City of Palm Coast issued the following announcement.
In an effort to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, the City of Palm Coast continues to look for ways to save money while steering the city toward the future. And in doing so, staying true to the city's values of improving services while protecting the natural environment.
This year, the Palm Coast City Council tasked the Public Works Department with a new priority: to study the possibility of electrifying some of the city fleet. So when the time came recently to purchase new vehicles, the team invested in two new hybrid 2020 model SUVs - a first step toward that goal.
The City expects the life of each vehicle to be the same as other non-hybrid vehicles. However, the City also expects to save money on fuel and regular maintenance, but long-term savings will be calculated to see what that looks like down the road. Both SUVs also run in part on electric power and batteries, in addition to gasoline.
"The Public Works Department is always looking for ways to be eco-friendly as we maintain the landscaping and natural beauty of our city," said Public Works Director Matt Mancill. "Acquiring these SUVs will allow us to study the total cost of ownership, while we continue to explore full electric and other technologies for future integration in our fleet."
The majority of the City's fleet is comprised of medium and heavy duty vehicles with very limited electric applications available on the market today for replacement. By onboarding proven hybrid technology now, it allows us to make immediate steps towards cleaner energy while continuing to study and explore how and when we can bring other technologies, such as full electric vehicles, into our fleet operations.
Other ways Palm Coast Public Works has transitioned toward modernizing operations is acquiring a remote control lawn mower and adding the 'environment' to its mission statement to be proactive with green initiatives.
Palm Coast Public Works is also pursuing accreditation with the American Public Works Association. The three-phase process focuses on self-assessment, improvement and accreditation. The benefits of receiving this prestigious honor include valuable benchmarking tools, improved provision of services and the legitimacy of recognition from one of the premier Public Works organizations in the nation. The thorough accreditation process will help increase efficiencies across the department, ultimately saving the City of Palm Coast and residents money.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up