Our Mission
The Fleet
Management Division of the City of Santa Monica is responsible for ensuring
that city vehicles are available, dependable, cost effective, energy efficient,
and safe to operate. Our department purchases and maintains almost 70% of all
city vehicles excluding Big Blue Bus and Fire Department Vehicles. We also provide
scheduled maintenance to reduce overall vehicle operating costs, minimize
downtime, and extend useful life. We pride ourselves in our usage of cleaner
fuel, alternatively fueled vehicles, and environmentally friendly products.
Fleet is committed to the City of Santa Monica's Sustainable
City Goals and is a member of "Clean Cities," a program
sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy which promotes the use of
alternative fuel vehicles. Santa Monica's Fleet Management Division is
one of the most innovative and progressive programs in the nation.
Approximately, 60% of the citywide vehicle fleet and over 70% of non-emergency vehicles are fueled alternatively.
Fleet's Sustainable Programs and Progress
During the 1996/1997 fiscal year, Fleet instituted a Capital
Improvement Program to help the city reach their reduced emission goals, Fleet for Vehicle Replacement, the goal
of which is to replace outdated, high maintenance equipment with
"alternatively fueled" vehicles.
A computerized Vehicle Management reporting system tracks
costs and usage by vehicle and city division, allowing Fleet to efficiently
manage vehicle maintenance and repair activities. Additionally, auctions
of surplus equipment help achieve maximum returns on assets.
Fleet Management purchases non-toxic or
"least-toxic" products for all vehicles and uses recycled products
whenever possible. For example, propylene-glycol antifreeze is less toxic
to the environment than traditional antifreeze and is used in all of our vehicles.
The City uses only water-based part and brake cleaners, recycles waste oil and
all used filters, and uses only reconditioned batteries.
We have been able to greatly reduce GHG emissions over the last decade.
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Spotlight on Alternative Fuels:
Clean Natural Gas
Compressed Natural Gas is a domestically produced, clean burning fuel, whose main constituent is methane, a relatively non-reactive hydrocarbon. The process requires that the gas be separated from free liquids such as crude oil, water, and entrained solids. It is much more complicated than that, but in a nutshell, the dehydrated or "compressed" gas, with further treatment, can be used in vehicles.
In 1998, Fleet Management installed a CNG fueling facility at the City Yards to provide CNG fuel for City Vehicles. There are two fast-fill and 34 slow-fill stations, which dispense approximately 18,000 equivalent gallons in therms of CNG per month. This onsite facility drastically reduces the cost of refueling CNG Fleet vehicles.
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