Clean Fleet Articles

UCSD transit

UC San Diego Saves Millions with Realtime Management

Like all great universities, the University of California at San Diego, must either spend millions for car parking or spend millions for improved transportation. Using transportation demand management, UC San Diego is spending millions less in both areas. 27,500 students attend the university. “We encourage commuters to use alternate forms of transportation,” said Brian d’Autremont, TPS director. “Approximately 43 percent of UC San Diego commuters use some form of alternative transportation, including, bikes, buses, trains and vanpools.”

Oil Consumption Peaks for World’s #3 Consumer

Only the USA and China consume more oil than California,” observes Jim Boyd, CEC. With oil prices soaring, California must reduce its dependency on oil to sustain prosperity and achieve energy security. As 38 million Californians deploy a range of solutions to reducing oil usage, the world will learn valuable lessons. In 2006, California consumption of gasoline peaked. In California, more people are driving fewer miles; importantly, fewer solo miles. More efficient vehicles are being used, often benefiting from hybrid-electric drive systems. As an alternative to oil, there is a growing use of biofuel, natural gas, hydrogen and renewable electricity.

Heavy-Duty Vehicle Trends for 2008

Most oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from transportation are not from passenger vehicles; they are from the heavy-duty vehicles, ships, and planes that move all our goods, serve public transit, and provide the infrastructure that keeps cities running. Heavy-duty operators have often been years ahead of passenger vehicle owners in using advanced technology to do more with less fuel. Article describes use of hybrids, plug-in hybrids, idle-off, natural gas, hydrogen fuel cells, energy security and green supply chains.

Smart Grids and Electric Vehicles

Several early models of passenger vehicles have enough energy stored in advanced batteries to power several homes for hours. Hybrid electric buses and heavy trucks could power many homes or a school or a hospital in an emergency. Recent announcements demonstrate that electric utilities and some auto makers want to make V2G a reality. The Smart Grid Consortium, established in December 2007 by Xcel Energy, will select a community of approximately 100,000 residents to become a Smart Grid City using V2G. The Renault-Nissan Alliance and Project Better Place have signed a MOU to create a mass-market for electric vehicles in Israel.

Super Mileage Four-Door Sedans

Fuel economy was on display at the Detroit Auto Show and the North American International Auto Show. $100 per barrel oil and new CAFÉ standards have made improved fuel economy mandatory for auto makers. Most popular with individuals and fleets is the four-door sedan. Over the next three years, there will be a number of affordable offerings with fuel economy from 40 miles per gallon, to infinite miles per gallon. Announcements include $30,000 plug-in hybrids and diesel hybrids.

Flexible Work

Great organizations are improving employee productivity, increasing retention of key people, and often saving millions of dollars annually. We admire corporations that contribute to the triple bottom line: people, profits, and planet. Flexible work and flexible transportation programs are enabling great employers to achieve all three.

The Best Workplaces for Commuters

Whether you prefer to live in a thriving city or a quiet town, the right job can save you hundreds of commute hours and thousands of dollars. Working near where you live is good for your health and good for the environment. Better jobs are a reason that hundreds of millions have moved to cities. Cities are the headquarters for many service industries and government.