Effective September 2007, San Jose adopted the Green Fleet Policy. Recognizing that the transportation sector is a significant factor in greenhouse gas emissions, the City has taken action to reduce those emissions, along with vehicle fuel and maintenance costs, outlined by the following:
• Optimize the fleet size by eliminating any unused vehicles and promoting departmental sharing
• Purchase fleet vehicles that provide the greatest reduction in emissions, such as alternative fueled and hybrid vehicles
• Reduce vehicle size by encouraging the selection of smaller class sizes in order to achieve increased gas mileage and lower emissions.
• Purchase carbon offsets when emission reduction targets are not met

The key measures of this policy will be annual reductions in the total gallons of gasoline and diesel used in City vehicles, total fuel costs, and total cost of fleet operations.

The Policy also outlines the creation of a Green Fleet Team, to include members of the City Fleet Management, Environmental Services, Finance, and the City Manager’s Budget Office with rotating involvement from other operating departments. The purpose of the Team is to develop and monitor any policy or procedure related to City vehicles and the implement sustainable maintenance of those vehicles.

Currently, 39% of the City’s 2,593 vehicle fleet run on some form of alternative fuel: compressed natural gas (CNG), B20 biodiesel blend, electric, hybrid gas/electric, liquid propane gas (LPG), and bi-fuel (unleaded gas and CNG).

More specifically, all fire trucks use B20 biodiesel, the Airport uses compressed natural gas and electric vehicles for maintenance activities, the Environmental Services Department has hybrids for inspection duties, the General Services Department employs bi-fuel vehicles, and the Department of Transportation uses liquid propane forklifts. Many departments, such as the Police Department, also use bicycles as part of their fleet.

The City’s combined purchases of biodiesel fuels equaled 970,915 gallons of fuel or $3,232,079 in fuel purchases. At this level of consumption, use of the B-20 achieves a reduction of approximately 1.6 million pounds of CO2 to the atmosphere.

For the 2007-2008 fiscal year, vehicle and equipment expenditures amounted to $1,845,000, as biodiesel expenses were $3,323,079.