Emission reduction targets

1. Ensure Fleet Services Division operations meet or surpass the emission reduction targets adopted by the City:
   1. reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions from the 1990 levels of 6% by 2012 (the "Kyoto target"); 30% by 2020; and 80% by 2050; and
   2. a 20% reduction target for locally generated smog causing pollutants from 2004 levels by 2012;



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Vehicles

2. Contain fleet size and purchase fuel-efficient, right-sized vehicles as a standard practice across all Divisions, if they are commercially available and meet operational needs, specifically:
   1. Contain the size of the City's fleet by working with Divisions to reduce the number of vehicles required and kilometres travelled, use vehicles more efficiently and delete underused vehicles from the fleet or move them to other City operations;
   2. Purchase the right size of vehicle for the job, using small vehicles where they meet operational needs; and
   3. Purchase the most fuel-efficient vehicle, or lowest-emitting vehicle, that is commercially available and meets operational needs;
3. Replace the following numbers of City vehicles with green vehicles, giving priority to the cleanest technologies: At a minimum, replace 80 vehicles in 2008, 100 vehicles in 2009, 140 vehicles in 2010 and 200 vehicles in 2011;
4. Pilot test promising green vehicle technologies and work with industry to accelerate development and large-scale adoption in Canada by:
   1. Actively seeking, pilot testing and incorporating green vehicles and technologies into the City's fleet;
   2. Pilot testing more plug-in electric vehicles and ensuring that they are re-charged at night using off-peak electricity where possible;
   3. Working with Toronto Atmospheric Fund to expand the Toronto Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Project to a larger consortium of fleet managers, potentially to include GTA municipalities and utilities;
   4. Pilot testing full-electric vehicles as well as recharging station technologies and options, in partnership with the Toronto Atmospheric Fund and the Toronto Parking Authority;
   5. Evaluating electric, low-speed vehicles for City of Toronto operations and pilot testing these vehicles if the evaluation indicates they will be beneficial;
   6. Pilot testing green trucks, including light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, targeting those that idle excessively such as delivery trucks and garbage packers, and sharing results with municipal and private fleet managers;
   7. Developing, in collaboration with the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, a Low-Carbon Truck Pilot Project that pilot tests hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and all-electric truck technologies;
   8. Pilot testing hydrogen-powered vehicles;
   9. Adding hybrid-electric aerial tower trucks to the City's fleet;
   10. Replacing all of the City's old street sweepers with "regenerative-air" dustless sweepers that trap fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution and have cleaner diesel engines;
   11. Adding electric, zero-emission ice resurfacers to the City's fleet; and
   12. Continuing to review the merits and applicability of natural gas vehicles;
5. Identify and incorporate equipment and practices that reduce fuel consumption, pollutant emissions and idling by the City's vehicles, such as:
   1. Procure LED lights, batteries, inverters, space heaters or other equipment that reduces the need to idle a vehicle for long periods in order to operate lights, arrow boards and other necessary tools; and
   2. Install electric plugs for truck block heaters at all major Solid Waste yards where feasible, and develop a policy to ensure they are used by staff to reduce unnecessary vehicle idling;
6. Replace the oldest vehicles with cleaner, modern technology by continuing to accelerate the replacement of overdue City vehicles;
7. Include in all vehicle procurement specifications green vehicle attributes, such as fuel efficiency and low emissions, and provide an appropriate weighting for these attributes when selecting a product;

 

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Fuels

8. Evaluate biofuels to determine which products and feedstocks provide the greatest environmental benefits on a life-cycle basis;
9. Evaluate the use of biofuels with the federally mandated new diesel engines (2007 US EPA compliant models) and emission control devices to optimize emission reductions achieved by the City;
10. Expand the biofuels program to deliver biofuels to all City Divisions;
11. Explore the feasibility of using biodiesel in off-road diesel fuel, and implement a pilot project if feasible;
12. Use clean sources of energy for vehicles, including biofuels from sustainable feedstocks as they become available, for example ethanol produced from cellulose;
13. Advocate for sustainable electricity in Ontario, including conservation, renewables and the timely phase out of coal-fired electricity, to ensure the environmental benefits of plug-in and all-electric vehicles are realized;

 

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Sustainable choices

14. Host annual Green Fleet Expo with the City of Hamilton, Fleet Challenge and other partners to provide public and private fleet managers and members of the public with an opportunity to learn about green fleet technologies and practices;
15. Encourage other municipalities and private companies to green their fleets and share Toronto's experience by:
    1. Participating in Fleet Challenge in 2008 by presenting Toronto's green fleet experience to other Ontario municipalities;
    2. Sharing information with Greater Toronto Area municipal fleet managers through the GTA Clean Air Council;
    3. Sharing information with public and private fleet managers through the Canadian Association of Municipal Fleet Managers (CAMFM), National Association of Fleet Administrators (NAFA Canada) and Municipal Equipment and Operations Association (MEOA); and
    4. Work with the Director of the Toronto Environment Office to create a Greening Commercial Fleets Enviro-Action Working Group consisting of representatives of the National Association of Fleet Administrators and operators of large fleets in the areas of phone, cable, utilities, retail and courier providers to work together to identify and implement actions that green these fleets and achieve a reduction in emissions city-wide;
16. Provide technical support to the Toronto Transit Commission, Emergency Medical Services, Toronto Fire Services, Toronto Police Service and other Agencies, Boards and Commissions in developing and implementing their consolidated green fleet plans;
17. Provide technical support to Municipal Licensing and Standards, Toronto Atmospheric Fund and other partners in their efforts to green the fleets of vehicles that are licensed by the City (e.g. taxis);
18. Support the Bike Share program led by City Planning by providing bike procurement assistance, safety training and maintenance for a pool of City bicycles;
19. Provide information and assistance to support establishment of bicycle infrastructure at City facilities by Facilities and Real Estate, including bike parking, bike lockers and other ancillary facilities as appropriate;
20. Promote the City's Idle-Free Policy and ten-second idling rule for City staff;
21. Continue to provide Idle-Free training in staff driver training courses, to monitor staff compliance with the ten-second idling rule, and to follow up with staff found to be idling;
22. Determine the feasibility of establishing a policy prohibiting City vehicles from drive-throughs, and establish the policy if feasible;
23. Encourage other orders of government to support policies and incentives that encourage the use of sustainable vehicles, fuels and practices;
24. Work with Divisions to explore the feasibility of making green pool vehicles available to staff who require their vehicle for work;
25. Investigate and implement ways to reduce the number of work-related vehicle trips taken by Fleet Services staff, such as increasing the use of conference calls and scanners to share information between work sites;
26. Work with other Divisions to encourage City of Toronto employees to make sustainable transportation choices on their commute and at home, including by providing information on green vehicles and commuting alternatives to City staff;
27. Support the Smart Commute program by providing data and information and promoting the program as it is rolled out to all City employees;
28. Provide information to the public on green vehicles and funding incentives on Fleet Services' website;
29. Promote green vehicles at public events such as the Green Living Show, Canadian National Exhibition and Green Toronto Festival;

 

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Maintenance and management practices

30. Investigate the feasibility and benefit of adopting additional green practices at Fleet maintenance facilities, such as using synthetic oils and extending the time between oil changes;
31. Continue to reduce the number of fuel sites operated by the City of Toronto by consolidating, upgrading or closing fuel sites, in consultation with client Divisions;
32. Have the City's fleet reviewed and rated under the E3 Fleet Rating System to identify opportunities to reduce fuel use and pollutant emissions and measure Toronto's fleet against available environmental benchmarks;
33. Examine the practices used by international municipal green fleet leaders such as New York City and Los Angeles, and incorporate successful practices into Toronto's fleet operations where feasible;
34. Undertake a study to confirm that the actions Fleet Services is taking will meet the emission reduction targets for greenhouse gases and smog pollutants;
35. Request funding in 2009 and later years to provide an operating budget for emission reduction assessment studies and green fuel premiums;
36. Seek funding opportunities to enable the City to accelerate greening of its fleet;
37. Include green fleet practices in tenders for work done by private contractors, such as a requirement to use fuel-efficient vehicles for City business and to prevent idling, and consider this information in the selection process; and
38. Provide annual updates on progress achieved in meeting the commitments and targets of the Green Fleet Plan 2008-2011 on Fleet Services' website.

Q&As regarding greening our fleet

Download a PDF version of the Green Fleet Plan (pdf, 470 KB).