NEW CITY – In an effort to save money on fuel, the Rockland County Highway Department will move to a four-day workweek, County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef announced Wednesday. The county expects to have over $10,000 in fuel costs to county highway vehicles with the changed schedule through the fall.

The new four-day, 10-hour per day schedule, which begins Monday, August 4th and will last until the end of daylight savings time on October 31st, was ratified by the Public Service Employees Union Tuesday.

“As a county, we are looking to save money in any way we can. With the escalating cost of gas, this is a good time to start cutting back and saving money,” Vanderhoef said. “We thank our hard-working employees and the union for their support of our efforts to save taxpayer dollars during this difficult economic climate.”

Approximately 65 employees in the Operations and Maintenance Division, or the Highway Department’s road crews, will be affected by the new schedule. The savings initiative is expected to save the county about 20-percent of the Highway Department’s total fuel costs for the remainder of the summer. The Highway fleet currently has more than a hundred vehicles, including heavy-duty construction equipment.

“This is a positive step in trying to save energy and to reduce the cost of operations,” said Charles “Skip” Vezzetti, the County’s superintendent of Highways. “By switching to this type of schedule during the summer, employee productivity is increased and that saves money, too.”

County departments would also be considered for a similar four-day schedule, Vanderhoef said, but most must remain open five business days to serve the public.