Welcome

Click to download Brochure

Fleet Challenge Ontario is a not-for-profit program of the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance that helps fleet operators reduce their fuel consumption, operating costs and tailpipe emissions through sharing of modern fleet management techniques and proven best management practices.

In Ontario, Fleet Challenge Ontario represents the E3 (Energy, Environment, Excellence) Fleet Program.¹ E3 Fleet Review applies comprehensive data analysis tools for our members in order to produce custom reports and recommendations for reducing emissions, fuel, operating and capital costs for each fleet.

The highly successful Fleet Challenge Ontario 2007-08 pilot program completed Fleet Reviews for 12 Ontario municipalities in 2008. We are proud to announce the continuation of the Fleet Review program to enable participation from more municipalities 2009 through 2011 with the support of the Ontario Government.

FLEET CHALLENGE AT AMO
(Association of Municipalities of Ontario)

August 15 - 18, 2010 at Caesar's, Windsor.

Mayor Karen Farbridge, City of Guelph, confirmed to open FCO Insight Breakfast

Attending AMO this year? Looking for ways to save costs, green your fleet operations, and contribute to your municipality's green plan? Be sure to visit the FCO booth and join us at the Fleet Review Program Clinic Insight Breakfast!
see more...

PEMS PROJECT UPDATE

Another milestone met with testing at Windsor Automotive Research and Development Centre with partners University of Windsor and AUTO21 and Windsor Police.

Click HERE for more.

Feature Article: "A better carbon footprint means more money, and we share that with the driver." Greg Black, Vice-President, Flex-Mor Industries Inc. March 2010 Greg Black is a busy man. The vice-president of a Bolton, Ontario-based Transportation company, Flex-Mor Industries Inc. oversees a fleet of 100 trucks and 280 trailers hauling freight from Ontario and Quebec to the U.S., ensuring that not only the standards of timeliness of delivery, safety, and customer satisfaction are met, but that it's done in the most efficient, sustainable way possible. His secret weapon: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Eight years ago Black's company set about looking for ways to minimize emissions and extend the lifespan of its vehicles and equipment. more... 1Participation in the Municipal Fleet Review program is a first step towards obtaining an E3 Green Fleet Rating (www.e3fleet.com) and joining the ranks of E3 certified fleets like Hamilton, Ont., Langley, B.C, Enbridge Gas Distribution and many others across Canada. Participating fleets will be recognized and celebrated at Fleet Challenge Ontario events, including Green Fleet Expo and the Green Fleet Leadership Awards.

Global Warming, Climate Change and the Transportation Sector

Heat waves, storms, floods and other extreme weather events have focused global attention on the threat that climate warming poses to local communities. Recent findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicate that global warming is progressing even more rapidly than expected. Eleven of the last twelve years (1995-2006) rank among the twelve warmest years in the instrumental record of global surface temperature since 1850, with 2006 being the warmest winter since 1880.

Global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) due to human activities have grown since pre-industrial times, with increases on order of 70% between 1970 and 2004. In urban areas, the major greenhouse gas emissions are carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Carbon dioxide is emitted when fossil fuel-based energy is used by households, institutional and commercial buildings, industry, and in particular, auto transportation.2

Of all exhaust emissions, carbon dioxide is the most directly related to fuel consumption. Today’s automobiles run on hydrocarbon fuels mostly derived from crude oil, such as gasoline and diesel. Increasing the amount of fuel consumed in an engine causes the amount of CO2 in the exhaust to increase by the same degree (all else being equal). While catalytic converters can reduce many pollutants from automobile exhaust, such emission control systems cannot remove CO2. Certain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOX) and Nitrous Oxide (NOX) emissions emitted by vehicles are also powerful GHGs. Specifically, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) have high global warming potentials that make them about 21 and 310 times, respectively, more potent than CO2. Transportation is the cause of about 30% of Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions.

Most would agree that any corporation that employs the latest technology and best practices in managing its vehicle fleet can help reduce emissions and become a more environmentally responsible organization. Perhaps not as common is the notion that as we reduce emissions we often also reduce costs.

Fleet Challenge has recently completed a Green Fleet program for Ontario Municipalities. The Fleet Challenge Ontario municipal program was designed to help municipal fleet managers cut emissions and operational costs by applying fleet management tools and techniques shared through E3 (Energy Environment Excellence) Fleet Reviews, information sessions, and a Best Practices manual. Municipalities can then, optionally, take part in the E3 Fleet Rating, which uses a point-based Rating System Checklist for rating fleet performance, with points for fleet management practices and energy and emissions performance. Municipalities can also attend one of several information sessions or access the Best Practices manual in order to learn more about green fleet practices.

The associated cost-savings vary by fleet but some of the most common are:

• Managing and constantly monitoring historical data will take a fleet to a whole new level of excellence, opening the door to increased fiscal and environmental responsibility through effective fleet management.
• Converting vehicle fleets to clean burning or renewable fuels, and the use of high-efficiency vehicles like hybrids reduces emissions and can reduce costs.
• Thorough route-planning and load-sharing can reduce fleet mileage.
• Downsizing and right-sizing the fleet to meet the true needs of the corporation.
• Reducing vehicle idling can reduce fuel consumption and thereby decrease emissions.
• Driver awareness programs can improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, prevent accidents and save on insurance costs.
• Encouraging travel by public transit, rather than company vehicles, can reduce mileage and fuel usage. Or better still, employing video conferencing removes the expense of travel.
• Relocation of staff and resources can allow for reduced vehicle use and cost.

Chris Hill, Fleet Manager of the City of Hamilton's Public Works Department and participant in the Fleet Challenge Ontario program has witnessed first-hand the cost savings of a green fleet.

"We use 10 million litres of fuel a year. That's just over $10 million, so we are always looking at ways to cut that cost," said Mr. Hill. "In 2006, our fuel efficiency was five per cent better than 2005, mainly due to the use of hybrids, which consume 50 per cent less fuel than the vehicles they replaced." The City of Hamilton is continuing to look at ways to reduce their emissions and fleet management costs.

The tools and concepts from Fleet Challenge Ontario can be applied to both public and private sector fleets. By reducing the environmental impacts of their fleets, it is our hope that the private sector can realize that it is not only the responsible decision but also a wise financial investment.

²Methane is emitted in urban areas as waste decomposes in landfills and from wastewater and sewage treatment processes.