The Office of the Orange County, Fla., Property Appraiser (OCPA) has unveiled a fleet of 30 new Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles that will be used by field staff members. The OCPA says its new green fleet is part of the agency's commitment to positively manage its impact on the environment and community.
Up until now, employees used their personal vehicles and then submitted for reimbursement for mileage driven. The OCPA says each Prius will offer significantly better fuel economy and lower emissions than many employees' personal vehicles.
‘Transitioning to an agency-owned fleet advances our sustainability efforts and reduces the wear and tear on our employees' personal vehicles,’ says Orange County Property Appraiser Rick Singh. ‘OCPA employees need safe and reliable transportation to conduct their work throughout Orange County. This is a smart long-term investment in our employees, and in the health of our community.’
The move to using the Hybrid Synergy Drive Prius will also save tax dollars: Over the next 10 years, the OCPA says taxpayers will realize a savings of nearly $779,000.
The OCPA has teamed up with Enterprise Fleet Management, which will provide vehicle registration and a fuel card program that automatically monitors fuel purchases and miles for each vehicle. The OCPA will also use Enterprise Telematics, a Web-based application that helps manage fleet operations with real-time diagnostic and location data to optimize fleet use, routing, logistics, engine diagnostics and safety.
Once the vehicles have reached the optimum point in their lifecycle, Enterprise will auction and resell the vehicles for the OCPA.
According to Enterprise Fleet Management's Britt Watty, ‘Reimbursing employees for mileage in their personal vehicles can be a strain on an organization's time and financial resources. Fleet programs free up those resources, while offering employees new, well-maintained vehicles that use cleaner vehicle technology.’
