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Introduction

King County government continues to expand its’ purchase of environmentally preferable products. A big part of those purchases are vehicles and maintenance.

The focus of this bulletin is on King County’s Fleet Administration and their continued effort to add hybrids to their fleet, use biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur diesel, re-refined motor oil, remanufactured antifreeze and bio-based hydraulic fluids.

King County Fleets are going green

King County Fleet vehicle - Ford Escape Hybrid Ford Escape Hybrid

King County Fleet inventory will total 175 hybrids by the end of the year. These include Toyota Prius & Ford Escape vehicles and in 2007, two new trucks.

The King County 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. Fleet has been successful in finding ways to make these diverse vehicles operate more efficiently by outlining 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 of the largest inventories 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.

In addition to King County’s fleet of hybrid cars & trucks, Fleet has placed an order for two hybrid lift trucks that will be used to maintain traffic signals and streetlights and Metro Transit already has more than 215 hybrid buses serving its transit passengers.

Excerpts of this article were reproduced, with permission, from “Fleet is taking steps to get even greener” published in Transportation Today, King County Department of Transportation (DOT)

For More Information

King County Fleet Administration Division

“King County among first in nation to order hybrid trucks”

“Keeping the air clean goes beyond political boundaries”

King County’s use of biodiesel

King County Environmental Purchasing Bulletins

Environmental Purchasing Program

The King County Environmental Purchasing Program assists County agencies in implementation of King County Executive Policy CON-7-1-2, which requires agencies to use recycled and other environmentally preferable products wherever practicable.

The program assembles information about these products and makes it available to specific agency users who can evaluate them and develop applications in County projects.

These environmental purchasing bulletins contain information about the results of product evaluations and other accomplishments of County agencies. We hope this information will help you find ways to use environmentally preferable products in the work of your agency and that you will contact us if we can help you with further information or if you have suggestions.