Port Authority Recognized for its Green Vehicle Fleet

Nov. 3, 2016

The Port Authority's commitment to maintaining an environmentally friendly fleet of vehicles has earned recognition as the “greenest fleet” in North America among public agencies, according to a new survey published by Green Fleet magazine.

The agency, which has been in the top 50 of the “100 Best Fleets in North America” survey for seven consecutive years, achieved the top spot for the first time this year. The award recognizes the agency’s continuing efforts and successes in operating a fleet that meets high environmental standards.

“For years, the Port Authority has taken strong action to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and build clean energy facilities,” said Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye. “We have an aggressive clean air strategy to help reduce our carbon output, and we will continue to improve our environmental performance.”

The agency’s 2,000 on-road and off-road vehicles using alternative fuels, which make up 85 percent of the entire fleet, eliminates more than 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the air annually. The Port Authority continually replaces many of its older gasoline-powered cars and trucks with low-emission models, including hybrid, electric, natural gas and clean diesel vehicles as well as SmartWay vehicles certified by the Environmental Protection Agency.

In addition to its fleet maintenance, the agency’s Central Automotive Division integrates green and efficient practices into daily operations through the use of green cleaning products, oil testing equipment and experimenting with soy as an alternate cleaning lubricant.

The Government Green Fleet Award is open to all federal, state and local government fleets in North America. The rating criteria is based on hundreds of sources of green fleet planning and methodology. Evaluation standards are divided into several key categories -- fleet composition, fuel and emissions, policy and planning, fleet utilization, education, executive and employee involvement, and supporting programs.