Greening Fleets

Step 1: Measure Emissions and Set Goals

Understand your fleet’s current greenhouse gas emissions. Simple calculations allow you to track greenhouse gas emissions based on how much fuel is consumed.

• Create a baseline by collecting fuel consumption data.
• Calculate your greenhouse gas emissions using our online tool.
• Develop a goal to reduce emissions over time.
• Report your progress over time.

Resources

• U.S. EPA Climate Leaders
• The Climate Registry
• U.S. DOE EIA
• World Resources Institute

Step 2: Improve Vehicle Selection

One of the most important environmental decisions a fleet manager makes is which vehicles to have in the fleet. Consider the following strategies:

• Select the right size. Analyze your operational needs and eliminate excess vehicles. Four-wheel drive and 6- or 8-cyclinder engines can increase costs and emissions.
• Choose "best in class." Select vehicles with the highest fuel economy that meet's your firm's price and performance needs.
• Evaluate total liefcycle costs, including acquistion, fuel consumption, depreciation and resale.
• Offer employees incentives to choose more cost-effective, efficient vehicles, for example, sunroofs and satellite radio.

Resources

• U.S. Government Fuel Economy Ratings
• Yahoo Autos Green Ratings
• CoolFleets.com
• Green Vehicle Book
• Clean Fleet Report

Step 3: Improve Vehicle Use

The way a vehicle is driven and maintained can yield significant savings.

• Educate drivers in how to be more efficient and drive fewer miles. Driving gently and not speeding, for example, can significantly decrease fuel consumption. Avoiding idling also helps cut fuel usage. Get more tips and best practices with our Fuel-Smart Driving Practices Module.
• Improve vehicle maintenance. Regular oil changes and proper tire inflation, among other practices, increase fuel efficiency.
• Incorporate new technology. Routing software, GPS systems and fuel management software can maximize efficiency.

Resources

• Low Carbon Tips for Cars
• U.S. Government Gas Milage Tips
• Eco Driving USA

Step 4: Consider Carbon Offsets

Greening your fleet will not totally eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. By investing savings from lower fuel costs in high-quality carbon offset projects, you can effectively "zero-out" your fleet's greenhouse gas impact.

The idea of a carbon offset is simple: For every ton of emissions "put into" the atmosphere, one ton is "taken out" somewhere else.

Resources

• Follow our carbon offset guidelines.

Step 5: Report Progress

• Share your information — and successes — with employees, shareholders and the public.
• Use the data to fulfill reporting needs for such programs as EPA Climate Leaders or the Carbon Disclosure Project.
• Mention progress in reducing emissions in your firm's social responsibility or annual report.

Resources

More information on the program, including the five steps can be found at Greening Fleets: A roadmap to lower costs and cleaner corporate fleets [PDF]