Sector:

Fleets [1]

Focus:

Operations [2]

Community type:

District/Region [3]

Large city [4]

Mid-sized city [5]

Resort community [6]

Rural/Electoral [7]

Small community [8]

Tabs

What

Driving a Green Fleet Program

Fuel efficient fleets provide an opportunity to realize predictable and measurable long term GHG reductions in a short timeframe. The strategies are straightforward and have been successful across North America. They are cost effective, improve staff morale, health and safety, and demonstrate leadership in the community.

Fleets are a significant share of emissions from local government operations, typically the second largest after buildings but sometimes even the largest. The direct links between fleet management, fuel consumption, and GHG emissions make this sector a strategic focal point for climate action.

Many staff involved in fleet management do not consider themselves fleet managers. However, anyone involved in purchasing, operating, and/or maintaining fleets is involved in fleet management. These activities vary with the size of the local government, but are always geared towards the effective use of fleet assets.

Key Objectives of Fuel Efficient Fleets

Minimize vehicle fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
Maximize the lifetime value generated from fleet assets.
Purchase (buy or lease) fuel efficient vehicles.
Improve the health, safety, and job satisfaction of employees.

Under Local Government Control

The direct links between fleet management, fuel consumption, and GHG emissions make this sector a strategic focal point in climate change action.

Local governments have direct control over the management, operation, and procurement of their fleets and equipment. They are able to monitor and manage fuel consumption, vehicle purchasing, personnel use of assets, and employee training. This gives local governments significant control over vehicle emissions. The result is strong influence over the satisfaction, health, and safety of employees. Managing a local government fleet with the goal of reducing GHG emissions also demonstrates leadership in the community.

While the challenges involved in green fleet management will vary by the size and resources of the local government, the core strategies and benefits remain the same. More information on these differences and potential strategies is given on the page providing solutions for local governments related to reducing fleet GHG emissions.

Characteristics of Fuel Efficient Fleets

Alternative Fuels and Technology

Buying the most fuel efficient vehicle for the given task.
Maximizing the use of low carbon fuels, such as biodiesel and hydrogen, and/or technologies within financial capabilities.
Developing replacement policies to acquire increasingly more environmentally friendly vehicles and more efficient technologies, such as lighter trailers, smaller trucks, and aerodynamic parts.

Optimized Efficiency (Fuel and Vehicle Performance, and Management Practices)

Targeting and taking action on the direct relationship between vehicle emissions and annual fleet spending.
Using operating and maintenance practices to optimize vehicle and equipment performance.
Optimizing vehicle utilization and using the most efficient routes.
Reducing idling as much as possible.
Taking more control over the fleet and doing things better by recognizing the important impact the fleet has on the climate and your bottom line.

Healthier and More Satisfied Employees and Safer Work Environments

Improving air quality and reducing accidents through green fleet action plan driven driver skill and awareness policies, programs, and education. [1,2,3]
Reducing local health risks (e.g., asthma, childhood bronchitis, restricted activity, heart failure for the elderly) and indirectly reducing health expenditures. [4]

Management and Training

Investing in managers, management programs, and drivers results in more efficient vehicle operation.
Training drivers and managers on driving and management techniques, such as progressive shifting and preventative maintenance.
Increasing job satisfaction and employee morale through training and management investment. [1,2,5]

[Use the tabs above to learn WHY this sector is important in GHG management and HOW you can reduce emissions with your fleets.]

[1] Deutsche Post AG, (2008). Energy-saving driving techniques.

[2] Fraser Basin Council, (2006). Greening Canada's Fleets - E3 Fleet Rating System.

[3] Minnesota Environmental Initiative, (2008). Project Green Fleet Recognized as a National Model for Reducing Air Pollution.

[4] Åke Blomqvist, Philippe Crabbé, George Dranitsaris, and Paul Lanoie, (January 2000). Climate Change and Health Economic Advisory Panel - Final Report on Health Impacts of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Mitigation Measures.

[5] Roger Smith, (April 2008). Greening the Fleet; Why it Makes Good Business Sense.

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Why

Cutting Emissions, Cutting Costs, Cultivating Morale, Creating Knowledge

Decisions made regarding every aspect of fleets have an influence on fuel consumption and GHG emissions, making fleets a central focus of government operations climate action. Since fleet opertions typically make up anywhere between 20% and 40% of their emissions, local governments have direct control over a significant amount of corporate GHG emissions and opportunities for GHG reductions year after year. [1,2]

Targeting GHG emissions has proven to lead to greater lifetime utilization of vehicles and equipment; increased employee morale, health, and safety; reductions in annual fleet spending; and management improvements transcending fleets and resulting in broad environmental and efficiency improvements.

The Benefits of Fuel Efficient Fleets

Annual Savings

Reduced Vehicle Emissions = Reduced Fuel Consumption = Reduced Fuel Costs:

Rising fuel prices make running corporate fleets increasingly expensive and driving less attractive. Increasing worldwide demand for oil and other fossil fuels suggests high fuel prices are here to stay. [3]
The direct connection between GHG reduction and fuel spending is a key driver behind all fleet climate action strategies.
Most spending is focused on investments already being made in vehicle and equipment replacement. Developing and carrying out plans and policies to ensure equipment being replaced is done so with more fuel efficient alternatives has long-term positive effects on fleet budgets and net savings.
Management strategies provide greater reliability of vehicles and reduced maintenance costs. Preventative maintenance and proven driving methods reduce wear and tear on vehicles and associated spending. The result is a more reliable, cost-effective fleet with smoother operations. [4,5]

Improved Employee Morale, Health, and Safety

Fuel efficient strategies have proven to increase job satisfaction:

Lower GHG emissions reduce the negative health impacts from vehicle emissions and smog on drivers and community members (i.e., respiratory problems such as asthma). Health research is ongoing and continues to link GHG emissions to major health problems throughout North America. Reduced health problems also mean lower public health costs. [6]
Fuel efficient fleets increase employee morale due to increased personal attention and an investment in training. More health conscious and environmentally friendly vehicle alternatives create a more upbeat and satisfying work environment and a positive focus for all involved. [7]
Driver training focuses on techniques to lower fuel consumption. Drivers report feeling more relaxed and satisfied and as a result accidents are reduced. [7]

Management Improvements

Fuel efficient fleet management results in a greater understanding of how other corporate improvements related to fleet can be implemented:

Greater attention to detail with a strategic focus helps managers better understand how operations can be improved through fleet management. This helps managers identify and learn how to more precisely manage leverage points that exist in their operations.
More rigorous asset management improves lifetime value of vehicles and equipment. Approaching vehicles and equipment from a long-term point of view improves the utilization of those assets and gives local governments more bang for their buck. [4]

Leadership in the Community

Local government learning and action programs can extend into the community:

Corporate actions provide a foundation for community action and help citizens account for climate change. Both education (i.e., awareness and training) and action programs (i.e., car share) can be developed within local government and extended into the community.
Government leadership is critical to reducing emissions from the Province’s transportation sector, which account for 40% of all provincial GHG emissions. Policies and bylaws are two ways to provide the government mandates necessary to accomplish Province-wide reductions, however both should be pre-empted by awareness programs. [8]

[Use the tabs above to learn HOW you can reduce emissions with your fleets.]

[1] City of Vancouver, (2004). The Climate-Friendly City - A Corporate Climate Change Action Plan for the City of Vancouver.

[2] City of North Vancouver, (2005). City of North Vancouver Greenhouse Gas Local Action Plan.

[3] Ministry of Small Business and Revenue, (July 2008). British Columbia Carbon Tax Update.

[4] Fraser Basin Council, (2006). Greening Canada's Fleets - E3 Fleet Rating System.

[5] Roger Smith, (April 2008). Greening the Fleet; Why it Makes Good Business Sense. http://www.fleetchallenge.ca/pdfnew/projects/TBOT_presentation_April2k8.pdf [10]

[6] Åke Blomqvist, Philippe Crabbé, George Dranitsaris, and Paul Lanoie, (January 2000). Climate Change and Health Economic Advisory Panel - Final Report on Health Impacts of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Mitigation Measures.

[7] Deutsche Post AG, (2008). Energy-saving driving techniques.

[8] Sierra Club of BC, 2008, Threats to Reducing BC's Carbon Emissions.

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How

Solutions for Fuel Efficient Fleets

Local governments have direct control over fleet management, operation, and procurement. The strategies required to successfully reduce GHG emissions are already developed and well-documented. By targeting GHG reductions local governments can influence employee satisfaction, health, and safety and extend these benefits into the community, all while reducing annual spending and improving management capabilities.

Plans | Policies | Projects | Processes

Different Sized Local Governments

Small and large local governments face different challenges in successfully implementing climate action plans. In all cases, success with any of these measures requires local governments to gain active participation from employees and different departments. Employee and stakeholder input are vital to gaining buy-in and seeing marked changes in behavioural patterns. Input is also useful for generating the most robust and implementable plans possible.

Smaller Local Governments

Smaller local governments have fewer people to consult. Smaller teams tend to make decision making easier and the local government's responsiveness more swift, making implementation decisions and actions easier. However, smaller local government fleet managers often having crosscutting priorities as they are responsible for other local government sectors, such as waste or buildings. This additional scope can make taking priority actions on fleets more difficult. The important thing to remember is that if reducing GHG emissions is a priority within your local government, you must address your fleet operations.

Larger Local Governments

Larger local governments often have an employee or team dedicated to fleet management along with extra resources such as software, labour, and financial support. However, they also have more employees and stakeholders to engage, get input from, and gain buy-in from. More vehicles, more responsibilities, and larger staff teams increase the complexity and time required to undertake fuel efficient fleet management. Larger governments will still see great success, but will need to use their extra resources to push harder and ensure plans are implemented.

Fortunately, all sizes of local governments have opportunities to garner extra support. Temporary or part-time students or employees are an excellent resource to work on fleet management, given the fact that a clear path has been laid out to achieve success already. Non-profit organizations, such as the Fraser Basin Council [12] and the Pembina Institute [13], are available to support smaller government initiatives as well. E3 Fleet [14] regularly offers local government participation incentives and is working to gather greater support across the Province. The City of Vancouver and the Corporation of Delta are the first municipaliies to earn Gold E3 Fleet ratings. [15]

Benefits

Each of the tools listed below is designed to reduce GHG emissions and improve air quality. The tools have proven to result in numerous other benefits as well. These benefits are listed on the individual tool pages.

Plans

Green Fleet Action Plan [16]
Includes goals and targets, implementation strategies, milestones, roles and responsibilities, and monitoring and reporting commitments and ensure continuous improvement. A key element to their success is getting all user groups on board. Senior management support and commitment is critical so that the plan has the resources, direction, and accountability at the implementation level necessary to succeed. They provide the foundation and overall direction for fuel efficient fleet management and reflect business needs, costs, and technical opportunities and restraints. Communication is an important aspect of successful adoption and implementation. [1]

Benchmarking Program [17]
Benchmarking is the comparison of a process to a certain standard. Internal benchmarking programs provide comparison between vehicles, employees, and departments and can be extended throughout local governments to reveal opportunities to improve fuel efficiency and overall performance. They provide a strong basis for goal setting and insight into strategies. Comparison can be done for any number of indicators, including fuel efficiency, preventative maintenance and repair costs, and idling. [1]

Preventative Maintenance Program [18]
Proper and time-sensitive maintenance is critical to optimal fuel efficiency. These programs reduce vehicle downtime and help optimize fuel and emissions performance by identifying regular maintenance and inspection criteria and scheduling accordingly. Filter changes, proper tire pressure, vehicle tune-ups, and more are all involved in achieving optimal engine performance and should be scheduled according to driving distance, engine hours, and/or time period. [1]

Policies

Fuel Efficiency Policies [19]
Mandate key factors that lead to reduced fuel consumption. They ensure the environmental performance of vehicles and provide a framework for purchasing decisions. When accompanied with driver training, fuel efficiency policies can set a standard for employee performance and a reference point for evaluation. [1]

Idling Reduction Policies [20]
Sometimes, idling is necessary. Most often it is not. As part of an idling reduction strategy, these are an easy way to avoid the wasteful financial and environmental impacts of getting zero miles per gallon. They will also reduce unnecessary engine wear and related maintenance. The policies should be supported by a cost evaluation and implemented as part of an idling reduction strategy, including awareness and training programs and corporate reporting. [1]

Fuel Efficient Vehicle Purchasing Strategy [21]
Prioritize the buying or leasing of energy efficient vehicles, equipment, and components during new asset acquisitions and replacements, as defined by technical and financial feasibility. Key consideration is given to optimal fuel performance and ability to complete required tasks. Lifecycle analysis is used to evaluate options based on upfront cost, operating and maintenance costs, reliability, warranties, depreciation, and resale value. The strategy should be developed through a vehicle procurement policy. [1]

Projects

Using Low Carbon Fuels [22]
More efficient fuels present opportunities to reduce GHG emissions and lower fuel bills. Many local government fleets now rely on fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, and hydrogen. Some biodiesel releases 16% less carbon dioxide than regular diesel. More recently, controversy has surrounded the use of some biofuels due to increasing competition between fuel and food, and their significant energy inputs. Local governments can avoid these problems with fuels derived from waste fibres, grease, or biological matter with low energy inputs on marginal land. [2]

Corporate Car Share Program [23]
A way to avoid unnecessary assets and one strategy to accomplish fleet right-sizing. Fleet managers analyze the vehicle needs of the local government and develop opportunities to share automobiles between employees. It reduces the assets the local government needs to maintain and helps eliminate unnecessary fuel consumption and GHG emissions. [1]

Route Planning [24]
Ensuring the most direct / efficient route is always taken is an excellent way to reduce unnecessary fuel consumption. With larger fleets, computerized tools, such as GPS, can help map and plan regular routes, two-way communication, and strategic scheduling. [1]

Alternative Transportation Fleet Options [25]
Sometimes the most fuel efficient way to get from A to B is simply to not use a vehicle. Bicycles and related share programs are becoming more popular with local governments and their employees.

Processes

Fuel Data Management System [26]
What cannot be tracked cannot be managed. Tracking fuel consumption and vehicle performance greatly enhances effective management. A system for monitoring and measuring performance on a continuous basis allows fleet managers to alter strategies used to increase fuel efficiency. [1]

Life Cycle Costing [27]
Involves evaluating purchase options based on upfront cost as well as operating and maintenance costs, reliability, warranties, depreciation, and resale value. It provides a long-term understanding of the true cost of making a vehicle purchase. [1]

Driver Awareness and Education [28]
Communicates corporate fleet policies and vehicle procedures developed to maximize fuel efficiency. It can involve training sessions, workplace posters and tips, employee meetings, incentives and other actions aimed at communicating relevant information and strategies. These program has been found to be especially effective at improving employee satisfaction. [1]

Vehicle and Fleet Right-Sizing [29]
Matches the collection of assets to the tasks to ensure that maximum efficiency is achieved and waste is avoided. Right-Sizing involves analyzing and understanding what tasks need to be completed and then selecting the most fuel efficient vehicles and components that can achieve those tasks. A major benefit of this process is freed up capital that can be used to implement other GHG reduction strategies. [1]

[1] Fraser Basin Council, (2006). Greening Canada's Fleets - E3 Fleet Rating System.
[2] Biofleet, (2007).

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Actions for Fuel Efficient Fleets