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Ethanol Fleet Experiences

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Responds to Demand for Green Vehicles

Last Updated: April 25, 2008
In an effort to meet consumer demand for environmentally friendly vehicles, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is deploying its first group of "Green" branches in Atlanta and continues to expand its number of "E85/FlexFuel" branches nationally. Enterprise is a part of the Taylor family of companies, which includes National Car Rental and Alamo. The combined companies make up the world's largest vehicle fleet, which currently includes 4,000 hybrids, 73,000 flexible fuel vehicles, and 440,000 fuel-efficient vehicles.

At four Atlanta, Georgia, locations, hybrids and fuel-efficient vehicles will comprise approximately 60% of the company's "Green Branch" fleets. These fleets will offer approximately 30 percent hybrid gas/electric vehicles and 30 percent fuel-efficient vehicles that average a highway fuel efficiency rating of at least 28 mpg. "For the past 50 years, Enterprise Rent-A-Car has steadily grown its business by consistently talking with and listening to its customers," says Dan Miller, vice president and general manager for Enterprise in Atlanta. "With Atlanta ranking among the top cities in average commute times, customers of Enterprise's metro Atlanta branches have expressed great interest in renting environmentally friendly vehicles, and we are responding by concentrating the largest number of hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles possible at these four area branches."

Enterprise also recently designated one of its Dallas-Fort Worth area rental locations as its first official "E85/FlexFuel Branch" in Texas. The location is at the Classic Chevrolet dealership located in Grapevine, Texas. Classic Chevrolet is also home to the nation's first dealership-owned public E85 pumps. Approximately 25% of the branch's vehicles will be General Motors flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs).

To build consumer awareness and increase the number of cars being fueled with E85, Enterprise is actively deploying the majority of its FFVs near E85 fueling stations. The Grapevine, Texas, E85/FlexFuel Branch joins similar Enterprise branches in Washington, D.C.; St. Louis, Missouri; Charlotte, North Carolina; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Cincinnati, Columbus: and Dayton, Ohio.

"Enterprise is committed to supporting new technologies and alternative fuels as they become commercially viable," says Miller. "We'll continue to make them more accessible to our customers."

Hoover Municipal Government Runs on Alternative Fuels

Last Updated: September 24, 2007
With a population of around 65,000, Hoover, Alabama, is the sixth largest city in the state. The City of Hoover currently operates 179 flex-fuel vehicles as well as 21 other light-duty vehicles, 60 medium- and heavy-duty trucks, two buses, two shuttles, and 96 off-road vehicles on B20, a blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel. The city currently boasts that 80% of the fuel used by its fleet is alternative fuel.

Hoover's police force operates 130 of the flex-fuel vehicles, which are fueled 100% of the time on E85. The remaining 49 flex-fuel vehicles are used by the city's administative personnel. Hoover has also started a test program to use B20 in its fire trucks and plans to forward the results to the National Fire Protection Association.

Hoover may also be the first municipal government in the U.S. to manufacture its own B100 using waste vegetable oil collected from local restaurants. The city also plans to start home collection of waste vegetable oil by providing gallon jugs to homeowners who want to participate.

"The price of the alternative fuels is below the price of petroleum fuel. With our own B100 production, we might even turn a profit," says David Lindon, fleet management director for the City of Hoover. "The mayor and the city council are committed to clean fuel. It's the right thing to do for our energy security and it's cost effective."

For more information about the alternative fuel program in Hoover, Alabama, contact David Lindon, Fleet Management Director, City of Hoover.

Airport Shuttles Go All Natural in Portland, Oregon

Last Updated: September 21, 2007
The Portland International Airport (PDX) in Oregon uses several alternative fuels, including compressed natural gas (CNG); E85 (85% ethanol, 15% gasoline); propane (LPG); B20 biodiesel (20% biodiesel and 80% conventional diesel); and hybrid electric vehicles, in its fleet. PDX began replacing conventional petroleum diesel buses with CNG-fueled buses in 1997 and currently has 26 shuttle buses, three heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), three off-road vehicles, and 18 light-duty vehicles (LDVs) that are fueled with CNG. PDX also has five off-road vehicles (OHVs) that are fueled with propane (LPG), two flexible-fuel vehicles fueled with E85, and six hybrid LDVs. PDX has fueled its diesel vehicles with B20 since 2002 and currently operates 18 HDVs, 35 OHVs, and three sweeper vehicles on B20.

PDX installed fueling infrastructure to meet all its alternative fuel needs. The airport currently has CNG, LPG, E85, and B20 fueling stations on property, but cannot sell fuel to other fleets or the public because of access limitations. Larry Medearis, aviation senior manager, Maintenance & Facility Services, points to lower emissions, better relations with the environmental community, and longer operational life, which means more miles between rebuilds, as advantages to the alternative fuel fleet. Last year PDX consumed 276,500 gasoline gallon equivalents of CNG to fuel its fleet of 50 CNG vehicles.

PDX is studying the option to start replacing its CNG shuttle buses with new hybrid diesel-electric buses, and plans to continue using its other current AFVs. For more information, visit the PDX Web site.

Alabama Police Fleet Boasts 100% AFVs

Last Updated: September 21, 2007
The Hoover, Alabama, Police Department (HPD) operates 130 flex-fuel vehicles on E85 at all times. The vehicles are Chevrolet Tahoe police pursuit vehicles, making HPD the largest E85-fueled law enforcement fleet in the nation. The FFVs are fueled onsite at the Hoover Public Safety Facility, which has two dispensers with two hoses each. The facility, which was built in 2004 with a grant from Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition provided by Alabama Partners for Clean Air, is available for use by other public agencies.

Each HPD officer carries an E85 fueling card that is activated by a personal identification number. Information, such as miles between refueling and gallons of ethanol pumped, is collected with each swipe of a card. This information is used for analysis.

HPD serves a population of 65,000 in the sixth largest city in Alabama. The City of Hoover first became interested in FFVs for its police fleet in 2004 when the Central Alabama coalition arranged for the department to demo a Chevrolet Tahoe police vehicle. When considering the switch to the Chevrolet FFVs, the HPD was particularly impressed with the higher-octane levels ethanol offers.

The department didn't have any problems with driver acceptance. "By the time the vehicles arrived, many of the officers had test-driven the demo vehicle and had received training," according to David Lindon, the city's fleet management director.

The HPD estimates that it uses approximately 24,000 gallons of E85 a month. "The use of E85 is reducing air pollution and the city's dependency on foreign oil," says Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos. For more information about the Hoover, Alabama, police fleet, contact David Lindon, Fleet Management Director for the City of Hoover.

Iowa State Patrol Fuels with E85

Last Updated: August 27, 2007
In 2007, the Iowa State Patrol accepted delivery of the first 10 E85-compatible Ford Crown Victoria vehicles outfitted as patrol cars. An additional 119 E85 flexible-fuel vehicles are on order, and from this point forward, all Ford Crown Victorias ordered for the State Patrol will be E85 compatible. That means in just three years, the entire Iowa State Patrol will be able to run on the 85% corn-based fuel.

"Iowa is America's biofuels leader, producing more ethanol and biodiesel than any other state," says Governor Chester J. Culver. "We are the leaders in biofuels production and it is only fitting that our Iowa State Patrol cars run on clean-burning, Iowa-grown ethanol."

Department of Public Safety Commissioner Eugene T. Meyer agrees. "The addition of E85 compatible cars to our fleet and the use of Iowa grown ethanol demonstrate the department's commitment to a greater use of renewable energy."

For more information contact James J. Saunders at the Iowa Dept. of Public Safety.

Greater Long Island Coalition Celebrates a Decade of Making a Difference

Last Updated: December 19, 2006
Ten years ago a small group of committed stakeholders formed the Greater Long Island Clean Cities Coalition (GLICCC) to address the ozone non-attainment status of New York's Nassau and Suffolk counties. Back then, there were 265,000 alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) on the road nationwide, the United States imported 3.5 billion barrels of oil per year, and the average gasoline price was $1.25 per gallon.

Today, GLICCC is celebrating a decade of making a difference and looking forward to the challenges ahead. The coalition has secured almost $10 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grants to support AFV and alternative fuel infrastructure projects. It has directly funded the deployment of more than 250 AFVs, and the total number of AFVs in the coalition service area has increased 700%.

Another achievement has been public outreach. GLICCC hosts an Advancing the Choice event each fall, drawing fleet operators from across the region to learn about the latest advances in vehicle technologies. Two years ago it initiated a seminar series, with each seminar focusing on a single topic such as biodiesel, alternative fuel school buses, and the municipal AFV market. The coalition participates in other outreach events, such as Earth Day, as well.

"Clean Cities is proud of the Greater Long Island Coalition's 10 years of accomplishments," says Marcy Rood, Deputy Director, Clean Cities. "When I attended its designation in 1996 there was so much enthusiasm among stakeholders. I had a strong feeling it would succeed--and Greater Long Island has proven me right."

One key to GLICCC's success has been its collaborative structure. "We have an active board of directors and executive committee along with committees for specific projects," says GLICCC coordinator Andria Adler. "Because many people are involved, things get done more effectively than if one person was doing everything."

Choosing the right host organization is also important. "A good host can support the organization in between funding cycles," says Adler. In 2000, GLICCC became a clean air program at the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT), a state-funded economic development organization.

GLICCC is not resting on its laurels. It is creating a new five-year plan that includes a focus on penetrating specific vehicle markets such as refuse trucks. It is also funding and promoting Long Island's first publicly accessible E85 station and supporting the continuation of single-passenger AFV use of the Long Island Expressway's high-occupancy vehicle lane.

Today, there are more than 550,000 AFVs on the road, and hybrid vehicles are selling in large numbers. The United States imports 5 billion barrels of oil per year. The average gasoline price is $2.30 per gallon, with recent New York prices topping $3.25 per gallon. "In the past, it was a challenge to get people to listen and think about vehicle options, but the situation today has made AFVs much more visible," says Adler. "It was important for us to stick with our message during the harder times. Now we're looking forward to even bigger successes."

Biofuels Help Green the Department of Defense

Last Updated: April 26, 2006
The Fort Leonard Wood (FLW) U.S. Army base in Waynesville, Missouri, has used biofuels to displace more than 205,000 gallons of petroleum.

In March 2003, FLW's Directorate of Logistics Transportation Division installed onsite E85 and B20 infrastructure in an effort to meet the petroleum reduction goal of Executive Order 13149, which challenges Federal agency fleets to reduce conventional fuel use by 20% compared to their 1999 level.

Today, FLW boasts one E85 station with a 10,000-gallon storage tank and four B20 pumps that run off two 12,000-gallon storage tanks. Annual reporting numbers show that FLW has used more than 154,000 gallons of E85 and 255,000 gallons of B20.

Of the Fort's 1,113 vehicles, 734--or 66% of the fleet--run on alternative fuels. E85 powers the fleet's more than 300 light-duty flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), while B20 is used in roughly 425 tactical vehicles, which include cargo trucks, wreckers, and armament carriers.

Fuel keys ensure the drivers use alternative fuel, says Keith Bax, FLW Motor Transport Officer. Each vehicle is assigned a fuel key that will work only at the E85 and B20 pumps. Bax monitors the Fort's alternative fuel use using a computerized tracking system in the pumps. According to Bax, FLW now averages about 6,000 gallons of E85 and 19,000 gallons of B20 a month.

For more information, contact Keith Bax, FLW Motor Transport Officer.

USPS Delivers Alternative Fuel Success

Last Updated: April 21, 2005
The Northland District of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) believes in using E85. Considering its home base of Minnesota, this attitude is not surprising. The state has more than 125 ethanol fueling sites--the highest concentration in the country.

The Northland District provides mail service for most of Minnesota and part of Wisconsin and is a valuable partner of the Twin Cities Clean Cities Coalition (TC4). Its alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) of choice are flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), which are capable of using gasoline or gasoline-ethanol mixtures up to E85. "We have the opportunity to use E85 because so many stations offer E85 in Minnesota," says Robert Kunowski, the Northland District's Manager of Vehicle Maintenance. "We should be leaders because we have the opportunity."

The USPS Northland District is covered under Executive Order 13149, which requires federal fleets to reduce petroleum consumption by 20% by the end of fiscal year (FY) 2005, compared to their FY 1999 consumption levels. The district is also covered under the Energy Policy Act of 1992, which requires federal fleets to acquire AFVs as 75% of their light-duty vehicle acquisitions each year.

Of the district's 3,594 light-duty vehicles, 525 are FFVs. These include 324 light delivery trucks, 167 minivans, and 34 administrative vehicles. The district tracks fuel use for the light delivery trucks, which mainly fuel at commercial stations. In 2004, the trucks used 214,000 gallons of E85, up 29% from the year before. Kunowski estimates that the FFV delivery trucks use E85 85% to 90% of the time.

How has the Northland District achieved such high E85 use? "We position our FFVs so they are near stations that offer E85," says Kunowski. "And if FFV drivers don't use E85, we take the vehicles away from them and assign them to drivers who will use E85." This is a big incentive to use E85 because the district's non-FFV delivery trucks are 10 to 20 years old, and drivers much prefer the model year 2000-2001 FFVs. The district's 2005 goal is 95% E85 use among its FFV delivery trucks.

Asked to give advice on establishing a successful alternative fuel program, Kunowski emphasizes the importance of an accurate fuel use tracking system. "You have to have good facts and data to make good decisions," he says. He also stresses educating managers and staff on E85 goals and procedures and designing the program to be cost effective. "You need to balance the cost with the environmental benefits of alternative fuels," says Kunowski. "And remember, we only get one environment."