Fleet management companies, such as ARI, Donlen, Emkay, Enterprise Fleet Management, PHH, GE Capital Solutions, LeasePlan, and Wheels Inc., are responding to fleet interest in environmentally responsible fleet programs to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) and air pollution. Here’s a summary of their green fleet programs.

Automotive Resources International (ARI)’s EnviroFleet program helps truck and diesel vehicle fleets reduce their overall emissions footprints, while improving vehicle efficiency and lowering fuel consumption.

Developed in 2001, EnviroFleet has helped reduce the environmental impact of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon emissions from car, truck, and equipment fleets of all sizes and complexity.

Key points of the program include profiling and benchmarking a fleet’s carbon footprint, establishing the link between fuel use and fleet practices, and interpreting the impact of carbon emissions and other chemicals released in the air. What started as a tool to educate fleet managers on the impact of an environmentally conscious fleet grew into a hands-on analytical reporting tool that has provided green consulting on more than 100,000 vehicles to date.

Since 2004, Donlen has worked with companies on environmental fleet strategies. Developed by Donlen’s Strategic Consulting Services team, the company’s GreenKey solution follows a three-step approach to reducing emissions:

· Model – a vehicle optimization model provides customers real-time modeling that promotes the understanding of the environmental and financial impact of corporate fleet purchasing decisions.

· Measure – analysis of current carbon footprint, fuel efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, and operating costs creates a baseline for performance and ongoing process monitoring.

· Manage – a scorecarding process tracks progress, benchmarks performance, and measures the impact of strategies as well as driver education tools, such as Fuel P.U.S.H. (Prevent Unnecessary Spending and Hazards) programs.

Utilizing GreenKey, Donlen aims to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases through the creation of environmental policies, implementation of measurement tools, benchmarking, environmental issues education, certifying vehicles as environmental best performers, and partnering with EPA’s Smartway program. In 2007, Donlen teamed with the Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy organization, to create a carbon emissions measurement tool for the organization’s Cool Cities initiative. The tool provides a financial and environmental picture of hundreds of vehicle selections.

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Emkay developed the goGreen program with specific sustainable growth initiatives to make Emkay not only carbon neutral, but also carbon negative.

Emkay’s strategies include:

· Reduction of CO² emissions associated with the company’s operations.

· Purchase of permanent and verifiable carbon offsets to cover 105 percent of emissions that cannot be reduced directly.

· Products fleets can utilize to achieve corporate environmental initiatives.

Enterprise Fleet Management’s Keys to Green program goals include developing environmental initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution and helping companies with medium-size fleets better manage vehicle emissions. Each of the following initiatives is geared to the specific needs of these fleets:

· Greenhouse Gas Emissions Offsets. This program helps customers purchase verifiable greenhouse gas emission offsets through a trusted third-party partner. Enterprise matches 25 percent of each offset purchase.

· Fleet Emissions Footprint Analysis. By measuring the carbon footprint of each fleet vehicle, companies can analyze options to balance or mitigate emissions.

· Vehicle Cycling/Fleet Optimization. This feature provides fleet customers more comprehensive data for vehicle cycling and fleet optimization.

· Emerging Fuel and Engine Technologies. This initiative helps fleet customers make wise decisions about new engine technologies. For example, if a company is curious about flex-fuel vehicles, Enterprise works with the customer to see if flexfuel models are a good option for their fleet.

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Ecomagination, GE’s business initiative, has generated revenues of more than $14 billion. The demand for more energy-efficient products has continued the growth for GE Capital Solutions and has launched such products as the GE Capital Solutions Fleet Services’ Environmental Performance Solution.

This program was developed to help customers with commercial car and truck fleets reduce operating costs and, at the same time, reduce CO² emissions. GE works closely with customers to strategize and develop a customized roadmap that helps strengthen the vehicles’ environmental and operating performance by focusing on four key processes:

· Vehicle Selection. During the vehicle selection process, customers can reduce CO2 emissions and fuel costs by selecting "greener" cars. GE offers a Hybrid Rebate Program, which allows customers to invest in new technology to improve theirfleet’s environmental performance.

· Vehicle Efficiency. GE utilizes its Mobile Resource Management solution to provide customers visibility into the location, condition, and use of their vehicles, promoting lower operating costs, CO2 emissions, and improved safety, utilization, and compliance.

· Measurement and Reporting.With GE Capital Solutions Fleet Services’Environmental Performance Solution, my.Dashboard, a Web-based reporting and analytical tool, customers can track and trend the total fleet CO2 emissions and the average emission per vehicle over the previous two years. Customers can also trend CO2 emissions by vehicle type, model, and organizational structure.

· Carbon Neutrality. Through GE’s affiliation with Greenhouse Gas Services, customers can access greenhouse gas (GHG) credits and carbon program support to help meet internal emissions reduction goals or offset GHG emissions.

"Think Green. Think GreenPlan." is LeasePlan’s slogan for a carbon neutralization program launched August 2006. LeasePlan’s GreenPlan program provides:

· Reports on CO2 emissions per vehicle and total fleet.

· Recommendations on vehicle choice and policy.

· CO2 reduction trend reports based on static and/or dynamic data (fuel card-dependent).

· Participation assistance in carbon offsetting programs.

Developed to assist commercial fleets in offsetting carbon emissions from vehicle fleets through planting trees, the program has evolved to emphasize sustainable fleet management, focusing on planet, people, and profits.

LeasePlan has carbon-neutralized its own fleet and employee vehicles by planting more than 11,000 trees. The company’s Green Summit meetings are attended by a wide range of fleet professionals. The Summits provides comprehensive education on the environment and politics, manufacturer strategies, sustainable fleet management, and best practices.

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PHH partnered with Environmental Defense (EDF) to create the PHH GreenFleet program, which aims to reduce emissions while reducing lifecycle operating costs. The program is designed to help fleet managers measure and reduce emissions by selecting more efficient vehicles, upgrading vehicle maintenance programs, and providing green driving training to employees.

PHH’s goal with PHH GreenFleet is to help companies measure, manage, reduce, and offset greenhouse gases by:

· In-depth analysis and consulting. Goals are set to increase efficiency and reduce emissions though improved vehicle selection and use.

· Advice on offsetting GHG emissions. With the help of the EDF, PHH provides resources to help companies identify and purchase GHG offsets.

· Measurement and reporting. Initial greenhouse gas emissions baselines are developed for fleets as well as reporting tools to measure environmental improvement.

· Recognition of environmental leadership. Both PHH and EDF help companies promote their program results.

Wheels’ EcoWheels is designed to help companies identify and implement the most effective options to reduce GHG emissions.

The EcoWheels program provides tools for:

· Vehicle Selection. Based on an analysis of EPA GHG ratings, vehicle use/function, travel routes, and vehicle loads, Wheels assists companies in choosing appropriate vehicles for their application, which may or may not include alternative fuel and/or hybrid options.

· Driver Education. Fleet drivers are supplied tactical tools for minimizing their environmental impact, such as idling time reduction instruction, preventive maintenance, etc.

· Driver Incentives. Drivers are encouraged to learn about and put into practice their company’s green initiatives. Wheels works with fleets to develop incentive programs such as monthly cash rewards or vehicle upgrades.

· Success Measurement. Based on fuel consumption, data from fuel cards is combined with data on vehicle type, mileage, and other factors that can help develop meaningful reports estimating companies’ emissions reductions. This feature helps companies focus on their environmental goals.