Joshua Solomon reports for the Times Union that New York Comptroller Tom DiNapoli released an audit Oct. 13 of the state Department of Transportation, saying it lacks sufficient accountability and oversight with its more than 4,000 vehicles and their related maintenance expenses. The DOT spent $153 million from 2017 to 2019 on its fleet, according to an audit. “The state Department of Transportation isn’t tracking how its regional offices are buying parts for repairs made at their own repair shops and isn’t checking to make sure private repair shops are charging reasonable amounts," DiNapoli said in a statement. "DOT is not monitoring recalls and warranties for its vehicles and has little oversight over fuel usage and mileage. The department needs to do better." The audit recommended new procedures for monitoring vehicle repair, new ways to track vehicle recalls, and better communication with the department's regional offices. "The lack of accountability over state vehicle use and maintenance expenses ultimately increases the risk that the department is not making the most efficient use of resources and that state vehicles and State funds will be misused," the report states. "These weaknesses also put the integrity of state property at risk and increase the risk of accident or injury while using state vehicles." The DOT could not place more than a third of its own vehicle logs for fuel and mileage, the audit revealed. Read more about this story in the Times Union.