Alliance for Innovation Newsletter

Soaring Fuel Costs Draining Government Budgets

With soaring fuel costs, local government budgets are being gouged and concerns of negatively impacting service levels are at the forefront of our daily operations. Inundated daily with the reminder that fuel costs are not going to go down anytime soon, cities are taking action in new ways. Ideas are abound, focusing on conserving fuel, instituting additional fees, and, at times, even questioning tradition. For example, Frederick County, MD is considering removing fire trucks from community parades; in Holly Springs, GA, a $12 ‘fuel surcharge’ has been added to all speeding tickets. Cities and counties everywhere are reconsidering their policies for employees who commute in government-owned vehicles.

The Alliance’s innovative city and county members have taken the initiative to create policies for fuel conservation that can be used throughout their organizations, as well as instituting fees to offset the negative impact of high fuel costs. We have collected some of today’s best practices as a resource for your own local government needs.

• Optimize Vehicle Use: There are plenty of common sense practices that can be put into place in our organizations to encourage fuel efficiency. Consolidating vehicles and eliminating trips, evaluating your employees' needs in terms of the vehicle size they are assigned, and ensuring engines and tires are well maintained are all good ideas for fuel consumption. The City of Clearwater, FL’s fuel conservation policy outlines several policies reducing trips, combining worker transportation to job sites, and even increasing efficiency by cross-training supervisors. The policy is organized departmentally, with conservation instructions pertaining to the specific duties of each department.

• Institute a No-Idling Policy: Did you know that idling a vehicle for 5 minutes a day wastes more than 13 gallons of gas a year? A no-idling policy saves gas and money, not to mention reducing dangerous vehicle emissions and wear-and-tear on your vehicle. Many cities have instituted a no-idling policy instructing drivers of city vehicles to not idle more than 30 consecutive seconds at any location, and reiterate the policy to their employees at least on an annual basis. The City of Conover, NC recently shared their Limitation on Engine Idling policy with our members.

• Eliminate or Reduce “Take-Home Vehicles”: Evaluating the policy of allowing employees to commute to and from work in government owned vehicles has been creating a buzz in local government. Alleghany County, MD has considered instituting a policy eliminating allowing employees to commute in county-owned vehicles if they reside outside the county, saving an estimated $18,730 per year. The plan also calls to enact a ‘commuting fee’ for employees working within the county, which would provide the county with a partial reimbursement for vehicle use.

• Travel Routes: Planning in advance has many benefits outside of the topic of fuel consumption, but can end up paying off. Coordinating daily trips with coworkers, such as making only one run to the lumber supply store or even to lunch. Using a GIS or GPS System can provide benefits by eliminating excess mileage. The City of Lynchburg, Virginia has distributed a list of suggestions, ideas and facts for fuel conservation, including using nitrogen filled tires, making only right hand turns (like UPS), and observing speed limits to improve fuel economy.

For your convenience, the Alliance has compiled a Fuel Conservation guide consisting of policies that our member governments have instilled in their jurisdictions. You may access this document by clicking here.

We encourage your participation in discussions and feedback on this issue! The Alliance is committed to providing you the best service on your most pressing concerns, and as always, seeking out the most innovative solutions. Please share your fuel conservation practices by contacting your regional director or send us an email.

Next month, look for our special feature article written by our partner, Demand Pooling, focusing on smart purchasing strategies and how to best maximize the chances of purchasing fuel at the most competitive rate.