Related: Cox Looks to Sprinter and Hybrid Vans for Better MPG
Cox Hoping for Exemption to Calif. City's Parking Ban
Cox Enterprises, Inc. has begun discussions with elected leaders in Santa Barbara, Calif., to determine whether a new law banning overnight parking of cargo vans on city streets would affect its drivers, a company spokesperson said.

Photo of medium-roof Transit courtesy of Ford.

Photo of medium-roof Transit courtesy of Ford.
Cox Enterprises, Inc. has begun discussions with elected leaders in Santa Barbara, Calif., to determine whether a new law banning overnight parking of cargo vans on city streets would affect its drivers, a company spokesperson said.
In December, the City Council passed an ordinance that would ban any vehicle taller than 82 inches from being parked on city streets because it blocks motorists' visibility and creates a road safety hazard, reports the Santa Barbara Independent.
While the ordinance has taken aim at RVs, it would also impact fleet vehicles. As the cable provider in the area, Cox Communications uses a fleet of mostly medium-roof Ford Transit cargo vans that are 98.7 inches in height. The company uses some Mercedes-Benz Sprinters. The standard-roof Sprinter at 94.5 inches in height would also violate the ordinance. Cox drivers take their vehicles home for the night.
"We are still in conversations with the local leaders at this time to determine the specifics and impact," said Elizabeth Olmstead, a Cox spokesperson.
Cox Communications has 40 cargo vans in Santa Barbara among its 7,500 U.S. vehicles, said Jim Bigelow, the senior director of enterprise fleet for Cox Enterprises.
Editor's note: An earlier version incorrectly listed the height of the standard-roof Sprinter.
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