Government Fleet: Ann Arbor nationally recognized for efforts to cut back petroleum use

By Ryan J. Stanton Political Reporter

Posted on Thu, Feb 4, 2010 : 12:48 p.m.

Those hybrid vehicles cruising around town are getting noticed.

The city's electric car costs 2 cents per mile to operate.

The city of Ann Arbor's success in using alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles to keep its fleet green is the focus of a new report today.

Government-Fleet.com reports the city's Green Fleets program is the focus of this week's MotorWeek Clean Cities Success Story. It says the city, which set a goal in 2004 of reducing its fleet's petroleum usage by 10 percent by 2012, has a new goal of 30 percent by the end of 2010.

Ann Arbor currently operates two natural gas heavy-duty trucks, 16 other natural gas vehicles, two neighborhood electric vehicles, more than 150 pieces of equipment running on biodiesel and its first fuel cell car, according to the city's website.

A segment on Ann Arbor's success will air on PBS stations nationwide starting Feb. 6. It also will be broadcast on the SPEED Channel beginning Feb. 13. For show times, check the MotorWeek and SPEED Channel websites.

To read the Government-Fleet report, go here.