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Fleet is taking steps to get even greener
 King
County’s Fleet
Administration Division is always looking for ways to get greener.
Already a national leader in the use of hybrid technology, recycling and
alternative fuels, the Fleet Division is leading a new effort to reduce
some of the worst air pollutants generated by vehicle emissions, which
cause significant harm to the environment and public health.
The Fleet Division buys, manages and maintains more than 2,500 vehicles
for the county. This includes everything from sheriff patrol cars to
heavy-duty road building equipment. Finding a way to make these diverse
vehicles operate leaner and greener is a challenge, but one that Fleet
staff has been very successful in implementing.
“In the Fleet Division, we believe in the motto: ‘Green cars today, blue
skies tomorrow,’” said Division Director Windell Mitchell
The new pollution-reduction effort begins with the obvious – burn less
gas. The Fleet Division has outlined three strategies to reduce fuel
consumption by King County vehicles:
Increase the number of cleaner engine types and green vehicles –
King County’s fleet already has one the largest inventory of hybrid
vehicles in the state – with 140 hybrids currently and another 35 to be
delivered by the end of the year. The division’s goal is to convert 50
percent of all county vehicles to green vehicles by 2012, and 75 percent
by 2016.
Increase fuel efficiency in county operated vehicles – Fleet’s
goal is to increase fuel efficiency by 10 percent by 2016, and 25
percent by 2020.
Decrease fossil fuel expenditures and increase use of alternative
fuels – Fleet’s goal is to use a 20-percent mix of biodiesel fuel in
heavy-duty equipment and trucks by 2006, and invest in other forms of
alternative fuels as feasible by 2015.
 As
more and more vehicles are replaced with hybrid electric and advanced
technology vehicles, Fleet figures it can reduce vehicle emissions and
fuel use by 30 to 50-percent per vehicle. In addition, King County
continues to lead the national green effort by investing in
environmentally responsible technology and supporting the emerging
alternative and fuel-efficient market.
Not every green step needs to be a giant step. Fleet Administration
Director Win Mitchell has some smaller actions planned that will add up
to significant savings in fuel and pollutants.
Mitchell said driver education programs can teach employees how to
reduce fuel consumption by five-to-ten percent. Idling engines can burn
a gallon of fuel per hour. He says by reducing idling time, using
battery power or auxiliary generators instead, it cuts fuel consumption
and engine wear and tear.
“By encouraging employees to use strategies such as planning their trip
to avoid congestion, carpooling and staying on top of maintenance, we
can all be part of the daily mantra of becoming more environmentally
conscious – even while we’re working,” Mitchell said.
Nobody is saying getting greener is going to be easy. It’s going to take
new technology and new ways of thinking. But, King County’s Fleet
Administration Division is taking the steps needed to change its image
to a deeper green.
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