December 2009, Automotive Fleet - Feature
First-Ever Environmental Leadership Awards Honors Corporate Fleet Professionals
The Environmental Leadership Awards recognized fleet leaders who have led successful “green” efforts. Representatives from 21 commercial fleets were recognized.
By Grace Lauron
♦ Florida Power & Light, George Survant, director of fleet services.
With one of the largest utility fleets in the country (2,900 road-licensed vehicles and 1,600 off-road vehicles, fork lifts, and mechanized equipment for powerplants), FPL has also been a leader in adopting hybrids for commercial use.
In 2001, the agency was the first purchaser of hybrid cars for commercial use, and in 2005, took delivery of its first medium-duty hybrids, after volunteering to lead a working group for WestStart-CALSTART to develop such trucks for the utility industry, says Survant.
FPL's fleet of Class 7 (primarily 27,000-lb. GVWR) conventional and electric plug-in hybrids has grown to more than 60 units. Though economic conditions have forced the utility to delay its normal replacement cycle by a year, hybrids will continue to play a key role in future purchases.
The FPL hybrid fleet includes a gasoline-electric, UPS-style, P-Series van produced by Azure Dynamics on a Ford chassis. The fleet also includes two plug-in hybrid diesel-electric (PHEV) trucks. The 42-foot, 27,000-lb. GVWR International trucks feature an Eaton hybrid driveline and a 55-foot bucket truck with a tandem rear axle, built on an International chassis and powerplant with a Dueco and Odyne hybrid package.
The FPL Group announced in September it is working with Duke Energy and FPL Group on a goal to make 100 percent of all new fleet vehicles plug-in electrics or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles by 2020.
In 2009, FPL has managed to save an estimated $440 million in fuel costs and avoid approximately 4.9 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions by increasing efficiency in its fleet operations. The fleet placed 12th on the 2009 Top 300 Commercial Fleets listing.
♦ Johnson & Johnson Services, Suzanne Gallagher, commodity manager, & Louise Davis-Lopez, fleet manager.
♦ Liberty Mutual, Linda Bent, fleet manager.
Employed at Liberty Mutual for two years, Bent oversees the company car program within Liberty Mutual's National Program Management department. Her responsibilities include managing vendor relationships, monitoring and enforcing compliance to policy, and working to ensure company vehicles are driven safely and responsibly.
Each of Liberty Mutual's current vehicle selectors has environmentally friendly features that allow the company to manage its fleet's emissions. Gradually replacing its fleet with greener vehicles has brought Liberty Mutual to 60 percent of its fleet being either flex-fuel or Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles (PZEV). Beyond selecting safe, environmentally friendly vehicles, Liberty Mutual reinforces responsible driving behavior to reduce energy consumption, promote its brand, and ensure the safety of its employees.
Environmental responsibility is a component of Liberty Mutual's company car policy, requiring drivers to drive responsibly, maintain their vehicles appropriately, and purchase environmentally friendly fuel. All drivers receive a tire pressure gauge as a reminder to keep their tires properly inflated. Liberty Mutual also monitors fuel economy on a monthly basis, and frequently reports progress to its drivers through their fleet driver Web site, said Bent.
Liberty Mutual is ranked #16 on Automotive Fleet's Top 50 Green Fleets listing for 2009.
♦ Millipore Corporation, (accepted by) Thomas Hartner, manager, global sourcing.
As part of Millipore's sustainability initiative, Hartner has headed a program to transition toward using fuel-efficient vehicles.
Millipore's North American fleet is now 25-percent hybrid. The program is expected to save an estimated 95,000 gallons of gas and reduce CO2 emissions drop by 1,900,000 lbs.
♦ Novartis, Lillian Palmieri, manager, fleet operations.
♦ Novo Nordisk, Donna Bibbo, manager, fleet & travel.
Bibbo has been a Novo Nordisk employee since August 2006. As fleet and travel manager, she manages all aspects of the company's fleet and travel programs.
Novo Nordisk's green efforts include right-sizing vehicles to job needs, charging extra for "family friendly" vehicles to reduce their desirability, using most fuel-efficient vehicles in classes of vehicles used, and training drivers to be more fuel efficient. Bibbo leads these efforts with support from her upper management and supplier partners.
♦ Otis Elevator, Phil Schreiber, fleet manager.
♦ PepsiCo, Pete Silva, director of fleet.
Since 2007, PepsiCo tripled the number of hybrids in its sales fleets, decreasing overall emissions by approximately 10-12 percent per vehicle. The company now operates more than 1,250 hybrid vehicles, the second-largest non-government hybrid fleet in the U.S.
As director of fleet, Silva is responsible for delivering purchasing productivity and sustainability improvements for the various PepsiCo fleets. "We gather input on needs from the various operating companies and use that input to align capital and expense agreements for the fleet organization," he said. In addition, Silva also manages other goods and services purchasing for the Frito-Lay Division and delivers productivity opportunities to reduce operating costs in Frito-Lay manufacturing plants and distribution centers.
PepsiCo is ranked #7 on Automotive Fleet's 2009 Top 300 Commercial Fleets listing.
♦ Pfizer, Inc., Charles Schott, Americas fleet director.
♦ Purolator Courier Ltd., Serge Viola, director of National Fleet/GSE & Ground Linehaul.
♦ Schwan's Home Service, Jeff Modica, VP of supply chain.
Modica has worked at Schwan's Home Service for three and a half years. In this role, he is responsible for overall management of the Schwan's Home Service supply chain, fleet, and facilities, including 5,800 Home Service delivery trucks, in addition to the Schwan's Home Service depot network including more than 480 depot locations across the U.S.
Fleet's environmental efforts include packaging reduction on food products, improving fuel economy in the Home Service delivery trucks, and extending the life of consumable fleet items, such as oil, tires, brakes, etc.
Schwan's Home Service fleet currently contains nearly 5,800 delivery trucks fueled by propane. Fleet has begun replacing current trucks with the next-generation home service delivery trucks, which is 6,000 lbs. lighter to further improve fuel economy. The company has also implemented a program to help reduce the amount of oil needed to maintain the Home Service fleet.
♦ State Farm, Dick Malcom, fleet manager.