Title
Authorizing City Council's Legislative Oversight Committee to hold public hearings on whether the Office of Fleet Management's vehicle purchasing policies should require a preference for the purchase of alternative fuel or hybrid-electric vehicles, which will facilitate savings, reduce fuel consumption, and promote a positive image of Philadelphia as an environmentally-conscious City.
Body
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia's fleet consists of approximately 6,000 vehicles, including ambulances, fire apparatus, police cars, passenger and cargo vans, jeeps, buses and sedans that use approximately 4.6 million gallons of gasoline and diesel each year; and
WHEREAS, In April 1993, in response to recommendations by Mayor Rendell's Private Sector Task Force, the City created the Office of Fleet Management to centralize responsibility for the acquisition, assignment, and maintenance of approximately 6,000 City vehicles and pieces of equipment at the lowest long-term cost to Philadelphia taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, Given the rapidly rising cost of gasoline, many cities and towns across the country have implemented fleet management policies to replace conventional vehicles with hybrid-electric or alternative fuel vehicles; and
WHEREAS, Research in alternative fuel and hybrid-electric vehicles was revived in the 1970s due to the 1973 oil embargo. And, after years of pursuing reliable, affordable and practical hybrid-electric vehicles, the first four-door hybrid-electric sedan was introduced to the United States consumer market in 2000; and
WHEREAS, Hybrid-electric vehicles have excellent warranties, lower projected maintenance costs (because the combustion engine receives less wear), and as much as 50 percent lower fuel costs than conventional vehicles; and
WHEREAS, New York City has been purchasing hybrid-electric vehicles since 2001 and have built their hybrid-electric fleet to over 800 vehicles by requir...
Click here for full text