| Local Policy Description: | Municipal Fleet Emissions
Transportation is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Actions the city can take to reduce fleet emissions include:
- Improving vehicle maintenance,
- Establishing minimum fuel efficiency standards for new vehicles purchased,
- Establishing an early retirement program for the least efficient vehicles, and
- Examining opportunities for the use of alternative fuel vehicles.
By taking actions such as these, the city will demonstrate clean fleet technologies and bring in resources and experience from which other sectors can benefit.
Green Fleets
For many institutions, another potentially significant emissions reduction strategy is to develop and operate climate-friendly transportation fleets. A wide variety of “green” fleet development measures are available to suit particular priorities and circumstances. These include:
- Procurement guidelines specifying minimum fuel-efficiency standards for traditionally fueled vehicles;
- Operational guidelines specifying minimum efficiency standards for an existing fleet;
- Procurement and operation of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), including electric, hybrid, fuel cell, bio-diesel or compressed natural gas;
- Development of AFV maintenance and support infrastructure (charging stations, rapid fill CNG); and
- Development and operation of green fleet vehicles that encourage higher-density vehicle occupancy (shuttles, park -and- ride).
Generally, running a fleet of green vehicles—such as those operated by several area institutions—has significant advantages over individual operations. These include bulk procurement, lower fixed costs per vehicle for any special refueling or maintenance equipment, more predictable operations schedules, and a higher level of public visibility. Also, institutions are in a better position to work with government or non-governmental partners in promoting green fleet technologies.
The actual greenhouse gas reductions that are achieved through specific green fleet strategies will depend on the amount and type of total fossil-fuel use that is replaced. Along with reducing emissions, green fleet investments commonly bring several other environmental and economic benefits—including reduced local air pollution, reduced congestion and potentially lower operating costs.
Transportation Actions for Businesses:
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging the management of company fleets to increase vehicle efficiency.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging the management of company fleets to modify vehicle procurement specifications.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging the management of company fleets to downsize vehicle fleets.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging the movement of inventory to optimize routing.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging the movement of inventory to reduce truck idling.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging the movement of inventory to create financial incentives for efficient fleet operation.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to subsidize employee transit passes.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to start a guaranteed ride home program.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to match up employees interested in ride-sharing.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to provide preferential parking for car-pools.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to provide financial incentives for car-pooling.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to initiate parking fees.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to use information technologies to allow telecommuting options.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to use information technologies to establish satellite offices.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to use information technologies to conduct business by teleconferencing.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to designate an employee transportation coordinator.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to stagger work hours.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to allow flex time.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to build transit amenities.
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to provide bicycle amenities (e.g., secured bike lockers and showers).
Increase business transportation efficiency by encouraging management to locate new business facilities in areas near housing and transit centers.
Municipal Transportation Actions
Shift funding for transit from the property tax to new funding sources.
Develop tax incentives to further encourage vanpools, carpools and public transportation.
Establish carbon-based or transportation fuel sales taxes. Carbon tax or the removal of sales tax exemptions for transportation fuels can be designed to be revenue-neutral, with the revenues generated returned to taxpayers in the form of reductions in other tax burdens (e.g., income, property or social security).
Develop a revenue-neutral sales tax structure for new vehicle sales. Vehicles significantly more efficient than the fleet average receive a rebate, those with average efficiencies are not
impacted, and those significantly worse than average pay an extra sales tax—which offsets the rebates paid for the more efficient vehicles.
Adopt higher density mixed use planning to encourage transportation efficiency.
Shift hidden transportation costs to motor fuel taxes to encourage transportation efficiency.
Shift fixed-cost fees for transportation to variable-costs fuel taxes to encourage transportation efficiency.
Implement pay-at-the-pump insurance to encourage transportation efficiency.
Work with Chittenden County Transportation Authority (CCTA) to shorten headways of existing routes—especially the New North End. Increase the frequency of buses and add more free shuttles.
Explore the establishment of a multi-modal transportation district in the vicinity of Battery Street.
Expand bicycle infrastructure including a connected bike path system for the county, bike amenities, and share the road initiatives (e.g., clean shoulders).
Pursue connections to Colchester for the Burlington Bike Path; complete Northern Connector bike path; plan and develop an east-west bike path across the New North End; and develop a bike path along the eastern boundary of the City making linkages to neighboring communities.
Improve incentives to use the Parking and Mass-Transit Capital Fund as an alternative to on-site parking.
Implement the Waterfront Transportation Center at Union Station.
Initiate Riverside Avenue improvements for multi-use traffic.
Complete way-finding signage system.
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