Vehicle
fleet - Auckland
Regional Council
Summary
In 2001 the Auckland Regional Council developed Vehicle Fleet Use and Management Guidelines that include policies, procedures and standards for the purchase, maintenance, use, replacement and disposal of all council vehicles. The guidelines include sustainability criteria in relation to the purchase of council fleet and align to council's Green Plan.
Key drivers
Within the Walk the Talk strategy, Auckland Regional Council has developed a performance improvement programme that includes objectives and targets to improve the environmental performance of council's travel and transport in 2004-2005. The target in this strategy is to reduce average fleet fuel consumption per 100km by 5%.
Project detail
The following environmental standards are included in the Vehicle Fleet Use and Management Guidelines:
"The Auckland Regional Council will purchase the most energy efficient, lowest emission vehicle that is appropriate for the intended use."
This means that all vehicles must be the minimum size required for the users. The minimum standard to ensure acceptable emissions must be a petrol engine equipped with a three-way catalytic converter. Lower emission vehicles such as hybrid vehicles or zero emission vehicles should be considered where practicable.
Vehicles with diesel engines will not be purchased because they cannot currently meet the same emissions standards as petrol vehicles. This policy may be reviewed when emission control systems on diesel engines can achieve the same emissions standards as petrol vehicles (post 2007).
Exceptions to these policies will need to be considered for vehicles purchased for specific use that have a specific requirement that may only be accommodated by a diesel powered engine.
Diesel vehicles in the fleet will be maintained to the highest level possible, will be checked for emission levels regularly, and will be considered for replacement as soon as is practicable."
The guidelines also state that
"The engine size should be the smallest that will properly cope with the job required and still be safe for employees to drive."
Key challenges
Key challenges that have been faced by Auckland Regional Council when attempting to improve the environmental impact of the fleet through procurement are:
- the better resale value of less efficient vehicles,
- tax regimes that reward the greater use of vehicles, and
- the limited range (i.e., medium sized sedans) and supply of hybrid models currently available in New Zealand.
In an attempt to address the limited supply of hybrid vehicles, council is investigating the feasibility of a 5-year replacement programme to allow consideration of other hybrid vehicles as they become available in New Zealand.
Outcomes of project
Based on these policies council has been replacing its diesel fleet with petrol alternatives to reduce emissions. Only seven diesel vehicles remain in a fleet of over 100 vehicles. The requirement for these vehicles is due to their design for specific operational use.
In addition, Auckland Regional Council has recently purchased its first hybrid vehicle, the Honda Civic Hybrid. In an attempt to address the limited supply of hybrid vehicles currently available, council is investigating the feasibility of a 5-year replacement programme to allow consideration of other hybrid vehicles (e.g., utility, 4x4 off-road and station wagon vehicles) as they become available in New Zealand.
Council evaluated fuel usage for the 2003/04 financial year and determined that council's vehicle fleet produced 700 tonnes of CO2, 11.5% of council's total emissions. This figure will provide a baseline against which to measure the success of fleet improvement changes.
Within the Walk the Talk strategy, Auckland Regional Council has developed a performance improvement programme that includes objectives and targets to improve the environmental performance of council's travel and transport in 2004-2005. The target in this strategy is to reduce average fleet fuel consumption per 100km by 5%.
A Fleetcheck audit of the Council's fleet and fleet management processes is shortly to be undertaken based on the EconoDrive best practice guidelines. This will provide a snapshot of fleet practices along with a clear action plan on how to improve performance.
