicle is sold as is, where is, with no warranties or guarantees from the university. The vehicle listing and description is accurate, but bidders are strongly encouraged to inspect the vehicles in person before submitting their bids. Viewing hours for vehicles are during regular business hours—8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, while buyers may inspect the vehicles, they may not test drive them.
“Buyers can expect to find vehicles that are 2018 and newer, with low mileage,” Globetti says. “Most vehicles are only driven within a five-mile radius over their lifetime.”
Every vehicle comes with detailed maintenance records. “We are very meticulous in our maintenance,” he says. “Maintenance is done every 3,000 miles or every three months, whichever comes first.”
Once the auction concludes, the highest bidder is awarded the asset, and the sale is considered final. Buyers are required to complete payment within seven business days of the auction’s close. The buyer must cover all associated costs, including taxes, title transfers, registration fees, and insurance. However, unlike some auction sites, the university auction site does not charge a buyer’s fee.
“Even if they win the vehicle, they will need to provide some sort of proof that they are who they say there are when they pick it up,” Globetti adds.
Through this auction process, the University of Alabama ensures that surplus police vehicles and other state property are sold efficiently, safely, and to appropriate buyers, maximizing the value of its fleet while adhering to all legal and regulatory requirements.
Interested law enforcement agencies can visit https://uapdauction.ua.edu/ to see the auction site. Potential buyers can also email fleet@ua.edu or call (205) 348-4803 with questions.
