Orange County, North Carolina Public Vehicles Recognized As NC Smart Fleet

Orange County, North Carolina's public vehicle fleet was one of ten in the state recognized as having an NC Smart Fleet, acknowledging efforts to cut down on emissions from town vehicles. Chapel Hill was also a recipient of the award.

Lacey Jane Wolfe, Coordinator of the Triangle Clean Cities Coalition, said 2014 is the first year of the awards, which were based on data from one to three years of fleet traffic. She said the award was given to Orange County following several years’ worth of effort to reduce dependence on petroleum.

Jeff Thompson, Director of Asset Management Services for Orange County, said the effort was focused on reducing fuel load and teaching drivers more fuel-conserving driving habits. He also said the county’s success came from being in a region that is supportive of alternative fuels, and the Orange County Board of Commissioners is interested in being a leader in this field.

The fleet includes emergency vehicles, waste management, and public transportation but also reaches out to the community with facilities like electric vehicle charging stations. Thompson said the county was looking at alternative fuels other than electricity but was interested in installing DC fast chargers, which can charge an electric car in a matter of minutes.

Chapel Hill was given a Champion level award for reducing emissions all three years, while Orange County was given a Leader level award for reducing emissions from one base level. The difference in awards also took into account which fleets are creating policies and reaching out to other fleets to follow their lead. Both Orange County and Chapel Hill plan to carry their emission reductions into the future.

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